Work at Wellington’s Thorndon School, which first opened in 1852, will begin in late 2016. This includes new teaching and administration blocks and the refurbishment of an existing building to become a new library and resource centre.

The new teaching block will comprise 13 learning spaces, replacing the school’s 11 existing classrooms and providing two extra learning spaces to accommodate the growth in numbers of students at the school.

All of the new learning spaces will be flexible, contributing to an innovative learning environment.

Thorndon School occupies a small, compact site, so the new buildings will be configured to ensure there is enough outdoor learning and play space, and enhance access-ways to and through the school grounds.

Construction will happen in 2 phases, with a temporary village of classrooms situated on the neighbouring Wellington Girls’ College site while redevelopment work is underway. The school has already moved into this space.

Thorndon School was first established as St Paul’s School in Sydney Street in 1852. Around 1873 its name was changed to Thorndon School, and it moved to its current site in 1880.

Construction is expected to take approximately 15 months to complete.

Almost $100 million of school redevelopments have been announced in the Wellington area since last November.

New research shows 89% of New Zealand’s Year 7-10 teachers think the advantages of the job clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

This compares with an average of 77% in the 35 countries surveyed in the OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS).

The Ministry has analysed the results of the study, focussing on teachers’ job satisfaction and self-efficacy – the belief in their ability to perform well at work.

New Zealand teachers rated themselves at or above the TALIS average, on most aspects of self-efficacy, including classroom management, instruction and student engagement, and in job satisfaction.

These results are particularly pleasing, as a number of OECD studies have linked high teacher job satisfaction and self-efficacy ratings with improved student achievement.

More than 2,800 Year 7-10 teachers and their principals at primary, intermediate, and secondary schools around the country took part in TALIS.

The OECD last week released research showing New Zealand teachers were among the most professional in the world across the 35 TALIS countries.

Go to the New Zealand TALIS analysis, which is the fourth in the Ministry’s Insights for Teachers series, on the Education Counts website. [link will be live 0800 Monday]. https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/insights-for-teachers/insights-for-teachers-year-7-10-teachers-self-efficacy-and-job-satisfaction

Some highlights from the report:

96% of NZ Yr 7-10 teachers feel they can provide an alternative explanation for students, compared to the TALIS average of 92%, 94% in Australia, 88% in Singapore, and 77% in Finland.

94% of NZ Yr 7-10 teachers feel they can make their expectations about student behaviour clear, compared to the TALIS average of 91%, 93% in Australia, 89% in Singapore, and 93% in Finland.

92% of NZ Yr 7-10 teachers enjoy working at their school, compared to the TALIS average of 90%, 92% in Australia, 86% in Singapore, and 91% in Finland.

89% of NZ Yr 7-10 teachers feel the advantages of being a teacher clearly outweigh the disadvantages, compared to the TALIS average of 77%, 89% in Australia, 84% in Singapore, and 95% in Finland.

86% of NZ Yr 7-10 teachers feel they can help students value their learning, compared to the TALIS average of 81%, 81% in Australia, 81% in Singapore, and 77% in Finland.

Principal David Graham says the Hamilton School did a classroom inquiry into 'significance' last year, in which a group of senior students investigated NZSL.

Students learnt the NZSL alphabet, how to introduce themselves and how to sign various songs at assemblies.

"They soon decided they wanted to make their surroundings more sign language friendly," he says.

A wall by the school pool was starting to look a little sad, so the 28 students, working with teacher Chris Garland, put together a proposal for a sign language mural.

The students investigated the costs and worked with NZSL experts on the concept. Bunnings Warehouse even got on board and supplied the paint free of charge.

The result is a colourful and eye-catching new mural that signs one of the school’s key values – respect.

There is nothing else like this resource. It’s different from a standard maths textbook as it addresses higher level skills and higher level thinking that are much harder to assess and often missed. It also promotes communication and writing skills.

Dr Caroline Yoon, who developed this resource, says: “Rather than being a textbook trying to cover a wide area, the resource is designed to offer flexibility to teachers who can choose to use the resources that best fit the needs of their students.”

The resource consists of 5 booklets of activities, one targeted at each of Year 9-13. It could also be used as an extension activity in other Years, including intermediate school level. For each Year, there is a teacher manual containing notes and answers, a student booklet containing the questions and separate answer sheets. The resource is print-based with electronic and digital supporting material. See the LEMMA series on the NZCER website for more information.

Buy the LEMMA series from the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) website.

