Attendance, achievement and assessment#

Phonics checks and Hihira Weteoro supports and guidance#

There is a range of supports to help your teachers and kaiako get started with phonics checks and Hihira Weteoro.

For phonics checks we have teacher webinars this week, an online learning module and a podcast available:

Phonics checks guidance for schools – Tāhūrangi

Hihira Weteoro support is available as a part of te reo matatini PLD for Years 0 to 3. More information is available at:

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

Removal of relationships and sexuality education guidelines#

The relationships and sexuality education (RSE) guidelines and associated resources have been removed as we refresh the wider health and physical education (HPE) learning area.

For 2025, you should continue to plan your programme to align with the 2007 version of The New Zealand Curriculum and your community consultation process.

Further updates and support for RSE will be available on Tāhūrangi as we progress the refresh of The New Zealand Curriculum, and there will be opportunities to have your say on the draft HPE learning area as part of consultation this year.

Supporting resources for stepped attendance response#

We have developed information to help you use the stepped attendance response (STAR) in your practice. The resources are:

• implementing the stepped attendance response
• communicating with parents about attendance
• individual attendance plans.

These resources, and further information, are available at:

Stepped Attendance Response – STAR – Ministry of Education

Increased investment in services for chronically absent and non-enrolled students from 1 July#

Recent reviews of attendance services, by us and ERO, showed that current spending could be more effectively invested and more evenly distributed between attendance services. They showed mixed feedback on the attendance officer roles. They also identified that services for individual chronically absent or non-enrolled students were more highly valued, with many seen as working well.

Following on from this, all attendance officer contracts will end on 30 June. The funding will be redistributed to attendance services providing services to individual students. We are also taking this opportunity to make sure all providers receive a minimum amount per student referred, and to reduce current funding disparities between providers, while significantly increasing the total amount of funding available for services to these students | ākonga.

We have communicated with all providers, so they understand the implications of all changes to their contracts.

This is an interim step while work is underway to further improve the effectiveness of attendance services from the start of 2026. We expect detailed information about the new model to be available in the middle of the year, and to negotiate new contracts as soon as possible after that.

The 2025 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships awards ceremony#

The 2025 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships Awards Ceremony will be held at Parliament in Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington on 13 March from 3.30pm to 8.00pm.

This event celebrates the 2025 scholarship recipients, as well as the winners of the Ngarimu video competition and the inaugural Ngarimu waiata composition competition.

A livestream link will be available on the Ngarimu homepage from 6 March.

About the Scholarships

Ngarimu video and waiata composition competitions

Workforce and resourcing#

Primary teachers added to Straight to Residence immigration pathway#

The Government has announced that primary teachers from overseas, who have been offered employment in a New Zealand school, will soon move from the Immigration NZ ‘Green List Work to Residence’ pathway to the ‘Straight to Residence’ pathway.

The change will apply to residency applications made from 26 March 2025, helping address supply pressures primary schools are facing.

All qualified teachers from overseas who are moving to or back to NZ for a teaching position in a NZ school can access the Overseas Relocation Grant of up to $10,000 to help with moving costs. Schools qualify for an Overseas Finders’ Fee of $3,450 toward overseas recruitment costs when they employ an overseas teacher. A navigator service is also available to support schools, and overseas teachers manage the education related steps of moving to New Zealand.

More detailed information about the announcement is available on the Immigration New Zealand website:

Greenlist changes – Immigration New Zealand

Schools can access information about overseas recruitment supports, including the navigator service contact details, on the Education Workforce website:

Overseas teacher recruitment support – Education workforce

Bargaining initiation notice for community education staff#

We have received a notice to initiate bargaining to renew the Community Education Collective Agreement (CECA).

An email was recently sent to presiding members and principals of schools that employ community education staff on 31 January. This is a reminder that employers need to provide the bargaining initiation notice to any employees that may be covered by the CECA.

Funding applications for English for speakers of other languages#

Applications for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) funding for Terms 1 and 2 are due on 10 March. Submit your application via the secure data portal (SDP).

Schools that received ESOL funding in August 2024

Update the 2024 Period 2 Terms 3 and 4 status list (available from the SDP) and add information for new students. Upload your updated status list in Excel format via the SDP by 10 March.

Schools that did not receive ESOL funding in August 2024

Use the ESOL funding application form to apply for ESOL funding:

ESOL funding application form [XLSX, 75 KB]

Additional information about the ESOL funding application process can be found here:

ESOL funding

Secure Data Portal (SDP) – Applications and Online Systems

Banking staffing final balance letters#

Banking staffing final balance letters will be on the secure data portal (SDP) from 7 April.

Secure Data Portal – Applications and Online Systems

This letter advises whether you have a nil balance, underuse or overuse balance for the end of the year and provides next steps where necessary. For any overuse, the calculated recovery amount will be included in your July operational grant payment. From the 2024 staffing year, only Kaupapa Māori and Māori medium education settings can be reimbursed for any underused banked staffing. Any reimbursements due will be included in your July operational grant payment.

For more information go to:

Managing staffing usage (banking staffing)

Latest issue of Education Gazette now available online#

You can read the latest issue that is online at:

Education Gazette – Issuu

Issue 2 focuses on connections with people, place and culture and how this supports achievement and wellbeing.

To sign up to the Education Gazette, visit:

Sign-up – Education Gazette

Good buying practice overview session#

We are running online information sessions. Staff responsible for buying are encouraged to join to learn how to get best overall value when purchasing. Any patai, email [email protected].

Both sessions will be held 3.15 to 3.45pm (both sessions cover identical content).

Monday 10 March, 3.15pm to 3.45pm – Microsoft Teams

Tuesday 11 March, 3.15 to 3.45pm – Microsoft Teams

Te Poipoi Kaiako | Mentor support programme registrations still open#

On 18 and 19 March, we will be offering a webinar where mentors and Pou Tautoko will explore how to lay the foundation for strong relationships with mentees.

Te Poipoi Kaiako – Tātai Aho Rau – Core Education

To register, visit:

Te Poipoi Kaiako – 2025 Webinar 1 (5) – Humanitix

Governance, planning and infrastructure#

Charter schools update#

Applications for the next tranche of charter schools opened on 26 February.

Potential sponsors can apply to establish new charter schools or convert an existing state school to a charter school. Applicants in both categories start the process by completing forms in an expressions of interest pack available at:

New charter schools – Charter School Agency

Converting schools – Charter School Agency

New school applicants need to complete the EOI forms by 24 March. For state schools that want to convert to charter schools in 2026, the deadline is 11 April. New application dates for those who want to apply to convert to state schools will be released at a later date.

For more information, visit:

Charter schools – Charter School Agency

Heat, light and water one-off costs for self-supply schools#

Any schools | kura that are not on town water supply or not on a district sewage disposal scheme may be eligible to have certain one-off heat, light and water costs reimbursed. Applications for reimbursements must be received within 12 months of the date on the invoice. For example, costs dated 17 March 2024 must be received by 17 March 2025.

To apply, go to:

One-off funding reimbursement

Heat, light and water operational funding#

Any new schools or schools that may have had a building added or energy generation change in 2024 resulting in an increase in heat, light and water expenditure by more than 10% of its annual allocation, can apply for a review. Applications must be received within 12 months of the last invoice. For example, for a review of costs dated from January to December 2024 the application should be sent to us by December 2025 at the latest.

To apply, go to:

Heat, light and water funding allocation review