For those who left school a while ago, the inside of a modern classroom might seem like a pretty foreign place.
Far from the days of chalk and pencils though are so-called "future-focused" schools – no bells, no individual classrooms, and Principal Birch is simply known as Daniel.
"They don't have one particular teacher; they have a group of teachers who they can access as experts," says Mr Birch. "They learn to collaborate, they learn to problem solve and they learn to take risks."
This is future-focused education, and Auckland's Hobsonville Point primary and secondary schools are leading the way.
"We teach with learning areas combined together around projects of contexts that the kids have helped create with us, that they want to explore," says Hobsonville Point secondary school principal Maurie Abraham.
Mr Birch and Mr Abraham helped set up the schools. Their philosophy is simple.
"We need to be preparing our kids for a future that is rapidly changing and they need the skillsets to manage that," says Mr Birch.
Parent Lisa Squire says sending her child here was a no-brainer, "giving the children opportunities to develop skills, real life skills, going beyond reading and writing".
The students also see the value in being equipped for the "real world".
"When you're at university and stuff it's all on you," says student Jack. "You haven't got your mum and dad there to help you along. You're there by yourself."
It's not for everyone. A handful of families left after the first year, but after nearly two years in operation, numbers are climbing.
"We've attracted more than we've lost as we've carried on," says Mr Abraham. "We're getting daily enquiries from people who live outside of the zone about how they can get enrolled."
Although times have changed, some old-school rules remain.
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