Updates

17 August

It has been a slightly less intrusive week in terms of intervening activities, but a reasonable number of boys have needed to absent themselves from school due to sickness. Let’s hope the worst is over as we sense that spring is in the air. Congratulations to the ski team on their impressive performance this week in the Central Plateau individual competition and all the best to the senior team for the North Island Primary Schools’ championships next week. The winter sports teams are about to wind up their local winter seasons, but before they do, they take on Wellesley College in our annual exchange at home. We wish them well.

Next week will see Hereworth represented in the Kids’ Sing competition. Our choirs are as much a team as any sport and we thank them for their effort and wish them all the best. Thereafter, things will ramp up for the House Music competition that takes place later in the term. Many boys will be taking their Trinity Speech examinations at the end of the week and we trust that will go well.

On Thursday evening, we were very fortunate to be able to host Rob Waddell, one of New Zealand’s top sportsman and current Chef de Mission for our Commonwealth Games (2014 and 2018) and Olympic Games (2016 and 2010) teams. His experiences in these roles and as a champion rower and America’s Cup (Team New Zealand) team member qualifies him to provide some salient advice. We thank James Nilsson for soliciting many snippets of information from him and many others who set up and assisted before, during and after the evening. Some key points he made, embellished with a few of my own thoughts, on what parents and teachers need to be mindful of include:

For young people, variety is hugely important. Try things out because while some people might be good at something, they may discover they are brilliant at something else. Most top sports people have had experience in many disciplines.
Do not encourage young people to get caught up in a winning mindset. The most important thing to focus on is process. Rob does not ask his children if they won. Rather, he enquires about what went well. He stressed the point about focussing on how things went.
To achieve in sport, you have to enjoy what you do. If you don’t, then you will not achieve your goals, so try something else.
Work ethic is an equally important determinant. Nothing comes easy and boys need to practice as they expect to play.
Values play a huge role in being successful – respect, tolerance, patience, commitment, determination, trust, resilience and others.
Repetition in your mind grows belief you can achieve. Attitude can be defining and make the difference to personal and team performance.
Helicopter parents need to be reminded that process, values and enjoyment all come before winning or being placed in the first team.
For our boys as they enter secondary school – sport must not be an excuse to not study hard. Getting the balance right is hugely important, but,
If you are passionate about something, you have no choice – go for it.

To say Rob Waddell was impressive is an understatement. It was a pleasure to have him with us to hear of his experiences and to hear his thoughts. A special thank you to James Nilsson, the Old Boys’ and Parents’ Associations and others who made it possible and for arranging the evening.

Enjoy the week ahead.

Willy Kersten

10 August

The choir has returned from a very successful trip. Thanks must go to Mrs Stevens for her superb effort and it was nice to hear that this was appreciated by the boys during the trip and on their return. Their performances were very well received, their experiences memorable (9½ out of 10 said one) and their behaviour was superb; bringing credit to themselves and the school. Well done to your sons who were on the trip and thank you also to Mrs Field, Reverend Alan, Mr Doull and Mrs Curtis for your total involvement. It appears that all the effort has been worthwhile. Thanks are also due to the staff at school who covered for those absent.

In the classroom, on the sports field or on the stage, we see a solid effort being made by the greater majority of boys, but we also see and hear of some who are ambivalent about their involvement, perhaps completely disinterested or feel they are not good enough. Does your son like a challenge or is he worried about failing? Dr Carol Dweck is a world-renowned psychologist who has been promoting the power of mindset. Her work describes two mindsets – fixed mindset and growth mindset. It is probably quite easy to describe the difference between the two, but in summary, the features of each include:

Someone with a fixed mindset:

Avoids challenges
Gives up easily
Sees effort as fruitless
Ignores useful negative feedback
Feels threatened by the success of others

Someone with a growth mindset:

Embraces challenges
Sees effort as the path to mastery
Persists in the face of failure
Learns from criticism
Finds inspiration in the success of others

Someone with a fixed mindset will reject learning if it means avoiding failure. Whereas someone with a growth mindset sees failure as a natural part of learning and has a lifelong learner attitude. So how do you help your son to develop a growth mindset?

