Westlake Boys High School on Auckland's North Shore has established the first bilingual unit for high schools in the area. With more than 2,000 students, it is one of the largest schools in Auckland. But what does the unit mean for Māori at the school?
The school opened in 1962 when Westlake High School split into Westlake Girls High School on the existing site and Westlake Boys High School on a new site.
Te Puna head of department Johnny Waititi says it took three years to get the unit across the line and is an achievement for the school.
This morning he greeted his students and their families for the brave decision to choose Te Puna as a second home for the boys.
"Some of you have come from a school that didn't have much Māori. So I applaud your bravery and mihi to your parents for giving you this opportunity."
Challenge for big school
One of the new students, Kiari Paipa, says he can't wait to get involved in all aspects of the unit.
"I really like the Puna, it's an opportunity for me to express myself in the language. It will also help me to remember those relationships to my iwi and my hapū."
Waititi says while there is a feel-good factor this morning, he knows there are many different challenges ahead.
"This school is one of the main schools for boys in the country. So we have added the bilingual unit but what is its place within the school?"
It's a challenge that principal David Ferguson is acutely aware of but a challenge he wholeheartedly supports.
"It's going to strengthen our culture, it's going to add to our culture. It's an important part of our culture. It's appropriate that we are an authentic bicultural organisation."
"We've got a great team of staff there. We have a team of three down there teaching Te Reo. But we are going to add other staff into the programme, and they are all hugely excited."