Important Actions | Me Mātua Mahia#

• Implement changes to ‘Reporting to Parents and Whānau’ from 1 January.

Reporting to parents and whānau changes

• Submit a new strategic plan to us and publish it on your website by 1 March.

School planning and span>reporting – Strategic plan timeframe

• Submit Roll return for state and state-integrated schools with students in Year 9 and above by 8 September.

September roll return

Need-To-Know | Me Mātua Mōhio#

Paid union meetings – School closures#

The Minister of Education, Hon Erica Stanford, has specified in a Gazette notice that a board may close its school for the purpose of allowing staff to attend a paid union meeting where it is unable to ensure that the school remains open for instruction while the meeting takes place. If a school chooses to close for a paid union meeting, the school must still meet half-day requirements by adding an equivalent half-day instruction at some time during the same school year. See the Gazette notice for details.

Circumstances in Which Boards May Close the Schools They Administer Under the Education Regulations 2024 – Gazette

Education Review Office (ERO) survey – Learning support package#

The ERO's evaluation centre, Te Ihuwaka, is evaluating the Budget 2025 learning support investment. ERO is examining the implementation and the difference it is making for learners.

ERO is seeking feedback from school leaders, teachers, and learning support coordinators (LSCs) from schools with learners in Years 1 to 8 to identify what’s working, emerging issues, and opportunities for improvements.

If your school does not currently have an LSC, ERO would still like to hear from leaders and teachers.

• School leaders:
  Learning support – Primary and Intermediate Leaders – Survey Monkey
• Teachers (Years 1 to 8):
  Learning support – Primary and Intermediate Teachers – Survey Monkey
• Learning support coordinators:
  Learning support – Primary and Intermediate Learning Support Coordinators – Survey Monkey

We really appreciate you sharing your experiences.

Reporting to parents and whānau changes#

Changes are underway to the legislation governing reporting to parents and whānau in Years 0 to 10. The new legislation will mean that from 1 January 2027 reports from schools and kura to parents and whānau must include:

• access to any relevant assessment or aromatawai results
• the use of Progress Descriptors, including student progress and achievement
• information about how the school is supporting the student if they are at risk of not meeting curriculum expectations
• the student’s attendance (except for distance schools) and
• the student’s next learning steps.

These changes are not required for end-of-year reports in 2026.

New Zealand Curriculum: Reporting to parents and whānau – Tāhūrangi

Reporting to parents and whānau – guidance for kaiako on TMoA – Tāhūrangi

School planning and reporting – Strategic plan timeframe#

After sending out information about the intended changes to school planning and reporting, we’ve received queries about the timeframe for the next strategic plan.

To clarify, you need to prepare a new strategic plan effective from 1 January 2027, which will be in place for two years (2027–2028). Submit this to us and publish it on your website by 1 March 2027. Subsequent strategic plans will be in place for 3 years.

Find more information at:

The school planning and reporting framework

Support is available from your regional Ministry office. Boards can access support from GovHub – School Board Services.

Phone: 0800 782 435

Email: [email protected]

Enhanced transport allowance for relief teachers#

Relief teachers can currently access an enhanced mileage rate of 0.83c per km. The rate was agreed from 20 April 2026 and would be in place until the average price of 91 octane fuel is below $3 per litre for 4 consecutive weeks, or 19 April 2027 (whichever is earlier).

While the price of 91 octane recently dropped below $3 per litre for 4 weeks, the enhanced rate will remain in place until further notice due to the variability of fuel prices.

Information is available here:

Relief teacher transport allowance

September roll return#

This roll return is for state and state-integrated schools with students in Year 9 and above only and all charter schools. The roll count date is 1 September and is due on 8 September.

Refer to the school roll return guidelines for more information on completing your return:

School Roll Return Guidelines – Education Counts

Send the Ministry of Education file from your SMS. Those not using an SMS need to complete the manual roll return excel form and then submit this via the secure data portal (SDP):

School roll return forms (September 2026) – Education Counts

If you have any pātai, email us.

