Wednesday 1 July 2015

Dawn of a new era for education 

Hekia Parata | Education
Today marks a new era for teachers as the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand opens its doors, says Education Minister Hekia Parata. The nine–member council officially takes over responsibility for teacher registration and disciplinary matters from the Teachers Council today, but it has a wider brief than the body it replaces. ...

NZQA congratulated on 25 years of service
Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata has congratulated the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) on 25 years of service to education. “Soon after its inception NZQA garnered international attention when it established one of the first qualifications frameworks in the world, a framework that related all qualifications to each other and provided students with a variety of pathways to gain qualifications. ...

Education Minister Hekia Parata has no authority over boarding hostel
Stuff.co.nz
Education Minister Hekia Parata says she doesn't have the authority to sack the board or put in a commissioner to oversee the hostel at a troubled Auckland boarding school. Hato Petera College has come under fire from Kaitaia GP and children's health ...

Teachers lack faith in new council, say unions
The new body responsible for teacher registration comes into being today despite resistance and resentment from the very people it is supposed to be leading.

NZEI opposes new teacher regulation body
The Educational Institute says the new organisation for registering and disciplining teachers is a mess.

Anela Pritchard speech to school
This is a Facebook post put up by Anela Pritchard

Tom Haig: Are teachers really lazy?
So following on from puffer jackets a few weeks ago, the big education story of the moment is a student who may or may not have been stood down for posting a speech critical of her teachers on Facebook.Despite the ethics of turning...

Maori place in teriary education
waateanews.com
Maori involved in tertiary education will gather in Otautahi next week to discuss ways to make the sector more receptive to Maori students and learning. Ngahiwi Apanui from Ako Aotearoa says the annual hui has become an important clearing ground for ...

Students staying engaged at our local schools
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
List MP Jono Naylor says there has been a significant drop in the number of school students being suspended and expelled from schools in Palmerston North. “Under National, kids are staying in school longer and getting better results,” Jono Naylor said.

Kiwis head to ranked US universities
Auckland stuff.co.nz
Viranchi Patel has been given a free pass to one of the top universities in the world. Patel, 23, is one of three North Shore residents and 84 New Zealanders to win a Fulbright award this year and will start at Stanford University in September. The ...

South Auckland school tries to ensure safety after rugby brawl
Stuff.co.nz
One of the schools involved in a south Auckland rugby brawl is speaking with students and organisations in a bid to ensure student safety. A 14-year-old boy was knocked unconscious when the fight between teams and supporters from Otahuhu College and ...

Redcliffs School delivers plea not to close
Three generations of Redcliffs School pupils were represented when a plea not to close the school was hand-delivered to the Government.

School-Police partnerships important for student learning
Scoop.co.nz
Students learn better when they feel safe and they are safe. Partnerships between schools and police to address issues such as online safety, travelling safely to and from school, vandalism and bullying help create an environment where students and ...

Mathematically-minded students compete at Massey
Stuff.co.nz
Students from throughout Manawatu got a chance to show off their arithmetic skills at the competition in Palmerston North on Thursday. Twenty-one teams each comprisedof three year 12 students, answered 35 mathematics and statistics questions of ...

830 attend education convention
NZ Catholic
Cardinal John Dew with a number of attendees at the NZ Catholic Education Convention, held from June 10 to 12. (Photo courtesy of St Paul's Catholic Primary School, Massey). New Zealand's Catholic bishops were among those who attended.

Mt Albert Primary School set for lift in learning
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
She says the project began life four years ago as a five classroom block, but it became obvious during the early design stages that the school, which has a current roll of more than 350 students, would need more classrooms. “The brief was changed to ...

Hawke's Bay student claims she was suspended over speech criticising school
3News NZ
A war of words has broken out after a Hawke's Bay student says she was suspended for giving a speech criticising teachers and the school system - but the school says that wasn't the case and she's welcome back. But Anela Pritchard, a 15-year-old ...

Graduate Women Manawatū gives $60K to postgrads
Massey News (press release)
Nine post-graduate women students at Massey University's Manawatū campus were awarded $60,000 to help further their research across diverse topics, from teaching maths to Pasifika pupils to iron deficiencies in pregnant women, and starfish physiology ...

29-30 June 2015

Fewer students being suspended
Hekia Parata | Education
A drop in the number of school students being suspended, stood-down, excluded and expelled has been welcomed by Education Minister Hekia Parata. “The numbers are the lowest since record-keeping began 15 years ago and have fallen sharply since 2008,” says Ms Parata. The Student Engagement information shows that since 2008 the number of suspensions in state and state-integrated schools has fallen by 38 per cent to 2,692. “This means more students are spending more time at school, laying the foundations for future success,” says Ms Parata. ...

Appointments to Tertiary Education Commission board
Steven Joyce | Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced three appointments to the Tertiary Education Commission board. John Spencer has been reappointed Chair of the Tertiary Education Commission. John Morris has been reappointed as a member of the Tertiary Education Commission and Susan Paterson has been appointed a member of the Tertiary Education Commission for the first time. ...