This resource was developed by Associate Professor Caroline Yoon, head of the Mathematics Education Unit at the University of Auckland, through funding from the Beeby fellowship, a partnership between the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO and the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER).

When asked whether others should consider entering the awards, Ken says it is definitely worthwhile. "If you have a story to tell then it’s worth putting the effort in and doing it well. You’ve got to have a story that has depth and substance to it. What you’re showing the judges has to be really genuine."

For Ken, a highlight of taking part was the people he got to meet along the way, including the judges and other entrants. "We got to meet some absolutely amazing people, people who are doing incredible things.

Central Regional Health School’s role is to ensure that students with high health needs, who are unable to attend school, can still access the school curriculum.

It provides education to some of our most vulnerable students, from primary to secondary school age, working alongside multiple agencies and in numerous locations.

"We began with just 7 teachers, teaching students who were physically sick," says Ken McIntosh.

In 2004 the school began teaching in a Youth Justice residence and in 2014 a Care and Protection residence. Ken says the school has grown in a strategic way to provide education programmes for children with differing health and wellbeing needs.

All students are on individual learning programmes based on the school curriculum and their health or welfare needs.

Entering the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards gave the school an opportunity to step back and review how the school was operating.

"It was timely for us to step back and think about what made us special,” he says. “Our story had a lot of depth because it was a long time story over our 15 year history - it wasn’t just a one off thing."

"It was great for us to get the feedback from the judges. One of them said ‘there’re no egos at this school’, which is right. It’s not about us; it’s about the students that we’re teaching. Comments like that are really affirming".

Winners of the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards receive cash prizes and professional development opportunities.

Ken says the school is using its prize money to invest in its staff through further professional learning.

"When we won the Excellence in Leading Atakura Award there was a huge amount of satisfaction and pride for staff – they’re all quite pleased to be teaching at a school that has won a Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Award," he says.

"We were recognised for being successful. It is recognition for all of the development we have been through during the past 16 years."

The public exposure from winning the award was another big benefit, Ken says. "People don’t necessarily know about us, so this gave us additional exposure through websites and news stories. To have our story shared meant a lot for us."

The journey continues for Central Regional Health School. A new unit will be opening in April and others may be added in the future.

If you want to enter the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards for 2016

Entries close on 18 March 2016 at 5pm.

Visit pmawards.education.govt.nz to get your entry underway today.

Need help with your entry? Talk with one of the team.

Email info@pmawards.education.govt.nz or call 0800 PM AWARDS (0800 762 927)

The Minister told representatives from the education field about the programme on 11 March 2016, at the year’s first National Cross-Sector Forum in Wellington. The exchange means one primary principal and one secondary principal can swap places in Term 3 with counterparts from schools in South Australia that have similar student rolls to their own.

“This is an exciting opportunity for accomplished leaders in state and state-integrated schools to gain practical experience from a different jurisdiction,” says Ms Parata.

“New Zealand principals are some of the best in the world and it’s important that we continue to foster their professional development. The schools involved will also learn and benefit from the exchange.”

The South Australia/New Zealand Principal Exchange has been established by the Ministry of Education and the South Australian Department for Education and Child Development.

Applications are open from now until 18 April 2016. Go to the South Australian Principal Exchange Programme information for how to apply.

Introduced in 2012, IWS is an intensive, individualised service that supports children and young people with high and complex behavioural and learning needs. Students in the scheme are supported to stay at, or return to, their local schools, behave in a positive and social way and enjoy a successful home and school life by facilitators who work with them, their families, local schools and other government agencies.

IWS was developed after extensive consultation with Māori and Pasifika focus groups to match the New Zealand cultural context.

The review of the service was conducted by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, which evaluated the case files of 28 students and surveyed IWS team members, teachers and principals.

It found that that while progress for some students took longer than others, the service was delivering improved learning outcomes and independent living skills, and was being positively received by families and whanau.

IWS is also providing strategies for parents to support their children and empowering them to work constructively with schools and other government agencies.

The service is part of the Ministry’s wider Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) initiative.

Read the evaluation report on the EdCounts website.

Go to the Intensive Wraparound Service page to find out more including case studies and results.

All parties agree it is important that there are appropriate appointment processes in our schools. To ensure that the appointment process is robust Teach First NZ has agreed that Teach First NZ participants will now apply and be considered for jobs in schools alongside other teachers.  

This decision will not have any effect on existing Teach First NZ participants and schools that employ them.

All parties are pleased to have reached agreement on this issue. This resolves all current concerns between the Ministry of Education and PPTA over the Teach First NZ programme.

