Principal’s Notes – August 2026

Congratulations to our Girls 2nd XI Football team for topping their division in the interschool competition. Congratulations also to Springs Netball Prems for winning their division, along with Waiōrea Prems winning their division, Waiōrea Year 10 Kakariki winning their division and Springs Social Green winning the social division too. Early green shoots from our decision to fund directors of our major sports codes. Early days, but promising days!

And big ups to Gladys Sudyatmiko in winning gold and two bronze medals in the Tae Kwan Do National Championships in Hamilton last weekend!

We have signalled to our Year 11 parents an examination preparation initiative at year’s end to further instil good habits prior to the high stakes Year 12 external assessments. Along with twice yearly literacy and numeracy assessments known as the CAAs (Common Assessment Activities), we believe our kids will be well drilled and practiced for examination situations and protocols.

It is worth noting, I think, the comments of Professor Stuart McNaughton in the NZ Journal of Education Studies June 2026 where he comments that:
Implementing high stakes examinations focussed on knowledge risks reducing our focus on what is a global recognition of the need for more complex skills. Focussing assessment on a set of detailed prescriptions based on selective principles (McNaughton calls this “simplism”) won’t work, even if they appear to be “rocket science” to the Minister.

And what are these “complex skills”? Collaborative problem solving, Media and Information Literacy and Creative Thinking. The tree C’s – critical thinking, collaboration and creativity often dubbed 21st Century skills, transformative skills or soft skills are crucial strengths in what we nurture in our students here at Springs/Waiōrea and where New Zealand students score very highly in international comparisons. Show me an employer who doesn’t look for these skills when hiring!

Ngā mihi,
Ivan Davis
Principal