Glenholme School sees roll growth and new classrooms

Glenholme School pupil Sol Rogers (left), Tayla Burns, Hunter Ropata and Nevaeh Le Comte. Photo / Stephen Parker

Even after 11 years as Glenholme School's principal, there's nowhere else Nancy Macfarlane would rather be.

"Glenholme School is vibrant, it's caring, it's a beautiful environment to be learning within and working within," she said.

"For a lot of kids too, it's safe, there's structure and routine but at the same time it's fun, caring and loving."

Macfarlane said one of the big things happening at the school in 2018 was a building project with a block being upgraded.

"We've got classes in the hall, we've got no extra space. There's a lot of juggling in terms of looking at how we accommodate our tamariki and teachers. It's part of our journey," she said. "What's impacted us is significant roll growth."

Macfarlane was proud the school had 20 student leaders and said they were held in high regard at the school doing everything from manning reception to fundraising and hosting assemblies.

"Our kids need to have these role models in order to see the characteristics of successful learning, not just in the classroom," she said.

"The kids are the perfect role models. They are held in high regard and they have a strong presence in the school but also have really big responsibilities and expectations around their behaviour, work output and engagement inside and outside the school."

Tayla Burns, 10, is one of the young leaders and said it was a big responsibility.

Macfarlane also said the school had been working to ensure the students were aware of what their learning looked like.

"You know what you're doing, how you're learning and where you're going next."

About the school:
Principal: Nancy Macfarlane
Location: 149 Ranolf St
Type: State, Co-educational, primary school
Roll: 400 (in July 2017)
Gender composition: Female - 49.5 per cent, Male - 50.5 per cent (in 2017)
Ethnic composition: Maori - 52 per cent, Pakeha - 30 per cent, Other - 18 per cent. (In 2017)
Motto: Glenholme School provides our tamariki with the skills, will and tools to become assessment capable learners.