Birkenhead College

Birkenhead College is seeking local families to host International Students.

We are looking forward to hosting overseas students once again at the school. An integral part of their NZ stay is to live with a local family and participate in family life, which is an important aspect of the total student experience.

International students also offer valuable cultural interaction for you and your family - many families have made lifelong friends as a result of hosting!

Host families are asked to provide a room, three meals a day, Wi-Fi connection and to assist with transport from time to time, for which $300 per week will be paid. All members of the household aged 18 years and older are required to complete a Police Vet check via the school.

If you would like to know more, please contact:

Nataliya Novak or phone 09 483 9039, Ext 838

Deciding to leave your current career and embark on a new one is a big decision – particularly when you factor in re-training in your chosen new field. This leap of faith has been made easier for those wanting to train as a teacher thanks to the Auckland Schools’ Teacher Trainee Programme (ASTTP). The ASTTP offers a brilliant solution for new graduates and career changers – onsite teacher training at a local high school with your university fees paid for and a $12,500 stipend paid to you while you train.

David Ferguson, Headmaster of Westlake Boys’ High School says, "This programme offers a pathway for people who have always considered teaching as a career possibility but weren’t sure how they could make the move. We're really interested in people who have worked in other jobs and are looking to change careers, as well as graduates from a wide range of disciplines”.

60 teacher trainees, aged from mid-20s to over 50, are taking part in the scheme this year, with 24 participating Auckland schools offering this programme. The ASTTP model gives teacher trainees the advantage of training on-the-job, alongside outstanding teachers and mentors, giving them first-hand experience of the full breadth of school life. While training, they complete their Graduate or Post Graduate teachers diploma course online through the University of Waikato. Our teacher trainees also have the opportunity of attending and participating in a dozen professional learning workshops at twelve different schools throughout Auckland.

In 2024, Birkenhead College is looking for interested candidates in the following learning areas - Hospitality; Construction; Social Sciences; and Te Reo Māori.

If you would like to find out more, visit www.schoolbasedtraining.org where there are several first-hand experiences from current and former teacher trainees, as well as videos and podcasts. Alternatively, contact office@birkenhead.school.nz to arrange an appointment time to come in and discuss the programme.