The Latest in Independent Education

Leading Through Change – Managing Stress and Avoiding Burnout in School Leadership

The role of a school leader is more demanding than ever and the expectation to lead with confidence and resilience, while constantly adapting to new challenges, has placed many school leaders at risk of burnout.

Uniting your community, ‘the ‘write’ way

“The art of communication is the language of leadership,” said writer James Humes. As a speechwriter to five United States Presidents over several decades, Humes had more than a little experience with inspiring a broad, and usually divided, audience.

Celebrating New Zealand’s Outstanding Cambridge Learners

119 students across New Zealand received Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards at recent University of Auckland ceremony.

How Schools Can Improve Accounts Payable Efficiency Year-Round

Achieving AP efficiency requires ongoing improvements throughout the year. From setting up automation tools to refining approval workflows and strengthening financial oversight, each month presents an opportunity to optimise your processes.

Cranmer Ladies Celebrate 50 Year Milestone

The St Margaret’s College Old Girls’ Association (SMCOGA) was delighted to host our Cranmer Ladies for an annual lunch on Saturday 22 March.

Southwell School appoints new Headmaster

Mrs Keryn Bindon has been appointed to the role of Headmaster, Southwell School, commencing at the end of Term One, 2025.

Marsden welcomes Connah Podmore as 2025 Artist in Residence

Samuel Marsden Collegiate School is delighted to announce Connah Podmore as its Artist in Residence for 2025.

A comprehensive policy process for independent schools

SchoolDocs offers a user-friendly, online policy platform that we customise to reflect each school’s character. Trusted by 2100 + schools,our system simplifies policy management and ensures compliance so that you can focus on what matters most.

A space to connect

Andrew Vicars from Saint Kentigern Boys’ School is a member of the inaugural Teacher Symposium organising committee who will be working with prospective participants to shortlist submissions.

Not all tour companies are created equal

When it comes to working with a travel company and trusting your safety and your money to them, it’s vitally important to know what you need to look out for.

AI and the future of payroll: What lies ahead?

The payroll industry is on the brink of a major transformation driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. So, what part will AI play in the future of payroll, a field often viewed as routine and technical?

The quiet art of feeding schools well

Warmth, care, and professionalism – plated daily. From the morning rush to the tired hush of boarder supper, Ovation serves New Zealand’s independent schools with meals that nourish, connect, and keep school life ticking.

Assistant / Associate and Deputy Principals networking events

The inaugural Assistant / Associate and Deputy Principals networking events, held around the country, brought regional APs and DPs together to connect, explore similarities and differences in their roles, and share challenges and opportunities.

Diana Patchett joins board of Independent Schools of New Zealand

We are pleased to welcome Executive Principal Diana Patchett to the Independent Schools of New Zealand (ISNZ) Board.

ISNZ PLD 2025

ISNZ has landed on a programme that can be broadly categorised into three groups for its 2025 Professional and Learning Development programme: Teaching and Learning, Leadership Development, and Network Sharing.

ISNZ Inaugural Teacher Symposium

The Teacher Symposium gives teachers an opportunity to share and learn from colleagues - presenting the innovations and approaches that they are using in their schools that others may be able to learn from.

Leadership for Middle Leaders

After receiving excellent feedback about the Leadership for Middle Leaders workshop in 2024 we are excited to be able to bring it back for a new cohort in 2025.

TryBooking: Making School Events Easier

Events are pivotal to building a thriving school community. They build community, encourage participation and support school growth. However, they can become a logistical headache, how can we make them easier?

When To Say What To Whom

Australian school Heads are increasingly forced to address contentious, complex and dynamic issues with their communities, and it seems the communication decisions just get more difficult each year.

Mastering Automatic Payment Audits: How Automation Ensures You Are Always Audit-Ready

Audit season can be a stressful time for finance teams, especially when dealing with manual processes, missing documentation, and last-minute reconciliations. But what if you could be audit-ready all year round?

St Peter's Cambridge Welcomes Jason Speedy

The newly appointed Head of School at St Peter's Cambridge, Jason Speedy, treasures his new role.

St George's School Celebrates Newly Formed Campus Layout

The newly formed campus layout has truly transformed the School.