Researching students key to closing gap
Every student in the school is tracked. Attendance data, attitudinal data, achievement data, behavioural data - all of it is monitored to see if a student could be at risk of failing and if so where intervention is needed before it is too late.

Advice to school boards: Pursue the best, lead change

Creating a high-performing organisation with a strong and vibrant culture is one of the factors that "separates the best from the rest".

Prime Minister faces questions from pupils 

John Key took over Paengaroa School's school assembly yesterday - to the delight of the 226 children in attendance.The Prime Minister, dressed in a grey suit and pink and purple tie, arrived as the children of the school sang Dave...

Concerned about other people disciplining your kids?

My two-year-old loves eating things she shouldn't. Playdough, sand from the pit, glue, crayons - if it's on the activity table, it's fair game. She's also somewhat cheeky. She has an older sibling and can definitely hold her own and...

Tackling transphobia in Auckland schools
Auckland stuff.co.nz
Transgender issues are broached in updated school guidelines but is it enough to make these students feel safe in New Zealand schools? Advocates say more needs to be done. Reporters Jess Lee and Rose Cawley discuss diversity with Auckland schools.

Parents receive bedtime texts
Parents are getting texts on Sunday nights reminding them to put their children to bed early so they wake up in time for pre-school.A new initiative to ensure South Auckland children attend early childhood education features the...

Scholarship exam fees a barrier for low decile schools - Labour
Stuff.co.nz
"It will be a major disincentive to groups the ministry and NZQA are trying to target such as Pasifika and Maori learners who are over-represented in lower socio economic areas, not just those that count for financial assistance but also the next group ...

'This is indoctrination' - should religion be taught in state schools?
TVNZ
A leading campaigner against religious education in state schools says it's indoctrination, "not a little bit of religion". Jeff McClintock is among a ... "Children in my class, and it's part of the curriculum, they learn Maori myths and legends. You ...

Data key to fixing education inequality
Auckland stuff.co.nz
Director Cindy Kiro says children from disadvantaged backgrounds have considerably worse education outcomes and the influence of poverty is growing. But data driven action can save these children. "Educational inequality should be extremely concerning ...

How do you know when your child is ready for school?
Stuff.co.nz
The move from preschool to primary school can be a daunting experience for many children. A child's success or failure in adapting to primary school has the potential to shape their educational, social and emotional futures. As such, it is important ...

Mouldy schools: Extent of repairs a surprise
The number of old, mouldy schools needing extensive redevelopments and the scale of the repairs required is higher than first thought, the Government says.Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye yesterday reassured schools the Government...

Rangiora High School principal gearing up for legal battle
Stuff.co.nz
The embattled principal of Rangiora High School is gearing up for a legal battle, engaging a top employment lawyer while "on leave" from her job. Peggy Burrows, principal of the North Canterbury school since 2003, said she had been instructed not to ...

The uniform problem at schools is class size, not clothes
Stuff.co.nz
... students is simply not possible. I'm familiar with the old chestnut that class size does not affect grades, but I'm talking about education here, not the drilling and standardisation that comes from groomed anticipation of what's likely to be in ...

New initiative for schools launched
New Zealand schools wanting to boost the performance of international education in their sector have formed a new nationwide organisation to drive the effort.

Universities have role to play in regional growth
Tertiary institutions like Massey University have a key role to play in developing regional innovation hubs to drive economic growth, says Labour MP David Cunliffe.

University mythbuster to address trustees 

Addressing common myths about the value of a university degree is one of the topics on the agenda for school trustees attending NZSTA’s national conference in Auckland this weekend. Chris Whelan, Executive Director of Universities New Zealand -Te Pōkai ...

Long winter at leaky school
New Zealand Herald
Now, they are not coming to the 500-pupil Manurewa school until November, which Principal Paul Wright says is because Ministry of Education officials did not apply for planning consents within the timeframe needed. "When I found out about the delay I'd ...

Police check delays leave schools short

Schools and childcare centres are short of teachers because of a new law requiring police vetting for workers responsible for children.The changes have meant some children with learning difficulties have been unable to attend school...

Parents & Schools Warned About Harms of Gender Ideology
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
A new ground-breaking report on gender identity is warning parents and school leaders to be wary of the guidelines and policies being pushed in schools and communities, and that gender identity ideology is founded more on political ideology than it is ...

Mt Albert Primary School opens $3.3m classroom block
Stuff.co.nz
Education Minister Hekia Parata opened the 10-classroom, two-storey building at the West Auckland, decile 6 school on Friday. The project began four years ago, with plans for a five-classroom block, Parata said. However, it became obvious during the ...
Mt Albert Primary School set for lift in learning Scoop.co.nz (press release)

Principal censured for slapping student
An Auckland school principal who slapped a pupil across the face has been censured by teaching authorities, and failed in a bid to keep his name secret.In a decision released today, the Teachers' Council Disciplinary Tribunal did...

Judge reserves decision whether to name guilty teacher 

A judge has reserved her decision into whether a former teacher found guilty of masturbating in a classroom will be named.The Herald petitioned against the suppression in a hearing in front of Justice Ailsa Duffy at the High Court...

