Gisborne school takes home top award

A carving programme at Gisborne Boy's High School has won a top award. Photo / Gisborne Boy's High School

A carving programme that fostered passion and changed attitudes to learning has been announced as the supreme winner of the Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards.

Gisborne Boy's High School were concerned their Maori students were not engaging and lagging behind, so developed the Whakairo course for senior students.

The programme, which was described as "providing teaching and learning opportunities with credibility and integrity" had far reaching implications for the school over a ten-year period, with 600 students taking part so far.

"Attitudes have changed and values and passion have flowed onto other components of the school curriculum," the award synopsis said.

The course is run by teacher Craig Callaghan, who a recent Education Review Office report described as "critical" to the success of the class, and indeed for significant increases in student numbers studying te reo Maori.

"He designed a programme that builds on students' strengths, celebrates achievements and enables academic successes," ERO said.

The course also won the Teaching and Learning category at the awards last night, which strive to celebrate outstanding achievement and combined effort to deliver a better education to children and young people.

Gisborne Boys's Tu Tane programme was a finalist in the Excellence in Engaging category.

The school's success at the Awards night secured them $50,000.

Five awards were give all up, with an Auckland-based teaching team at Mangere Bridge Kindergarten awarded the Education Focus Prize.

It was recognised for its dedication to building relationships, among teachers, parents, other teachers and with the schools the children move on to.

"The result has been positive transitions to schools, continued contact by kindergarten staff with the children and their families, and increased engagement with families," a synopsis said.

"The initiative has had a great effect on the wider community, spreading to other early childhood services in the area."

Other winners were Barnados KidStart Childcare, in Hastings, which received an "Excellence in Engaging" award, and Central Regional Health School, for Excellence in Leading.

Dr Graham Stoop, Deputy Secretary, Student Achievement and Convenor of the 2015 Awards, says, "In this year's finalists, we have seen many fresh ideas from across the education sector.

"All of the winners have highlighted effective practice that leads to improvement of outcomes, and this year we have seen a stronger focus on all of those outcomes - academic, social and cultural."

Winners were announced by Prime Minister John Key and Education Minister Hekia Parata, during an evening ceremony at Te Papa.