New Tauranga school's first day goes smoothly

Imaanay Anees, 9, pictured with her mother Saima and sister Aleezeh, 4, is one of the first students to attend the new ACG Tauranga school. Photo / John Borren

Imaanay Anees, 9, is one of the foundation pupils of Tauranga's new private school, ACG Tauranga in Pyes Pa.

"I really enjoyed it," she said of her first day, yesterday.

"We started the day playing some games to get to know each other, then we went in an assembly where the parents stayed and had a talk.

"Then we had music, we had this sheet we had to fill in about our favourite artists and who our favourite band is and stuff like that."

"I'm looking forward to doing some music and learning how to greet other people in Spanish."

Her mother Saima Anees said her family had moved to Tauranga from the United Kingdom last year.

She and her husband Dr Saad Anees wanted to have the best for their children and saw ACG Tauranga as a good school because it offered the "very structured" Cambridge curriculum.

"The facilities are unparalleled in Tauranga.

"We met the principal and we were impressed with what they had to offer."

Mrs Anees said she had worried about Imaanay moving schools after making friends at her previous school, Pillans Point, but her daughter had enjoyed her new school.

Academic Colleges Group development manager Barbara Burns said the school's first day had gone "wonderfully well".

She expected a strong relationship would form between the school and its extended families as both parents and grandparents had already been closely involved with the school.

"We've got under 25 students so classes are small. Some classes are as small as around five students.

"It's a great opportunity for one-on-one and specialised learning, we have teacher/student ratios you dream of as a teacher and a parent."

Science labs would be opened for lessons in mid-February and an early childhood centre will open mid-year.