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Ministry of Education New Zealand

Kia ora koutou katoa

I hope you have had a good start to Term 4.

The timing of our Bulletins meant that Iona did not have a chance to share a final message with you ahead of finishing in the role of Secretary for Education on 11 October. She has asked me to pass on the message below:

Tēnā koutou katoa

I want to put on record my thanks for the work you all do and to acknowledge your commitment to equity and excellence of learning outcomes.  

I have had the pleasure and privilege of meeting many of you (not as many as I would have liked) and hearing first-hand the challenges of leading and teaching in the twenty-first century and particularly in a post-COVID-19 world, and also to hear of your successes and triumphs.  

It has been humbling to hold this role. I wish you all the very best and leave you in very good hands.

Ngā mihi

Iona

It is a privilege to have stepped into the role of Secretary for Education following Iona, until the Public Service Commission announces a permanent appointment.

While I have met and worked with a number of you during my time at the Ministry, I look forward to opportunities to connect with more of you during my time as Secretary.

Ngā mihi nui

Ellen MacGregor-Reid

Attendance, achievement and assessment

Years 0–8 Ministry-funded maths resources available for order

Years 0–8 schools and kura using The New Zealand Curriculum can now order Ministry-funded maths resources. A list of available resources, plus a comprehensive set of instructions and guidance for you to select the best resources for you can be found at:

Ordering Ministry-funded maths resources – Tāhūrangi

Orders placed by 4 November will be delivered to you before the start of Term 1, 2025. 
There will be continued resources and funding to support the implementation of the revised maths curriculum, until it is fully implemented and the support is no longer required.

More information about structured approaches to maths is available at:

Structured approaches to maths – Tāhūrangi

PLD for structured approaches to literacy and te reo matatini

Applications open tomorrow for the third cohort of new Ministry-funded PLD for structured literacy approaches and Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā (structured te reo matatini).

This cohort is open to teachers of Years 0–8 and will prioritise those who have not had any prior training in structured teaching approaches. The PLD will be delivered over Terms 1, 2 and 3 of 2025. Applications close on 13 November.

Find out more here:

Structured literacy and te reo matatini PLD – Ministry of Education

Programmes for Students applications close 11 November

You can apply for students who would benefit from accelerated targeted support in reading, writing or mathematics. Their programmes include:

•    Accelerating Learning in Literacy for Years 3–8
•    Accelerating Learning in Mathematics for Years 0–8.

Teachers | kaiako will be mentored by experts who support their implementation of accelerative practices aligning with the updated English and mathematics and statistics learning areas of The New Zealand Curriculum.

To find out more and apply, visit:

2025 Programmes for Students – Tāhūrangi

Revised Achievement Standards and supporting materials available for 2025

Updated Achievement Standards and supporting materials are now available for 2025, following the annual review and maintenance of NCEA subjects for The New Zealand Curriculum. Most of the updates are minor and have been made to improve clarity and interpretation.

Teachers | kaiako and other NCEA providers need to check that the revised standards and supporting materials are used for assessment in 2025.

To find out more, visit:

Revised Achievement Standards and supporting materials for assessment in 2025 – NCEA  

Term 4 teacher-only day underway

From now through to 15 November, schools and kura can hold their teacher-only day. Those participating in structured literacy and Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā PLD in Term 4 may choose to hold their teacher-only day outside of this scheduled window.

If you have notified your community that you are participating in this teacher-only day, you can close for instruction without needing to make up any half days.

A range of online resources have been published to support you on the day:

Teacher-only day resources – Tāhūrangi
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa resources – Tāhūrangi
NCEA literacy and numeracy resources for kaiako – NCEA Education

New self-directed supports for principals

To provide ongoing support to beginning and aspiring principals, we are introducing 30 eLearn modules and a new podcast series. The latest content is released today and focuses on building connections and forming relationships with the board, community and whānau. 

Modules can be accessed by logging in to our Education Learning Management System:

Education Learning Management System – New Zealand Government

You can listen to the podcast series, ‘The Principals’, on all major podcast networks:

The Principals – podbean.com

Daily attendance reporting starts in Term 1, 2025

From Term 1, 2025, daily attendance must be recorded every day schools are open for instruction and entered into your SMS by 6pm each day. It’s important this information is correct by 6pm each day, because your SMS will submit your daily attendance for overnight processing on your behalf.