Be a good role model: Children are influenced and learn from those they are closest to. It makes sense for parents to model a growth mindset attitude. When you are facing your own challenges, show your son that you can persevere and describe what keeps you going.

Use the word “yet”: Adding the word yet suggests success needs more effort, but it will come. For example, “I can’t tie my shoes – yet.” Or “I can’t do my times tables – yet”. Adding “yet” provides optimism and encouragement.

Mistakes and failure: Explain what learning from one’s mistakes means and use the opportunity to learn from failure. A baby does not give up trying to walk is a good example and we were all babies once.

Offer praise in the right way: Praise effort, not only ability or intelligence. Dweck has stated, “many things we do to motivate our kids saps their desire to learn”. Being fixated with achievement indicates that failure is not acceptable. Yes, we want to win, but we can’t all the time. A growth mindset promotes effort and perseverance to encourage boys to keep going.

Have a good week.

Willy Kersten

3 August

Week 2, Term 3

While the Week 2 calendar may not have described the school as being particularly busy, there have been a number of happenings that have punctuated our normal routines. I hope the time and energy taken to have the group photographs taken is reflected in the quality of the product. The entrance testing and performing arts auditions went well and we were delighted to accommodate eleven boys in the boarding house on Wednesday night and meet with some of our current and prospective parents at lunch yesterday. The new boys were a delight to have in our midst and I thank our current students for hosting and interacting with them very well. Once again, the boys showed themselves to be one of our best marketing tools and I thank them for that.

I often find myself connecting easily with the theme of our chapel messages. At the Year 7/8 service this week, the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector described the Pharisee obsessed with his own importance whereas the Tax Collector humbly sought forgiveness. It caused me to think about the way those of us in positions of responsibility have a need to be mindful of how we do things – how we act towards, and interact with, others. If we are to be effective in developing good relationships, we must be prepared to be vulnerable. We need to accept that we may not be right all the time and in trying to deal with situations, there may be occasions we need to concede or at least admit that we have made a mistake or could have done things differently ourselves. Being vulnerable means admitting our own shortcomings and not shielding ourselves behind a façade of authority.

Many boys had an idea of what vulnerable meant in a wider sense and I think they could connect with what I was trying to get across regarding our own vulnerability. In my own approach to dealing with difficult situations, I would like to think that there have been several times when I have taken one step back to go two steps forward. This is the advice I gave to the boys – take one step back – listen to what others have to say, admit your own shortcomings or that you may have done things differently. Having done this, then it will be more likely that a solution can be found and people can move on. Since the chapel service this is the conversation I have had with one young man.

All the best for the weekend when we will see a good deal of sport at Hereworth and then the Choir Trip departs for their four day trip to Auckland on Monday.

Kind regards,
Willy Kersten

27 July

Term 3, Week 1 2018

The start of term has got off to a smooth, albeit typically busy start. Congratulations to the boys for their performances against Waihi School and a huge thank you to our parents for hosting our visitors. It was an interesting day of competition with a very accomplished Waihi team winning the 1st XI Hockey match and our rugby boys taking out the 1st XV encounter in similar fashion. The football match was more even, with the Hereworth 1st XI winning a tight contest. Waihi were a wonderful school to host and I hope our boys gained a great deal from getting to know their counterparts off the field. As was noted on the day, one never knows how a relationship seeded as a result of this exchange may, by design or by fate, develop in the future.

At our opening Chapel Service on Monday, I spoke to the Year 8 boys about the need to finish the year well. They are about to face a change and perhaps a degree of uncertainty as they transition to secondary school. It has been said that the only constant is change – such is the world we live in. If we are to be successful, we need to be able to adapt to new situations. Charles Darwin said “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” To be successful, boys need to be confident, be emotionally intelligent with the knowledge and skills to be able to handle the ever-changing landscape.

