I started at Ao Tawhiti back in 2015 as a Year 0, and have loved the special character of the school. Being able to choose my own learning pathway and subjects, and the trust focused model provided by the school is great. It has been incredibly helpful being able to make my own timetable, and […]

I started Ao Tawhiti at the start of my year 11 in 2024.  Since joining this school I have had access to incredible opportunities that I couldn’t experience at another school, such as undergoing a work experience placement at the pharmacy department of Christchurch Hospital, beginning both NCEA Level 2 and 3, and completing Level […]

I joined Ao Tawhiti going into year 5, and it’s the best decision of my education yet. The thing that drew me here in the first place was the ability to learn at whatever level was best for me, and what absolutely kept me was the variety of subjects and the people. I’ve had a […]

I joined Ao Tawhiti in the middle of my NCEA journey, after moving from the Cambridge system, and I only had about a year and a half to figure out how everything worked. What made that possible was how my Homebase teachers structured my learning with me. I took History, English, Media, and Art & […]

I spent 5 years at Ao Tawhiti starting in 2019 as a Year 7 and it is definitely the best school I could have ended up in. The nature of the school is incredibly personalised and your learning is centred around you. If you have goals that are not necessarily academic based, you can organise […]

Starting my journey at Ao Tawhiti in 2021, I have been able to achieve many goals and fully utilise the special character that the school represents. Having the ability to choose how I learn and how I manage my time during school ensured I was meeting academic goals as well as having support in my […]

I started at Ao Tawhiti in 2019 when I was in year 7. 2024 is my last year as I have completed NCEA level 3 as a year 12. I chose to come to this school for a level of freedom to choose my own pathway and subjects. I have been able to work across […]

Over time I have developed independence and
see the importance of having motivation. In the real world no one is going to necessarily
chase you around and you have to be able to do your own thing. This school prepares you
for that. This school is what you make of it.

Highlights over the last few years include the opportunity to do a
University of Canterbury Chemistry course. I have also enjoyed the Gateway opportunities,
including doing a PHEC first aid course. I have done overnight tramps, including one to Lake
Daniels, which really got me into tramping and climbing and bouldering. This term I am
doing work experience with the Residential Red Zone team at the Christchurch City Council.

I came to this school because I wanted to
have choice around what I can learn. I like the opportunities that
are available at this school. The best part of my day is Arotahi because this is when you get
to do the learning that you want to do. I like being trusted to get on with my work, make my
own decisions and in the future.

Last year I attended our school’s outdoor education programme. It started off with an eight-day camp and sea kayaking trip to Abel Tasman. Other trips involved river crossings, snow skills such as making your house out of snow, and survival skills: you go out into the bush and sleep under a tarp, sometimes in pouring […]

I became a Student Support Advisor, as I really wanted to give back to the school. This year I decided to run a PE class with the year 7s to 10s, to improve personal relationships with younger kids and to support friendship. We played fun games together on the nearby tennis and basketball courts, and […]

I have a passion for dance, art, music, and singing. I really enjoyed running Stage Challenge this year, together with another student. It was quite a challenge as the two of us were in charge of the whole project, such as finding a theme, choreography, music, lighting, and costumes. We had a bit over a […]

I have been involved in a business project called Developster for about a year now. It is an online platform that helps teen entrepreneurs to connect, share, and collaborate, with like-minded teenagers, such as graphic designers, photographers, filmmakers, game designers and more. Most kids have little access to Computer Science and Developster intends to change […]

I wanted to become a pilot ever since I was six years old. My teachers always helped me to follow my dream and to make it happen. A number of school projects supported my goal along the way.