21/4/26
Leadership for Principals
One of the key aspects of being a principal isn't about the mahi that you put in, although the work is never ending, it's about how you conduct yourself, in the staffroom, playground, classroom and wider school community.
Effective tumauaki share a purpose, to ensure that ākonga has the opportunity to succeed in education.
The different sizes of schools bring their own challenges; for example, small schools have a lot more to deal with, as they might not have the operational budget of a large school. The rural schools often have larger grounds, with trees that are generations old, which you have to work with and manage on a limited budget. The fact that 40% of schools within New Zealand have less than 100 students is a big wake-up call and needs to be addressed.
Then we need to think about the ākonga who are entering our kura each day, their diverse home lives, needs and cultures, ones that have to be taken into account before the learning has even started. What works best for most might not work for others.
I have been at Waitati School for 10 years now and have worked my way from a scale A teacher, up to the leadership team and deputy principal. Taking on this role was not a quick, yes, let's do it, decision; it was well thought out, and I had completed my aspiring principal training in 2025.
I had sat on the BOT for many years and thought that I had a handle on all things governance...Alas, I did not. Moving into this position was a huge stepping stone, one that has come with positives and challenges.
There are three distinct areas that you need to focus on.
- Manaakitanga
- Pono
- Ako
Awhainatanga