Marfell students rise to the challenge
Stuff.co.nz
Others have notably grown in confidence and others are getting closer to achieving national standards, she said. "The more they accomplish, the more drive they have to accomplish more." Kuvarji said at this stage, they have around 17 volunteers and 10 ...

Auckland to showcase educational excellence
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Auckland to showcase educational excellence. Auckland is to host a major international education event in November, says Education Minister Hekia Parata. Senior decision makers from education systems in at least 10 countries will gather in the city for ...

Maths and mortality research by Fulbright scholars
Massey News (press release)
Massey University Pasifika staff from the Manawatū campus received Fulbright New Zealand scholarships this week for their research on mathematics teaching for cultural minorities, and on near-death experiences. Education researcher Dr Jodie Hunter ...

Redcliffs School puts up a good fight
The Press
If Education Minister Hekia Parata confirms her intention that the school should shut next year, it won't be because of a lack of effort on the part of the Redcliffs community. The Redcliffs parents, school trustees and their local supporters have run...

Thursday 25 June 2015

New fund inspires new approaches to learning 

Hekia Parata | Education
“Forty one projects have won funding worth a total of about $2.6 million in the first round of grants from the Teacher-Led Innovation Fund,” says Education Minister Hekia Parata. The projects involve more than 80 schools as well as several early childhood centres. ...

Has competition in secondary school sport gone too far?
Youth sports researcher, Dr Craig Harrison says pressure on young athletes is leading to burn out, drop out and injury. With Dr Craig Harrison, director of the Athlete Development Academy at AUT Millenium; and Rob Nichol, Rugby Players Association CEO.

Principal says vulnerable kids being damaged by delays
As we reported yesterday community agencies in West Auckland says thousands of at-risk children are failing to get the help they need.

Kids as young as 11 being scouted for secondary sports
Principals' groups say schools are going too far to attract the best athletes, and pushing them too hard once they've got them.

Secondary school sports poaching starts at age 12
Children as young as 12 are being actively scouted by secondary schools looking to poach them to play sport years down the track.

Govt to extend youth welfare scheme to all teenagers
Stuff.co.nz
The Government's flagship youth welfare programme has made significant inroads toward lifting educational achievement and reducing benefit dependency. The scheme currently involves providers working directly with about 3000 16 and 17-year-olds who

Reading programme positive for schools
Auckland stuff.co.nz
Summer learning loss is now a thing of the past at nine South Auckland schools. More than 500 year 3 decile one and two school students have been taking part in an annual summer holiday reading programme. Their progress has been tracked over two ...

Vicki Carpenter: Shameful many kids still taught in mouldy classrooms
Inadequate and unsafe facilities for learning are failing hundreds of students; their academic achievement is being severely compromised.The situation in Northland College (decile 1) at Kaikohe, and Clayton Park School (decile 2)...

Mike Fowler to be Hagley College principal
Hagley Community College has promoted one of its own to take over as its new principal.

Decision on North Shore boarding school chair
Auckland stuff.co.nz
The 2014 New Zealander of the Year, 2013 Maori of the year and current Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust member is a former Hato Petera College student and two of his children attend the North Shore catholic school. He called a meeting on June 21 after ...

Korakanui School uses neuroscience to help learning

Stuff.co.nz
Neuroscience may not normally be associated with schools, but one Waikato primary is hoping to change that. Korakonui School has rethought its approach to learning support and pulled together Brain Gain, which is based on neuroscience research.

Linwood College principal Margaret Paiti resigns
The principal of a Christchurch high school beset by conflict between management and staff has resigned.

23-24 June 2015

The Museum of Before: An experiment in participatory thinking about the future
Educational research typically involves a lot of logico-analytical thinking. Much of our time is spent planning projects, gathering and analysing data, reviewing literature, writing research reports and so on. But every now and then, we stretch our creativity and imagination and dream up thought experiments as we chat over our morning coffee. “Imagine if we could….”

Getting kids ready to start school 

At least half of children aren't getting all the help they need to make the "critical" move to school, a government study has found. An Education Review Office report said half of early childhood education (ECE) services and a third...

'School uniforms are used to control and intimidate'
Stuff.co.nz
This starts at primary school level and I suspect is driven by competition between schools, which makes uniforms expensive, impractical and subject to conformist policing. How is being proud of one's school uniform any different from being proud of a ...

Tackling transphobia in Auckland schools 

Some students are not going to the toilet all day because they don't feel safe using school bathrooms.

High Expectations - NEW exploration of the high expectations principle 

This new section of NZC Online contains resources, tools, and examples to help schools explore the High Expectations principle. 

Lincoln University council makes space for more elected staff

Lincoln University has agreed to make more space for elected staff on its new council following a petition signed by hundreds of people.

Wintec exports education to Saudi colleges

A Waikato tertiary provider is part of Saudi Arabia's move to upskill its workforce through government-owned colleges of excellence.

Editorial: Proposal to merge Aoraki into CPIT looks sound

EDITORIAL: The proposal to merge the Aoraki Polytechnic based in Timaru with the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology looks like a sound one.

