He Pitopito Kōrero
Issue 167
He Pitopito Kōrero
Kia ora koutou
While over 40 NCEA and scholarship exams took place successfully last week, unfortunately there was significant disruption to digital exams on Friday morning. I know NZQA had worked closely with their technology vendor and received assurances about the capacity of the platform.
Some 18,000 students were able to complete their exams digitally on Friday, but some students had to default to paper. Many of these students will have taken the situation in their stride, while others will have been understandably upset. NZQA is looking at how to apply derived grades where students experienced disadvantage and will be in communication with principal nominees.
A big acknowledgement to all of you who participated in Te Mana Kuratahi 2023 – the photos and feedback I have received about the biggest junior kapa haka event in the world has been incredible. While a lot of adult effort will have gone into getting ready, travelling and participating, tamariki will remember the event for a very long time to come!
Kia pai te rā
Iona
ASA update
As per our 7 November special bulletin, thank you for using the older version of the ASA. We will input the data entered during the two days the new version was live before applying another upgrade on Friday 17 November – please do not log in from 4pm this Friday as ASA will be unavailable.
We will monitor over the weekend and expect the new upgraded version to be available on Monday 20 November.
Emails from our service desk will continue to keep school administration users aware of any further ASA upgrade items or issues.
Thanks again for your patience as we work through the latest upgrade.
Resourcing update
Funding code change deadline
The deadline for submitting any retrospective funding code changes for the 2023 school year is 5pm, 30 November and we are unable to process applications received after this date.
Banking staffing – Ministry of Education
If you have any queries, email resourcing@education.govt.nz.
Second year beginning teacher time allowance
First year beginning teacher time allowances will not automatically roll over to 2024. You need to reapply in 2024 to receive the second year beginning teacher allowance.
Check the current end date of your beginning teachers in Pourato and, if needed, apply for the second-year allowance.
We will begin processing applications for the 2024 staffing year on 24 January 2024.
Application forms and further information can be found on our website:
Teacher specific staffing allowances – Ministry of Education
If you have any queries, email resourcing@education.govt.nz.
Classroom release time 2024 – Area and composite schools
The 2024 changes will be applied to the classroom release time (CRT) calculations in Pourato. These can be viewed after updates to Pourato, which are planned for 24 November. For more information, visit our website:
Registration open for He whakawhiti kōrero | Ako me te Aromatawai engagements
Until December, we will be engaging with kaiako, tumuaki and poari (kura board members) to refine the Ako framework and socialise Te Puāwaitanga Harakeke: Aromatawai paper.
Ako and Aromatawai are levers identified as critical to supporting the development and implementation of the redesign of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. To find out more, or to register for the workshop, visit:
Framework and strategy engagement – Ako me te Aromatawai
Workshop registration – Ako me te Aromatawai
For any questions, email Ako.Aromatawai@education.govt.nz.
New ineligibility criteria for school board members
From 22 February 2024, current board members and all other people who have a Schedule 2 offence under the Children’s Act 2014 will no longer be eligible to be on a school board.
Affected people can apply to have an exemption granted by the Secretary for Education that allows the person to serve as a board member. The Secretary needs to be satisfied that the person would not pose an undue risk to the safety of children before granting an exemption.
Current board members need to have applied for and receive an exemption before 22 February 2024 to remain on a board.
For information about the application process, email boardmember.exemptions@education.govt.nz.
Variation to Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement
The Secretary for Education’s offer to vary the Secondary Principals’ collective was ratified by members of SPANZ Union and PPTA Te Wehengarua on 30 October. The variation includes increases to U-grade rates, an increase to the lump sum payment for all secondary principals and an extension to the term of the collective agreement.
For details, visit:
Circular 2023/14 – Variation to the SPCA 2022–2025 – Ministry of Education
Variation to Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement 2023–2025
A variation to the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement 2023–2025 was agreed and ratified by NZEI Te Riu Roa members on 30 October. The variation includes increases to the base salary scale and alignment of the salary qualification group descriptors.
For details, visit:
Circular 2023/13 – Variation to the PTCA 2023–2025 – Ministry of Education
Teacher and principal collective agreements: New and changing provisions
Several new and changing collective agreement (CA) provisions are in effect from Term 4 2023 through to the end of Term 1 2024. All teacher and principal CA change webpages - ‘need-to-know now’ sections - have been updated with new and additional information.