Experiential education is promoted at Hereworth and it lends itself well to teaching boys the knowledge and skills necessary as they foray into real-world settings. I would like to think we offer boys challenging and fulfilling experiences in a well-managed and supportive environment. This, in turn, develops confidence and trust, especially if we allow boys to make mistakes. Learning from things that do not go right allows boys to become more confident and critical risk-takers. A boys’ only environment, safety in numbers has real potential to fuel enthusiasm. However, we must ensure that that the freedom they have to explore exists within clearly defined boundaries.

Boys who have some experience of successfully navigating the unknown will be better equipped in the face of any future adversity. In the meantime, I hope the Year 8 boys make the most of what is on offer at Hereworth, take measured risks in all areas of school life, not just when climbing trees or kicking a ball around.

All the best for the week ahead.

Kind regards
Willy Kersten

23 July

Hereworth School, along with our Parents’ and Old Boys’ Associations, are delighted to invite you to join us for an evening with rowing, Olympic and America’s Cup legend, Rob Waddell.

Rob is an inspiring leader who draws on his wealth of sporting challenges and successes to inspire others to achieve.

Drinks and canapes from our Chef, Paolo Pancotti, will be served and it will be an entertaining evening not to miss!

Tickets are limited, so we recommend booking early to secure your place. To book, email office@hereworth.school.nz with your name and the number of tickets required.

We look forward to seeing you there!

WHEN: Thursday 16 August, 6.30-8.30pm
WHERE: Hereworth Dining Room
TICKETS: $50 per person (18 years and over only) inclusive of canapes and drinks

Download the invitation to An Evening with Rob Waddell

3 July

The latest newsletter from Hereworth School is out now. Download a copy below or view it online.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 4, Term 2 2018

31 May

The latest Hereworth Highlights newsletter gives you a taste of what our boys have been up to so far this term. Contact us if you’d like a hard copy mailed out to you.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 3, Term 2 2018

23 May

The story run on TV3’s The Project on Monday evening has sparked debate that continued through breakfast TV and radio this week. The question posed was ‘is it time to scrap cross country in schools?’ Research conducted by Sport New Zealand indicated that 73% of children like cross country at age six, but this goes down to 52% by age 13. In comparison, 94% liked PE and 92% liked club or weekend sports.

Does the fact that 27% of six-year-olds don’t enjoy cross country mean that we should be talking about changing or removing it from the sports curriculum? As Jesse Mulligan quite rightly pointed out, it’s likely that a similar number of children would say they don’t like maths, and we’re not talking about dropping that from the curriculum!

The declining activity and fitness levels of children is bound to be a factor. But the overriding issue appears to be that we don’t like someone having to come last. One of the arguments given by Karen Laurie, Sport New Zealand’s Young People Consultant, was that for those kids at the back of the race, it can be pretty demoralising.

Why is it that we want to shield our children from competition and the highs and lows of winning and losing? Doesn’t competition build resilience in our children? Isn’t facing tough challenges something we think can be beneficial?

At Hereworth, one of the characteristics we strive to bring out in our students is being actively involved. Another is confidence, of which resilience is a huge part.

Hereworth expects, challenges and encourages every boy to participate fully in all areas of school life – whether that be writing, maths, music, languages, food technology or any one of our multiple curriculum areas. We also hold the same expectation when it comes to the traditional annual sporting events in our calendar; athletic sports, swimming sports, and Sandy Lane, our cross country event, that has been run since the early 1900s.

Yes, for some, cross-country may not be their favourite day of the school year, but for others it is their time to shine. We have to look deeper than winners and losers. The Sandy Lane race is about facing up to challenges, participating in an event with a long history, and each boy meeting his own goals for the race.

We know our boys well, as all schools know their students. We know that the boy who may come last in cross-country, won the speech competition last week, has been producing some incredible artwork this term or came top in the mid-year maths exam. Because he is celebrated for those other successes, it doesn’t rock his confidence to come last in cross-country. Instead, he feels proud to have finished the race. He has been encouraged the whole way round the course by his peers, parents and staff who all line the course, and his mates give him a huge pat on the back when he crosses the finish line because they know that, for him, this was a massive challenge. They will expect, and get, the same support from him when they face their own challenges throughout the school year.