Disappointment over loss of student, staff voice

The Auckland University Students’ Association is disappointed with the changes made to the membership of the University of Auckland Council yesterday. The Council voted to reduce the number of elected student and staff members to three, only one ...

Mixed emotions at Waikato schools after decile reviews
Stuff.co.nz
Principal Andy Morgan didn't want to talk dollar amounts but said it would make a difference, especially in terms of Targeted Funding for Educational Achievement. "We're actually able to support our children here in the manner we want to. We already ...

Primary school students need science
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Primary school students need a good working knowledge of what science is and its strengths and weaknesses, They also need to be able to ask informed questions about science issues, school trustees at the NZSTA National Conference next weekend will ...

Sacked Invercargill principal must pay school $21k
3News NZ
An Invercargill principal sacked from her job last year over a toxic working environment at her school must pay more than $20,000 for the employment investigation process. Marlene Campbell was sacked as head of Salford School in March last year by the ...

Free Press - A new low for the PPTA
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Up and coming reporter Jessica Roden of the Northern Advocate has revealed PPTA members black-balling a Whangarei Partnership School teacher from completing his placements at nearby schools. He has been teaching as a provisionally registered ...

Māori academic students receive Fulbright Scholarship
Māori Television
... Law specialising in criminology and indigenous issues. The Fulbright New Zealand programme promotes mutual understanding between New Zealand and the United States through educational and cultural exchange. Kiri Toki says it's a dream come true.

Students get hands on experience
Auckland stuff.co.nz
Mixing the old with the new is working a charm for a group of eager school students. They are experiencing first hand what a career in the healthcare sector might be like by working with the elderly at the Bethesda Care Retirement Village in Manukau.

Ministry monitoring air quality in 15 mouldy schools 

The Education Ministry is monitoring air quality at 15 schools with mouldy buildings because of fears for children's health.

Puketapu School students paint a part of themselves 

Puketapu School students have been busy brightening their school grounds, inspired by a Kiwi artist.

Teacher cellotaped child's mouth shut

A head of an Auckland child-care centre taped the mouth of a 4-year-old with cellotape, and threatened him with a bigger piece of tape if he kept putting toys in his mouth.Atrayee Roy was the head teacher at Top Kids New Lynn at...

Kids get back to nature at outdoor kindergarten A group of preschoolers can be found exploring Long Bay Regional Park every week, rain or shine.

Monday 22 June 2015

Government responds to critical UN report card on children's rights
Stuff.co.nz
In its latest report, the Government said that despite improvements in overall achievement of National Standards and NCEA, disparity in educational outcomes for Maori students remained a challenge. Significant gains, however, had been made in the area ...

More support for disabled young people
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Disabled students with high needs will receive more support to transition from school to adult life, Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner says. Budget 2015 delivers an additional $16.3 million over the next four years for participation and inclusion ...

Special needs school shining brightly
Northern Advocate
In just three years Northland's only special needs school has gone from having its hand held by the Ministry of Education to being one of the top educators in the region. Blomfield Special School and Resource Centre in Whangarei is one of only a ...

Editorial: Bilingual kids in the classroom a treasure
Children coming into Auckland primary schools are carrying an undiscovered treasure — the ability to speak more than one language. It has been a rare thing in New Zealand but the immigration wave of this century is making it...

Australian parents face paying for education
Stuff.co.nz
The paper makes explicit the prospect of public school fees for high-income families by saying: "The States and Territories would have the option to 'top-up' funding to government schools, if they wished to do so, to ensure all public school students ...

Record numbers expected for school trustees conference
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
The NZSTA annual national conference is on track to be sold out again this year, with registrations tracking ahead of last year's record numbers. The conference has consistently attracted over 800 registrations in recent years. Online registrations ...

Parents have the power to get school rules changed
Stuff.co.nz
In society, it is the government of the day and in the case of New Zealand schools, it is... um... is it the school principal? Or the Minister of Education? Or is it that every teacher has their own version of the school rules? Well, no! The school ...

Hato Petera principal claims major issues being overlooked

Māori Television
Hone Matthews says, 'We've met with the whānau, we've spoken with them, we've informed the Ministry of Education, we've issued a trespass notice and informed the police.” The person in question is the partner of a dorm manager at the college. Despite ...

Decile ratings 'crippling' Taranaki's smaller schools
Stuff.co.nz
Five Taranaki schools applied for reconsideration - four of those schools were ruralschools with rolls of 50 students or less. The Ministry of Education has now released the results of its review, with some schools faring better than others. Marco ...

Slow broadband keeps students up to 2am
Stuff.co.nz
Last year their twin sons, who are year 13 students at Marlborough Boys' College, were doing German and Spanish by correspondence as it was not offered at the school. However, the Correspondence School had stopped sending out work by post due to ...

City council's plan to help Wellington students
Stuff.co.nz
Wellington's tertiary institutions contribute more than $2 billion to the region's economy and much more in research, technology and human capital. Our council hugely values the contribution that students and staff make to the city's vibrancy ...

