We are moving into the next phase in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with New Zealand’s borders opening fully on 31 July 2022.

For those of you who may be considering recruiting teachers internationally, there are two major changes to be aware of.

• The new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) comes into effect on Monday 4 July. It is a three-step process and requires schools and kura to be accredited to hire a migrant. Employers will also need to apply for a job check for each role before they can offer the role to a migrant.
• All 300 places in the teacher border exceptions scheme have now been allocated. As there may be a small number of withdrawals, a waiting list is in place for schools and early learning services who have an urgent need and a credible pathway to get the teacher into New Zealand prior to July.

Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) – Immigration NZ

Border exceptions for teachers – Te Mahau

If you want to find out more about the new AEWV or ask questions about international recruitment more generally, you have the option of attending one of our webinars. We are running these jointly with Immigration New Zealand.

Please use the Teams links at the start of the meeting to enter.

Session one: Monday 23 May 2-3pm

International recruitment webinar session one – Teams

Session two: Thursday 26 May 5-6pm

International recruitment webinar session two – Teams

If you have any immediate questions, please reach out to your local Te Mahau office. 

Alternatively, email the Teacher Supply team: teacher.supply@education.govt.nz.

From Tuesday 24 May an updated My Vaccine Pass will be available for anyone aged 12 and over who is up to date with their vaccinations.

For those aged 18 and over, ‘Up to date’ means that they have received two doses and a booster dose. For those aged 12 to 17 it means two doses only. Vaccine passes continue to not be available for those under 12.

While My Vaccine Pass is not legally required, people are encouraged to have a copy of their pass for when it might be needed. Some businesses, rest homes and other non-essential organisations are voluntarily keeping My Vaccine Pass requirements as a condition of entry. If your school policy is that some roles require someone to be vaccinated to fill them, you can use the My Vaccine Pass to evidence their vaccine status.

A temporary My Vaccine Pass can be requested for someone who has not had all the required vaccinations because they have had COVID-19 in the last three months (available from 31 May).

How to update your My Vaccine Pass – Unite Against COVID-19

The Government’s ‘Emissions Reduction Plan’ (ERP) was launched yesterday by the Government.

The ERP outlines a clear pathway to a low-emissions, climate-resilient future.

Emissions Reduction Plan – Ministry for the Environment

Education has an important role to play within this plan and our contribution to a climate-resilient future is well underway.

Refreshing the national curriculum, improving the energy efficiency of school property and transport, and creating a unified, sustainable vocational education system are just some of the initiatives in progress that are contributing to a low-emissions society.

You can read more about education’s contribution to the ERP in the Education Gazette article, ‘The time is now’.

This is the first in a series of articles that will spotlight the innovative ways our schools, kura, early learning centres, and tertiary education and training facilities are contributing to a more sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand.

The time is now: Education’s contribution to a climate resilient future – Education Gazette

Our plan for this ongoing series includes stories that highlight student-led initiatives, innovative teaching and learning practices and pathways to employment and training.

If you’ve got an idea or example that would make a good addition to this series, email our Senior Communications Manager Jude Barback: Jude.Barback@education.govt.nz.

The Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP) aims to make selected government organisations carbon neutral by 2025.

As part of this, organisations are required to measure and report emissions annually.

Carbon Neutral Government Programme – Ministry for the Environment

As the legal body governing schools, school boards are included in the CNGP from Friday 1 July 2022. However, we recognise that annual emissions reporting would be a significant undertaking for most boards and schools.

Therefore, the Government has agreed that we will report on carbon emissions on behalf of state schools from July onwards. CNGP requirements do not apply to state-integrated schools.

To do this reporting, we will need your board to give us approval to collect necessary information on your behalf. We will also need you to tell us what types of energy you use and who you get it from.

We want to make this process as straightforward as possible. We’ll be in touch by email at the start of June with a short one-off survey to gather all the information we need.

If you have concerns about whether your roll return will impact your funding, please email our resourcing team at resourcing@education.govt.nz and we’ll work with you on a solution.