If we stop challenging students with a cross-country race because we don’t like picking winners (and therefore creating losers) will we also stop finding winners in other areas of school life? Should we not pick a soloist for the choir performance because it might make the other boys feel less valued? Should we drop the spelling bee and speech competitions too? Absolutely not. Competition is healthy and encourages our boys to strive to be the best that they can be in all areas of school life, and gives them the chance to shine in their area of strength.

12 April

Our latest newsletter is out now! Take a look at what the boys have achieved in the second half of Term 1.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 2, Term 1 2018

28 February

Take a look at the first newsletter for the 2018 school year, view it online or download a copy using the links below.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 1, Term 1 2018

19 December

Download our final newsletter for the 2017 school year.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 8, Term 4 2017

16 November

Take a look at our latest newsletter.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 7, Term 4 2017

4 October

View and download the latest edition of our ‘Hereworth Highlights’ newsletter.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 6, Term 3 2017

25 August

View and download the latest edition of our ‘Hereworth Highlights’ newsletter.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 5, Term 3 2017

15 August

It’s that time of year when many parents are considering which intermediate school is the right one for their child.

There’ll be a multitude of questions that families are looking for answers to. Which school will best meet the child’s academic needs? Does the sports programme suit him/her? Where are his/her friends going? Which gives him/her the most opportunity to try different subjects? How will the school prepare him/her for high school? Where will he/she be happiest?

For every family, the priorities will be different. But common to all families is the desire to choose the school that will bring out the best in their child.

At Hereworth we specialise in boys education and pride ourselves on taking a very tailored approach to each of our students to unleash their full potential. We believe we offer the best schooling for boys in their intermediate years for the following reasons:

Small classes

Most importantly we focus on the individual and helping each boy reach his potential. With classes capped at 22, our teachers can give more time and attention to each student, monitoring his progress and offering extension or support when needed.

We are a small school with an annual roll of around 200 boys. This means we are small enough for each boy to be noticed, for his talents to be seen, and for every teacher to get to know him. Boys thrive in this environment where their achievements are seen, and their successes celebrated.

Boys only

We believe that boys learn better in a single sex environment and, in a world so focused on growing up before their time, boys are allowed to be boys at Hereworth. They climb trees, play bull rush and (surprisingly often) get covered in mud! They’re kept active throughout the day and after school sport is compulsory because we know that being active helps boys learn.

Being in a boys-only environment takes away all of the social pressures that are prevalent at this age when boys’ hormones start to influence their behaviour. In a single sex environment, they are free to be boys and navigate their way through puberty in a safe and nurturing environment.

Attitude

One thing that is consistently noticed by high schools and parents of our year 8 leavers is the attitude of Hereworth boys, and it is often the intangible things that make the most impact. We teach boys manners, respect and a commitment to learning. This pays dividends when it comes to preparation for high school. Having a positive attitude and a willingness to commit to school is vital for their longer-term achievement.

Boys leave Hereworth fully prepared for life at high school and beyond. They are used to following a timetable, moving between classrooms and seeing different teachers for different subjects. They know how to organise themselves and manage their time to complete classwork and homework on time.

Variety

Hereworth focuses on the whole boy – the academic, the sportsman, the friend, the performer, the individual. Boys at Hereworth give everything a go, and they do so with enthusiasm because they’re doing it alongside their mates with the support and encouragement of their teachers.

Boys discover their strengths through our unique curriculum. In addition to literacy and maths, he’ll discover science, music, languages, drama, food technology, art, computer science and robotics, soft and hard materials at Hereworth. Our specialist teaching team ensures that passions are fuelled by people who know and love their craft.

Participation

Hereworth offers a leading performing arts programme. Nearly a third of 7 and 8 boys join our award winning choir, and they all take to the stage for the biennial musical theatre production. Boys strive to excel in this area as much as they do in the classroom and on the sports field.

All boys join one of our school teams that play in the local weekend club competition. Sport is an integral part of school life that promotes team work and leadership. Boys get the opportunity to compete in the long-standing prep fixtures against other independent schools around New Zealand; an experience unique to Hereworth.

