Leading with Compassion: Meet ACG Tauranga’s Visionary Principal
Within the global education sector, ACG Schools have built a reputation for their dedication to premium, independent, and holistic learning. Not only is this based on a strong global network and a leading curriculum, but also teachers and leaders that guide and support academic excellence among its students. A leading example is Thea Kilian, Principal of ACG Tauranga, whose leadership is a testament to her professional acumen, and a reflection of her deep-seated passion for education and its transformative power.
Kilian’s own academic journey has been marked by success and a keen interest in mathematics and the sciences. After completing her schooling with outstanding results, Kilian earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Mathematics and Botany before going on to achieve a postgraduate honours degree in Mathematics. Reflecting on what drew her to a profession in education, Kilian shares that it was “the possibility of influencing the world for the better through community. As the world around us changes, new challenges present themselves. We need to be confident in our understanding of what our children need to develop and thrive and be unapologetically deliberate in holding firm to that foundation.”
As Principal of ACG Tauranga, it’s this foundation of community that Kilian believes allows for the realisation of potential and excellence. “When students feel a sense of belonging, they are happier, healthier individuals who are more engaged, more willing to take positive risks and more willing to support those around them.” And while there is support in this sense of belonging, Kilian also promotes the importance of personal accountability and the expectation for students to be kind, caring, and inclusive. “Our focus is on being good people first. We always support our students to work through any issues or concerns, making use of every opportunity to actively teach our core values without compromising the need to be accountable for our actions.”
ACG Tauranga has four core values; Excellence, Courage, Integrity, and Respect and it is important for Kilian that staff lead by example. “We believe the most effective way to instil values is to live and breathe them ourselves and to actively teach what each value looks like in a real-world context.”
Kilian places a strong emphasis on pastoral care, recognising that a student’s emotional and mental well-being is crucial to their academic success. This approach ensures that students are not only academically challenged but also supported through a nurturing environment that encourages personal growth and resilience. “In the simplest sense, pastoral care is about looking after the physical and emotional well-being of students. For us, it is also about empowering them to look after their own physical and mental well-being and partnering with our families to do the same.”
The flexibility and resources to be able to take a wider strategic and holistic approach to education comes from leveraging ACG’s regional network and Inspired’s global reach, as well as its independence from the state schools’ sector. The role of independent schools in New Zealand’s educational system is a topic close to Kilian’s heart. She views these institutions as critical to offering diverse educational experiences and fostering innovation in teaching and learning. This flexibility has allowed ACG Tauranga to adopt and adapt the best educational practices from around the world, creating a unique and enriching learning environment. Core to the educational offering at ACG Tauranga is the Cambridge Pathway curriculum. Kilian believes that the Cambridge Pathway provides a comprehensive educational framework that helps to develop lifelong skills for further education.
“The Cambridge curriculum is more than just a series of examinations,” Kilian explains. “It’s a way of thinking, a way of learning that encourages inquiry, problem-solving, and critical thinking.” ACG Tauranga students have achieved remarkable success in Cambridge examinations, a testament to the effective implementation of the curriculum and the high standards of teaching at the school.
A range of global opportunities are offered up through the fact that ACG Schools are part of the Inspired schools network, the largest global premium group of international schools that spans across Europe, Africa, Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
It is comprised of over 80,000 students in more than 100 schools. This vibrant, multicultural educational environment offers ACG students the opportunity to take part in Inspired’s Global Exchange Programme and various international camps, providing them with invaluable experiences of immersion in diverse cultures and learning environments.
Kilian believes in fostering an environment where students are challenged to set high goals and are supported in their efforts to achieve them. This culture of high performance and high expectations has resulted in remarkable student achievements in academics, sports, and the arts. And while success is celebrated, so is the learning process and the importance of having a go, being challenged, and getting it wrong to get it right. “We aim to build self-efficacy and the resilience to reflect, learn, and move forward both in the classroom and beyond.”
The high level of achievement that has come out of the ACG Schools approach is shown in their results. In 2022, a remarkable 100 percent pass rate was achieved in A-Level Cambridge examinations by ACG students, accompanied by an impressive tally of 33 Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards. This feat places ACG students at the top echelon of academic performance in New Zealand. In fact, one out of every three high-performance awards in the country was secured by an ACG student. The global academic impact of ACG Schools is further underscored by the fact that nearly half of the Top in World awards achieved by New Zealand students were from ACG Schools.
It is also important to help prepare students for life beyond school through their development as people “and supporting them to be their authentic self within the framework of our values of integrity, respect, courage, and excellence,” says Kilian. “Good people who have a strong work ethic and are able to effectively communicate, collaborate, and problem-solve will be an asset to any institution or workplace.”
Kilian highlights the crucial role that parents play in terms of fostering this mindset but also the wider educational journey of their children. ACG Schools maintains an open dialogue with parents, understanding that their support and involvement are vital to the success of the students and the schools. Kilian’s interactions with parents are characterised by transparency and collaboration. She values their feedback and sees them as partners in the educational process. This collaborative approach has fostered a strong school community where parents feel involved and invested in their children’s education.
The educational process is not just limited to students, with Kilian highlighting that ACG teaching staff are reflective, evidence-driven, and student-centred learners themselves. “Our teaching staff are passionately dedicated and highly skilled, taking full advantage of the wide range of opportunities and connections available to them through our in-school development opportunities, links with the wider ACG network and Inspired schools, as well as the Cambridge School network.”
Quality teaching is the cornerstone of academic excellence at ACG Schools, and Kilian is a strong advocate for maintaining high teaching standards at ACG Tauranga. There are robust quality assurance processes to ensure that teaching and learning at the school are consistently of the highest quality. These processes include regular professional development for teachers, ongoing curriculum review, and the use of innovative teaching methods.
“A child’s education is fundamental to who they become as adults. It is not just about what they learn but also who they are learning it from. As a mum myself, I want my children to be surrounded by adults who will respect and challenge them as capable learners, nurture and care for them as young people, and engage them in every aspect of school life,” says Kilian.
To that end, Kilian extends an invitation to students and families to experience what sets ACG Tauranga apart for themselves. “Come and visit us. We will show you the campus, explain the curriculum, and outline the support systems and structures. Most importantly though, you will get a sense of who we are as people.”