Introducing St Andrew’s College’s New Rector

Mark Wilson began his tenure as Rector (Principal) of St Andrew’s College at the start of 2025, becoming the 11th Rector since the College was founded in 1917.

Scots College Welcomes a New Junior School Principal

Scots College is delighted to announce the appointment of Rachel Huggins as the new Principal of the Junior School.

Six Medbury School Staff Receive ISNZ Long Service Awards

Medbury School celebrates an astonishing achievement with 6 of its staff members receiving ISNZ Long Service Awards.

King's College Continues to Partner with Cyclone

The continual training of staff on the effective use of technology in the classroom is the key to executing on a digital strategy within a school. King’s College continues to partner with Cyclone to achieve these outcomes.

The Holidays Act: Five Steps To Get Staff Leave Right

Navigating the Holidays Act can be a challenge for schools juggling the complexities of holiday pay calculations, unique leave arrangements, staff with multiple roles and more.

Circumnavigating Lake Whakatipu

Two high school students are raising money for local reforestation by hiking 250 kilometres around New Zealand's third-largest lake.

ISNZ Long Service Awards at Medbury School

An astonishing six staff members receive ISNZ Long Service Awards at Medbury School.

Inspiring Journey to Nepal

During the 2023 summer holidays, Queen Margaret College's 2024 Service Prefect, Avin Khajehzadeh, and Deputy Head Prefect, Divya Srinivasa, journeyed to Nepal for a service trip that deepened their passion for medicine.

5 Reasons a Hosted School Management System Makes Sense for Schools

Your school management software is your school’s engine room, so choosing whether to host it on-premises or in the cloud is a significant decision.

Why Schools Trust Tour Time for Exceptional Educational Travel

When planning a school tour, choosing the right travel provider is more than just logistics—it’s about certainty, security, and creating life-changing experiences for students.

Call for Speakers - 2025 ISNZ Conference

The Call for Speakers has now closed. Thanks to all who submitted a proposal.

ISNZ Launches 2025 PLD Programme

Our PLD programme is designed specifically for independent school staff and we have a range of workshops tailored to meet your needs.

Exceptional academic results for Kristin School students

It has been a very positive start to 2025 for the Kristin community with some exceptional academic results received for its 2024 International Baccalaureate (IB) and NCEA students.

Scots College Wellington Welcomes Rachel Huggins

Scots College is delighted to announce the appointment of Rachel Huggins as the new Principal of the Junior School. Rachel will officially take up her position at the beginning of Term 1, bringing a wealth of educational leadership experience and a deep passion for curriculum development.

The Serious Business of Play

Ask children what their favourite subject is, and you’ll often get a cheeky smile and the answer, ‘Lunchtime!’ They grin because they know it’s not really a subject with a book or device in front of them.

23 Months and 52 Schools Later

Guy Pascoe, Chief Executive of ISNZ set himself the mission of visiting every member school in the country. Last week, 23 months and 52 schools later he finally completed his mission.

SchoolDocs updates for independent schools

SchoolDocs is working to better support independent schools with their policies and procedures. Recent changes include a smoother sign-up process and updated policy content.

The Ever Present Phishing Peril In Education

It seems like an almost monthly occurence to read in the media of a school falling victim to a cyber security incident and whilst the causes of these do vary, phishing attacks remain a very popular attack vector. Cyclone shares the significance of how lateral movement increases the impact of a breach, the importance of layers of defence and how to prepare for the inevitable.

Tackling the complexities: Independent schools and the Holidays Act

Datapay explains the complexities of the Holidays Act, payroll challenges and leave management, and highlights the need for schools to have robust payroll systems to record and calculate leave accurately, efficiently, and transparently.

Leading with Grace

Fiona Hutton, from Hutton Consulting Australia sheds light on how to navigate professional setbacks in career progression.

Tour Time Reflects on 2024 Successes

The TourTime team reflects on a successful 2024.

Generous for Julia

The QUEENDOM Stands Together

Chartwells: Shaping School Food Experiences 2024

2024 has been a milestone year for Chartwells. Our commitment to delivering the highest quality food experiences has set a new standard within the residential education sector and established Chartwells as the leader in modern school food services.

