The Herald can today reveal New Zealand’s top schools for Cambridge, and which produced the highest‑achieving students. This year’s 143 Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards were earned by 122 Kiwi students for their 2025 results, matching the record set in 2024. “It’s a smaller school – people are really connected, so we’re able to have mentors and older students to get advice from, get feedback from. With only around 150 students in Years 11 to 13, it’s tiny compared with larger urban schools, yet it still ranked fourth in the country for Cambridge results, earning 12 top awards. State‑funded schools must offer NCEA, but many also offer Cambridge as an option for more academically minded students, Wiggin said.

Multiple people tried to help him, emergency services were called, but he died at the scene. A Serious Crash Unit investigation noted that road works were being set up at the time, and the sun was at a low angle, which was affecting the vision of drivers. Coroner Rachael Schmidt-McCleave found that Saunders was likely affected by solar glare. “I consider that, on the balance of probabilities, this death could have been prevented if Mr Saunders had been aware of the approaching road works, had sun glare not been a factor, and had Mr Saunders not been driving while under the influence of cannabis,” she found. Coroner Schmidt-McCleave also noted that other coroners had noted many times the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs.

They have all been sacked from the Highbrook testing station. An NZTA spokesman told the Herald the agency required 319 people to resit driving tests after investigations found “serious misconduct” involving five driver testing officers. Five VTNZ officers at the Highbrook branch are accused of taking money in return for passing hundreds of drivers sitting their practical tests. Practical tests at the Highbrook VTNZ remain suspended. VTNZ country manager Greg O’Connor said the organisation took “decisive and serious action” following allegations of dishonesty at one of its branches.

His now-defunct production company, Stripe Studios, reportedly owed the Baywatch star money after filming a series in New Zealand in 2023. He told The Front Page UK-born Breingan has relocated to Los Angeles leaving a trail of failed projects in his wake. “He’s been out in Los Angeles since, and I’ve tracked him down to Hollywood, where he has tried to establish himself in the TV and film industry. He is now living with a woman in Los Angeles called Darci Penn, who’s a part-time administrator. The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am.

With five Olympic medals, Sadowski-Synnott is tied for the second-most decorated New Zealand Olympian alongside equestrian Mark Todd and kayakers Ian Ferguson and Paul MacDonald. Zoi’s just amazing, and she does it time and time again,” coach Tom Willmott told Sky Sport. While she improved with a 77.61 second run, that was only good enough to have her sitting in fourth by the end of the second round. In the men’s snowboard slopestyle final, held earlier in the day, Kiwi Dane Menzies finished seventh with a best score of 76.10. Like Sadowski-Synnott, Menzies was the top qualifier, however he wasn’t able to find a medal-winning run in the final.

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Morning Headlines | Banks Peninsula floods second time in a year and warning toll roads need careful planning | Tuesday, February 18, 2026Already a subscriber? Police are at a serious crash in South Auckland where a truck has hit a pedestrian. The incident at the intersection of Savill Dr and Massey Rd in Māngere East was just before midday. A police spokesperson said the pedestrian was taken to Middlemore Hospital with serious injuries. “Diversions are in place, and traffic cannot currently turn onto Savill Drive from Massey Road.

Photo: Brenda HarwoodVolunteers with the Regent 24 Hour Book Sale are undeterred by this week’s rough weather as they work to transport and set up tens of thousands of books and other treasures ahead of the sale. Regent 24 Hour Book Sale co-ordinator Kath Wallace was pleased with progress on setting up for the sale when The Star dropped in on Tuesday, despite the heavy rain outside. The Regent 24 Hour Book Sale starts to take shape at the Breeze Arena, Edgar Centre. Funds raised through the Regent 24 Hour Book Sale go to support the operation of the 98-year-old theatre, which is run by a charitable trust. The book sale does not include CDs, vinyl records, DVDs, or music memorabilia — a separate music sale will be held mid-year on the Regent Theatre stage.