Student body more feminine

Student body more feminine A bastion of blokedom has been breached — Lincoln University has gone girly. This year student numbers show if you check the names on the gumboots outside the Library you are more likely to find Hannah than Hamish scrawled on them. ...

Fierce dedication sees doors open to Ivy League 

Mention the name of an Ivy League school and the assumption about the students who go there is immediate - genius, or rich.For many of the pupils, that may be true, but a handful of New Zealand teenagers accepted into top universities...

Northland College $15 million rebuild

Auckland stuff.co.nz
Northland College in Kaikohe hit national headlines earlier this month for its "ghetto environment" which includes water leaks, mould, asbestos, a rotten ceiling, holes in walls and weeds in the spouting. But principal Jim Luders says "everything is ...

Sacked Invercargill principal must pay school $21k
3News NZ
An Invercargill principal sacked from her job last year over a toxic working environment at her school must pay more than $20,000 for the employment investigation process. Marlene Campbell was sacked as head of Salford School in March last year by the ...

Friday 19 June 2015

Lifetime of contribution recognised 

Hekia Parata | Education
The lifetime education award presented to Dr Adrienne Alton-Lee recognises a major contribution to raising educational achievement, says Education Minister Hekia Parata. Ms Parata presented the Minister of Education’s Award for Lifetime Contribution to Raising Educational Achievement to Dr Alton-Lee at the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards in Wellington on Wednesday. ...

NCEA manipulated for better results, principals say

Stuff.co.nz
The only core requirements for NCEA were ten literacy and ten numeracy credits, and Menzies believed there needed to be more structure to the system. He said some schools were fixated at getting 85 per cent pass rates and would do anything to get credits.

Teens act to stamp out school bullying
Students at a college where a third of kids reported being bullied in just one year saying ignoring the perpetrators doesn't work, and it's time to come up with a better plan.Pupils at Howick College held a school-wide survey last...

Equipping the educator sector for success: ​Cyclone goes Platinum with HP's ...
Educators NZ
The advent of ubiquitous connectivity and rapid development of current and emerging technologies is fundamentally changing the way our economy and society function and, in the process, is resetting the boundaries of education. ... “Digital technologies ...

Education sector collaborates to lead change
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Representatives from national education organisations including parents, teachers and principals' groups have formalised an educational alliance, the National Education Leaders Partnership. Two major reviews that have been announced by the Minister of ...

Communities of Schools in Auckland eager to share expertise
Stuff.co.nz
"If we do affirm the need to improve literacy and numeracy that would be something we could work on together and change." MOE head of sector enablement and support Katrina Casey says there is no pressure or deadlines for the communities to meet.

Transition from early childhood education to school - ERO
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
“When this doesn't happen well, children's learning is interrupted and their progress and achievement is affected. In some ... ERO's report is available at www.ero.govt.nzand copies will be distributed to all schools and early childhood services. If ...

Technology in the classroom: Priming students for the workforce
Educators NZ
Technologies such as video conferencing solutions, DropBox, Microsoft Office, Google Hangouts, smart boards, tablets, and apps are becoming more commonplace in the classroom, according to Shuck. She says these technologies are benefiting students in...

Education minister has no authority over boarding hostel
Stuff.co.nz
Education Minister Hekia Parata says she doesn't have the authority to sack the board or put in a commissioner to oversee the hostel at a troubled Auckland boarding school. Hato Petera College has come under fire from Kaitaia GP and children's health ...

Hato Petera College under spotlight
Māori Television
Te Kāea received a statement from the Ministry of Education which says that an appropriate investigation was followed by the college to address a recent bullying incident that occurred in the school's hostel. However, given concerns raised by Dr Lance ...

Mobile devices key to better learning, says UK school director
Stuff.co.nz
Students in these cohorts improved their results based on national standards by between 6 and 8 per cent in numeracy and literacy, Brooker said. Children in the 'bring your own device' ... Stuff.co.nz. About Us; |; Contact Us; |; Mobile; |; View ...

Principal Māori academic appointed
19 June 2015 - for immediate release Principal Māori academic appointed Lincoln University – New Zealand’s specialist land-based University – today announced the appointment of Professor Hirini Matunga (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe, Ngāti Porou, ...

Seminar on teaching students from diverse backgrounds
The increase in diverse students in our classrooms and the best ways to teach them is the topic of a seminar at the University of Auckland next week.

$10k scholarship for educational achievement
Scoop.co.nz
The scholarship is intended to encourage and support Māori to be leaders in the Agribusiness Sector with the aim of achieving higher levels of educational achievement amongst Māori; and higher levels of workforce participation by Māori in key sectors ...

Childcare centre bags national award
Hawke's Bay Today
Barnardos KidStart Childcare won big at the Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards, picking up the Excellence in Engaging category, or atahapara. The award is given to an educational institution that has worked with communities and agencies to...

Thursday 18 June 2015

2015 Education Excellence Awards Winners 

Hekia Parata | Education
Education Minister Hekia Parata has congratulated Gisborne Boys’ High School on being chosen as the winner of the Supreme Award at the 2015 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards. “The award recognises the school’s extraordinary success in defying stereotypes and transforming lives through a range of initiatives that enable boys to learn more about themselves and their culture,” says Ms Parata. ... 

