Andy Crowe, assistant principal at Wesley College, is quick to point out how hybrid learning has enabled a better work life balance for kaimahi (staff). As a new member of staff, one of the first things he noticed was that collaborative planning has changed “how the clock works” at Wesley: collaborative planning allows kaiako to come in later and leave earlier, giving them more time to spend with their own whānau. He also says that it’s easy for kaiako to jump in and cover each other with all planning and learner activities being stored in a central place online.

Wesley also prioritises supporting its local community. The school itself acts as a community hub, hosting services such as the Mana Clinic, a free-of-charge clinic for Wesley ākonga and their whānau including parents, grandparents, and other children of any age from babies to teenagers. The Mana Clinic is a walk-in service with free interpreters available. Wesley is very proud of the clinic, which was opened in 2000 and was the first service of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand. Wesley has also partnered with the Pacific Foundation to host a Home Interaction for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) which provides home-based tutoring for tamariki (children) aged 3-5 and supports whānau to enrol their tamariki and transition them into school when they reach age 5. There’s also a community food bank called Kai Hub that operates out of the school. Throughout the school’s communication with whānau, they make an effort to use clear, uncomplicated language and to make it clear that whānau are always welcome to visit the school. Whānau are also encouraged to attend regular fono/hui (meetings) to hear about what is happening at school, ask questions and give feedback. Wesley has also replaced parent-teacher conferences with Talanoa in which ākonga converse with whānau about their learning in their own language, and kaiako are there for questions or support but are not leading the conversation. 

These strong school-community relationships act as a solid foundation to support hybrid learning and help it run smoothly: parents are informed and know how to ask questions if they need support with systems, and ākonga understand that their home and school environments are linked and that learning can happen in a supported way in both. This is a reflection of Derek Wenmoth’s point that a resilient school will feature a “strong sense of connectedness between the school and its community – acting as a ‘hub’ for many aspects of how the community operates.” 

By providing wellbeing-enhancing services for the wider community and onsite for ākonga (free stationery, universal free lunches and an optional free breakfast club open to all ākonga, as well as whole-school fitness every morning), Wesley sets ākonga up for success with hybrid learning. Whānau have high trust in the school and know who they can contact if they have questions or concerns. Devices can be purchased on heavily discounted and subsidised payment plans, and whānau are invited to learn school systems and upskill with technology at the school, so that they can better support their tamariki with their learning at home. Free meals and morning fitness help ākonga come to class ready to learn. In a world where onsite learning is no longer the norm, it is key that schools build a strong community so that ākonga feel supported and motivated to learn offsite. Thanks to the culture of community at Wesley, ākonga have a sense of direction with their learning and are excited to engage with it no matter where they are.