Teaching Staff

We have an incredibly high calibre of teachers who are all passionate about teaching and nurturing our students to love learning. Our high ratio of male teachers is well above the national average and as role models, this is beneficial for many boys.

Our teachers also coach our sports teams, giving them the chance to see boys in a different environment. With former professional sportspeople on our staff, the boys also get top level coaching to prepare them for weekend and prep fixtures.

So why choose Hereworth?

As a school, we work with each student to progress him towards his goals. We recognise academic achievement as much as we do personal, sporting and cultural successes. We will set him on the path to success at high school with a grounding in sound moral and Christian values. Above all, we support your son in achieving his potential, giving him the very best all round educational foundation he needs.

Kate Field
Deputy Head & Intermediate School Leader

8 August

In our first newsletter of this year, I touched on the subject of Modern Learning Environments (MLE) – and in this blog post, I would like to further expand on the topic which remains front of mind with parents and the media.

With our current government only contributing funding to new classroom builds that meet their MLE requirements, this has become a hot topic in the education world. At Hereworth we are not supporters of the current government’s version of the Modern Learning Environment, and I firmly believe this kind of teaching is not the best way in which we can serve our boys and prepare them for the future. So let me provide you with some more information about MLE and why we don’t endorse the approach.

MLEs are also known around the country as Innovative Learning Environments or Flexible Learning Environments. Although the name may differ, they all refer to a teaching setting that generally comprises large open, flexible learning spaces that combine small and large areas, a number of class groups, mixed age groups, and involve team teaching methods. Some MLEs around the country can have up to 100 students in one space.

Proponents of the MLE believe the flexibility of teaching spaces to be one of the real benefits. Spaces can be expanded or reduced depending on what is being taught. This is believed to enable personalised learning, socially constructed learning with collaboration, and peer learning.

I believe an important aspect in the design of effective learning environments is whether the space provides a setting that is conducive to learning, and specifically for Hereworth, is beneficial to the way in which boys learn best.

Amalgamating classes and ages leads to exceptionally large groups of children in one space, making it very difficult to tailor individual learning and meet student needs. As the Principal of Ponsonby Primary School, Anne Malcolm, said on last night’s Seven Sharp “teachers have to really know their kids.” At Hereworth we share Anne’s opinion. We know from experience that tailored teaching and an individual approach brings out the best in our students, leading to higher levels of attainment. Our vision is to provide a small nurturing classroom environment for our boys that is well resourced with modern equipment.

At Hereworth we do take some of the concepts of the MLE, for example, fluidity of space within a classroom and modern resources and technology and combine those with Hereworths nurturing classrooms with small numbers of students. We are proud of the fact that our small class sizes and personalised learning programmes enable our teaching staff to guide each child on their learning journey.

My colleague and our Deputy Head, Deb Richardson, were only recently discussing that in a MLE with 70 plus students in a classroom, students are highly likely to fall through the cracks. Here our boys have their own spaces where they learn to be self-managing and organised, and the small class sizes mean they develop a close rapport with their teachers. As Deb says – “You can have a gorgeous space, but if you do not have the underlying pedagogy based on empirical evidence and best practice, the space is worthless.”

It is not a matter of not being willing to move with the times, rather we are dedicated to taking the best proven methods of education for boys, and combining them with the most up to date resources to ensure our children have the best education and learning environment possible.

As an independent school we are not compelled to adhere to Government initiatives in education and I feel very lucky that we have the ability to choose how we educate our boys.

Steve Fiet

Headmaster

6 July

View and download the latest edition of our ‘Hereworth Highlights’ newsletter.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 4, Term 2 2017

2 June

View and download the latest edition of our ‘Hereworth Highlights’ newsletter.

Hereworth Highlights, Edition 3, Term 2 2017

19 April

View and download the latest edition of our ‘Hereworth Highlights’ newsletter.

Hereworth Highlights, Term 1 Edition 2 2017

3 March

View and download the first edition of ‘Hereworth Highlights’ for 2017.

