Insights from Damian Watson, Principal at ACG Parnell.
This article was prepared by ACG Schools and is being published by the New Zealand Herald as advertorial.
By Damian Watson, Principal of ACG Parnell, part of Inspired Education
Strong foundations, lifelong confidence
Ask any builder: the strength of a structure depends on its foundations. The same is true of education. What we put in place during the primary years shapes not only academic achievement but also confidence, resilience, and adaptability in life.
Parents often focus on later milestones – exams, university, careers – but by the time children sit their first test, the critical groundwork has already been laid. At Inspired schools, we see the primary years (ages 5–11) as the bedrock of learning. At ACG Parnell, this means following the Cambridge curriculum – an internationally recognised framework that builds secure literacy and numeracy, encourages problem-solving, and fosters independent learners.
Building secure foundations
In primary school, children learn more than reading and arithmetic – they learn how to learn. Alongside strong skills in literacy and numeracy, we nurture curiosity, persistence, and the ability to connect ideas. Our primary students also study the specialist subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Languages, Art, Music, Drama, Dance, and Physical Education.
The Cambridge curriculum underpins it all, providing stability, structure, and international benchmarks. Parents can be confident their child’s progress is measured carefully and aligned with global standards.
Confidence through consistency
Consistency is one of the greatest gifts we can give learners. An internationally benchmarked curriculum ensures progress builds logically year by year, unaffected by short-lived educational trends. For globally mobile families, this reliability makes education transferable and seamless. Teachers, too, benefit from a carefully developed and well-resourced curriculum, freeing them to bring learning to life in engaging ways.
More than academics
Primary education must also develop collaboration, self-awareness, and emotional resilience. This is why ACG also emphasises the development of creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, values and character. These are not “soft skills” but life skills – teamwork, empathy, communication – that shape confident contributors and global citizens.
Step-by-step progress
An internationally benchmarked curriculum gives clarity. Children master key skills at each stage before moving forward, with progress tracked through classroom feedback, adaptive tools, and moderated assessments. This prevents gaps that can hinder later learning, giving teachers reliable insight, parents reassurance, and students the confidence to tackle new challenges.
By the time they leave our primary school, students are not only “secondary-ready” but also independent, motivated learners eager for what comes next.
Preparing global citizens
Education is no longer just preparation for exams – it’s preparation for the world. At ACG Parnell, students grow as confident global citizens – comfortable with diversity, adaptable to change, and equipped for wherever life takes them. Early exposure to international frameworks and culturally rich classrooms helps children develop the flexibility and resilience needed for the future.
Conclusion
The primary years are not simply preparation for “real” education later. They are the real education – when literacy, numeracy, curiosity, and confidence are built. For parents, the most important question is not just what results a school delivers at age 18, but what foundations are laid from age five. Because in education, as in life, strong foundations are everything.