Innovative, effective and excellent teaching practice, and a focus on relationships are just some of the aspects that have led to Avondale College being named as a finalist in The Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Award for 2021.
Avondale College has been shortlisted in the awards’ Excellence in Engaging category, which celebrates working together as a community to transform relationships and strengthen achievement, leading to improved and sustained outcomes for all children and young people.
Avondale College's Principal, Lyndy Watkinson, said that the College’s case study of the significant gains made by their Pasifika students over ten years was a story worthy of celebration.
“Over the past ten years we have seen the year level appropriate achievement of our Pasifika students climb from 51% to 90%,” she says.
“Underpinning this success has been an interconnected network of strategic initiatives, effective processes and most importantly, people - which have supported our diverse Pasifika learners in achieving and sustaining excellence – both inside and outside the classroom.”
The judges commented on Avondale College’s “engaging, stand-out application.” They also noted that the case study showed engagement had been sustained over a good period of time and the change had been significant, while also meeting the College’s strategic goals.
The Category Winners, Focus Prize Winner and Supreme Winner of the Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards will be announced on 7 September at the Awards ceremony in Wellington.