Hereworth Highlights, Term 1 Edition 1 2017

24 February

We’re pleased to announce the launch of a Mobile App for Hereworth. The app is designed to make our parents lives easier, and brings together all notices, newsletters, important information and contacts for the school in one easy to access place. Download the app free on iPhone or Android by clicking on the link below, and view the information sheet on all the app’s features.

Download the App

15 February

Boarding experience details and dates are now available for 2017. This year boarding experience is compulsory for boys in Years 7, and optional for boys in Years 6 and 8.

Boarding Experience Details & Dates

19 December

View and download the calendar for Term 1 2017.

Term 1 Calendar

7 December

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

1 December

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

23 November

Download the schedule for the Athletics Sports Day this Friday 25 November. The first event starts at 9.00am with the day finishing at 3.00pm. All families are welcome to attend to support the boys and hopefully see a few records broken!

View the Athletics Sports Programme

21 November

View and download this week’s lunch menu.

18 November

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

3 November

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

28 October

View and download this week’s lunch menu.

27 October

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

20 October

Summer sports teams for Term 4 2016 can be viewed and downloaded below.

Summer Sports Teams - Term 4 2016

19 October

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

13 October

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

16 September

Calendar - Term 4 2016

15 September

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

11 September

View and download this week’s lunch menu.

9 September

House Rugby is now on Wednesday 14 September at 2.30pm instead of Monday 12 September, due to the funeral of ex staff member Mike Lewis.

8 September

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

4 September

View and download this week’s lunch menu.

1 September

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

26 August

View and download this week’s lunch menu.

25 August

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

18 August

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

18 August

View and download this week’s lunch menu.

17 August

With the school closure this week, all sports fixtures are cancelled for this coming weekend 20th and 21st August. For any queries please contact Lincoln Doull, Director of Sport.

17 August

This afternoon, all Havelock North schools met with the District Health Board to discuss the ongoing response to the potential campylobacter outbreak. The District Health Board advice is that primary and intermediate schools should remain closed to reduce the risk of secondary infection and further spread of the illness. Accordingly Hereworth will now reopen on Monday 22nd August and we will be contacting all our parents via email shortly.

Joint statement from Havelock North school Principals

15 August

We have been advised by the Ministry of Education that due to the continued risk of the campylobacter outbreak the school should not remain open. Given the seriousness of the situation we are following their advice and closing the school until Thursday 18 August. Whilst we fully appreciate that this two day closure will cause disruption for our families, our primary concern is for the well-being of the boys and staff, and we thank you for your understanding.

14 August

Hereworth is open today as normal. Robust Health & Safety policies are in place to minimise the spread of any communicable illness within the school including regular sanitising, providing bottled water for our students, and turning off the water fountains. We do not have any unwell students in our Boarding House. More information will be posted as the situation develops.

12 August

The Gastroenteritis bug circling through the school has affected the sports teams for this weekend’s fixtures. With such a shortage of players, the following teams will not play this weekend:
Rugby: 12th Grade, 11th Grade Green, 10th Grade
Hockey: 3rd XI
Many of the available boys have been drafted into other teams as cover, and your son knows if he is one of those boys so please check with him before heading out for your games this weekend.

11 August

We have had several boys unwell with vomiting and diarrhoea over the past few days. To avoid further spread of this illness within the school please follow the Ministry of Health guidelines and keep your boys at home for 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea.

11 August

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

5 August

ALL Junior football games have now been cancelled for Saturday 6 August.

5 August

View and download this week’s lunch menu.

4 August

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

31 July

View and download this week’s lunch menu.

28 July

View and download ‘The Week Ahead’ for the coming week.

25 July

School is closed for the day on Tuesday 26 July as a broken water main means that we have no water supply. Parents, please check your email for more detail.

30 June

The latest Hereworth Highlights is out now. View and download your copy below.

Hereworth Highlights June/July 2016

24 May

The latest Hereworth Highlights is out now. Featuring news on Hereworth’s approach to primary education, introductions to new staff, the 2016 Choir Installation, and of course the achievements of our boys and news from around the school. View and download your copy below.