National and regional attendance information will be published and updated daily on Education Counts:

Daily attendance – Education Counts

More information can be found on our website:

Daily attendance reporting – Ministry of Education

Use the refreshed attendance codes, start of Term 1, 2025

We have taken on sector feedback and reduced the attendance codes from 26 to 15 to make them easier for you to administer. These refreshed codes will be in place from the start of Term 1, 2025.

Refreshed guidance will be available and communicated via the bulletin later this term. Guidance will be regularly updated in response to feedback.

To learn more about this upcoming change, including registering for a 50-minute virtual information session, visit:

Refreshed attendance codes from Term 1 2025 – Ministry of Education

Stepped Attendance Response (STAR)

The Government has a target of 80 percent of students present for 90 percent of the term by 2030.

On 26 September the Associate Minister for Education, Hon David Seymour, announced a Stepped Attendance Response (STAR). The STAR provides guidance to schools and communities to address every absence early. Read the press release at:

16 September 2024: No child left behind with STAR system – Beehive.govt.nz

For most schools, a STAR will require minor changes to current practices. For others, this change will require support from us. It will be mandatory for all schools to have an attendance management plan based on STAR from the beginning of the 2026 school year, and we will work with you to streamline this.

The STAR will continue to be improved as we learn from you about what works best:

Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) – Ministry of Education

N4L has shared overall mobile phone usage across school networks from Term 1 to Term 2 and noticed some shifts in secondary schools. While there was a significant decrease in usage during class hours in the morning (9am to 1pm), an increase was seen in the afternoon (1pm to 3pm). In primary and intermediate schools, usage has remained relatively low and steady, and the number of mobile devices connecting to the networks aligns closely with the number of staff.

It's important to note that the data doesn't specify whether phones are being used for teaching and learning or other purposes, so this is just a broad observation. We’re sharing this to help give a fuller picture of network use across schools.

Health, safety and wellbeing

Funded meningococcal vaccines for eligible rangatahi

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is encouraging rangatahi who are entering their first year close-living facilities to receive their free meningococcal vaccines. Eligible facilities include boarding school hostels, university halls of residence, military barracks and youth justice facilities.

This letter gives information and resources on funding for students aged 13–25 years:

World Meningitis Day [PDF, 148 KB]

Workforce and resourcing

More support to attract relief teachers

To help people become relief teachers, we are funding 200 one-year Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) applications for previously certified teachers and 150 practising certificate renewals for those whose certificates expired more than 12 months ago.

This initiative is the latest in a series of updates around recruiting relief teachers, and we encourage principals to look at our updated webpages and raise awareness of this initiative.

Relief teaching – Education Workforce

Te Poipoi Kaiako | Mentor support programme

The programme provides guidance for mentors and mentees on their journey towards full certification and ongoing professional learning and development.

There are still spaces available for 10 of the funded in-person workshops from October 29 – November 12. Where appropriate, they will be facilitated in te reo Māori and English.

To register and find out more visit:

Te Poipoi Kaiako ¬– Tātai Aho Rau | Core Education

Resourcing update

Provisional roll reviews

The deadline for provisional roll review applications is 15 November.
Apply for a provisional roll review – Ministry of Education

Extraordinary roll growth funding 

The application period is open from 1–22 November.
Extraordinary roll growth funding – Ministry of Education

Surplus staffing support 
If you are managing a staffing entitlement reduction for 2025 and must disestablish permanent staff positions, you may be eligible for surplus staffing support to cover the costs incurred by your requirements in the teachers’ employment agreements.

Boards can apply for surplus staffing support from mid-November.

Manage surplus staffing if you have an entitlement staffing reduction – Ministry of Education

Any patai, email [email protected].

Update for primary, intermediate, specialist and area schools – Classroom release time (CRT) for permanent unit holders

Thank you for your patience while we worked through issues with the calculation of CRT for permanent unit holders. We have now updated the methodology for the calculation.
Instead of using a formula-driven approach, we have used 2023 payroll data to determine an annual average number of eligible permanent unit holders on a school-by-school basis.

