Attendance, achievement and assessment#

Consultation on learning areas and wāhanga ako#

Consultation is open for the Years 7 to 13 English learning area:

Updated 7–13 English learning area content draft open for feedback – Tāhūrangi

There is also still time for you to have your say on the draft curriculum content for Years 7 to 13 Te Reo Rangatira and Years 9 to 13 maths and Pāngarau before consultation closes 28 April.

Draft Maths (9–13) consultation – Tāhūrangi

Draft Te Reo Rangatira (7–13) and Pāngarau (9–13) Consultation – Tāhūrangi

Tumuaki, principals, kaiako, teachers and other experts are strongly encouraged to have a say – your feedback and insights will play an important role in shaping the content. Once feedback has been considered, updated content will be released in Term 4, 2025 and becomes required teaching from the start of 2026.

Update on assessment and aromatawai#

An information sheet with details about a new assessment and aromatawai tool to eventually replace e-asTTle and other information about assessment and reporting was sent to principals last week.

You can find a link to the information sheet and further detail about the new tool on Tāhūrangi:

Work on new assessment and aromatawai tool underway – Tāhūrangi

Structured literacy approaches PLD and using DIBELS for assessment#

We have received several queries from schools participating in the structured literacy approaches PLD around the use of dynamic indicators of basic early literacy skills (DIBELS) assessment. Answers to frequently asked questions are on our PLD website:

PLD for structured literacy and te reo matatini approaches – PLD Education

More information is available at:

DIBELS assessment – Supporting videos – Tāhūrangi

Positive early findings from maths PLD days#

Early insights from the first of 4 maths PLD days that support teachers to implement Years 0 to 8 maths curriculum, show positive results. As of 7 March, 337 schools have participated, and we have received 3,036 survey responses. Over 80% of teachers report a deeper understanding of the curriculum, and 70% believe it will improve student outcomes.

Survey responses also highlight a need for more guidance on assessment, which will be addressed in future sessions.

Maths professional learning and development – PLD Education

Guidance available for supporting accelerated literacy learning#

Additional support is available as part of our accelerative learning guidance series for those using The New Zealand Curriculum. It helps Years 0 to 3 teachers use curriculum and assessment to identify student needs and provide targeted teaching to accelerate literacy progress (including when to offer targeted support, what support looks like, and how to monitor its effectiveness). It also outlines actions for schools that received staffing resource for structured literacy support for Years 0 to 2. Find it here:

Accelerating progress in literacy – Teacher guidance – Tāhūrangi

Maths resources and revised maths curriculum#

An update clarifying the role of maths resources as supplementary supports for schools as they implement the refreshed Years 0 to 8 maths curriculum is available on Tāhūrangi. Find it here:

Maths resources and the revised maths curriculum for Years 0 to 8 – Tāhūrangi

Updates to five-year implementation timeline#

Earlier this year, we released a timeline for the key curriculum, assessment, and aromatawai changes happening between now and 2029, and the supports available.

For an update to this timeline, and for more information, including a list of changes, visit:

Five-year implementation timeline – Tāhūrangi

Phonics checks and data sharing#

We recently made some changes to the data collected as part of the new phonics checks.

Schools choosing to use the phonics checks can upload their Excel marking sheets to the SDP. That allows us to provide analysis to those schools, which supports structured literacy planning while helping us understand phonics achievement at a national level and identify areas that require further support or resources.

Phonics checks – Guidance for schools – Tāhūrangi

New books for He Kōrero Tātai and Connected#

Printed copies of the latest Connected and He Kōrero Tātai books are being sent to schools and kura. He Kōrero Tātai supports Te Takanga o te Wā in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, and Connected supports the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories in The New Zealand Curriculum.

Digital copies are online. Each book is available as Google slides with audio, accompanying support materials, and additional digital content for one of the stories in each book.

He Kōrero Tātai – Tāhūrangi

Connected series introduction – Tāhūrangi

Health, safety and wellbeing#

Influenza Immunisation Programme starts today#

Health New Zealand recommends getting immunised against the flu for everyone aged 6 months and over. The vaccine is free for those who have a health condition that may mean they are at risk of getting very sick from a flu infection. This includes pregnant people and those aged over 65 years.

Check eligibility criteria at:

Pharmac eligibility criteria for 2025 funded influenza vaccination [PDF, 304 KB]

The flu vaccine is available from 1 April from your local pharmacy, doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. Read more and book at:

Book a vaccine – Health NZ

Influenza Immunisation Programme – Immunisation Advisory Centre

Protect against measles#

New Zealand is at risk of a measles outbreak and immunisation is our best line of defence. When you have your flu or whooping cough vaccines, your vaccinator can also check that you are fully protected against measles.

