Schools form 'communities'

Education minister Hekia Parata announced the second tranche of Communities of Schools in Rotorua yesterday. Photo / Ben Fraser

Rotorua schools working together rather than against each other will "open more resources and be of huge benefit to students and their academic achievement," a local principal says.

Education minister Hekia Parata has announced 38 Bay of Plenty schools have been given the go-ahead to form five new communities.

Mrs Parata made the announcement yesterday in Rotorua after attending an invitation-only education forum.

The Communities of Schools, an initiative of the controversial Investing in Educational Success scheme, will see Rotorua, Taupo, Whakatane and Tauranga schools collaborate across all year levels.

Investing in Educational Success injected more than $300 million into the sector last year with the aim of increasing student achievement.

However, aspects of the policy were met with resistance from industry unions with representatives saying funding was not being spent to directly benefit students.

The new Bay of Plenty communities are the Rotorua East Community, made up of five schools, the Catholic Faith-Based Community, made up of nine schools, the Rotorua Central Community, made up of 10 schools, the Taupo Community, made up of six schools and the Whakatane Community, made up of eight schools.

John Paul College is part of the Catholic Faith-Based Community and principal Patrick Walsh said he was pleased the collective was approved as it would serve as an avenue for schools to share "best practice".

"We have already held meetings and our next step will be to start working on an achievement plan.

"Working within a collective will open up new resources and will undoubtedly be a huge benefit for students who will be exposed to teaching techniques from a range of expert and lead teachers."

Mr Walsh said while there was originally a slow uptake of the initiative, principals were realising there were "no real disadvantages to the scheme and taking part will unlock previously unavailable funding".

Mr Walsh said he was unsure of the exact amount of funding but said it was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Mrs Parata said the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty schools were part of the second tranche of communities.

"I'm delighted that these new communities will join the first 11 that I announced in December. This brings the total number of communities formed to 29."

Mrs Parata said this latest announcement was testament to the growing faith of educators in the Investing in Educational Success scheme.