This is a story that Plunket have provided us that we thought we would share with you

Tereapii Davida, otherwise known as Tere, is a mum of 3 who lives in Mangere, South Auckland and who loves her community. She has made a positive impact on the lives of Mangere's Plunket babies and young children and continues to give back to other mums, both new and experienced in parenthood.

The Tiny Jandals Plunket Playgroup runs from the Plunket House at 18a Bader Drive, Mangere every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am-12pm during the school term. Tere joined Tiny Jandals in November 2015 as a Plunket Volunteer helping to coordinate and support children and families in her neighborhood. Our families enjoy having Tere as a warm welcoming face to greet them on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

Tere has a calm and quiet nature and our kids love having her, not only to meet and greet them, but especially to play and learn at the same time. Tere has received warm feedback from our mums and dads who look forward to coming along for a cup of tea or coffee and to enjoy and share in the daily routines as busy parents.

Tiny Jandals has a diverse group of families and we are so lucky to have Tere give her time to support the babies of Mangere. We need more people like her in Counties Manukau who are willing to be generous of their time and to help in whatever way they can.

If you, or someone you know, might be interested in giving a few hours of time we would love to hear from you. Plunket has many opportunities and fun events that may suit the hours you are prepared to donate.

For more information on being a Plunket Volunteer please contact:

Joanne Hurford
Plunket Volunteer Coordinator
Tel: (09) 263 3014
Email: joanne.hurford@plunket.org.nz.

As you are aware, the Fields of Remembrance Trust and the Ministry of Education have again partnered to focus on supporting all early learning services to join in the nation’s 4-year World War I (WWI) commemoration effort.

If your service has not ‘opted out’, you will be receiving a WWI Commemoration Package in the mail in early April. It is up to each early learning service how they wish to involve their children/tamariki in the establishment of a Field of Remembrance and the commemoration of Anzac Day 2016. Each Commemoration Package will include an information sheet to guide services.

Your early learning service may want to hold a community remembrance and invite veterans, members of your local RSA, local schools and whānau to attend. To make your commemoration hands on and memorable for the children, you could also make or paint poppies, learn a song, listen to The Last Post or tell stories of the men and women who served overseas and on the home front.

More ideas on how early learning services can commemorate WWI can be found at: www.education.govt.nz.

• Important  information on financial reporting requirements
• Playgroup  special grants

Important information on financial reporting requirements

ECE services must send their audited financial statements to the Ministry by 30 June 2016. Exemptions apply to services that received under $80,000 (incl. GST) from the Ministry and/or have not operated for a full financial year in 2015.

You will soon receive details of this year’s ECE Financial Reporting requirements and declaration form by email, this will also be published online via the April 2016 He Pānui Kōhungahunga – the Early Learning Bulletin.

Please note that all future communications regarding your financial reporting obligations will be included as part of the He Pānui Kōhungahunga – the Early Learning Bulletin.

Playgroup special grants

All playgroups can apply for a special grant to cover costs that cannot be met from other funding. Special grant application forms are now available. If you can’t access the form via our website, please contact your regional Ministry of Education office for a copy.

Completed forms need to be returned to your regional Ministry of Education office by 29 April.

If you have any questions about the special grant, please contact your regional Ministry of Education office and ask to speak to a playgroup advisor

• Education Act Update: Summary of submissions and further feedback sought
• Safety checking trainees on practicum
• Safety checking in Children’s Teams
• IT – Apple AC Wall Plug exchange programme reminder
• New ERO report released

Education Act Update: Summary of submissions and further feedback sought

Over 1,800 submissions were received on updating the Education Act 1989. Many of these came from parents and educators. Over 120 meetings were held on the update over the 6-week period that the discussion ran.

A summary report and a full report on the responses received on the Education Act Update discussion document can be found on Updating the Education Act 1989.

The Minister asked for further feedback on possible changes to the planning and reporting framework and on boards’ roles and responsibilities at the Ministerial Cross-Sector Forum on Raising Achievement on 11 March 2016. You can read material on the proposals at Update of the Act – boards' roles and responsibilities and at Update of the Act – planning and reporting framework.You can also give us feedback on these possible changes through upcoming regional cross-sector forums and by emailing: education.update@education.govt.nz. You need to send any feedback to us by Friday 8 April at 5pm.

The Minister will seek Cabinet approval on the changes she wishes to proceed with. An amendment Bill will be drafted and introduced later this year. There will be an opportunity to comment on the contents of the Bill through a select committee process.