Email: [email protected]

Heads-Up | He Kupu Puaki#

Attendance service guidance and support#

For help with the School Portal or attendance services case management system (ASCMS), contact us.

Phone: 0800 422 599

Email: [email protected]

Access ASCMS learning modules and attendance service resources online.

Attendance services

If you cannot view Attendance Service Provider (ASP) comments on cases you have referred:

• Confirm that the ASP has selected ‘share to school’ in the case record.
• Note that comments can only be viewed in the portal by the primary contact or an attendance lead.
• Attendance leads can view all school cases. Contact the service desk to update user access or assign attendance leads.

For more support, the service desk can connect you with the Attendance National Office team.

Science and Social Sciences learning areas released for Years 0 to 10#

The fully updated Science and Social Sciences learning areas for Years 0 to 10 are now available for schools to start using in 2027.

All Years 0 to 10 content will be available by 9 September, and Pūtaiao and Pūmanawa Tangata will be released on 26 August.

The National Curriculum Years 0–10 – Tāhūrangi

Order 2027 Year 0 to 8 Ministry-funded Maths resources#

The second ordering window for 2027 Year 0 to 8 Ministry-funded Maths resources is from 31 August to 18 September. This is the final ordering window of 2026, for delivery before Term 1 2027.

More information about suppliers and ordering resources is available on Tāhūrangi.

2027 Ministry-funded Maths resource suppliers for Years 0 to 8 confirmed – Tāhūrangi

Applications for Years 7 and 8 Maths Acceleration Programme and Hāpai Pāngarau Years 7 and 8#

A reminder that applications for Cohorts 1, 2, and 3 of the Maths and Pāngarau Acceleration Programmes for Years 7 and 8 in 2027 are open and will close on 4 September.

Confirmation of programme funding will be notified by 18 September.

More information about the programmes, funding, and process is available on Tāhūrangi.

Maths and Pāngarau Years 7 and 8 Acceleration Programme – Tāhūrangi

Hāpai Pāngarau Tau 7–8 – Tāhūrangi

Maths and Pāngarau acceleration programme (MAP) modules#

The Maths and Pāngarau Acceleration Programme (MAP) is designed to support Years 0 to 6 | Tau 0 to 6 students and ākonga who are not yet meeting curriculum expectations.

We have recently added the Accelerating Progress in Mathematics Game (AIM GAME), designed to support mathematics acceleration teachers working with students in Years 0 to 2. In addition to the AIM Game assessment tasks, we have added a range of teaching modules for younger learners that target identified learning needs, supporting teachers to deliver focused instruction and accelerate student progress.

Find out more here:

Maths and Pāngarau Accelerated Programme for Years 0–6 – Tāhūrangi  

Applications for 2027 Years 0 to 6 Structured Literacy Approaches, Maths and Pāngarau Acceleration Programme FTTE support#

Applications for 2027 Years 0 to 6 Structured Literacy Approaches (SLA), Maths, and Pāngarau FTTE staffing entitlements will open in Salesforce from 15 to 29 September. Decisions will be communicated by 16 October.

We’re making changes to the allocation model for the 2027 school year, so that resources continue to be targeted to schools with the greatest need and support learners that need it most.

This means that all schools and kura that received an FTTE allocation for Years 0 to 6 SLA, Maths, and/or Pāngarau in 2025 and 2026 will need to reapply for the 2027 school year.

Information about the application process and criteria will be available on Tāhūrangi by 15 September:

Ministry-funded SLA staffing resource for 2026 – Years 0–6 – Tāhūrangi

Maths Accelerated Programme for Years 0–6 – Tāhūrangi

Hāpai Pāngarau Tau 0–6 – Tāhūrangi

Te Kura Raunui – Term 4 te reo Māori PLD opening soon#

Expressions of Interest for Te Kura Raunui, a Ministry-funded te reo Māori PLD programme, opened yesterday. Rautahi (level 1) and Raurua (level 2) are available in Term 4 for teachers, kaiako, principals, and support staff in primary and secondary schools who are beginning their te reo Māori learning journey.