Principal CA change links
Teacher CA change links
Te Rito webinars
You can still register for today’s Te Rito webinar at 2pm or 16 November at 11am.
TELA+ and Microsoft webinars
You’re invited to two webinars about changes to Microsoft Windows devices in the TELA+ scheme, including a licensing change to make it easier to adopt modern device management.
- Wednesday 22 November, 1– 2.30pm, Teams
TELA+ and Microsoft Announcement Webinar – Microsoft Teams
- Thursday, 23 November, 1–1.30pm, Teams
TELA+ and Microsoft Technical Session Webinar – Microsoft Teams
Pourato update
Updated functions
- Print to ‘save as PDF’ from any page is now more user-friendly.
- Click to expand menu ‘arrow icon’ on the ‘funding’ > ‘operational funding table', under each ‘quarter’ column heading, to see more details about each component.
- Click the ‘learn more’ button on the blue banner across the top of the ‘staffing’ > ‘staffing entitlement’ tab to find out more about your entitlement staffing position.
To find tips and how to save as PDF visit:
Kāhui Ako role allocations for 2024
Details of your Kāhui Ako role allocations for 2024 can be found via the ‘relationships’ > Kāhui Ako screen and selecting to ‘display’ relationships for 2024.
For support, phone 04 463 8383 or email resourcing@education.govt.nz.
Holidays Act remediation payment – 28 November
On 28 November we are making a remediation payment towards Holidays Act arrears to about 4,500 school employees.
The payment is based on an initial estimate for public holidays on days that would otherwise have been working days for:
- specialist and support staff who are paid via timesheets
- casual employees.
It covers part of the remediation period – from 4 September 2013 to 27 January 2022.
No action is required from employees, principals or administrators/payroll authorised users to support the payment. For more information about the payment, visit:
Holidays Act remediation payment November 2023 – Ministry of Education
Period products in schools initiative | Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata
We have developed guidance to support schools | kura with ideas on how to make sure students | ākonga can easily access these products and improve uptake.
Making ikura products accessible for ākonga [PDF, 507 KB]
Products can be ordered through the OfficeMax ordering portal and you can find updated information on how to order here:
Ordering products – Ministry of Education
If you have any pātai about this initiative, email accesstoperiodproducts@education.govt.nz.
2024 research studies
In 2024, three research studies will take place in schools | kura. We have coordinated to reduce the chance a school will be selected for more than one study, but for some this could not be avoided. Notifications to selected schools will begin in early December.
Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)
- Online survey of teachers and principals of Year 1–10 students
- 475 schools will be invited to take part during June to August.
- Covers a range of content including PLD, wellbeing and stress, professional beliefs and practices, social and emotional teaching and learning, and resourcing and leadership.
To read more about TALIS, visit:
TALIS – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Any queries, contact rachel.borthwick@education.govt.nz or phone 04 463 7779.
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)
- 38 schools will be asked to take part in May to June in a field trial to prepare for the main survey in 2025.
- 15-year-olds (Year 11 mostly) are assessed in science, maths and reading literacy. Learning in the Digital World is new this cycle, where students’ computational problem solving, and self-regulated learning skills are measured.
- Students also complete a questionnaire about their wellbeing at school, their confidence and enjoyment of science, and other contextual factors beyond achievement.
PISA 2025 Science Framework – PISA
PISA 2022 Mathematics Framework – PISA
PISA 2018 Assessment and Analytical Framework – OECD iLibrary
To read more about PISA, visit:
PISA – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Any queries, contact emma.medina@education.govt.nz or phone 04 439 5013.
Curriculum insights and progress study
- measures student progress and achievement in Years 3, 6 and 8
- has three components: school visits measuring student achievement, tracking cohorts of students’ progress in literacy and numeracy and a rapid research component build high value insights for schools
- is an update of the former National Monitoring Study for Student Achievement (NMSSA) and run by the University of Otago and the New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
To learn more, visit:
Evaluation studies curriculum refresh – Te Poutāhū
Any queries, contact emma.medina@education.govt.nz or phone 04 439 5013.