Different school of thought

NCEA's replacement should reinforce a student-centred approach to learning rather than bring back an outdated system

- Mark Snoad

In October 2010, the new Ormiston Senior College, in Auckland's Flat Bush, was about to open following a $50m investment by the government. I was a foundation staff member in this purpose-built, innovative learning environment - all the rage at the time.

In a rare display of future-focused planning, the build was based on a projected capacity of 1000 students rather than the expected first-year roll of 100. It now has at least 1600 students and expects more growth. The build led to big cost savings due to scale, but someone forgot to account for the operational funding shortfall that plagued our first years. We couldn't afford to pay for the building warrant of fitness, and the principal had to double as the caretaker.

It was nonetheless an exciting time. The school was intended to help usher in a new era, not just in school design, but also in student-centred learning. It required a paradigm shift in teaching, with a much greater emphasis on student agency than student compliance.