Attendance, achievement and assessment#

Referring students for attendance service support #

We have recently awarded new attendance service provider contracts, which will take effect from 1 January. Your current provider will continue to provide attendance services until then.

Referrals to the attendance service are currently made via the Attendance Service Application (ASA). This is being replaced by a new case management system, which will be live from January 2026.

To enable us to migrate data to this new system, ASA will be unavailable after 12 December. Any referrals to the attendance service for this year will need to be completed before this date.

You will be able to make referrals to the new providers from the start of Term 1 2026. Training on how to do this using the new case management system will be available from late January 2026.

Details about the new attendance service providers are available here:

New attendance service provider contracts awarded

Upcoming attendance webinars#

Starting this month, we’re launching a series of optional webinars covering initiatives designed to increase school attendance. Some initiatives are already underway and others are coming in 2026.

Each session will explain what the initiatives mean for you, how to prepare, and will include practical guidance. Recordings will be available.

The webinars are open to anyone in schools with an interest in attendance, including boards, principals, and teachers.

First sessions:

• Attendance management plan (AMP) webinar, 18 November, 4–4:45pm – Microsoft Teams
• ERO’s raising attendance: 5 good practices webinar, 26 November, 4–4.45pm – Microsoft Teams

Early in Term 1 2026, we will offer a session on attendance service reform.

For more details, visit the website.

Attendance webinars

Term 4 check-in#

We’re connecting with selected Māori-medium, Kaupapa Māori, and Māori language settings in English-medium schools between weeks 4 and 8 this term.

This check-in is part of a national process to better understand how things are going in those settings, especially around workforce pressures, curriculum use, learner support, and the use of resources like Hihira Weteoro, Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā, and Poutama Pāngarau.

It’s also an opportunity to check on what’s working well, what’s needed, and how we can better support you and your ākonga | students.

Insights will support planning for 2026 and reporting to Ministers.

Webinars – Unpacking the New Zealand Curriculum learning areas#

Teachers of the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) are invited to attend a series of webinars from 24 November to 4 December, to unpack each of the learning areas. They will cover:

• the structure of the learning areas
• changes you will notice
• implementation supports and professional learning opportunities.

For session times, visit:

Unpacking the NZC learning areas – Tāhūrangi

Sessions will also be recorded and on uploaded to the website shortly after each session.

Curriculum Roadshow for Leaders – resources#

The Curriculum Roadshow brought together leaders from schools and kura (Years 0 to 8) to explore the new curriculum. The resources from the event, including the in-person take-away pack, are available now on Tāhūrangi. These tools support collaborative planning, build teacher confidence, and guide implementation. More resources will be added over time.

Explore the toolkits and share with them with your teams:

NZ Curriculum – Roadshow Toolkit

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa – Mō tēnei rauemi

Update on maths professional learning and development Years 0 to 8#

Applications for maths professional learning and development (PLD) days in Term 1, 2026 have been finalised. You can continue to apply for maths PLD days in Term 2, 2026. Requests need to be submitted by the end of week 5 of each term to request PLD dates in the following term.

You can apply for maths PLD at:

Access to maths PLD System – Professional Learning and Development

For more information, visit:

Maths professional learning and development – Professional Learning and Development

Updates to Ministry-funded maths resources#

Following the release of the updated mathematics and statistics learning area for Years 0 to 8, the 4 suppliers of Ministry-funded maths resources are each developing an alignment resource. These will be available from this term and will support you to use existing maths resources for next year.

New digital platform for Years 9 and 10 maths#

From Term 1, 2026, a maths digital learning platform will be available for Year 9 and 10 ākonga. The platform’s content, tools and resources will be a supplementary support as secondary schools implement the updated mathematics and statistics learning area for Years 0 to 10. More information will be communicated through the Bulletin before the end of the year.

Aspiring and beginning principal mentor expression of interest open#

We welcome principals to become a mentor of an aspiring or beginning principal in 2026. We know some principals aren’t in position to complete an application right now, so we are taking expressions of interest (EOIs) and can update you as the programme develops. We are also welcoming EOIs from retiring and recent principals.