Schools that plan smarter, succeed faster

Recognising the need for Accounts Payable (AP) automation is just the first step, true success lies in how you implement it. Alii shares its comprehensive guide, The Business Manager’s Roadmap to Successful AP Automation Implementation in Schools to shed light on this aspect of your business.

Reflections from the UK

Guy Pascoe, ISNZ Chief Executive, recently had the pleasure of presenting at the International Programme for the HMC Conference in Belfast.

CGA Celebrates First Sporting Event: A Humble Milestone for Our Community

Crimson Global Academy (CGA) reached a special milestone celebrating its fourth year of operation and the debut of its first-ever CGA sporting team.

Co-education reinforces Huntley School’s commitment to developing well rounded individuals

Huntley School reflects on its transition to co-education.

ISNZCT AGM

The ISNZCT AGM was held via Zoom on 23 October.

Reputational Management - how to effectively manage employee complaints

Complaints about the conduct of staff is a reputational risk for independent schools, and it is crucial to have clear policies and procedures in place that set out how complaints will be dealt with.

Our new website and portal are GO!

In September, ISNZ launched its new website and ISNZ members' portal.

Christ's College Farewell to Garth Wynne

Christ’s College Executive Principal Garth Wynne has taken his final walk around the Quad, flanked by a guard of honour of students and staff, culminating in an emotional Chapel service and a powerful school haka.

Tour Time Tips

Ensuring safety of people and funds so you can travel with confidence.

Culinary Envy

How Chartwells is Transforming the Culinary Landscape within the Residential Education Market.

Alinta appointed official retail partner at St Bede's College

Alinta Apparel is proud to announce its retail uniform shop partnership with St Bede's College.

Conference Connections

Sponsors spend valuable time with member school decision makers.

Outstanding individuals receive ISNZ Honours Awards

Independent Schools community connects at 2024 ISNZ Conference

ISNZ hosts largest conference to date in Te Pae, Christchurch.

Huanui College Annual inter-whānau Haka Competition

The annual Haka Competition between each of our College whānau groups went off with a bang on the last day of Term 2! Each year, this event showcases an increasing effort from each whānau in their execution and presentation of the school haka.

Rangi Ruru Girls' School welcomes Tracy Herft

Rangi Ruru Girls’ School recently welcomed Tracy Herft as their new principal. Tracy joins Rangi Ruru from Strathcona Girls Grammar in Melbourne, where she was Deputy Principal, and had previously held positions including Acting Principal, Head of Mathematics and Dean of Studies.

Future Problem Solving: St Andrew’s College Third in the World

A group of 11 Year 8–9 students travelled with Preparatory School Future Problem Solving coach, Sonia Lewis, and Preparatory School teacher Kelly McBride, to the International Future Problem Solving Competition held at Indiana University Bloomington, USA. The teams qualified in the New Zealand national finals in October 2023 while in the Preparatory School.

St Margaret’s College Makes History at South Island Secondary Schools Netball Tournament

St Margaret’s College has achieved an extraordinary milestone by winning both the Year 9 and Year 10 divisions at the South Island Secondary Schools Netball Tournament. This historic achievement marks the first time in the tournament’s recorded history that a single school has claimed victory in both competitions.

Kristin wins back-to-back National Spanish Debate titles

The Kristin Spanish debating team made up of Miriam Alshaar (Year 12), David Luo (Year 13), Emma Gunn (Year 13) and Stefan Thompson (Year 13) have been crowned National Spanish Debate champions after defeating Rangitoto College in an enthralling final held in the Kristin Auditorium.

Medbury School’s Whole School Community Service Day

Medbury School recently organised a Whole School Community Service Day, an event that brought together boys, parents, and staff, and was a significant milestone in Medbury’s developing Leadership and Service Programme, which aims to assist in the character development of the boys by promoting leadership as service to others.

Ngā Huarahi Pūtaiao – The Science Pathways at Selwyn House School

An oven tray designed for people with arthritis, an AI application to help blind people recognise when a bus approaches their stop, and a longer lasting ice cube are amongst the ingenious creations that have come out of a new programme that Year 7 Selwyn House students are undertaking this year.

