It’s Netsafety Week.
How is it Week 3 of Term 3 already! This week is Netsafety Week and we’re highlighting resources to help keep your ākonga and communities safer online.
Focus on online safety#
This week is Netsafety Week - a great chance to consider how we can partner with our communities and other organisations to help shape a safe online world. Netsafe are running a series of webinars this week to help you get started.
Cyber safety advice for parents#
The Ministry of Education has created a page with advice and links to useful resources for parents who are wondering how to support their children online. It provides tools to learn how to behave online and how to recognise behaviour that’s not okay. It covers a range of online topics for young people and teenagers.
We recommend adding it to your next newsletter to help your communities become safer online.
Competition#
Netsafe is running a fun competition for schools and kura!
Simply register for or sign in to the Kete between 14–31 July to enter the draw.
The more teachers from your school that use the Kete, the more chances you have to win!
Events#
Thanks to all who came and talked to us at the School Boards conference about security and AI. It was great meeting such a diverse range of schools and hearing about the challenges we’re all facing. This week we’re talking at NASDAP about the good and bad around Artificial Intelligence, so if you’re attending please come have a chat.
Changes to Microsoft and Google Licensing#
As advised in the Ed Gazette in November 2024 (issue103.15), the Ministry will implement several changes to Microsoft licenses for schools and kura from 1 January 2026. School leaders are encouraged to share the following with their IT teams and service providers:
- Staff licensing: All teaching and office administration staff are entitled to M365 A3 licences as standard, with the option to upgrade to an A5 Security licence if required. Support staff should continue using free A1 licences to maintain cost efficiency.
- Security standardisation: The M365 A5 Security licence will become the standard for enhanced security features. Note: this licence excludes Power BI and telephony services, which were previously included in the A5 Unified licence.
- Server licensing: More details will be provided soon. Ministry funding for Microsoft server licences will change, reflecting the sector’s shift towards cloud-based infrastructure.
Other changes for both Microsoft and Google licensing are occuring.
Licence management#
Schools should only order Microsoft or Google licences actively in use. You can request additional licences as needed—there is no need to maintain spare licences that aren’t being used. This avoids additional costs from our software vendors.
Platform consolidation#
Longer term, schools are encouraged to adopt either Microsoft or Google platforms exclusively where possible, this avoids duplicating costs. The Ministry is exploring ways to collect anonymised usage data to support this transition, with further updates to follow.
Email: [email protected]
Windows 10 End of Support#
Microsoft ends support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025. After that devices running Windows 10 won’t receive updates and technical support from Microsoft making them more vulnerable to security risks.
End of support for Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 – Microsoft
What schools should do now:
- Identify which devices are still on Windows 10 and can be updated
- Plan to update as soon as practicable, this can take up to 2 hours.
- Make a plan for any devices that can’t be updated. They could be repurposed by installing FlexOS, a free lightweight alternative.
- If your school has Microsoft BYOD, encourage whānau to get their devices updated or replaced.
- Review your BYOD policy for 2026 to ensure it only allows devices that are in support.
Te Rito – New data for student records and dashboards#
Te Rito is a secure, cloud-based platform connecting SMS, Ministry and other systems to a digital record for every student. New data continuously enhances its records, and dashboards for principals.
It now has:
- a record for every student
- NCEA records (including co-requisites) for all current students
- more student health, language, identity and Ministry-funded support information.
