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He Pitopito Kōrero
Update – 20 September 2022

20 September 2022
Home
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he pitopito kōrero

He Pitopito Kōrero

Update – 20 September 2022
FOREWORD

Kia ora koutou,

This is the final School Bulletin for Term 3.

In today’s bulletin we can confirm that schools will not need to adjust teaching days as the motu marks Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day on 26 September 2022.

You will remember last week the Government announced new funding for teaching supply initiatives and support for those students whose learning has been disrupted by COVID-19. Your local Te Mahau office will be there to support you if you wish to opt-in to these initiatives.

I wish you all a settled and regenerating school holiday break. The School Bulletin will return in Term 4 on Tuesday 25 October.

Again I thank you all for your leadership.

Ngā mihi maioha,

Iona

Public holiday and half-days

With the public holiday on Monday 26 September, schools will not be required to be open or to make up the two half-days. Please find attached the Letter to School Boards from the Minister of Education Hon Chris Hipkins.

Letter to School Boards from the Minister of Education [PDF, 84.8 KB]

Additional funding for teacher supply initiatives

On Wednesday 14 September the Government announced a multi-million dollar teacher supply funding package that will deliver up to 1,000 additional teachers.

The new initiatives build on successful teacher supply initiatives and are now available. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the support available.

Contact us if you have any questions at teacher.supply@education.govt.nz.

Attracting domestic teachers into the profession

Career Changer Scholarships

To encourage people to change career and become a teacher, we offer two different types of career changer scholarships. Both pay course fees plus $30k per year of study and are open from 15 September to 13 October. These scholarships are very popular and we know career changers go on to enjoy fulfilling teaching careers.

  • The number of Te Huawhiti career changer scholarships available for all sectors and subjects is increasing by 100 additional places to 185 places.
  • In addition, 115 Te Waka Whakarei career changer scholarships are available for Māori medium and te reo Māori teachers.

Please help spread the word and direct people to the TeachNZ website pages.

Take your place alongside our young people – TeachNZ

Te Waka Whakarei Career Changer Scholarship – TeachNZ

Teacher Education Refresh programme

As well as supporting schools to recruit teachers, we are focused on attracting people into the teaching profession. To incentivise people to return to teaching roles, we will continue to fully fund the Teacher Education Refresh programme to be fees-free until June 2023.

Go to TeachNZ website for more information:

Teacher education refresh – TeachNZ

This programme allows teachers who have been out of the profession for five years or more to return to the field. This includes:

  • Extending the Teach First NZ contract for the employment-based trainee teacher programme that will deliver 75 new teachers each year
  • launching next month a ‘Become a Teacher’ recruitment campaign, targeted at graduates and school leavers. The campaign has been developed in consultation with sector peak bodies and has been tested with audience focus groups. 

Overseas teacher supply

Many schools have successfully recruited overseas teachers, both returning New Zealanders and overseas trained teachers, and we encourage you to consider this option if you cannot find a suitable teacher domestically.

New Zealand is an attractive option for overseas trained teachers and we have recently launched the Teach in Aotearoa New Zealand webpage, which explains all the steps involved in relocating for a teaching job in New Zealand. Go to the Careers in Education website for more information:

Teach in Aotearoa New Zealand – Careers in Education

Overseas finder’s fee

All schools who successfully recruit an overseas teacher may be eligible for the overseas finder’s fee (OFF) of $3,450 inc GST, to help offset overseas teacher recruitment costs. Go to TeachNZ website to see if you are eligible:

Schools finder's fee for recruiting teachers from overseas – TeachNZ

Overseas relocation grant

The overseas relocation grant (ORG) is now available to more overseas trained and returning New Zealand teachers to offset relocation costs and the maximum payment has also increased to $10,000. We will be running a campaign to promote the ORG to target countries next month. Go to TeachNZ website for more information:

Overseas teachers relocation grant – TeachNZ

More funding

  • Additional roles have been funded at the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), Teaching Council (TC) and Education Payroll Limited to speed up processing times for overseas teachers’ assessments and improve their experience.
  • Funding has also been extended so the TC can continue their focus on processing Beginner Teacher and Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) assessments faster.
  • NZQA has also been funded to waive the cost of an International Qualification Assessment for up to 1200 overseas teachers.

If you’d like to know more or have any questions about the overseas teacher recruitment process, our navigator team is here to help.

Contact us by email teacher.supply@education.govt.nz or freephone 0800 165 225.

Support for students whose learning was disrupted by COVID-19

The Government has also approved over $20 million towards additional teaching and tutoring services for students in year 7 and above whose learning has been disrupted throughout the 2022 school year.

COVID-19 has caused major disruption to student learning and the supply of teachers in New Zealand. This programme will be delivered in tiered stages by:

  • expanding existing contracts for Māori and Pacific tutoring and mentoring
  • providing additional spaces for Te Kura summer school gateway
  • purchasing additional teacher and tutoring services for students in year 7 and above.