Student ambassadors: your admissions secret weapon

When families are scoping out a new school, they need three things: authenticity, personalisation and alignment to their values. Your admissions team has the huge responsibility of catering to all this and demonstrating that your school is a great fit. In fact, this responsibility is so big, it’s almost impossible for your admissions team to complete the job alone.

How Chartwells is Transforming the Culinary Landscape within the Residential Education Market

In an era shaped by overstimulation, young people’s understanding of food has evolved significantly. With unprecedented access to diverse culinary experiences through social media, chef influencers, or popular TV shows like FX’s The Bear, today’s students have developed sophisticated tastes and a heightened awareness of food and nutrition. In response to these changing preferences, Chartwells, the leading provider of catering services within New Zealand’s education sector, has embraced the challenge by setting a new benchmark in residential catering tailored to the needs of today’s youth.

International tours – ensuring safety of people and funds

Once again, over the past couple of months there has been intense media coverage of tour companies letting schools, parents and students down when it comes to security of funds paid, and safety of groups on tour.

ISNZ Reputational Management – How to effectively manage employee complaints

Maintaining a strong reputation is paramount for independent schools to ensure the maintenance of higher-level education services that they provide.Complaints about the conduct of staff is a reputational risk for independent schools, and it is crucial to have clear policies and procedures in place that set out how complaints will be dealt with.

The Future of School Operations: How Best-of-Breed Approaches Drive Digital Transformation

Are you ready to modernise your school’s operations with a Best-of-Breed strategy? This blog delves into the effectiveness of best-of-breed approaches in driving digital transformation within educational institutions. Discover how to seamlessly integrate digital tools into your school’s operations and revolutionise your processes.

FUJIFILM Business Innovation: Shaping Future Leaders through Experience

At FUJIFILM Business Innovation, we’re passionate about nurturing the next generation of Kiwi leaders, which is why we take part in AUT’s Shadow a Leader programme each year.

Creating supportive school environments | Psychological Safety with Komodo

Brought to you by Komodo Wellbeing & Independent Schools of New Zealand. Join Komodo Wellbeing Psychotherapist, Hannah Longley as she explores the concept of Psychological Safety and what this looks like for staff and students within schools.

Sea-ing the world from a different perspective

Huanui College alumni member Connan Wiegersma gives us a wave, telling of his experience joining the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Early Bird – ends Friday 5 July! Book now!

We warmly invite you to join us for the 2024 ISNZ Annual Conference, bringing together Governors, Heads, Principals, Business Managers and senior leaders from New Zealand and abroad, to explore the Shifting Tides in education.

FUJIFILM’S Five Things You Didn’t Know your MFD Can Do (and one that it can’t)

Your office photocopier probably doesn’t get a lot of attention. If you’re like most people, the most time you spend with it is probably to reload paper. But when was the last time you really sat down and got to know it? If you did, you might be surprised.

Policy FAQ with SchoolDocs

SchoolDocs is delighted to be attending the ISNZ conference this year in our home town of Ōtautahi. We’re looking forward to hearing about how schools are putting their policies and procedures into practice. If you’re a SchoolDocs subscriber keen to tell us how it’s working for your school, or if you’re thinking about signing up, we’d love to see you at the SchoolDocs stand.

St Andrew’s College opens $21m performing arts centre

St Andrew’s College officially opened its impressive new $21 million Ngā Toi Performing Arts Centre incorporating the Gough Family Theatre, on Sunday 12 May, with the celebrations including a stunning student performance of the hit musical Legally Blonde.

Tapping Along to Anything Goes

Teaching 50 teenagers to tap dance in 12 weeks is no mean feat, but choreographer Hannah Clarkson has managed to get everyone in step in time for a fast-moving Christ’s College production of Anything Goes.

Strengthening bonds: Marsden School embraces visit from Xiamen Shuangshi Middle School

From left to right: Marsden Principal Paula Wells, Mayor of Wellington Tory Whanau and Xiamen Shuangshi Middle School Principal Ouyang Ling

Sea-ing the world from a different perspective

Huanui College alumni member Connan Wiegersma gives us a wave, telling of his experience joining the Royal New Zealand Navy.

New Zealand Lit Quiz Champions!

