Henry, a 16-year-old student from the Verdon College Satellite of Ruru Specialist School, was diagnosed with autism when he was 2. He had real challenges — it took him years to learn how to write properly and how to walk down a crowded college hallway with confidence.
But he did not let that bother him — now he is tackling mainstream NCEA classes, including level 2 digital technology, level 1 physics, and level 1 finance. He also extends his learning through Te Kura’s online Digital Technology course.
He has proved that passion and determination can open doors to success.
Henry is one of 4604 students at 27 special education schools around the country who took time out yesterday to mark Te Ra Whakanui Kura Motuhake — A Day to Celebrate Special Schools.
Students aged 5-21 attend special education schools where they are taught traditional curriculum subjects, but also offered additional programmes such as hydrotherapy, Riding for the Disabled and Duke of Edinburgh.
At the start of last year more than 680 children were on the enrolment waiting list.
Demand for specialist schools has skyrocketed, growing more than 60% since 2013.
Ruru Specialist School teacher Hera Fisher said each of Ruru’s classrooms would be celebrating the day in their own way, so celebrations would be "age appropriate and loads of fun".
Henry started at Ruru School when he was 5 and now attends satellite classes at Verdon College.
His mother Amy Bramer said she had high praise for staff at Ruru, who had helped her son achieve so much using their neurodiverse education system.
School staff identified that while Henry lived with autism which caused him some social and behavioural related issues, "he had the smarts".
His education progress really started to show itself in the past two years after receiving an iPad, Mrs Bramer said.
"If he liked something, he would excel at it."
The school used technology to provide an advantage to students. Developing his handwriting skills had taken years of intensive training and changed the trajectory of his future.
"Henry couldn’t hold a pen for a very, very long time. He’s only been able to properly write in the last couple of years."
Developing core skills had boosted his confidence which encouraged him to venture into the world of work experience.
"They are teaching him how to write CVs, and fill in all the forms we take for granted are very easy to fill out."
Mrs Bramer said once Henry had completed his NCEA qualifications through Verdon College, he would transition through to study information technology at SIT.
"He loves computers. He loves coding and for a lot of those kids, technology is very good for them — it’s black or white, there’s a right or wrong way — that’s how they look at everything."
She accepted his transition into a fulltime workforce would bring new challenges for Henry as well as for herself and her husband Simon.
Through techniques developed by the school, Henry had learnt how to regulate his emotions when he felt overwhelmed and stressed, but Mrs Bramer believed Henry would always need some form of background support as he matured.
Individually tailored education plans were adjusted twice a year to introduce new achievable goals and develop interpersonal skills.
"It’s definitely helped ... just speaking sentences, or like when someone walks into a room you say hello — they’ve repetitively done that, which has been amazing."
Ms Fisher said Henry had always been a hard worker who was a pleasure to have in class.
She had witnessed some significant learning milestones in his development as he progressed from junior school to becoming a senior in the satellite classes.
It was rewarding to see him sitting in his classes upright, focused and engaged.
"Henry inspires me and Lauren Quinlivan [team teacher] each day that he steps outside of our supportive space into the busy hallways on this college."
