Staying at Appleby for intermediate

For the first time in decades and a couple of generations or more, Year 6 students at Appleby School can choose to remain in their community for their intermediate years.

Rachel Gordon was an Appleby student back in the 1990s with her younger brother and says they wanted to stay for their intermediate years, but it wasn’t a possibility back then. Now, her son Kaelan will be in the first intermediate class at the school as it cranks back up to being a full primary school.

“We’re stoked. It’s rural and a totally different environment; we love the community.”

The move follows the Ministry of Education’s consultation on recapitation of primary schools in the region to cater for the expected growth in school rolls in coming years. Wakefield and Appleby schools both chose to become full primary schools, taking students through to Year 8. Wakefield began this year with Year 7 students and will include Year 8 students in 2025.

Appleby has 106 students on its roll and initially planned to extend to Year 7 in 2026, but principal Justin Neal says they moved it forward to 2025 when they realised they were ready to go. He expects the school will hover around 10 Year 7 students, and says it’s not about numbers but the opportunities it represents.

“I’ve been here six years and there has always been a desire among the community for it. The idea had been there, but the ministry coming on board gave us the green light to do it.

“It keeps our kids in the community longer; closer to where they live and building on that whanau that we have already as a primary school. So why not?

“We’re giving them some choice and the parents who have kids staying are passionate about it – and we’ve already got plans for including parents.”

Part of that is around technology which will become part of the curriculum next year for intermediate-age students. An old classroom built in the 1930s will now become the technology unit and parents are part of the mix of specialists who will be brought it to share their skills with students.

The school has five teachers, and Greta Greenwood, who is the school’s new entrant teacher, will be taking over the Year 7 teaching role next year. She says there’s plenty of statistics that show fewer transitions between schools is beneficial for younger students.

“It’s that whole sense of community and leadership and being able to do things a little bit differently.”

Justin says another plus is the school’s close relationship with Ngati Kuia and students now have the opportunity to continue that relationship.

Wakefield School is coming to the end of its first year with Year 7 students as part of its recapitation process and they now have the opportunity of being the first Year 8 students as it becomes a full primary school.

Principal Freya Hogarth says 2024 has been a great year for the school with the inclusion of Year 7 students and their leadership roles with added responsibility has been noticeable.

The introduction of a Year 7 class this year brought hands-on learning opportunities of cooking, woodwork, sewing, metal work, upcycling, leatherwork and digital design.

“This term, our Year 7 students are working toward a market day which is growing their enterprise skills and giving them the opportunity to put many of the technology skills they have developed into use through a mini-business enterprise.”

She says the school will continue to expand on the successes of the programme next year with two year 7 and 8 classes in operation. Further opportunities and experiences are planned for the students and Freya says the school has planned collaborations with Appleby School as it embarks on its own recapitation process.