We don’t let kids fail
1 January 2026
Pictured: Principal Jo Hunnikin
Did you know that Waimate High School now sits at the top end of schools in the Aoraki region in several areas, including academic?
In just a few years, Waimate High has seen a major lift in outcomes. The number of students finishing school with NCEA Level 3 or higher has jumped from 15 percent in 2021 to 68 percent in 2024.
More students are staying too, with retention increasing from 63 percent to 84 percent in a single year. The role has grown to around 300 students for the first time in a decade.
Students are also punching well above their weight in sports, with national sporting honours and multiple NZ representatives.
And, while the foundations were already in place, the past four years have seen a clear lift under the leadership of outgoing principal Jo Hunnikin.
Fortuitous farm purchase
Jo and her partner, Andrew, farm at Otaio. The day after they found their perfect piece of land the principal role was advertised. A coincidence that would pay big dividends for the students and families of this district.
Jo’s quick to admit, that when it comes to farming she’s learned as much from her students as they have from her - including taking advice from them on which tractor to buy.
Care and high expectations
By the end of Jo’s first year, she noticed a pattern she wasn’t comfortable with - students in Years 11 to 13 preparing to leave school without enough credits. Instead of accepting that, students were encouraged to come back and at least complete NCEA Level 2.
“And they all came back. They got some success and built some self-belief.”
From there, students were given individual plans, broken down into achievable steps, so they were clear on what credits they needed, how to achieve them, and why it mattered.
Based on school leaver data, Waimate High School is now one of the most improved schools in the country.
We don’t let kids fail
The expectation is simple: students don’t leave until they have what they need.
“We don’t let kids fail. It’s easy for young people to get stuck in the gap between the credits they have and the credits they need. We don’t let that happen. We put scaffolding in place, make a plan, and break it into achievable chunks.”
That approach starts early. Year 11 and 12 students begin the year with a ‘Ready to Work’ week, covering practical skills such as time management, health and safety and first aid. Students also gain credits that week, setting the tone from day one.
And the culture has shifted. Students aren’t just aiming to pass - they’re aiming to improve, moving from achieved to merit, and on to excellence.
“What we’re doing is giving them belief in themselves. You can achieve at school, what you do matters, who you are matters.”
Academic success recognised by the Prime Minister
Pictured: Waitaki’s youth MP Enya O’Donnell with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Enya represented Waitaki at Youth Parliament 2025.
Jo’s leadership has also been recognised well beyond Waimate.
In 2024, she received a letter from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Minister of Education Erica Stanford, congratulating the school on its strong NCEA Level 2 results. The letter acknowledged several years of consistent improvement, praising the hard work of staff and students, and the leadership and dedication behind the results. It noted that the outcomes reflected a school community focused on giving young people the skills and confidence to succeed beyond the classroom.
Impact extends outside of the classroom
Board of Trustees chair Bryson Hargreaves says Jo’s “huge impact” extends beyond the results and accolades. She managed to bring the school and wider community together around a simple question: what is the best we can do for our students?
She excelled at communicating with the community, and people felt comfortable fronting up and having a conversation.
“It was about getting everyone working towards a common goal - what’s the best that we can do for our students” he says. “That focus is something the school will keep benefiting from for years to come.”
I knew them, and they knew me
It’s the everyday stuff Jo will miss the most - the daily interactions with students and staff, including knitting club in the library over winter.
“It’s a great rural school. The kids are so genuine, just lovely. It has a family vibe here at all levels, lots of families have staff here, everyone’s got each other’s backs.”
More than anything, she wants to be remembered as someone who cared about the kids, and that “I knew them and they knew me.”
Jo leaves behind a strong foundation and incoming principal Andrew Jones brings a proven track record. We’ll be talking with him soon about the road ahead for Waimate High.
Next: Jo touches on some of the long-held assumptions about small rural schools. We unpack those myths - and the reality at Waimate High School - in our follow-up piece.