$376k for international education growth
Steven Joyce | Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has announced $376,325 of co-funding for ten new growth initiatives for the international education sector. “This funding round supports the development of new products and programmes, and continues to support growth in the export of New Zealand’s education technology.” says Mr Joyce. ...
Parata responds
And with us is the Education Minister, Hekia Parata.

students are overconfident

Stuff.co.nz
It has been known for some time now that test anxiety about, say, mathematics can impair students' performance. It is also becoming clear that confidence in doing a given task may have a significant predictive value for achievement over and above the...

Decision on failing charter school to be made in 'less than a year' - Hekia Parata
Stuff.co.nz
Following the meeting Hipkins said millions of dollars had already been spent on theschool and it wasn't good enough to delay its closure. "John Key promised if theseschools failed he'd be just as quick to close them down as he was to open them ...
Schools Denied Support by Government Decile System Scoop.co.nz (press release)

Principals Call for Collaboration on Education Policy 

A recent radio interview with Melbourne University academic, John Hattie, has prompted Denise Torrey, President of the New Zealand principals’ Federation (NZPF) to call on politicians to engage in more collaboration with the profession in developing ...

Let children play – Kiwi inventor
Kiwi inventor Sir Ray Avery says the next generation of innovators is being held back by an education system that's stifling children's creativity.

Parata losing patience with Kohanga board
Radio New Zealand
Ms Parata today told Morning Report concerns about the financial management ofKohanga Reo had yet to be fully sorted out but that they were being addressed. "They have a new chief executive as of two weeks ago," she said. "The third and final piece of ...

Shock over Joyce admissions
The national student union has been left shocked today by candid comments made by Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce’s to Parliament's Education Science Select Committee.

Growth in International education is good news
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce recently announced that the number of international students enrolled to study in New Zealand grew 13 per cent last year. Full time enrolment figures for 2014 shows 110,198 international studies studied in New ...

How to successfully implement BYOD in the classroom

Educators NZ
Bring Your Own Device policies can be a major transition for schools and educators. Technology can be a positive and negative disruption in how children learn, and how schools decide to teach them. BYOD is becoming standard across many schools in ...

School board chairman 'not going down without a fight'
The board chairman under fire from children's health campaigner Dr Lance O'Sullivan is not going down without a fight, writing a letter overnight to stamp his authority on the role.Tame Te Rangi, chair of the board that governs...

Doctor steps in at troubled school
Outspoken children's health campaigner Dr Lance O'Sullivan is preparing to take "drastic action" at a troubled Auckland boarding school after learning of what he says are serious safety issues.Dr O'Sullivan, a Kaitaia GP who has...

Gisborne school takes home top award
A carving programme that fostered passion and changed attitudes to learning has been announced as the supreme winner of the Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards.Gisborne Boy's High School were concerned their Maori students...

Security cameras the norm for schools
Security cameras are increasingly becoming the norm for Taranaki schools as a deterrent for vandalism.

Motueka High School Cultural Education Centre gains funding
Nelson Mail
The MOE has not funded any part of the project, although its chief executive,secretary for education Peter Hughes supported the school's application to the lotteries committee with a letter. "They're just funding bricks and mortar", said Haines...

Wednesday 17 June 2015

International education growing well
Steven Joyce | Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
The number of international students enrolled to study in New Zealand grew 13 per cent last year, the highest level since 2004, says Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce. Full year enrolment figures for 2014 shows 110,198 international students studied in New Zealand, 13,091 more than in 2013. “This is a great result for education providers nationwide. More students lead to a greater economic contribution to education providers and to their communities,” Mr Joyce says. ...

Researcher calls for focus on good teaching 

A leading education professor says new research shows governments must raise the quality of teachers and principals if they want to improve their schools.

John Hattie: Education policy, the politics of distraction 

A new report by world renowned education researcher, John Hattie suggests policies are increasingly about appeasing parents and have little impact on student outcomes. Professor Hattie's meta-analysis of dozens of studies, published yesterday, finds that many popular policies such as smaller class sizes, performance pay and even the numbers of teacher aides in classrooms, have little effect. John Hattie is the director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne

Schools Denied Support by Government Decile System
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Schools Denied Support by Government Decile System. New Zealand First Deputy leader and Education Spokesperson Tracey Martin has no confidence in Education Minister Hekia Parata and her promised review of school deciles. “New Zealand First backs ...

Decision on failing charter school to be made in 'less than a year' - Hekia Parata 

Education Minister Hekia Parata isn't in any rush to decide the fate of a failing charter school.

Joyce admits tertiary education promise overblown
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce was today forced to admit the Government's Budget announcement of a further $113 million for tertiary education was overblown and actual new spending is a mere $7 million, says Labour's Tertiary Education ...

Inspiring Pacific youth 

A book about high achieving Samoans has been launched with the hope that it will inspire Pasifika youth to aim for greatness.

