Have your say on future learning at Marlborough’s Girls’ and Boys’ colleges

In late 2015, after a year or so of talk and consultation, then Education Minister Hekia Parata confirmed plans to co-locate Marlborough Boys’ and Girls’ colleges.

While a site has still to be selected, the schools are in planning mode, and are currently in the throes of full-scale consultation with the community.

Today’s issue of the Saturday Express is dedicated to the colocation, in order to provide the community with more detailed information on what schools of the future will look like, what considerations must be made in the planning stages, and how the community can help shape Blenheim’s new-look colleges.

Change is already happening in our classrooms and it’s important that we, as a community, understand what exactly those changes entail.

Details for providing feedback can be found in the panel on this page. I encourage all of you, whether you have school-aged children or not, to take part and have your say.

Nicola Coburn, Marlborough regional editor

Marlborough Boys’ and Girls’ colleges haveworked with a diverse group of community leaders to identify six overarching aspirations that they sawas being the highest priorities for learners at the colleges. These are:

1. Identity 2. Personal management 3. Creativity and innovation 4. Student-centred learning 5. Effective relationships 6. Sustainability

The colleges are nowseeking public feedback and input on these aspirations, to ensure that teaching at learning at the schools is relevant to the community’s expectations and goals for secondary students. A newwebsitewww. has been developed to provide further information on the draft aspirations and consultation process, and to gain public input into learning priorities at the colleges. The website contains a survey for the public to feedback on the draft aspirations and to suggest further priorities for the schools. Together with forming the basis of the colleges’ briefs to the Ministry of Education and architects for the newcampus, the aspirations will help to guide changes at the schools to ensure teaching and learning remains relevant to the diverse needs and aspirations of the local community. People can also subscribe to a co-location newsletter through the website to stay updated on the consultation progress and co-location announcements.

marlboroughcolleges.co.nz Two ‘drop-in’ information sessions on the draft aspirations for the collegeswill also be held: • Marlborough Girls’ College, between 1pm and 2.30pm on Thursday, August 24 • Marlborough Boys’ College, between 5.30pm and 7pm on Monday, August 28

The schools will then develop and present final Education Briefs, Vision and Co-location Principles to the Ministry of Education in November, based on community and staff input gained from this consultation.