Delivered by Te Ataarangi, the 10-week programme includes two hours of online learning each week, along with access to supporting resources. The programme runs from 5 October to 7 December. Read more at:

Te Kura Raunui – Te Reo Māori Training – Tāhūrangi

Maths practice tool for Years 3 to 8#

A Maths practice tool for Years 3 to 8 has been developed following feedback from parents and whānau that they wanted practical ways to support learning at home.

To help support schools with promoting this tool, we have developed imagery that can be used on social media and in school newsletters, along with recommended messaging. This is available on Tāhūrangi:

Promoting Maths practice tool for Years 3 to 8 – Tāhūrangi

He Kohinga Kete (learning kits) for Te Reo Rangatira and Pāngarau#

The first wāhanga ako learning kits for the updated Te Marautanga o Aotearoa are now available: Te Reo Rangatira Tau 9 to 10 and Pāngarau Tau 9 to 10.

These resources provide practical, curriculum-aligned teaching and learning materials and are available on Tāhūrangi here:

He Kohinga Kete – Tāhūrangi

He kohinga kete for the remaining wāhanga ako (Tau 9 to 10) are expected to be released in Term 4 to help kura implement the fully updated curriculum.

Pāngarau PLD for Tau 9 to 10 will be available in Term 4.

Online GP care now free for ākonga 13 and under#

You may wish to share the information below with your school community.

With health services experiencing high demand, online GP care is an option for accessing care and the service is now free for all ākonga up to, and including, the age of 13.

Appointments usually take place through a video app or a phone call and the service can prescribe medicine and send prescriptions to your nearest pharmacy. It also provides another care option for rural communities.

To learn more visit Online GP care:

Online GP care – Health New Zealand

You can also find out more at:

Care options – HealthEd

Aspiring Principal Programme intake for 2027#

Applications for the programme open 1 September. The programme has an intake of 200 each year and is designed for teachers wanting to move into a principal role in the next 2 to 3 years.

Find out more on the programme webpage and sign up for updates on the application process:

Aspiring Principal Programme – Education Workforce

EBITE Funding Award application period extended#

Applications for the 2-year Kaupapa Māori and Māori-medium Employment-based Initial Teacher Education (EBITE) Programme Funding Award are open until 5pm, 1 October. 

If your school or kura has Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) holders who work in immersion settings, we encourage you to discuss this opportunity with them.

LAT holders receive up to $20,000 towards study costs. Schools and kura receive release time and mentor funding to support LAT holders while they study.

Find more information, visit:

Kaupapa Māori | Māori Medium EBITE Programme Funding Award – Education Workforce

Staffing and funding calculator#

The staffing and funding calculator has been updated with the current 2026 and 2027 funding rates. This tool can be used to provide an estimate of your entitlement staffing and funding figures for the 2027 year based on predicted roll numbers.

School staffing and funding calculator

Using the staffing and funding calculator will help you to understand whether a roll increase generates a staffing increase for the current year. We recommend using this before submitting a staffing roll increase application.

Find more information on staffing roll increases here:

Request a staffing roll increase when your school's roll grows

LSC Conference resources#

Resources from the 2026 Learning Support Coordinator (LSC) Conference are now available through our Education Learning Management System (LMS).

These resources include conference recordings, presentation slides and the LSC Conference 2026 – resources and information summary, which includes responses to common themes and questions raised during the conference.

LSC induction and role essentials professional learning are also available through the Education LMS.

Anyone with an education sector login (ESL) can access the resources here:

Login – Education Learning Management System (LMS)

Learn how to apply for ORS and SHHNF online#

An eLearn module is available for those users who wish to familiarise themselves with how the online applications for the Ongoing Resource Scheme (ORS) and the School High Health Needs Fund (SHHNF) extensions will work.

These applications can be made online via your ESL from 31 August, when a user guide will also be available.

If you regularly support learners by completing these applications, you can find out more, including how to access the eLearn module from:

Request learning support – Applications and Online Systems

Requests for learning support will be going online later this year.