Principal Lynda Stuart on new Education Council

Auckland stuff.co.nz
Lynda Stuart, principal of May Road School in Mt Roskill, has been appointed to the newly established Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. Stuart, who has more than 30 years experience in education, will join eight council members charged with ...

Minister urged to sack Kohanga board

Labour's spokesperson for Māori Development is calling on the Minister of Education to ask members of the Kōhanga Reo National Trust to resign.

Labour tells Parata to dump Kohanga Reo board

The Labour Party has called on Education Minister Hekia Parata to demand the resignation of the Kohanga Reo board following further reports of misspending.Maori Television's Native Affairs revealed this week that a review by Internal...

Kohanga Reo board debate reaches impasse

The debate about the Kohanga Reo board has come to a impasse, with Labour calling for the education minister Hekia Parata to demand resignations, but the minister saying it's not her place.The board itself will not address governance...

QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Hon NANAIA MAHUTA to the Minister of Education: Does she have confidence in the process undertaken by the Te Kohanga Reo National Trust Board to determine whether they acted in a responsible and accountable manner in their oversight of Te Pataka ...

Region needs plan for international education, says Chamber

Region needs plan for international education, says Chamber The Wellington region must have a planned and coordinated approach to international education if it is to take advantage of the current growth in the sector, says the Wellington Employers’ ...

New 'transportable' classroom for Vogeltown School
Stuff.co.nz
The new classroom is part of a Ministry of Education initiative to provide schools with "relocatable" classrooms to deal with school overcrowding with the least amount of disruption to the school layout. The idea is, if a school's roll decreases and ...

New Zealand teachers to plunge into Shanghai
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
From Kiwi start-ups in China to global giants like Disney Corporation ¬– the Asia New Zealand Foundation's Shanghai forum will give teachers a taste of the scale and significance of China's economy. Eight New Zealand secondary teachers will participate ...

Tuesday 16 June 2015

Poor start in classroom counts
waateanews.com
"Many of us see it every day in our own communities and our own areas and it's really unfair, it's disproportionately Maori and Pasifika tamariki, it's really unfair it's having an impact on tamariki wellbeing and therefore damaging future education ...

Controversial Kohanga Reo story focuses on reports of misspending
New Zealand Herald
The controversial episode of the current affairs show that reportedly cost Maori Television its star broadcaster has aired - with new reports of misspending by Kohanga Reo officials. Those reportedly tied up in the financial mismanagement include the ...
New claims against Te Kohanga Reo Trust Newstalk ZB
Native Affairs - The Insider - Part 1 Māori Television
Minister accused of stalling kōhanga claim Radio New Zealand


Fresh financial concerns raised over Maori language trust
Newstalk ZB
Fresh concerns have been raised about the financial management of Te Kohanga Reo National Trust. Maori Television programme Native Affairs says it has found new evidence of questionable payments to former staff in 2007 and 2009. It follows similar ...

Gifted And Talented Children Blocked by National
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
“Funding and resources are not reaching these children and narrowing of the curriculum through National Standards has done nothing to help the situation. “On Gifted Awareness Week New Zealand First is renewing its call for a pilot programme that will ...

40, 000 left out of an inclusive education push
Scoop.co.nz
There are almost 800,000 children in our education system. They are all unique, they are all special, they all learn differently, and they learn together. The Ministry of Education's 2013-2018 Statement of Intent acknowledges the importance of learning...

Five strange things schools have banned 

Motueka High School's decision to ban puffer jackets is just the latest in a long list of examples of schools controversially waving their ban...

Students take on trustees after puffer jackets banned

Students at a South Island college are revolting against a ban on puffer jackets.A decision by Motueka High School to outlaw the cosy down-stuffed coats has come under fire by students and parents who have labelled the move "crazy"...

Rural school wins decile rating reprieve
Stuff.co.nz
Makahu School's leap from a decile 6 rating to a 10 was the highest jump of any school in the Taranaki region. Schools were given the opportunity to appeal the latest decile ratings, with the Ministry of Education set to release its official review ...

Playcentre rolls buck downward trend
Wairarapa Times-Age
Numbers at Carterton and Masterton Playcentres are up, despite a nationwide decline in enrolments at the organisation. Ministry of Education figures show 237 Carterton children were enrolled in Playcentre in 2013 - the most recent year for which data ...

Auckland primary school must reinstate teacher

Stuff.co.nz
A Maori language teacher has been temporarily reinstated at Auckland's Richmond Road School following a series of employment disputes and wider issues with the central Auckland school's immersion unit. A recent Employment Relations Authority (ERA) ...

Skoolbag app gaining popularity in New Zealand amid privacy concerns
Stuff.co.nz
Skoolbag is the brainchild of an Australian parent Andrew Tsousis, who wanted a better way of communicating with his child's school. It is now used by 34 schools in New Zealand and 2000 worldwide, and provides information on cancellations, school...

English language school recognised in national awards
Stuff.co.nz
English language school recognised in national awards. CHRISTOPHER REIVE. Last updated 05:00, June 16 2015. English Language Partners New Zealand has won a national award for their programme teaching migrants and. Charlotte Curd/Fairfax NZ.