This roll return is for state and state-integrated schools with students in Year 9 and above only.

This year the June roll count date is Wednesday 1 June, with returns due no later than Wednesday 8 June. This return is used for funding purposes.

There is no change to the process of generating your roll return. Please send the Ministry of Education file from your student management system (SMS).

Schools not using an SMS should complete the excel template provided on the Education Counts website.

June school roll return form – Education Counts

Note, if your school is using the excel template, you as principal must complete the declaration tab to confirm you have checked the roll return for audit purposes. Please make sure this is completed prior to submission or your file will be returned.

If you have queries, email school.returns@education.govt.nz.

This roll return is for all schools.

This year the July roll count date is Friday 1 July, with returns due no later than Friday 8 July. This return is used for funding purposes.

There is no change to the process of generating your roll return. Please refer to the 2022 guidelines for more information on completing your return.

School roll return guidelines – Education Counts

Another reminder with more information regarding the July collection will be sent out next month. If you have queries, email school.returns@education.govt.nz.

New legislation for school planning and reporting comes into effect on 1 January 2023.

• School charters are being replaced with a strategic plan and an annual implementation plan.
• Your board will still have to produce an annual report.
• Working in partnership with your communities to develop your strategic plan is a must.
• All three documents (your strategic plan, annual implementation plan and annual report) will need to be published on a website.
• It’s proposed that your current (2022) charter will remain in place until 31 December 2023. You will need to update the annual implementation section of your charter for 2023.

You’ll be hearing more from us as this work progresses.

• We’re undertaking a targeted consultation in May with several boards, principals and communities to help us develop the regulations and guidance for a new planning and reporting framework to support the legislation. If you would like to be involved in this, please contact your local Te Mahau office.
• Wider public consultation on the regulations will occur late 2022 to early 2023. 
• Between July-December 2023 we will support your school and your communities to create your first strategic plan under the new framework ready for 1 January 2024 (this proposed date will be confirmed in regulations by mid-2023).

Contact details for Te Mahau local offices – Ministry of Education

We are holding a series of online sessions available to support schools and kura with managing their banking staffing and operational budget.

Three ‘managing school finances’ sessions will be held during Week 5 at 3:30pm. Please register yourself or your school/kura for the date of your choice.

A copy of the presentation and supporting material will be available to those who register following the session. One of the sessions will be recorded and made available to anyone that is unable to attend.

Session one: Tuesday 31 May

Register for session one – Vimeo

Session two: Wednesday 1 June

Register for session two – Vimeo

Session 3: Thursday 2 June

Register for session three – Vimeo

If you have any questions about the sessions please email the School Financial Advice Team at school.finances@education.govt.nz.

The Education and Training Amendment Bill (No 2) is currently being considered by Parliament. It proposes a number of changes to the law, including changes to police vetting requirements.

Education and Training Amendment Bill (No 2) – NZ Legislation

The bill is expected to be passed and come into effect by Monday 1 August.

The bill will require school boards (as employers) to obtain police vets for all workers before they begin work. Currently, employers have a two-week period to apply for a police vet for non-teaching and unregistered employees who are not children’s workers.  

The proposed changes remove the two-week period and will make the Education and Training Act consistent with the safety checking requirements already set out in the Children’s Act 2014.  

The Government has allowed approximately 4,000 individuals from Ukraine to enter New Zealand under the 2022 Special Ukraine Visa from 15 March.

To support the Ukraine evacuees, we have amended the Education (Domestic Students) Notice 2022 to allow Ukraine evacuees arriving under this visa to be treated as domestic students until the end of this visa.

The amended clause is as follows:

p) a person who holds a 2022 Special Ukraine Visa.

The Education (Domestic Students) Notice 2022 – Gazette

Approximately 1,500 individuals have arrived from Afghanistan in New Zealand. More are expected to arrive by end of June.

To ensure people from Afghanistan have access to education while their visas are being processed, we have amended the previous Education (Domestic Students) Notice 2022 to increase the scope of eligibility for evacuees over school age (19 years and over) already in New Zealand, as well as evacuees arriving in the 2022 school year.

