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Ministry of Education New Zealand

The Ministry has a target of all schools providing quality learning environments by 2030 to enable ākonga and teachers to thrive in environments that support their success. To achieve this goal, we have developed a model that will measure and assess the quality of learning environments. This is our Te Haratau programme.

Te Haratau

Lifting the quality of NZ's physical learning environments

About the programme

Te Haratau is a model of data collection that acknowledges the different perspectives and needs of users, operators and owners, as well as the latest research to support learning outcomes and wellbeing. It measures quality across 3 pillars, or pou:

  1. Condition.
  2. Fitness for purpose.
  3. Operational efficiency.

How it works

To assess the fitness for purpose of your learning environments, we are installing Internal Environment Monitoring (IEM) devices. These devices help to assess acoustics, lighting, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, which all support better educational outcomes. 

Like CO2 monitors, IEM devices can help schools understand ventilation requirements, but IEMs are part of a longer-term solution to support the quality of schools’ learning environments. They are fixed and permanent, whereas CO2 monitors are portable and have been distributed as an immediate response to COVID-19, allowing schools to monitor CO2 levels in real time and move the monitors between classrooms. The IEM data recorded is continuously reported back to the Ministry to be analysed centrally.

Schools are required to complete the School Evaluation of the Physical Environment questionnaire – or SEPE. SEPE gathers the user’s perspective. It asks schools to describe their education vision and daily practice, and then assesses how well their buildings and site support this. 

Condition assessors visit schools to assess the site-wide and building elements. They make their assessment against an established condition assessment framework. Using this framework ensures that consistent, repeatable, and comparable data is recorded across the school and portfolio.

We seek authorisation from school boards to collect schools’ current and future energy consumption data directly from their retailer. This is to help us get a better understanding of usage and costs to measure the operational efficiency.

Designing Quality Learning Spaces

Keep IEM devices online

Once installed, it is important that the IEM devices:

  • Are not touched or moved.
  • Remain on 24/7 either via mains power or battery.
  • Remain connected to either the dedicated Wi-Fi network or cellular network.
  • Remain clear of any obstructions or coverings.

These devices must stay online so that they can collect data that helps schools and the Ministry to understand the performance of the internal environment of the space. The information collected may help to inform decisions around property projects and improvements for a school. Schools will be contacted if we notice devices are offline. More information on what to do if your device seems inactive is in the frequently asked questions.

pdf thumbnailInformation about Te Haratau
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Te Haratau Programme

Internal Environment Monitoring (IEM) Devices (not read)

Energy survey

To support the Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP) on behalf of the state schooling sector, the Ministry is gathering information from all state schools and school boards about their energy sources. This is collected through the energy survey.

Reducing emissions in schools and kura

This process begins with the board chair (or another nominated board member) providing authorisation to the Ministry. When this is given, the survey is sent to the school to capture data on what energy sources they use and who they get it from. See the frequently asked questions to find out how to complete the energy survey. 

Energy survey

Te Haratau Programme

Who does the work? 

We partner with the following suppliers to help collect Te Haratau data:

  • Network 4 Learning (N4L) is our supplier installing internal environment monitoring devices, working with its partners Aotea Communications and Online Communications. They will contact schools to ensure they are network ready. Being network ready means schools are connected to a reliable internet network that is resilient, safe and secure.
  • Cortexo is the company we use to collect energy data. The email request for authorisation and to complete the energy survey is sent by them to the School Board or school email address. Their systems meet Ministry IT and security requirements, and the information is stored securely.
  • The following companies complete Condition Assessments:
    • AS Jacobs
    • Beca
    • Logic Group
    • WSP
    • Betta Inspect It
    • Watershed.
  • The following companies supply Internal Environmental Monitoring devices (IEM): 

Timeframes

From July 2023, we have collected a year’s worth of data on condition, fitness for purpose and operational efficiency for 20% of the state school property portfolio. We are rolling out the model in stages and have introduced our sources of data incrementally over the last few years. 

We are now rolling out IEM devices and condition assessments, starting with schools in the 2024/2025 5YA year. These schools will have IEM devices installed, and assessors will come on site to complete a condition assessment. At the same time, these schools will be asked to complete the SEPE questionnaire to gather their perspective on how well their buildings and site support their education vision and daily practice. Schools that haven’t completed their energy survey will also need to complete this to meet their obligations under the Carbon Neutral Government Programme.

Carbon Neutral Government Programme

We are also installing IEM devices in schools that are network ready, but not part of the 2024/2025 5YA year. 

We will continue to take a phased approach to implementing Te Haratau into all schools over the next few years.

How we use the data

The data will be used to assess how school property is performing and supporting education outcomes (includes the physical asset, the internal environment and how efficiently the school operates) and to identify trends and inform business decisions that will help us meet the Ministry target of quality learning environments by 2030. 

The benefits of this data will continue to grow as more information is gathered.

How we view the data collected

Although we have started collecting the data, we are still building the reporting system that will allow us to view it in a meaningful and easily understood way.

In the meantime, schools can see “live” data collected by IEM devices in real time.

IEM devices with a screen show the real-time quality of the classroom. When there is no screen on the device, simply scan the QR code below to download the AirSuite Monitor App and pair your devices via Bluetooth to view the results.

QR code to download the AirSuite Monitor App
QR code for Te Haratau

Schools can see their SEPE and EBR as documents in the Helios Portal if they have gone through the 10YPP process since these were introduced. 

We are also working on a reporting dashboard for schools to access their data. In 2024, we will start engaging with kura and schools to understand how we can best support them to use this data via the reporting dashboard and by providing operational and behavioural guidance. This will include things like the best ways to ventilate and operate heating systems.

Ventilation guidance