A great learning environment
Pre-school, primary and secondary
Education gets off to a great start with excellent schools and a natural environment enhanced by initiatives that have lifted student achievement levels.
Development West Coast’s Literacy Programme (2005-2008) resulted in 42% of Coast children moving into the top bands of achievement. The joint research and development project was led by Professor Stuart McNaughton of the Woolf Fisher Research Centre (University of Auckland), with the support of Learning Media Ltd, University of Canterbury Education Plus and the Ministry of Education. 33 primary schools and early childhood centres Coastwide participated in the programme.
By the end of 2006 results indicated the average student was above the national norm and making faster progress than national expectations.
During 2006 the West Coast was one of four regions chosen for a national education pilot project called Education for Enterprise (E4E) to provide students with exposure to enterprising initiatives and business and community relationships. Education West Coast was formed in 2000 to establish a forum for professional educators.
Seven schools in the region (including three area schools) offer secondary education. All have aligned themselves with Tai Poutini Polytechnic to ensure that curricula are compatible. Innovative secondary programmes include the Mawhera Services Academy which offers alternative skills based learning with clearly defined career pathways. Mawhera Trades Academy based within Greymouth High School offers vocational based learning.
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500+ teachers, smaller class sizes
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Professional learning communities developed
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Broadband in all schools
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Kindergartens, play centres, early learning centres and Te Kohanga Reo for pre-schoolers
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Primary and secondary education is provided by state and intergrated shcools.
Tertiary, industry, business and adult education
The Coast offers a unique learning environment for many specialist areas with a diverse range of adult learning opportunities. Tai Poutini Polytechnic supports regional development with an innnovative range of programmes such as Automotive Trades, Business Administration, ICT, Hairdressing, Nanny, Carpentry, Hospitality, Tourism, Chef, Jade and Hard Stone Carving, Outdoor Recreation, Leadership and Guiding, Surface Extraction and Civil Plant Operations.
It has developed an Ecotourism Centre of Excellence and regularly hosts a national ecotourism conference.
It has two training modes; the traditional campus and workplace industry courses. In 2007, 1800 people enrolled on West Coast programmes, equating to 400 equivilant full time students (EFTS). An estimated 18,500 students attend campuses at Reefton, Hokitika, Westport, Wanaka, Auckland and Christchurch, and participated in industry training with companies such as Solid Energy, Fletchers, and Fulton Hogan in 2007. The Polytechnic has Digger Schools in Reefton, Christchurch, Invercargill and Auckland, Music and Audio Institutes in Christchurch and Auckland, a Ski Patrol programme in Wanaka, and assists in oil drilling training in Taranaki through industry partnerships.
Tai Poutini Polytechnic has:
- 140 full time staff members
- Specialist niche industry programmes attract the major proportion of enrolments
Adult & Community Education (ACE) programmes provide a range of learning opportunities to adults throughout the region. West Coast ACE providers include Westland, Greymouth and Buller High Schools, Tai Poutini Polytechnic, Buller REAP, Westland REAP, and Potikohua Trust (Westport).
Karoro Learning specialises in second chance and workplace education for Youth and Adults as well as distance learning. Karoro Learning is a trading division of Greymouth High School.
For industry training, Westport’s Deep Sea Fishing School in it’s 15 years of operation has established itself as the most successful vessel training provider in the country.
To view a directory of Schools and Education Providers on the West Coast, 
West Coast School and Education Providers
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