Find out more here:

Mentor an aspiring or beginning principal – Education Workforce

Mentoring an aspiring or beginning principal is a vital and deeply rewarding opportunity for principals to support the next generation of leaders.

Thank you to the many principals who have already indicated their willingness to be a mentor by completing an application.

Build Pacific cultural capability with Fakailoga Tino PLD programme#

Fakailoga Tino is a 12-session programme that supports principals, teachers, boards and senior leaders to respond to Pacific learner needs through culturally responsive and anti-racist practice.

Delivered by Polynesian Panthers and Vasa Consultancy, the programme equips participants to:

• understand Pacific migration to Aotearoa
• build knowledge of Tangata Whenua relationships
• explore and address systemic barriers
• use practical tools to become cultural disruptors in education.

Fakailoga Tino was successfully piloted in 7 schools and will now expand to 11 additional schools from 2026 to 2027.

Register your interest by emailing us.

Email: [email protected]

Health, safety and wellbeing#

Measles guide for education settings#

We are re-sharing Health New Zealand’s summary resource to help prevent and manage the spread of measles in education settings. The resource covers how:

• suspected or confirmed cases of measles will be managed
• contacts of a measles case will be managed
• to prevent measles spreading in your setting
• to support non-immune people to get immunised
• to check measles immunity.

Measles guidance resource for education setting leaders – Health New Zealand

Workforce and resourcing#

Quarter 1 2026 operational funding dates#

On 5 December, quarter 1, 2026 operational funding and the 2025 annual adjustment information will be available to view in Pourato. Payments and any adjustments due will be made on 5 January 2026.

Any questions, email us.

Email: [email protected]

All staffing applications#

The deadline for all staffing applications and funding code changes for the 2025 banking staffing year is 5pm, 28 November. This includes beginning teachers, specialist classroom teachers, staffing transfers and staffing roll increase applications.

Applications should be sent to the resourcing team.

Email: [email protected]

To check the key dates, visit:

Key dates for school staffing and funding

Banking staffing and funding code changes#

You should try to achieve a ‘nil’ banking staffing balance by pay period 22.

Note that there is an extra pay period in the balancing period (pay periods 23 to 27) to help manage any under- or over-use.

The deadline for submitting any retrospective banking staffing adjustments for the 2025 banking staffing year is 5pm, 28 November.

If you have had teachers on study or sabbatical award codes during the year, check that these are coded correctly.

Managing staffing usage (banking staffing)

Apply for a funding code adjustment or a banking staffing credit

Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour – National Satisfaction Survey#

On 14 November we, along with the support of the RTLB database team, will be running the Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) National Satisfaction Survey.

The survey runs annually to provide a snapshot of the satisfaction level of principals and teachers with the service provided by RTLB. The data is used to understand satisfaction in the service nationally, regionally, and locally and improve planning and service delivery at the cluster level.

The 2025 survey will take place from 14 November to 5 December. You will receive a link to the survey from your local RTLB cluster manager.

For more information, contact the team.

Email: [email protected]

Governance, planning and infrastructure#

Key dates for converting to charter school applications#

There are 2 dates to keep in mind for potential sponsors of state or state-integrated schools that want to convert to a charter school next year:

• The expression of interest (EOI) form deadline is 14 November.
• The application form deadline is 8 December.

Once we’ve checked the details in your EOI, we’ll put you in touch with experts who can assist you to complete your application.

Support for new and converting schools – Charter School Agency

If potential applicants plan to convert to a charter school later next year, then the EOI and application can be lodged at any time. Find out more about the converting process.

Converting schools – Charter School Agency

Any patai, email the team.

Email: [email protected]

Ministerial Advisory Group regional hui#

The Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) early childhood education funding system review is holding regional hui to hear about the challenges and opportunities for change in the early childhood education funding system.

The MAG was appointed by and reports to the Associate Minister of Education, Hon David Seymour. It will provide advice and recommendations to reshape the early childhood education (ECE) funding system to deliver more for children, families, the sector and the economy. The MAG will consult on options in autumn 2026, before final advice and recommendations are delivered to the Minister in September 2026.

Additionally, online and bespoke sessions will be held.

Find out more.

Ministerial Advisory Group – Early childhood education funding system review