Hereworth School headmaster Trevor Barman sits with co-ed students on Monday.
For the first time in its nearly 100-year history, students at Havelock North’s Hereworth School are learning in a co-educational environment.
Starting this week, female pupils from Years 0-8 are attending the historically boys-only independent school.
Headmaster Trevor Barman said he greeted many from the new cohort Monday morning.
“Everyone was exceptionally happy, both boys and girls.”
Last year, in an open letter, Barman highlighted the work that was being done to aid the transition and make the school more inclusive for students.
“Our teaching staff, who gain incredible results from our boys, will be implementing proven strategies with a deep understanding of co-education.”
Barman also wrote that there would be significant academic, personal and leadership opportunities associated with the change.
“Hereworth’s co-educational environment will help to develop well-rounded and confident young adolescents with the emotional intelligence, maturity and understanding of inclusivity that is critical for 21st-century life beyond our school gates.”
Barman told Hawkes Bay Today it had been a “very smooth transition”.
“We’ve planned for it extremely carefully, and we’re seeing fruits of that happening now.”
In his first address to the school this year, Barman said he told students that relationships were “the essential DNA of the school”, and that they should “focus on building relationships with each other”.
Currently, there is no option for girls to board at the school. However, Barman says a new female boarding house will be built in the future.
“At the moment, we are mainly focused on the introduction of day girls.”
New facilities such as female bathrooms and additional parking infrastructure have already been implemented ahead of the school term.
Work on a new multi-sport facility is about to start and is due to be completed later this year.
The school faced a major setback in August when it was denied Government funding after applying to become an integrated state school.
The reason for denial was due to there being enough room in nearby public schools for pupils to enrol.
Hereworth previously operated with the slogan “designed for boys”, which has now been abandoned as the new co-educational structure takes effect.
Paunovic moved to Havelock North with her family from Croatia seven years ago.