Otumoetai Intermediate tops Prime Minister's awards

Otumoetai Intermediate Principal Henk Popping

Otumoetai Intermediate School has won the Supreme Prize at tonight's Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards.

The awards, held at Te Papa in Wellington, were presented by Prime Minister John Key.

A selection of staff and students from the school attended the ceremony.

Education Minister Hekia Parata said the winners of the inaugural Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards demonstrated the amazing work done to give young New Zealanders better educational outcomes and more promising futures.

"The focus is on groups, teams and partnerships and that's exactly the kind of collaboration we need to help kids do better. It's been fantastic to hear how the finalists have worked together to raise the achievement of our children and young people," she said.

"I want to congratulate our winners, and to acknowledge the other 147 groups who submitted entries. They represent the commitment, dedication, energy, imagination, talents and skills of people who every day are making a difference for kiwi kids."

A panel of education experts reviewed the entries and recommended the finalists across the five categories. Members of the judging panel then visited each of the finalists in order to determine the winning entries, as well as a supreme winner.

Of the five award categories, the intermediate was a finalist in excellence in engaging, excellence in teaching and learning, and excellence in governing.

"We have had the time and expertise of people of the highest calibre, and I want to thank them for the very substantial and detailed work they have done. They have had a very high standard of entries to decide between," Ms Parata said.