We have updated the notice with an amended clause as follows:

o) for the 2022 school year only, a person who arrived in New Zealand on or after 17 August 2021 after being evacuated from Afghanistan.

The Education (Domestic Students) Notice 2022 – Gazette

If your school enrols a number of evacuee students, you may be eligible to receive additional staffing through the extraordinary roll growth process.

Existing criteria apply and can be found on our website.

Staffing for roll growth – Ministry of Education

If you are aware of a person from Ukraine or Afghanistan who has recently arrived in your community and who wishes to enrol at your school but is not currently able to do so, contact your regional office.

They will support you through the enrolment and funding process.

Contact details for local Te Mahau offices – Ministry of Education

Further information about students entitled to enrol in New Zealand schools can be found on our website.

Circular 2020/08: Eligibility to enrol in New Zealand schools – Ministry of Education

Following the consultation on enrolling international fee-paying students under Year 9, the Minister of Education has decided that no changes will be made to the current enrolment settings.

This means schools will be able to enrol international fee-paying students in primary and intermediate schools with no further restrictions.

The Minister acknowledges the advantages that international fee-paying students provide our education system. The current settings provide a range of social benefits for international students, domestic students and the wider community, such as supporting domestic students to become global citizens.

We thank all those who took part in the consultation for their time and sharing their insights on this topic.

Enrolling international fee-paying students under Year 9 – Kōrero Mātauranga

The Minister of Education has launched the draft Refreshed International Education Strategy 2022-2030, which is now open for your feedback.

Refresh of the New Zealand International Education Strategy – Kōrero Matauranga

This refresh builds on the current International Education Strategy 2018-2030, which outlines a vision of ‘a thriving and globally connected New Zealand through world-class education’.

It comes as New Zealand reconnects with the world, we prepare to welcome international students again, and New Zealanders are again able to participate in offshore study experiences. It will help to guide the sector as it builds back its onshore delivery offerings and reconnects with international markets.

To find out more and have your say, visit the Kōrero Mātauranga website.

The Government has announced a number of changes to New Zealand’s immigration settings, some of which are relevant to international students in schools.

• New student visa applications submitted from Sunday 31 July will be required to show proof that they have $17,000 to support their stay in New Zealand for the duration of their study.
• The border reopening has also been moved earlier to July. This means parents of prospective students can begin finalising their child’s student visa applications in partnership with their preferred school as soon as they’re ready to do so.

Students able to travel to New Zealand from July – Immigration NZ

In Term 1 we launched Kōpaki Ako, an online space where Māori-medium kaiako can access learning activities and resources to support the continuation of flexible learning programmes in and out of the classroom.

Kōpaki Ako – Kauwhata Reo

We have recently added:

• an additional six learning resources for each year group
• a link to hybrid learning PLD support for Māori-medium kaiako.

The rauemi available on Kōpaki Ako targets learners in Years 1 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 8 and 9 to 10. They are designed flexibly to be used in the classroom and at home, with or without digital devices.

The Term 2 regionally allocated PLD application round will be closing this Friday 20 May.

Information on how to apply, about the PLD priorities and how to get access to the online PLD system can be found on the PLD website.

Regionally allocated PLD – Professional Learning & Development

Applicants should be notified of the outcome of their proposal by the end of Term 2.

Contact PLD.Enquiries@education.govt.nz or your regional office PLD team if you need support.

As you know we’re refreshing The New Zealand Curriculum and in our bulletin on 17 March we let you know we’re seeking feedback on the draft social sciences content and the Vision for Young People.

Kia tere, hurry! Consultation is open until Friday 3 June.

We’re after one to two staff members to represent each school, complete a registration form and attend an online workshop.

This workshop will give your staff insight into the content and help you understand what we are asking you to do.

Find more details, including a video on what’s changing in the draft social sciences content, in the bulletin.

Draft social sciences content – School Bulletin 17 March

For the first time ever, we have a draft Vision for Young People written by ākonga for ākonga within the refresh of The New Zealand Curriculum.