Hereworth Highlights April/May 2016

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School Life Overview

At the very heart of our philosophy, we focus on setting boys up for life. We do this by providing a sound academic environment where students are inspired to maximise their learning abilities and innate potential. We work in partnership with families to ensure that all areas of a boy’s development, including cultural, physical, spiritual and character are maximised.

In collaboration with the boy’s family, we focus on academic success aligned with social, emotional, spiritual, creative and physical well-being. We develop specific programmes to maximise our influence on all our young boys’ minds, hearts and hands.

We want our boys to experience life! We want to engage boys’ spirit and wonder, to become motivated, passionate, caring and compassionate, not squash it. We are advocates of responsible risk-taking and encourage it. Our focus is on excellence in education. Learning is life-long and so we have carefully considered our curriculum to best meet the needs of primary-aged boys.

Learning Approach

Our Approach to Learning
We all know that boys and girls are different, and academic research tells us there are very real advantages to a single-gender environment.

Creating a Supportive Environment
At Hereworth we take care not squash a boy’s spirit, by creating an environment that focuses on providing a strong foundation for future success. Our boys actively contribute and compete with their peers, and learn to take responsibility for their actions. We encourage confidence and self- belief in every area.

Our boys are given a range of learning experiences, centred on the core areas of numeracy, literacy and science, and partnered with a large array of compulsory non-core disciplines. This diverse curriculum helps contribute to a well-rounded boy who is able to take risks and be a confident, connected lifelong learner.

Our Curriculum
We offer a wide range of subjects, even for our youngest students. Our classrooms are fully equipped with technology and e-learning is incorporated into daily class life.

Core subjects of Literacy and Numeracy, as well as integrated units (Science, Health, Tech and Social Science) are a key focus at new entrant level. This is supported by music, speech and drama, art, languages, religious education and physical education/hauora, resulting in a well-rounded curriculum.

We also tailor a specialised physical education and sports programme for our youngest ones. The opportunity to join sports teams is optional for the very young, and we find most of them take it up. Specialist coaches of the highest calibre are brought in to coach the boys throughout the year, and we also take the boys to weekly swimming lessons.

Small Class Sizes

Learning Approach

Small Class Sizes

A distinct advantage, our small, caring class sizes enable effective engagement between your son and his class teacher, creating ample opportunities for feedback and “feed-forward” to boys and their families. We can tailor learning strategies and skill development for your son.

Modern Classrooms

Learning Approach

Modern Classrooms

Our classrooms are large, modern, welcoming, well-equipped teaching spaces, providing a flexible teaching environment which allows your son to discover and explore for himself.

Dedicated Team of Professionals

Learning Approach

Dedicated Team of Professionals

Whether your son needs nurturing, motivation, or extending, or a combination of all three as he enters school, our team of teachers is of the highest calibre, and can cater to each boy’s individual needs.

Growing Up

Learning Approach

Growing Up

Once our younger boys reach Year 4, they become mentors and buddies to our junior boys, learning to be great role models for the younger ones. This creates a strong sense of community across the Junior School. From here our boys are well placed to transition into their senior years.

Bringing out the Best in our Boys

Learning Approach

Bringing out the Best in our Boys

Boys are wired to move, watch things move, and make things move! This is reflected at every level of our Junior School programme.

Good risk taking is encouraged, and our boys develop confidence to try the multitude of new and exciting opportunities available to them at school. At Hereworth, we believe our boys receive the very best foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

Our Academic Approach

First and foremost Hereworth caters to boys of all learning abilities, with small, class sizes, which allow quality one-to-one contact with teachers, but are large enough to provide healthy competition and academic rigour among our boys.

We Cater For All Boys
We cater for boys across the learning spectrum, supporting and encouraging them to achieve to their highest potential.

We offer a wide range of subjects, with core subjects in Literacy and Numeracy, as well as integrated units of Science, Health, Tech and Social Science. This is supported by Music, Speech and Drama, Art, Languages, Religious Education, and Physical Education/Hauora.

Whether a boy needs nurturing, motivating or extending, our teachers are of the highest calibre and cater to each of our boys’ needs.

