Explore the emerging lineup of speakers and performances for 2026. We'll be adding more once the 2026 programme is launched.
Speakers
Hear from our passionate teachers and staff as they share their expertise and a wealth of knowledge and experience with you, offering insights and strategies to nurture students' academic success and personal growth.
At 10am Te Whānau o Kuīni Mākareta welcome you to Open Day with the sound of the conch and pūrerehua (instruments), followed by a haka pōwhiri in the Atrium and Assembly Hall.
Welcome and keynote presentation from the Principal
Principal Jayne-Ann Young welcomes you to Open Day 2026. Her presentation will discuss the capabilities young people will require in a rapidly evolving future and how QMC is equipping students to engage with uncertainty, be comfortable with change and to think critically, to create and to act in contexts we cannot yet fully imagine.
Time: 10.23am - 10:45am
Location: Assembly Hall
Primary Years Programme (PYP) Information Session
Hear from the Head of Junior School Jan Treeby and Deputy Head of Junior School Diane Campbell-Ward about the Primary Years Programme as they share what an IB education looks like in Junior School.
Time: TBD
Location: W18 (TBD)
International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) Panel Discussion
A panel discussion with IBDP Coordinator Emma Birch, and IB Diploma graduates who speak about their personal experiences with the IBDP.
Time: TBD
Location: Auditorium
NCEA Panel discussion with NCEA students
Hear from our current Level 1, 2 and 3 NCEA students, facilitated by Deputy Principal, Learning and Teaching (Holly Payne). Come and acquire the facts and debunk the myths of our national qualification NCEA.
Time: TBD
Location: Auditorium
Starting in Year 1
In this session you will hear from Deputy Head of Junior School Diane Campbell-Ward about key aspects that will help your daughter start school and discover what a typical day in Year 1 looks like.
Time: TBD
Location: W18 (TBD)
ELEVATE Year 11
Hear from Deputy Principal, Head of Learning and Teaching (Holly Payne) as she talks you through our unique ELEVATE Year 11 programme. ELEVATE empowers ākonga to gain a full NCEA Level 1 qualification while also preparing them better for NCEA Level 2 Certificate or the alternative pathway of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).
Time: 12.00pm - 12:30pm
Location: Auditorium
Middle Years Programme (MYP) Information Session
Our MYP Coordinator engages current and former MYP students in an insightful discussion about their program experiences at QMC. Gain unique perspectives and valuable insights from a range of ākonga that will inspire and inform your own MYP adventure.
Time: TBD
Location: Auditorium
Critical Thinking as the Essential Future Literacy
This presentation by Deputy Principal, Head of Learning and Teaching (Holly Payne) invites families to look beyond what education is and consider what it is becoming. At the heart of future-readiness lies the ability to question, analyse, and make meaning - capabilities that cannot be outsourced to technology.
Emerging research in neuroscience and cognition highlights concerning trends in young people’s thinking capacity, reminding us that critical thinking is not a future ambition, it is an urgent present responsibility. It must be intentionally cultivated within our classrooms and across the life of our school.
Join us to explore the journey our school is taking to embed critical thinking deeply and meaningfully into learning and teaching, equipping our learners not just to keep up with the future, but to shape it.
Time: TBD
Location: Auditorium
QMC Year 11 Foundations for Futures Award
Responding to significant changes in New Zealand's qualifications landscape, QMC has developed the Year 11 Foundations for Futures Award. Hear from Deputy Principal, Head of Learning and Teaching (Holly Payne) as she outlines how the qualification builds on the strengths of QMC's current Year 11 Elevate programme and is designed to ensure students are prepared not only academically, but also for the demands of an increasingly complex world.
Discover how this qualification will equip students to develop the capabilities that matter most for the future – thinking critically, working collaboratively, communicating clearly and leading with courage. Especially aimed at parents and students currently in Year 10 and below.
Time: TBD
Location: Auditorium
Performances
During the day attendees can look forward to captivating performances by our esteemed choirs and orchestras, showcasing the exceptional musical talent within our school community.
Haka Pōwhiri
Te Whānau o Kuīni Mākareta welcome you to Open Day with the sound of the conch and pūrerehua (instruments), followed by a haka pōwhiri.
Time: 10.00am - 10.15am
Location: Assembly Hall
Voices of QMC welcome you
Choir Concert in the Hall. Voces Luce, our senior premier choir will perform elements from their recent European Tour programme, directed by Mark Stamper. They’ll be joined by 55 singers from our Junior choir, the Tuī Singers (Years 1 – 3), directed by Susie Hardie.
Time: 10.15am - 10.22am
Location: Assembly Hall
Instrumental Concert
Our ensembles, Banditas, Stringendos, Year 6 Band and the QMC Orchestra, will perform. This is set to be a crowd favourite!
Time: 11.30am- 12.15pm
Location: Assembly Hall
Junior and Senior Soloists
Enjoy solo performances from Karmen Zhou (Year 13) on piano, Wendy Wang (Year 11) on piano, Kitty Grotrian (Year 12) on violin, Pia Dhabuwala (Year 10) on violin.
Time: 11.30am- 12.15pm
Location: Assembly Hall
Drama Performances
Looking for some wicked fun? QMC’s senior drama students will be performing scenes from Wicked and Poof.
Time: TBD
Location: Assembly Hall
Te Whānau o Kuīni Mākareta
Experience the true unity in Te Whānau o Kuīni Mākareta as they practise their powerful performance for Rā Haka.
Time: TBD
Location: Assembly Hall
Aerobics Performance
Join us for an energy-boosting Aerobics performance, as our team of students showcase their routines in preparation for the National Championships.
Time: 12.30pm - 1.00pm
Location: Hobson Gym
Look out for some of our talented music students throughout the day who will share some pop-up performances across the campus.
