Sherwood School in unison with Asia:NZ works to provide Sherwood students with the support and learning to prepare them for the 21st century. Students in the senior classroom experience both the language and culture of Japan. In future the school will be moving into Chinese also.

An Asia Aware Sherwood student has the skills and knowledge to live in an interconnected world, specifically with their Asian neighbours, both in Asia and in New Zealand. These skills include language, knowledge about the peoples and countries of Asia and intercultural competencies such as confidence, self awareness and understanding of cultural values and diversity.

Sherwood is working to embed within its curriculum and its environment the skills and knowledge that students need to understand more about the peoples and countries of Asia.” In addition, an Asia Aware school delivers the intercultural competencies that students need to live and work in Asia and with Asian people in New Zealand.

Young New Zealanders need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to take advantage of the opportunities to live, work and interact with the Asian communities in New Zealand and with the peoples and countries of Asia. Education is the key to achieving this. It is not a choice that we have to offer these skills, but an imperative.