You will see your updated 2025 allocation of CRT for permanent unit holders in your provisional staffing entitlement by the end of November.

We will recheck, and update if required, using 2025 payroll data in March or April next year once school payroll changes have settled down. Your CRT will be the greater of the provisional calculation and the updated calculation.

2023 annual reporting, prior year financial statements and Kiwipark 2024

Please submit your 2023 annual report information as soon as possible, as well as any 2022 financial year and prior years’ audited financial statements and independent auditor reports.

These are critical to support The Treasury and ministers’ decision-making and budget allocation.

The 2024 version of the Kiwipark Model financial statements is available here:

School annual financial statements – Ministry of Education

School audit contract round 2024 to 2026

During October you will receive a fee proposal, which has increased (and in some cases significantly), for the next school audit contract round from your Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) appointed auditor. 

You remain responsible for the cost of annual audit fees. However, the direct cost pressure is limited to your 2023 audit fee plus an annual uplift equal to the increase included within the operational funding (2.5% for the 2025 year). We will support the additional cost above this amount.

Once you receive your 2024 to 2026 fee proposal, please table this document at your next board meeting for discussion and approval.

These cost increases are to ensure that your appointed auditor receives a reasonable fee based on actual costs incurred to complete your audit. We have made clear our expectation that school audits will be prioritised, with overall audit completion returning to the 90% range by 31 May.  

Technology class bus services for 2025

If your school has a technology class bus service for your Year 7 and 8 students | ākonga, you will need to have the following information confirmed with your technology class provider before 1 November:

•    number of students
•    day/s and times of your technology classes.

Information received after 1 November may result in your technology class bus service not being in place for the start of the school year.

Governance, planning and infrastructure

Enrolment scheme guidelines

A reminder that all schools with enrolment schemes should check and follow the guidelines and ballot instructions.

The Secretary’s guidelines for enrolment schemes are available at:
•    Guidelines for the development and operation of enrolment schemes for State Schools [PDF, 498 KB]
•    Guidelines for the development and operation of enrolment schemes for State Integrated Schools [PDF, 325 KB]

The instructions for balloting are available at:

Instructions relating to the operation of enrolment schemes [PDF, 276 KB]

Note that state-integrated schools are not required to follow the instructions as not all hold ballots. However, they may be considered a best practice guide.

If you have any queries, contact your local Te Mahau office:

Regional offices – Ministry of Education

New temporary care records protection order issued

A temporary protection order issued by Archives New Zealand means all care records, defined as all records you hold about your students and staff, and how the school operates and its history, must continue to be retained and not be disposed of, altered or destroyed. Work is underway on updating the retention and disposal rules and the protection order is in place until this work is complete. The Protection order does allow for transfer of records to Archives New Zealand.

Temporary care records protection instruction – Archives New Zealand

You can read more at:

Managing school records – Ministry of Education
Read the care records definition – Archives New Zealand
Our work Crown response to the Abuse in Care inquiry – New Zealand Government

Protection of care records queries can be emailed to: [email protected] and general queries to [email protected].


Eligibility to enrol as domestic student webinar

We will be hosting a webinar on 31 October to explain criteria that determine school-aged children’s eligibility to enrol as domestic students in New Zealand state or state-integrated schools. To register and for more information, visit:

Thursday, 31 October, 11am–12pm – Microsoft Teams

Online buying advice sessions

Staff responsible for buying are encouraged to join this upcoming Q&A session to learn how to get best overall value when purchasing.

Better value buying: running a competitive buying process for high-value purchases

•    Wednesday 30 October, 3.15–3.45pm – Microsoft Teams  
•    Thursday 31 October, 3.15–3.34pm – Microsoft Teams

Any queries, contact [email protected].

Infrastructure sector forum – 6 November

We are hosting an infrastructure sector forum on 6 November over Teams, from 4pm–5pm. 
This will be an opportunity to share information on school infrastructure – property, transport, ICT and technology in schools. To register, and for more information visit:

Infrastructure forum, 6 November 4–5pm – Microsoft Teams

Email [email protected] with a topic that you’d like to discuss at a future forum, or if you have any queries.
 

In this issue