The Cathedral Grammar School is absolutely thrilled to announce that its talented team of Heather, Emily, Kohei and Bea competed recently in the National Finals held in Wellington and won!

Boarding Blog – St Cuthbert’s College

St Cuthbert’s College Boarding is a truly special place.

Building strong relationships: How to use the PACE Model to connect with your students

By Ilia Lindsay, Registered Psychologist and Komodo Psychology Lead

Early Bird ends 5 July – book now!

We warmly invite you to join us for the 2024 ISNZ Annual Conference, bringing together Governors, Heads, Principals, Business Managers and senior leaders from New Zealand and abroad, to explore the Shifting Tides in education.

Latest ISNZ newsletter, hot off the press!

Read about our upcoming ISNZ Conference and insightful Sponsor thought-leadership pieces. Plus, find out the latest School news.

Opinion: Mobile Phones and Schools

Dr Simon Paul Atkinson has spent over thirty years in educational technology, academic development and professional development roles. This blog represents a personal reflection on the part of the author and does not represent an official position on the part of Independent Schools of New Zealand. Versions of these thoughts have already been shared via sijen.com and flanz.org.nz.

Simpson Grierson – Health and Safety

A recent High Court decision1, challenged the widely accepted legal principle that trust is not a legal entity, and therefore cannot be subject to WorkSafe prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA).

SchoolDocs: Policy and Procedure Confidence

SchoolDocs has been providing online policies and procedures to New Zealand schools since 2006. The SchoolDocs team develops tailor-made policies for New Zealand’s dynamic educational environment. With a dedicated team of content specialists and a cohort of over 2000 schools, we work to ensure school policies stay up to date with the needs of schools and their communities.

Texthelp’s software solutions to support inclusive education

We are very excited to welcome to the local Texthelp team in Aotearoa New Zealand our new Texthelper, Aaron Overington. Aaron may be known to you already through his strategic work in education in previous roles, and we are delighted to now have him on board.

Mid-term microbreaks are increasing student success

Just as industry leaders are re-evaluating the standard 9 to 5, 40 hour a work week, Huntley School in Marton has reconsidered the number of weeks in a row that students effectively learn without a break.

Charlie and Cole share princely role at Court Theatre

Setting the scene for their flourishing stage careers, Christ’s College students Charlie Wood and Cole Moffatt have secured their first leading roles for The Court Theatre.

Southwell School’s New Boarding House

In 1921 Southwell boarding started with a gift and since then the Southwell Boarding House has sat at the heart of the school and served thousands of students as a home away from home.

Boat Day

Matahui School held its annual Boat Day recently at the Omokoroa Domain. Boat Day is a highlight in its school calendar and a cherished school tradition.

Marsden welcomes renowned artist Lori Davis as 2024 Artist in Residence

Deemed the ultimate creative masterclass, Marsden’s Artist in Residence programme offers Visual Art students and students in the wider school the invaluable opportunity to collaborate with practising artists.

Work Smarter for Our Communities with FUJIFILM Business Innovation

Choosing FUJIFILM Business Innovation as your technology partner means more than just accessing an exciting range of products and services; it means investing in community initiatives that make a real difference.

Managing student stress: Understanding the window of tolerance

Stress is an unavoidable aspect of our everyday lives, and the challenges that arise during adolescence often lead high school students to feel more stressed than usual. Environmental and societal stressors that they encounter on a daily basis add pressure to their nervous systems, making it difficult for them to regulate their emotions.

Alinta Apparel to attend ISNZ Conference

Alinta Apparel is a quality bespoke uniform manufacturer and retailer based in Christchurch. Alinta offers independent schools across New Zealand, quality, customised, academic and sports uniforms. As one of the most trusted sources of on-campus retail solutions in the industry Alinta is pleased to be attending the ISNZ Conference in Christchurch.

Great Start to 2024 at St Cuthbert’s College

2024 is off to an amazing start at St Cuthbert’s. From sport to performing arts, music, visual art and so much more – it has been a productive and happy time.

Whitby Collegiate Student Off to Yale

Congratulations to Year 12 student, Ishaan Badiyani, who will be spending two weeks of the upcoming July holidays at Yale University in the USA, having won a place at the Yale Young Global Scholars programme.