ONE DAY SCHOOL TURNS TEN!
The 22nd of May 2006 marked ten years from when the first One Day School class was held in the crypt of an Auckland church. There are now 34 classes held every week...read more

"ODS - The Movie"

There will be a Screening/Review of a documentary currently being filmed about giftedness and One Day School.

Filmmaker Davorin Fahn will show a preliminary viewing on Tuesday 15 June at 7pm in the Owairaka School Hall, 113 Richardson Road, Mt Albert.

Entry will be by a gold coin donation.

22nd January 2010 - NEW VENUES!

The Gifted Education Centre is delighted to announce the opening of four new One Day School™ venues!

WHANGAPARAOA PRIMARY SCHOOL is our new host school on the Hibiscus Coast. It is hoped that this will offer options for families on the Peninsula, as well as further north who are unable to get to the Glenfield venue.

Whangaparaoa opens from term 2, with a junior/middle class running on a Wednesday.

If you wish to inquire about spaces in this new venue, or to request an application form to be sent out to you, please contact Sarah at Head Office. Remember, for out-of-Auckland calls, you can use our new freephone number – 0508GIFTED (0508 443 833)

Our TE PUKE venue (Te Ranga School) will be "on hold" for Term 2 to allow for both roll growth and a construction project.

For further information, inquiries and future enrollments, please contact Sue, our Regional Co-ordinator for the area.

Sue will also be working with the new venue in CAMBRIDGE. Cambridge Middle School will host One Day School from Term 1 2010– again, inquiries for this venue will go directly through to Sue.

Further south – Christchurch saw a new venue open, hosted by WEST SPREYDON SCHOOL. There will be both One Day School and our Small Poppies preschool programme operating from this venue – and for all inquiries please contact Andrea.

VENUE CHANGES

Wellington – After many years of hosting us, Tairangi School in Porirua City has lost its relocatable classrooms. We have secured a new home at Rangikura School effective from the beginning of term 1, 2010.

What an exciting year!

30th October 2009 - GEC encourages Kiwi kids to think BIG

The Gifted Education Centre is challenging Auckland Primary School children to go beyond the ordinary and take part in New Zealand's biggest game of Scrabble.

The GEC GIANT Scrabble competition will see 6 teams of Auckland primary school children compete with 1 metre squared letter tiles to become champions of a 16 metre squared Scrabble board.

The contestants have won the opportunity to play in this larger-than-life GIANT Scrabble game through a picture essay competition where they designed Scrabble pieces in honour of high achieving tall poppies who inspire them. This design competition was open to both students and non-students of One Day School.

GEC GIANT Scrabble competition was designed to celebrate the unique characteristics of every individual and encourage all kiwi kids to reach for their full potential.

"The tall poppy syndrome is an issue that must be addressed as our children's talents are not being appreciated," says GEC director Kathy Williams.

"The GIANT Scrabble competition will get more children thinking about their hopes and aspirations and more people talking about giftedness."

Approximately five percent of children are 'gifted' but unfortunately in New Zealand the term 'gifted' is wrongly perceived and holds negative connotations.

"People have the impression that celebrating 'giftedness' is being elitist, but they don't realise that 'tall poppies' are all around us," says Williams.

To address this point, entrants were encouraged to think about tall poppies in their own communities as well as famous people when designing their tiles. The result was artwork inspired by a range of both high and low profile tall poppies ranging from Hayley Westenra and Sir Edmund Hillary to mothers, grandmas, and uncles.

Eleven year old Theo Kelly nominated his uncle.

"Jay Hollows is my uncle. He goes to Ellam Art School. He has inspired me to do art. He uses pastel and water colour paints to do maybe even Jackson Pollock designs. So this "V" reflects the "pastel Pollock" design."

Sierra Naraghi-Keiper, also eleven, nominated Sir Edmund Hillary.

"His attitude was one of a kind. He had determination, stamina and skills. I think he is the world's No.1 person. He aimed at the very highest and set a challenging goal: "To climb Mount Everest."

"I chose the letter "E" because it represents Mt. Everest, and although it only has one score point in Scrabble, in my belief he is number one."

Kelly and Naraghi-Keiper will be playing GIANT Scrabble along with 4 friends who they have selected to be on their team.

The competition will take place at Mt Smart Stadium on October 30 and has been generously sponsored by Mattel NZ Ltd, who have provided a range of prizes that both participants and audience members will have the chance of winning.

Click here for some photos from the event.

Event details:

When: Friday October 30, 4:00 - 6:30pm
Where: Mt Smart Stadium, Beasley Ave, Penrose.
Parking available via Beasley Ave.

All are welcome for an afternoon of fun and great prizes!

November 12th 2007 - George Parkyn Centre becomes the Gifted Education Centre

The George Parkyn Centre is becoming The Gifted Education Centre!!! After 12 years, we will re-open in January 2008 under a new name, reflecting the growth of the Centre and clearly defining the work that we do.

The name and work of George Parkyn (1910–1993) will remain synonymous in the minds of many with the progress of gifted education both within New Zealand and internationally.

The Centre, and the thousands of children and families that the Centre’s work has touched over the last decade or more, greatly respects and recognizes the work of George Parkyn, and that of Rosemary Cathcart, the Centre’s founder.

We look forward now to working to build on, and expand on that progress – by broadening the services offered (eg the introduction of services for pre-school children), and building public awareness of the needs of these children.

Over the coming months, you may see subtle changes in our website and/or our printed materials as we transition towards this exciting new move. It is our aim that by 14 January 2008, the date we re-open after the end of year break, the work will be finished, and we have completed our metamorphisis!

We look forward to supporting you with your gifted children, and pupils, for many years to come.

July 1st 2007 - Gifted Education Centre takes over the running of Small Poppies

As of 1 July, the Gifted Education Centre is managing and facilitating the Small Poppies programme – a programme especially developed for gifted pre-schoolers... read more