Message from the Headmaster – March 2025

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Within this Bulletin you will read of considerable academic successes in 2024 Cambridge, NCEA and Scholarship examinations. We are proud of the way students achieved at the highest level nationally and internationally in 2024 and commend those who recently earned a place on the University Entrance Scholars Board.

Already this year, many other young men have earned the right to cross stage to be formally recognised by their peers and staff. Celebrating success at the highest level in any area of School life is an important part of our meritocratic environment. That is, one where our students are measured regularly on their attitudes, their behaviours, their actions and their achievements. 

We also want to acknowledge those who haven’t yet earned an invitation to cross the stage, but as we conclude Week 7 of term, they are regularly applying themselves, with positivity, to their studies and involving themselves in extracurricular activities. The majority of young men meet the criteria for such acknowledgement; that is, those who consistently exhibit above the line attitudes and behaviours including taking personal responsibility and/or accepting accountability for meeting our expectations.

Typically, these young men will show incremental progress in their approach to their formal schooling, whether that be through teaching programmes, extracurricular activities, growing independence, or socialisation. They can and do achieve, no matter what stream they are in or what qualification pathway they follow.

Perhaps the most recent data driven example reflects the benefit of regular application, and the building of anti-fragility through being accountable for their learning, within a high standards environment. That example is the 2024 University Entrance results, (which is the only aspect of NCEA that can be compared like for like across the country). In a cohort of 450 Form 7 students last year, 86.1% earned University Entrance across NCEA and Cambridge pathways. This figure is much higher than overall national averages and far exceeds national averages for male students (42.5%) and all students (48.2%).

I raise this with you as we enter a busy time of the term so that you too have the opportunity to reinforce with your sons that their daily attendance, engagement and commitment to School standards will pay off. It will not always mean they can be the best, but through doing their best they can experience success and provide more options for themselves as they conclude their secondary schooling.   

Your sons should now have started their study programmes for the Term 1 examinations, which start on Thursday 3 April. The next four weeks are an important time for all students to be putting regular discretionary effort into their studies. They will have to make the sacrifices to do so, and should know they will not be alone in doing so, as the majority of their peers will also be quietly making such sacrifices with their personal time, so they too, can achieve.

In recent assemblies, we have discussed how building a consistent performance, through accepting personal responsibility for our actions, choice of words and our time management, also builds integrity and credibility.  It also grows greater opportunities to experience success. We have reminded your sons that champions do extra and the saying:

“There are no crowds lining the extra mile – on the extra mile, you are on your own, just us and the road, and us and the challenge we have set ourselves. It is the work we do behind closed doors that makes the difference.

We wish your sons every success as they prepare to turn their Term 1 goals into reality.

Per Angusta Ad Augusta

Tim O’Connor
Headmaster