Teachers behind 'academic awakening'

DAVID HALLETT/ The Press

TUNED IN: Mairehau High School head boy Laurie Ludlow says passionate teachers are the reason for his school performance.

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Laurie Ludlow had an "academic awakening" when he was 15.

The Mairehau High School head boy says he "wasn't really focused" on schoolwork until then.

"I had some other things that I was more interested in at that time. I just wasn't interested in schoolwork," he said.

"It was about the beginning of year 11 that I had my academic awakening."

Laurie, now 17, heads a student body whose odds are stacked against success.

Mairehau is a decile-four Christchurch secondary school. Last year, the school had a limited statutory manager appointed to help improve achievement standards in the senior school.

The school roll has fallen from 834 pupils to 515 in four years.

Laurie said the secret to academic success at the school was the teachers.

"Having passionate teachers who try to convey what they love about their subject really did help," he said.

"I used that and I started to become more interested in my subjects as well. I started to see schoolwork as a way to feel in control of my life."

Laurie last year won an essay competition run by the Christchurch School for Young Writers. He travelled to France as the Yevres exchange pupil, which commemorates the sacrifice made by Royal Air Force pilot Noel Stokes, who was from Christchurch.

This year, Laurie took second prize in an essay competition writing in French. He said his French teacher was one of several who had inspired him.

His parents had also helped. "My parents tell me how I can help myself fighting procrastination, for example."