Schools that opt-in to this initiative will be supported by their regional Te Mahau office. Our local teams will be in touch to advise that funding and options available for your school if you have students in these year groups.  

Local Te Mahau offices – Ministry of Education

You can see the full media release on the Beehive website:

Government investing in 1000 more teachers and student learning affected by COVID-19 – Beehive

Have your say: Ethical guidance for a pandemic

The National Ethics Advisory Committee | Kāhui Matatika o te Motu (NEAC), an independent advisor to the Minister of Health, has developed an update to its 2007 publication ‘Getting Through Together: Ethical Principles for a Pandemic’.  

National Ethics Advisory Committee – NEAC

The committee is seeking feedback on the draft publication Ethical Guidance for a Pandemic: Whakapuāwaitia e tatou kia puāwai tātoui through an online survey that must be completed by Tuesday 18 October. 

Here is the draft publication and online survey for you to review:

Draft publication: Ethical Guidance for a Pandemic: Whakapuāwaitia e tatou kia puāwai tātoui

Online survey: Ethical Guidance for a Pandemic – Ministry of Health

Reflections on navigating COVID-19: Part 12

Erika Ross and Steve Lindsey talk to more principals about their experiences with leading their school communities through the pandemic.  

Watch these new video summaries:

James Hargest College – Effective messaging

Riccarton High School – Keeping focus on the goals

South Otago High School – Prepared in advance

Waiopehu College – We’ve got this!

Shirley Boys’ High School – Simplifying school

You can find the series so far on Te Mahau website:

Navigating COVID-19: School leaders reflect – Te Mahau

2023 provisional rolls, staffing and funding entitlements

On Thursday 22 September, you will be advised of your 2023 provisional roll, staffing entitlement and indicative funding. This year we have combined all this information into one-easy to read document titled the “Provisional roll and resourcing entitlement letter.” 

The amended format provides a summary of staffing and funding information, including equity funding. The entitlement letter will be available on the Secure Data Portal and updated fortnightly, following any changes. 

If you have evidence that your 2023 provisional roll is likely to be higher than what we have estimated, you can apply for a provisional roll review before 18 November 2022. More information on how to request a provisional roll review can be found on our website:

Provisional roll review – Ministry of Education 

2023 equity funding notices

On Thursday 22 September, you will also be advised of your new equity funding and targeted funding for isolation rates for 2023. Your 2023 Equity funding notice will be available on the Secure Data Portal. 

These notices include a summary of your estimated 2023 funding for:  

  • equity funding  
  • support for inclusion funding (previously called the special education grant)  
  • careers information grant  
  • targeted funding for isolation. 

Appendix one of the notice provides further information on how your funding has been calculated and your confirmed rates. 

If you are receiving less funding in 2023, Appendix two outlines your transition support arrangements. This will outline the fixed funding you will receive for each year of transition. 

You can read more about the Equity Index and Isolation Index changes on our website:

The Equity Index – Ministry of Education  

If you have any questions, contact us at equity.index@education.govt.nz.

We have prepared a letter template that you can use or incorporate into your regular newsletter to provide information about what the changes to the Equity Index and/or the Isolation Index mean for you, should you wish to do so. 

Letter template for parents and whānau [DOCX, 14.3 KB]

Changes to School Donations Scheme eligibility

From 1 January 2023, eligibility for the School Donations Scheme will be based on your Equity Index (EQI) number.

On Thursday 22 September, all schools and kura who have a change in eligibility will receive a notice on the Secure Data Portal about what it means for them. If you are newly eligible this will include information about how to opt into the donations scheme. Schools who were previously eligible can retain their eligibility so long as they continue to opt-in.

Newly eligible schools will have until 14 November to opt-in to the donations scheme.

If you have any questions, contact us at equity.index@education.govt.nz.

Top-up payments for additional relief teacher funding payments

If your school or kura has incurred relief teacher costs greater than your relief funding and any ARTF claims you have been paid, you will receive a top-up payment on Thursday 29 September.

You can read more about the automatic, ARTF process on our website:

Additional relief teacher funding – Ministry of Education

All schools will receive a letter on their Secure Data Portal next week that will set out the calculation and whether your school will receive a top-up payment.

Calculations and payments will also be completed at the end of October and November, and there will be a final wash-up in January next year.

Kōiwi: Human remains in schools

We recognise the sensitive nature of handling human remains and want to make sure schools have or can access the appropriate cultural guidance and support where these situations arise.  

If your school or kura needs advice in relation to kōiwi, please contact your kaumatua.

If schools does not have access to a kaumatua, then please contact your local Te Mahau office. 

Local Te Mahau office – Ministry of Education  

Promoting healthy food and nutrition

New regulations to promote healthy food and nutrition in schools will be in place by 1 January 2023.