Safety checking trainees on practicum

All those who work with children need to be safety checked to the standard set out in the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 (VCA), which includes trainees on practicum.

While it is the responsibility of each early learning service to ensure the safety check has been completed, some components of the check may be done by a person or organisation acting on behalf of the service.

Most tertiary education providers already undertake similar checks for students as part of their screening and enrolment process.

If you are hosting a trainee on placement, and you wish to rely on a tertiary education provider to carry out the safety check for that trainee on your behalf, we recommend you obtain a letter from the tertiary education provider confirming this.

The letter should confirm that you have agreed to the tertiary education provider acting on your behalf, and that the trainee has given consent for information to be shared. The letter should also contain details about which components of the safety check have been completed and that they have been done to the standard set out in the VCA. These details should be obtained for each named trainee.

If any components of the safety check have not been completed by the tertiary education provider, you are responsible for completing these.

We recommend you complete the identity check and risk assessment yourself, even if these have already been completed by the tertiary education provider.

Read more about early learning sector requirements under the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

Safety checking in Children’s Teams

Based on feedback, the Children’s Team safety checking processes and documentation have been simplified and are now available to be used.

The Children’s Team Safety Checking Employer Endorsement form has been updatedand is available on the Children’s Action Plan website. The changes will streamline the process by:

• Requiring only one declaration form – the Employer Endorsement form
• The Children’s Team Director being required only to confirm the identity of the applicant
• Being clearer about how to escalate issues.

Please ensure you use the updated form when completing new Children’s Team safety checks.

To avoid any confusion, you may want to destroy any older versions. As we recognise that the changes will take a while to be embedded into our practices, the Children’s Team Director will be accepting the old forms and actioning ones that have already been completed on the above basis. View the Children’s team safety checking flowchart.

Other information on safety checking is available on the Children’s Action plan website.

For any queries please contact: ssci.programme@education.govt.nz. 

IT – Apple AC Wall Plug exchange programme reminder

Further to the article published in the February special edition of the Early Learning Bulletin, this is a reminder about the Apple exchange programme for AC wall adapters.

New adapters will be sent directly to users, and the affected adapters returned to Apple via pre-paid courier bag. There is no cost to users for the exchange.

Full details of the programme can be found here: www.apple.com/nz/support/ac-wallplug-adapter/.

It is only the ‘duckhead’ wall plug adapter that is potentially affected – the rest of the components of the AC adapter are not.

There are three options available for the exchange:

• Arrange exchange via the web– you will need the serial number of your laptop (10-digit string starting with C0, C1 or CP) and your Apple ID: https://selfsolve.apple.com/012016/#NZL
• Contact an authorised Apple service provider near you– service providers can be found using the following website: https://locate.apple.com/nz/en/
• Contact Apple Support: https://getsupport.apple.com/ (select ‘Mac’ and then ‘Hardware Issues’).

New ERO report released

ERO’s latest report, Tuia te here tangata: Making meaningful connections, is an effective practice report that highlights what Puna Whakatupu are doing to nurture and support tamariki at the start of their learning journey. Ngā Puna Whakatupu are kaupapa Māori-based early childhood services where whānau learn with and alongside their tamariki.

Click the link above to read the full report available on the ERO website.

Wellington’s first Puna Kāinga officially opened in Featherston

Wellington’s first punā kainga – Ngā Manu Kākākura ō Te Ao Turoa – was officially opened on 10 November 2015 at Featherston School in South Wairarapa.

The punā kainga initiative is part of the Early Learning Taskforce’s focus on increasing early childhood education (ECE) participation for priority groups and for those in priority areas.

Punā kainga means ‘springs from home’ and has three main outcomes:

• tamariki are confident learners at home
• tamariki have the self-management skills they need to learn independently and alongside others
• tamariki make a successful transition to school.

For almost all tamariki enrolled at Ngā Manu Kākākura ō Te Ao Turoa, it is their ‘first’ early learning experience outside of home. Te Koha Pirere-Sio, who is 4 years old, is pictured below having his first ever swim in a pool.

(Left to right) Te Koha, Te Rina and Kahurewa had so much fun swimming.

Featherston School considers the punā kainga to be part of the school and includes it in activities like the end-of-year celebration at the local swimming pools.

All parents are involved in their children’s learning experiences and there is a strong emphasis on reflecting Māori identity, language and culture. Tamariki learn their pepeha and take part at whāriki time.

“The punā kainga has made a huge difference for our community,” said Te Rina, Kahungunu Ki Wairarapa ECE Advisor.