Te Awamutu schools want in on IES

Hopes of creating a community of Te Awamutu schools are on hold because the town's only secondary school hasn't yet decided whether it wants to join the group.

Monday 15 June 2015

Today's school kids have cellphones and value family time, children's census says

Stuff.co.nz
The long-running CensusAtSchool project has spent 11 weeks surveying kids from 391schools around New Zealand. The seventh round of data, collected from year 5 to 13 students, has revealed a snapshot of today's children and while much of it was ... 

How copyright licences are helping teachers in the classroom 

This term, copyright conscious schools across New Zealand will be getting licensed: taking up annual licences to ensure their teaching staff can access the print, music and audio visual content they need to plan creative lessons and help students learn. ...

Make sure your children learn their times table, says academic 

New Zealand schoolkids' performance on international maths tests leaves a bit to be desired. Both the Programme for International Student Assessment test (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the two main global benchmarks, show declining scores.

Verbal abuse a problem in New Zealand schools, children's census finds

Stuff.co.nz
More than 18,000 children from years 5 to 13 took part in the CensusAtSchool project that asked them 35 questions, including on how much of a problem different types of bullying were at their school. The anonymous survey revealed that 36 per cent ...

The new 'talk' parents should have with their kids: data education

Stuff.co.nz

Classrooms with harbour views to replace 'heritage icon' at King's School

King's School in Auckland is to replace its old boarding house and clock tower with a $30 million glass-fronted building with views of Rangitoto Island.Earthquake concerns are behind the plan to demolish the Hanna Block and build...

Principal denies fault

The long-serving principal of a North Shore primary school, who left his job after a term on sick leave, is being investigated by the Teachers Council.Ken Pemberton resigned from Murrays Bay School in April. Before his resignation...

Meadowbank School opens Confucius classroom

Mandarin rolls off the tongues of pupils at Meadowbank School.

Marlborough schools in line for $1.8m investment

Stuff.co.nz
Twenty-one schools in Marlborough have signed up to a multi-million dollar government success scheme to lift student achievement. The scheme, called the Blenheim Community of Schools, will target student attendance, improve literacy and numeracy ...

Redcliffs School fights for survival

Stuff.co.nz
The technical report Parata based her proposal on showed there was a one in one million chance of fatality on the Redcliffs School site, the same risk at most other schools across the country. The green-zoned houses behind the school have a one in ...

Schools get tough on student ball boozing

Stuff.co.nz
Kristin, an independent school on Auckland's North Shore charging fees of $19,220 for senior pupils, who include the sister of the singer Lorde, are part of a trend for schools to test students with breathalysers. But they went one step further at ...

Medical Students' Association calls for special loan rules for med students

An increasing number of medical students will have to put their study on hold and work for a year to fund their final years, according to the New Zealand Medical Students' Association.

Chris Worsley leaving Pomare School after 17 years 

Chris Worsley is stepping down from what could be the toughest job in Lower Hutt.

King's School plans for a new future

An adventurous building project is being planned at King's School in the Auckland suburb of Remuera.

Friday 12 June 2015

Biggest bullying problem in NZ schools revealed 

Sticks and stones may break bones, but it seems words can still do some serious damage to young people.New results from the long-running CensusAtSchool/TataurangaKiTeKura project have found verbal abuse is the biggest bullying problem...

Bullying of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students

Thousands of secondary students are zipping their lips for a day in a stand against the bullying of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender school students.

First national data on school bullying confirms its prevalence

The first ever national data on school bullying has been released confirming its scale and prevalence, from verbal, to on-line, social and physical abuse. The data comes from the long-running Census At School - a national statistic project for primary and secondary school students. Anne Patel is a teacher at Otahuhu College and a member of the Census At School team.

Shortages of teaching staff loom 

A teacher shortage may be on the horizon with gaps already appearing in the maths and science fields, and a lack of desire from teachers to step into middle management as older workers retire.Research from the Post-Primary Teachers'...

Murray Britt & Kay Irwin: Returning to rote learning 'condemns future to failure'

Over recent days much has been written and said about the Numeracy Development Project. The project began in the mid-90s in recognition that children's understanding and use of numbers in New Zealand schools was very limited and quite...

Lifting children out of poverty
New Zealand Herald
Educational inequality is already apparent by the time 5-year-olds start school, it says. Participation rates in early childhood education among Pasifika and Maori have improved, but still fall well short of the 98 per cent target the Government has ...

Mimi School principal John Elliott says it's not a job, it's a lifestyle
Outgoing Mimi School principal John Elliott can think of 61 reasons he is sad to leave the school.

Former MP demands equal standards for buildings in new and old schools
A former MP has demanded more to be done to bring facilities at schools in established communities up to standard of those in newer areas dominated by immigrants.

University announces partnership 

The University of Canterbury has today announced a key partnership with the Christchurch School of Music (CSM).

Newtown School pool saved
Stuff.co.nz
"It means all children in this school will have access to swimming lessons on a regular basis. They will not have to travel or pay additional costs to have access. It means they can enjoy the water." In April it was reported that five Wellington ...