The regulations replicate the soon to expire National Administration Guideline (NAG) 5(b) and will mean schools can continue to provide healthy food and nutrition education without any disruption. We will provide more information about the changes agreed by Government shortly.

A public consultation earlier this year included a proposed new duty on primary schools to provide healthy drinks only, but feedback showed strong support for all schools, not just primary, to promote healthy food and drink.

We are working to better understand the barriers that may hinder secondary schools’ adoption of a healthy drink policy. The intention is to have the duty introduced in primary and secondary schools at the same time. 

Public feedback called on the Government to think more broadly about the wellbeing of learners through the provision of healthy food in schools and kura. In response we will investigate a joint programme with the Ministry of Health on ways schools and kura might do this. A report to Government is due at the end of 2023. 

The regulations will not prevent schools from having policies over and above the duty to promote healthy food and nutrition. Ministry of Health resources are available to guide schools keen to adopt a ‘water and milk only’ or healthy food policy:

Healthy Food and Drink Guidance: Schools – Ministry of Health

Healthy Food and Drink Toolkit: Schools – Ministry of Health

Schools can also contact their National Public Health Service for further assistance:

Public health contacts – Ministry of Health

For further questions, contact legislation.consultation@education.govt.nz.

Sharing quality learning information: Current requirements

Sharing progress regularly is important to engage family and whānau into their children’s learning.

Legislative responsibilities for reporting to parents move from the National Administration Guideline (NAG) to the Education and Training Act on 1 January 2023, when Section 165 (3) comes into force.

This says: “the board must ensure that information about a student’s performance is given to a parent of the student in a timely manner and in a form that is readily understandable.” Boards must also report in accordance with any regulations made under section 639.

New regulations under section 639 will be in place by 1 January 2023 to maintain reporting requirements currently specified under National Administration Guideline (NAG) 2 (c). This means schools and kura can continue using their current reporting systems.

The curriculum, aromatawai and assessment work programme includes work with the education community to strengthen information sharing with ākonga and whānau, aligned with the refresh of ‘The New Zealand Curriculum’ and redesign of ‘Te Marautanga o Aotearoa’.

For further questions, contact us at nationalcurriculum.refresh@education.govt.nz or whakahou.marautanga@education.govt.nz.

Updated physical restraint rules and guidelines: February 2023

What you need to know

It’s been a while since the changes to the physical restraint framework were made in the Education and Training Act 2020 and we are aware schools are keen to receive guidance and training to help them enact those changes.

You can read more about this on the New Zealand Legislation website:

Education and Training Act 2020 – New Zealand Legislation

Be reassured you can continue to work to the 2017 rules and guidelines until the updated ones are published, which we expect will be early February 2023.

If you would like to find out more about the changes and what your school needs to do to prepare, see the PDF link below:

What you need to know [PDF, 122 KB]

Therapist pay equity claim update

Alongside NZEI Te Riu Roa, and as part of the pay equity claim process, we have been investigating the work done by therapists.

So far, we’ve completed 48 research interviews with claimants and their people leaders. This has included interviews with speech language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and music therapists. These claimants are employed by Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga and by school boards in the education sector.

We have analysed this gathered data to develop a draft ‘general areas of responsibility’ (GAR) document. This document attempts to capture the range of therapist work in the education sector.  

Did we get it right?

We are now seeking feedback to check whether there are any significant gaps in our findings.

It’s important that we capture the broad range of responsibilities and activities carried out by the therapist workforce, to ensure they are represented in the assessment of the Therapist Pay Equity Claim.  

We encourage you to view the GAR document and provide feedback in our online consultation space: 

Therapist Pay Equity Claim – Ministry of Education

All feedback must be submitted by Friday 14 October 5pm.

We ask that you consider all therapist roles in your schools and kura including but not limited to, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and music therapists and those doing the same or substantially similar work. If you have other therapists with different role titles, we ask that you identify these and include them in your consideration and feedback. 

If you prefer, you can delegate this task to someone who works closely with your therapist, for example, their people leader. Or feel free to delegate to your therapist(s) to fill in on behalf of your school.

For assistance, or if you have any questions, you can contact ministry.payequity@education.govt.nz

Independent licensed asbestos assessor engagement

During asbestos removal work, the licensed asbestos assessor (LAA) ensures that the project meets the required WorkSafe standards. LAAs provide all required oversight, independent feedback to the client, and significant health and safety risks reduction.

Both the WorkSafe’s Approved Code of Practice and the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 require the LAA to be free from conflict of interest from the assigned asbestos removalist when carrying out their assessor work.

You can read more about this on the WorkSafe and New Zealand Legislation websites:

Management and removal of asbestos – WorkSafe

Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations – New Zealand Legislation

Our Health and Safety team consulted with WorkSafe to clarify their definition of an LAA’s independence and freedom from conflict of interest.

