Activity centres

Target student group

Activity centres are operated by managing schools to provide a specialised Learning Programme for secondary school students in Years 9–13 who are at risk of disengaging from schooling and/or at risk of low educational, social or vocational outcomes.

Further entry criteria are developed by the managing school in consultation with the cluster of schools in its area. Entry criteria must ensure:

• students are enrolled in a state school and are entered into ENROL
• students are referred because their behaviour impedes their own learning outcomes or that of others
• a specialised programme is the most effective way of meeting the student’s needs.

 

Programme

Activity centres have registered teachers who support students to increase their achievement and engagement in education. Those working at the activity centres develop an Individual Learning Programme (ILP), which is responsive to the needs of each student.

At a minimum an ILP must include:

• numeracy and literacy goals at a level appropriate for the student
• wellbeing goals (health, social, behaviour)
• career competencies and/or vocational goals that support effective transition
• measures to ensure a regular review and update.

Often ākonga will attend an Activity Centre for a maximum of two terms; however, extended support can be in place at the discretion of the Activity Centre Director.

The managing school will also ensure regular review systems are in place to support a high-quality educational service provision, including support for activity centre staff to access professional development as well as the development of continual improvement practices.

 

Funding and operation

Managing schools have a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education and receive resourcing to manage the activity centre.

Board of Trustees (the Board) of the managing schools holds governance responsibility for the activity centre and is responsible for providing educational services. The Board has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry that outlines the roles and responsibilities of all parties in operating an activity centre.

Cluster of schools (state and state-integrated schools) in the geographic vicinity with secondary-aged students.

Enrolling schools are part of the cluster of schools that have a student on their roll attending the activity centre.

 

Monitoring and reporting

There is a requirement under the Activity Centre Memorandum of Understanding to report on outcomes and student achievement to ensure accountability for public funds. This is completed by the managing school. 

The midyear progress report is due on the 10^th working day following the start of term 3.

The annual report and financial statement are due no later than April of the following year.

Download a Word version of the Activity Centre midyear and annual report templates:

Activity Centre midyear report template (Word 2007 30 KB)

Activity Centre annual report template (Word 2007 29 KB)

  

Education Review Office (ERO) reports 2017 and 2018

In 2017, ERO reviewed every activity centre to determine how effective each one was in promoting positive outcomes for students. ERO looked at the: 

• management and governance practices, including planning, internal evaluation, and professional capacity building
• use of information to plan and implement individual programmes for, and with, students and to monitor their progress
• support for students to achieve improved social and educational outcomes
• educational and social outcomes, including the extent to which students’ learning has been accelerated
• students’ experience of interagency support for them and their families
• transitions in and out of the activity centre.

ERO then released a report for each of the 14 activity centres. Ten of the reports included specific recommendations for the activity centres. 

On 24 October 2018, ERO released the evaluation report - Provision for Students in Activity Centres. This is a summary report of the 14 activity centres' individual reports from 2017. ERO provided recommendations for the Ministry of Education, Board of Trustees of all managing schools, enrolling schools, leaders and teachers of activity centres and Te Kura.

The evaluation report is available on the ERO website -  Provision for Students in Activity Centres .

The links to the individual reports are on Appendix 1, page 24, of the report.

Note that one activity centre, Te Kura o Waipuna Ōtāhuhu, has closed since the release of this report.

 

Further information

Learning Support
For information on Learning Support services and regional offices, visit Learning Support on the Ministry of Education's website. 

To contact your Ministry regional office, go to Learning Support Services  on the Ministry's website.

Further queries
For further queries, email the Ministry at [email protected]

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura)
More information - Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu – The Correspondence School .

 

Activity centres and managing schools

 

Ministry region	Activity centre	Managing school
Auckland	Auckland Secondary Schools' Centre Email: [email protected]   Phone: 09 376 4769	Western Springs College  Email: [email protected] Phone: 09 815 6730 Website: www.westernsprings.school.nz
	Papakura Activity Centre Email: [email protected] Phone: 09 299 6417	Papakura High School  Email: [email protected] Phone: 09 296 4400 Website: www.papakurahigh.school.nz
Bay of Plenty, Waiariki	Āwhina School/ Activity Centre also known as Rotorua Activity Centre (Āwhina) Email:  [email protected] Phone: 07 348 7841	Rotorua Boys' High School  Email: [email protected] Phone: 07 348 6169 Website: www.rbhs.school.nz
Hawke's Bay, Tairāwhiti	Tūranganui-A-Kiwa Activity Centre Email:  [email protected]  or [email protected]   Phone: 06 867 9767	Gisborne Girls' High School  Email: [email protected] Phone: 06 68 6092 Website:  https://www.gisbornegirlshigh.school.nz
	Napier Community High School also known as Napier Community Activity Centre Email: [email protected] Phone: 06 835 8356	Napier Boys’ High School  Email: [email protected] Phone: 06 833 5900 Website: www.nbhs.school.nz
	Akina School/Activity Centre also known as Akina Activity Centre Email: [email protected] Phone: 06 878 9642	Hastings Boys’ High School  Email: [email protected] Phone: 06 873 0365 Website: www.hastingsboys.school.nz
Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatū	Taranaki Activity Centre Email: [email protected] Phone: 06 753 5179	Spotswood College Email: [email protected] Phone: 06 751 2416 Website:  spotswoodcollege.school.nz
	Manawatū Community High School – Manawatū Kura a Iwi Email: [email protected] Phone: 06 357 2254	Palmerston North Boys' High School Email: [email protected] Phone: 06 354 5176 Website: www.pnbhs.school.nz
Wellington	Porirua Activity Centre Email: [email protected] Phone: 04 237 9833	Porirua College  Email: [email protected] Phone: 04 237 5465 Website: www.poriruacollege.school.nz
	Hutt Valley Activity Centre Email:  [email protected] Phone: 04 568 4922	Naenae College  Email: [email protected]   Phone: 04 567 7175 Website:   www.naenae-college.school.nz
	Te Ara Email: [email protected] Phone: 04 471 1328 Website: www.teara.school.nz	Wellington High School Email: [email protected] Phone: 04 385 8911 Website: www.whs.school.nz
Otago, Southland	London House Learning Centre Email: [email protected] Phone: 03 477 2763	Bayfield High School, Dunedin Email: [email protected] Phone: 03 455 0113 Website: www.bayfield-high.school.nz
	Invercargill Activity Centre Email: [email protected] Gerry: [email protected] Phone: 03 218 6842	James Hargest College, Invercargill Email: [email protected] Phone: 03 217 6129 Website: www.jameshargest.school.nz