Cultural

The boys are exposed to a wealth of cultural and arts options, with the biggest problem being what to choose!

Learning to Perform
One very special feature at Hereworth is the St James’ Chapel Choir. As an integral part of the school community, choir members learn the discipline of practicing and performing while fostering a love of music. Competition for places can be fierce – as is the level of pride from our choir members.

The biennial school production, healthy competition during House music and class drama, and many other activities provide ample opportunities for our boys to explore their talents in a safe and secure environment. Many are brought out of their shells when they step onto the stage to perform.

Our boys love experiencing performances from a multitude of visiting artists, musicians, dancers, actors and cultural performers. All these add to the exciting mix of life at Hereworth.

Sport

At Hereworth sport is compulsory and timetabled three times a week (twice-weekly for Junior classes) in order to balance our boys’ energy and physical needs with their ability to absorb information.

Our Approach to Sport

Regular Physical Education/Hauora

Our Approach to Sport

From Year 4 upwards, all our boys must play in a sports team, and in Years 1-3 it is optional, but we find that most boys take up the opportunity. Emphasis is placed on fairness, co-operation and camaraderie.

Variety

Regular Physical Education/Hauora

Variety

All Hereworth teams take part in the local sports competitions. Cricket, tennis, softball, football, rugby and hockey are the main sporting choices, and we offer a variety of other sports throughout the year.

Travel

Regular Physical Education/Hauora

Travel

Prep matches against other schools outside of Hawke’s Bay are a highlight of our boys’ time at Hereworth. Sports teams get the opportunity to travel and be billeted overnight, meeting other boys from all over the country – an experience in itself.

Spiritual

Our Spiritual Approach
As an Anglican school spirituality is one of our defining qualities. Teaching Christian values and the Anglican Liturgy is a core aspect of school life.

Chapel Services
Years 4-8 start the day with Chapel, and Year 4 boys are required to attend one Sunday service each term. From Year 5 upwards boys are required to attend two Sunday services each term. These services range from twenty to thirty minutes in duration, and the dates and times of services are outlined in the term calendars. Family members are encouraged to attend these services, as worship is family-oriented.

Community Service
The Hereworth school motto is Non Nobis Solum, which is translated as Not for Ourselves Alone. Our boys undertake service in the local community to help and support others across a number of opportunities during year. It’s not only character-forming, but it helps us to produce young men with a sound moral and ethical compass.

Digital

Technology access these days is just like breathing, so Hereworth is fully networked with fibre-optic ultra-fast broadband, and ICT is integrated into school life with an array of personal and shared digital devices
Twenty-first century students, pedagogy and technologies are to be partnered together in the learning environment at Hereworth School.

Enhanced Learning

Our Focus on Digital Learning

Enhanced Learning

All students will be given access and the opportunity to enquire, create, connect, disseminate, resolve, reflect, work together and share through a range of technologies and applications. The intentional collaboration between boys and learning tools will enhance learning on many levels, and in many areas.

Seamless Intergration

Our Focus on Digital Learning

Seamless Intergration

In 2016 we make the move to using Chrome Books as the device of choice for us as a school, and therefore for your son. As a school that utilises the Google platform, it makes sense to have a device that seamlessly integrates with the features available to our staff and students.

Effective Transition

Our Focus on Digital Learning

Effective Transition

The cost of Chrome Books is extremely competitive relative to competing devices, and their capabilities. It adds to the ability of Hereworth boys to be able to transition to secondary school effectively, with many colleges using Chrome Books as well.

Specialist Subjects

At Hereworth, the opportunity to build knowledge, skills and confidence is at the heart of the specialist programme. Teachers provide learning opportunities in a wide range of subjects and use their specialised knowledge to administer high quality programmes for all students from years one to eight.

Specialist teaching areas include: Hauora and Physical Education, Music, Drama, Dance, Visual Arts, Food Technology, Hard and Soft Materials, Religious Education, Te Reo Maori and Japanese.
Private tuition in Speech and Drama and a wide range of musical instruments is also available to our Hereworth boys.