Education – Failure, the unseen key to success

Schools are more than just places of learning; they are environments where students build resilience, develop character and discover their own potential. In last month’s column, Karney Dawson spoke about the importance of cultivating a strong school culture built on values, collaboration and connection. This is absolutely true, but what happens when students face setbacks? How does failure fit into this vision of success? 

The word failure isn’t one we celebrate often in education. It’s a word that students and teachers can fear. But failure, when framed correctly, is a powerful tool for learning and growth. True success is not about avoiding failure, it’s about learning how to turn it into opportunity.

I believe we need to encourage students to take risks in their learning, knowing that stumbles are part of the journey. The greatest athletes have lost more games than they’ve won, the best writers have faced rejection, and the most successful leaders have learned from their mistakes. What seems to set them apart is their ability to push forward, reflect and grow. As a parent of four children, I understand the instinct to protect our children from failure. But one of the greatest challenges we face, both as educators and parents, is knowing when to step back and allow them to experience it. The earlier they learn to navigate failure the better, because as we grow older, the impacts and costs of failure can become much greater.

However, labels matter. Too often, students see failure as a permanent stain rather than a stepping stone. If a child believes they are “not good at maths” or “not a leader,” or “can’t behave in class” these labels can become self-fulfilling. Our role as educators and parents is to help students shift that mindset and to see failure as feedback, not as final. This shift in perspective is crucial. At Rodney College, like all schools in our area, we see daily examples of students turning challenges into stepping stones for success. Whether it’s a senior student who didn’t achieve NCEA the first time but came back stronger, a Year 10 struggling with public speaking who later stands up to give a speech, or a young person learning appropriate behaviour – the ability to keep going despite setbacks is what makes the difference.

Leadership is no different. Our student leaders of 2025, like those at other kura, have stepped up, not because they never failed, but because they kept going when things got tough. To lead is to serve, to inspire, and to persevere especially in moments of difficulty.

Perhaps we could consider teaching our students that success is not about never failing, it’s about learning to rise each time they do. In the end, failure isn’t the opposite of success – it’s the path to it.