For information on what to do if there is a measles case in your education setting, go to:

Measles: A guide for education settings – Health New Zealand

More information can be found at:

Measles – Health New Zealand

Check your immunisation status here:

My Health Record – Health New Zealand

Workforce and resourcing#

RT Lit and RT Māori consultation now closed#

Consultation on proposed changes to funding for Resource Teachers: Literacy and Resource Teachers: Māori closed on 21 March, and we want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that provided feedback.

We received approximately 2000 completed submissions during the consultation period. Once consultation feedback has been carefully considered, Government will announce next steps through the Budget 2025 process. Please share this information with your schools and kura.

Te Poipoi Kaiako | Mentor programme supports available#

New workshops, learning modules, guidance resources, and workbooks are available as a part of Te Poipoi Kaiako.

Participating mentor teachers and Pou Tautoko will strengthen their skills and develop their induction and mentoring programmes. Provisional teachers and Pia will develop their professional practice as they prepare to apply for their Full Practising Certificate.

Register for Term 2 workshops at:

Upcoming workshops – Tātai Aho Rau

Online learning modules are available at:

Education Learning Management System – Training Ministry of Education

Study awards and grants#

The applications for 2026 study awards for teachers and principals open 1 May and close on 30 May. For more information, your eligibility and to apply, visit:

Sabbaticals, study awards and study grants – Education Workforce

Any patai, email [email protected].

Paid union meetings – Request for information#

We intend to write to all secondary schools requesting information under Section 619 of the Education and Training Act 2020 regarding arrangements for paid union meetings. We ask that all secondary schools review this request and provide the information that is requested.

Governance, planning and infrastructure#

Converting to a charter school#

A reminder that Expressions of Interest (EOI) for state or state-integrated schools considering converting to become a charter school are open. State or state-integrated schools who convert will have a high level of accountability against student achievement and attendance outcomes.

As a charter school, they will receive similar per student funding to state and state-integrated schools. They will have greater flexibility, including over how funding is being spent and what curriculum they provide.

Applications to convert to become a charter school can be submitted to the Charter School Agency each term, with this term’s applications needing to be received by midday 27 June for schools intending to open Term 1 2026.

The first step in the application is to complete an Expression of Interest. EOIs need to be received earlier to allow the Charter School Agency to begin some administrative steps in the process. The deadline for EOIs is 5pm on 11 April. More information is available at:

Charter school homepage – Charter School Agency

A webinar at 3.30pm on 8 April is available for you to find out more. Register at:

Converting to a charter school: information webinar – Microsoft Teams

Planning and reporting#

A reminder that by 31 March you were required to:

• publish your annual implementation plan for 2025 on your website – these do not need to be submitted to us.
• send your annual financial statements for 2024 to your school auditor.

Please complete the above as soon as possible if you have not already done so.

Change in submission process for annual reports

The way we receive annual report submissions from you will change from 1 May.

Submit your 2024 annual report using the new school planning and reporting application.

• This application will make it easier for you to see the documents you have submitted.
• The application uses your Education Sector Logon (ESL). You will need to request access to the School Planning and Reporting Application by contacting your delegated authoriser.

Information about ESL is available at:

Education Sector Logon (ESL) – Ministry of Education

School Planning and Reporting Application Login – Ministry of Education

You will no longer be able to submit your planning and reporting documents to us using the secure data portal (SDP) from 30 April.

More information about the new submission process and guidance to help you complete your annual report is available at:

School annual reports – Ministry of Education

Managing board-owned housing#

If your school has a board-owned house, you are responsible for managing the property, including meeting operating costs such as rates and maintenance and setting market rent for your tenant.

We have an arrangement with Inland Revenue (IRD) where teacher and principal tenants are eligible for a 25% discount off market rent. Any discount greater than 25% may attract fringe benefit tax, which the Board or the tenant would need to pay.

We encourage reviewing market rent periodically to check existing tenant’s discount remains consistent with the IRD-approved discount. For more information:

Tenancy services market rent calculator – Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

School houses – Ministry of Education

Maintaining school houses – Ministry of Education

Tenants in school houses – Ministry of Education

Healthy homes#

From the 1 July, landlords need to check all existing tenancies comply with the Residential Tenancies (Healthy Homes Standards) Regulations 2019. You are responsible for the compliance of all board-owned housing. Read more at:

Healthy homes standards – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

Police vetting of volunteers#

We have updated our guidance around police vetting of volunteers. You should carefully consider whether volunteers at school, or participating in school activities, should be police vetted. You should consider vetting anyone who has regular, overnight or one-on-one contact with children.

While volunteers do not need to be vetted by law, you may wish to review school policies and procedures to clearly set out your approach to police vetting of volunteers.

Police vets can take up to 20 days to process but are valid for three years.

Further information is available at:

Police vets for schools and kura – Ministry of Education

Accessibility design standards and guidance#

A new ‘improving accessibility at schools’ document details levels of service, design standards and guidance for upgrades to school sites and buildings.

Project managers will support you to use the ‘accessibility design standards and guidance’ to scope relevant projects at schools.

You can read more and download the document at:

Improving accessibility at schools – Ministry of Education