PHOTOS: BRENDA HARWOODDespite Dunedin’s mostly cold, wet summer, there were beautiful blooms out in force at the Outram Summer Flower Show. Outram Summer Flower Show convener Denise Chaplin admires the glorious display of gladioli in the show. Magnificent hydrangeas in a rainbow of colours were displayed at the Outram Summer Flower Show. A row of perfect dahlia blooms shine at the Outram Summer Flower Show. The show is one of two major events run by the Outram Garden Club each year — the Outram Spring Flower Show in September and the Outram Summer Flower Show in February.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIEDDespite the damp summer, Dunedin’s plum trees have yielded a bumper crop for Community Fruit Harvest Dunedin Ōtepoti volunteers over the holiday season. An impressive haul of more than 80kg of plums, picked from one backyard north of Dunedin. With plenty of fruit picking still to come this season, Community Fruit Harvest welcomes more volunteer pickers and registrations from owners of backyard fruit trees. For more information, and to sign up, visit the Our Food Network website www.ourfoodnetwork.org.nz and find the Community Fruit Harvest section. You can also follow Community Fruit Harvest Dunedin Ōtepoti on Facebook.

The use of opioids in the Otago region is climbing according to the latest survey of drugs in the workplace, although cannabis remains far and away the region’s illicit drug of choice. The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), New Zealand’s largest workplace drug-testing provider, has launched its Q4 Imperans Report, a quarterly workplace drug trends report. In its place, opioid usage had spiked from 28.1% to 36.4%, while amphetamine usage, including methamphetamine, had climbed from 10% to 13%. TDDA chief executive Glenn Dobson said it was vital workplaces held regular discussions about drug usage, and had workable policies around it. Nationwide, cannabis was present in 67.5% of positive tests; amphetamines, including methamphetamine, in 24.5%; opioids, including oxycodone, in 18.6%; benzodiazepines in 2.9%; and cocaine in 3.7%.

Work at the Otago Boys’ High School Shand building is complete. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSONA historic Dunedin school building which narrowly escaped demolition has reopened after seven years of renovations. A multimillion-dollar project to revamp the Otago Boys’ High School Shand building is now complete. Otago Boys’ High School student Nathan Collins, 14, plays guitar in the Shand building. The building was named after University of Otago professor John Shand to acknowledge his long service to education in Otago.

Cromwell Winery Cruises intends to visit three wineries on a day-long trip. PHOTOS: SUPPLIEDDreams of lounging on a boat, cruising from winery to winery are set to become a reality in Cromwell. Passengers would be collected from their accommodation in Cromwell and taken to board a pontoon boat fitted out with lounges for their journey to three wineries, Mr Taylor said. A day with Cromwell Winery Cruises would begin with a tasting at Matt Connell wines, Mr Taylor said. Mr Taylor was living in Wellington when he was offered redundancy from Interislander ferries in 2024.

There were no hard feelings from a Dunedin homeowner who offered a ride home to a young woman driver whose car became stuck in their concrete fence. Her car shot backwards and smashed through her friend’s neighbour’s concrete fence before coming to rest against their house. She tried to move her car, but became stuck in an un-smashed part of their concrete fence. She took a right-hand bend in Portobello Rd too quickly and lost traction, Sgt Lee said. Alcohol was not a factor in the crash, Sgt Lee said.

Otago Gold Honey co-owner Tim Sinclair stands guard outside his Waihola stall. Photo: Stephen JaquieryA South Otago honey stall owner is on the hunt for a brazen and chronic sticky-fingered honey thief who has allegedly been helping herself to the stall’s product without paying for years. Otago Gold Honey co-owner Carlee McCaw is appealing to the public to help identify the mystery woman. The alleged honey thief captured by Otago Gold Honey CCTV footage over a two-year period. "Who knows what she’s doing with the money ... certainly not paying for her honey."