Now we want to hear from students across the country.

The Vision for Young People – School Bulletin 17 March

From 13 to 17 June, ‘Get into Games’ is a week of over 20 online events that connect and inspire ākonga to discover pathways into one of Aotearoa’s fastest growing creative industries – video games.

Register your interest – Get into Games

Offering free resources and challenges, Get into Games 2022 is aimed at Year 7 to 9 students and their teachers but open to all ages. There are a series of multiple short events that are streamed over each school day, along with additional events for parent and whānau and Kura Kaupapa Māori.

The Cyber Security in Schools team has teamed up with Microsoft and Google to prepare our next two security sessions on how to configure your Microsoft and Google tenancies to be more secure.

The next session is coming up next week on file management and storage and will cover how to manage your file structure and lock down your file access to prevent data breaches.

Future sessions will be on securing mail and calendar and device management.

These sessions are aimed at the tech lead at your school – we’ll be covering the features in the admin console. To get the most out of these sessions you’ll need to have access and be familiar with it.

Sessions will be recorded and shared afterwards. If you have any questions, contact cyber.security@education.govt.nz.

Register for Microsoft security sessions – Office Forms

• File management and storage – Tuesday 24 May 3.30-4.30pm
• Mail, calendar and contacts – Tuesday 7 June 3.30-4.30pm
• Device management – Tuesday 28 June 3.30-4.30pm
• Administration, reporting and applications – Date TBC in Term 3

Register for Google security sessions – Google Docs

• File management and storage – Thursday 26 May 3.30-4.30pm
• Mail, calendar and contacts – Thursday 9 June 3.30-4.30pm
• Device management – Thursday 30 June 3.30-4.30pm
• Administration, reporting and applications – Date TBC in Term 3

Microsoft is hosting a series of live webinars focused on the core pillars of cybersecurity and Microsoft 365.

Cyber security in schools training – Ministry of Education

These webinars are intended for anyone responsible for or interested in ICT within a school or kura. If you can’t make a webinar, all sessions will be recorded and added to.

Join this webinar to learn about how you can leverage Microsoft 365 to build a cohesive and integrated cybersecurity strategy for your school that will improve your ability to detect and respond to cyber threats.

Tuesday 24 May

10-11am

Register for ‘building the connected ecosystem’ – Microsoft

Join this webinar to understand industry-endorsed cybersecurity frameworks and when to recommended controls to improve your cyber resilience.

Wednesday 8 June

10-11am

Register for ‘finding your way with cybersecurity frameworks’ – Microsoft

Applications for BLAKE Inspire for Teachers are now open.

Apply now – BLAKE Inspire for Teachers

BLAKE Inspire for Teachers is a five-day, action-packed environmental education and leadership development programme. It is available for primary and intermediate teachers from all over Aotearoa.

Fully funded by the Ministry (excluding travel to and from Auckland), this programme brings together teachers who are keen to develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and learn how to apply environmental education within their own schools and kura.

In 2022, there are up to 90 places available across three programmes:

• 11-15 July in Auckland
• 18-22 July in Auckland
• 3-7 October in Auckland

Did you know you can inquire, investigate or study with support provided for you and your school or kura?

Applications are open to teachers and principals in primary and secondary schools.

Primary study awards and sabbaticals – TeachNZ

Secondary study awards, sabbaticals and grants – TeachNZ

If you have any questions or queries, get in touch with us by calling 0800 165 225 or email teacher.studyawards@education.govt.nz.

The TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) 2023 field trial, which took place in 45 primary and secondary schools across Aotearoa, has ended.

We’d like to thank and acknowledge the schools that committed to this study during an unpredictable and eventful term.

TIMSS enables us to explore trends in maths and science achievement and collects contextual data from students and their parents, teachers and principals to help us understand student experiences of learning.

The TIMSS main study takes place in late 2023 and will include schools with Year 5 and Year 9 students. Selected schools will be invited to participate in Term 4 this year.