As per WorkSafe’s guidance freedom from conflict of interest includes, but is not limited to, making sure that the LAA is not sub-contracted nor directly engaged by the asbestos removalist. Simply put, the LAA must be financially independent from the removalist.

The ‘independent LAA’ requirement aims to ensure that the assessment from the LAA is fair and objective and that the interest of the removalist does not unduly influence the outcome.

For further guidance on how to manage asbestos in schools, visit our website:

Managing asbestos in schools – Ministry of Education

Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata: Period products in schools initiative

The Ikura initiative has been running for over a year now and over 80% of all state and state-integrated schools and kura have opted-in to receive free period products for ākonga. 

Schools and kura are able to order regular and super pads and tampons, as well as panty liners. There is plenty of product available, and we encourage you to order enough product to ensure students can take some home and manage their full menstrual cycle.

We don’t want any ākonga to miss out. If you have not already opted-in, complete this short online form and we will be in touch with more information on how to place your first order: 

Opt-in online form: Access to period product in schools and kura – Ministry of Education

If you have any questions about ordering or are looking for guidance on how to distribute products to ākonga email us at accesstoperiodproducts@education.govt.nz

NCEA Level 1 te reo Māori pilot in 2023

We’d like to encourage schools and kura that wish to pilot te reo Māori to submit an expression of interest form (EOI) by Friday 23 September.

The open pilot for NCEA level 1 te reo Māori in 2023 provides schools and kura with the opportunity to test the new learning material early and the associated assessment material to inform any final refinements and changes before full implementation in 2024.

Complete this expression of interest form by 23 September:

Expression of Interest form (EOI) – registration form

Wāhanga Ako Level 1 open pilot 2023

In addition, for those that are keen on piloting a wāhanga ako in ‘Te Marautanga o Aotearoa’ the expressions of interest process is also open until Friday 23 September.

Find more information about wāhanga ako pilot and the EOI form below:

Wāhanga Ako Level 1 Open Pilot 2023 – Ministry of Education

Expression of Interest (EOI) – registration form

If you have further questions or require support in completing the expression of interest form, contact us at ncea.maraumaori@education.govt.nz.

Consultation: Proposed Veterans’ Affairs Approved Information Sharing Agreement

Veterans’ Affairs are proposing to establish an Approved Information Sharing Agreement (AISA), which will enable information about veterans and their whānau to be shared between Veterans’ Affairs and other government agencies. 

The proposed AISA is intended to make it simpler for veterans, their families and whānau to access services. The proposed changes also aim to reduce the paperwork for the veterans and to make it easier to gain support from Veterans’ Affairs and the other supporting government agencies. 

The Ministry of Education is a party to the agreement. Veterans’ Affairs would share personal information about dependents of veterans with us and we would provide education information to Veterans’ Affairs.

Before the Government approves the proposed AISA, they need to be sure that people understand what is being proposed and have had the opportunity to have their concerns heard by making a submission.

If anyone in your school community wants more information on this proposed information sharing agreement and want to give feedback they can go to the Veterans’ Affairs website:

Information Sharing – Veterans' Affairs

The consultation period about the proposed Veterans’ Affairs AISA is open now and closes on Friday 7 October 5pm.

Release of new CHAPTERS book 2022

As a part of the Instructional Series programme, we will be distributing a new chapter book to support the transition to reading longer texts, followed by an additional book released in 2023 and another in 2024. This series will be titled CHAPTERS.

The books are accompanied by audio versions and teacher support materials (TSM) that provide suggestions about how to support all Year 3 ākonga, including those who might be reading below expected levels, to read and enjoy these books.

As ākonga build their reading mileage, engagement, and independence they will move on to making their own reading selections.

You can find more information on how to use chapter books on our TKI website:

Literacy online: Instructional Series – TKI

Save the date

Learning Support Study Awards closing soon

Applications for the 2023 Learning Support Study Awards close on Friday 30 September.

This is an opportunity for teachers and kaiako to extend their knowledge and train for the Post Graduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching at Massey University. Find out more on our website:

Learning Support Study Awards and Scholarships – Ministry of Education

ShakeOut 2022

You will soon receive a letter from David Gawn, Chief Executive, National Emergency Management Agency and Iona Holsted, Secretary for Education about this year’s New Zealand ShakeOut, our national earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi.

Sign up to take part in ShakeOut 2022 on Thursday 27 October 9:30am:

Sign up for New Zealand ShakeOut – National Emergency Management Agency

Infrastructure Sector Forum

We will be hosting an Infrastructure Sector Forum on Tuesday 8 November over Teams from 4–5pm. This is an opportunity for us to share information with school representatives on school infrastructure – property, transport, ICT and technology in schools. 

Register your interest on Eventbrite:

Infrastructure Sector Forum event – Eventbrite

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