A combination of information workshops, excursions within the local Featherston community, and the supportive environment that the punā kainga provides, is having a positive influence on sustaining regular attendance for tamariki enrolled.

For further information, please contact:

Te Rina Kaiwai
Kahungunu Ki Wairarapa ECE Advisor
027 777 2468

Laree Taula
Project Advisor - Early Learning Taskforce
Phone: 4 463 7078
Mobile: 021 992 200

• Tai Tokerau regional update
• Auckland regional update
• Waikato regional update
• Bay of Plenty-Waiariki regional update
• Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne regional update
• Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu regional update
• Wellington regional update
• Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast regional update
• Canterbury regional update
• Otago, Southland regional update

Tai Tokerau regional update

Kia ora koutou

2016 is well underway and services are again engaging with our youngest learners. This is the year we plan to reach 98% participation in early learning services for all 4-year-olds prior to enrolling in school. In our region, we are currently at 93.1% (leaving 118 4-year-olds needing to enrol). So this is the time to focus in on any children that you know are in your geographical area not attending and act on what you can be doing to support their engagement into early childhood education (ECE). If you know of children not participating, and would like support with your ideas or finding appropriate services for them, contact one of the Te Tai Tokerau ECE team.

Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO) professional development programmes under the umbrella topic of Identity, Language and Culture are also underway and include exciting topics to enable teachers and educators to make changes in their ECE service practices including:

• Confident and competent teachers and tamariki
• Developing bicultural practices using Te Whariki and Ka Hikitia
• Te reo for beginners – in practice
• Inclusive practice and what this really looks like
• Community responsiveness
• Understanding governance and management for centre leaders.

If you would like to know more about any of these programmes, get in touch with one of our team.

Best wishes for a great 2016 from the Te Tai Tokerau ECE team: Irene Iwikau, Des Tipene, Sacha Cherrington, Haley Conaghan, Belinda Woodman and Sharleen Edmonds.

Ngā mihi

Hira Gage
Director of Education
Te Tai Tokerau
Tel: (09) 436 8914
Email: hira.gage@education.govt.nz

Educare Totara Park

Children at Educare Totara Park playing on the life-sized snakes and ladders.

Educare Totara Park is a new ECE centre here in Whangarei. Alan Lints and the team have created an amazing outdoor area based on his dream to create an area that would provoke children’s thinking about their use of the outdoors. One area is a full-sized snakes and ladders game that came about after the following thoughts:

Looking through the eyes of an energetic 4-year-old child when you are in your 50s is a tough ask. However, transforming an iconic board game into real time ‘snakes and ladders’ was always going to be a winner. Educare Totara Park was named because of a stunning stand of totara trees. Once some legal clearing of trees was undertaken it was easy to see how these gnarly totara trees cut long ways would form an incredible platform for our tamariki to explore our natural play area. Customised ladders allow the children to move between the snakes seamlessly and an over-sized dice completes the real time challenge.

As for rules? What rules? Tamariki explore as they see fit. One minute they are ‘snaking and laddering’, the next minute they are playing on the waterfall or watering the garden with another hollowed-out totara log. Educare’s no plastic playground is a hit, not only with the tamariki but adults as well. “Bet you can’t beat the kids at their own game”.

Breakfast meetings for ECE service managers and senior staff

Megan Cochrane from Blossom Consulting Ltd hosts a managers’ network breakfast every 2 months in Whangarei. This is a great opportunity to have a professional chat over breakfast. Megan sometimes invites a speaker to discuss a topic with the group. The next one is planned for 30 March 2016 – if you are interested contact her at: meganblossom@xtra.co.nz.

Auckland regional update

Counties Manukau Children's Team

The Counties Manukau Children’s Team goes live on 22 March. If your service is in Papakura, Manurewa or Clendon, there is a meeting on 16 March at 6pm you are welcome to attend at Taonga Education Centre, 11 Dalgety Drive, Wiri. At this meeting you will be able to meet members of the Children’s Team and have your questions answered about how the team will work.

If you would like to attend please email Karalee Tangiau: karalee.tangiau@education.govt.nz. If you can't attend this meeting, but would like more information, you can contact Sarah Morrison on 027 245 2211 or sarah.morrison@education.govt.nz.

Congratulations

The following centres who received Targeted Assistance for Participation (TAP) grants have opened: Akaiti Mangarongaro (Cook Islands) 40 places, Matua Mo E Tama (Niue) 40 places and Puna O Le Atamai (Samoa) 40 places in Mangere East; Mokupuna Ki Roscommon 50 places in Manurewa; and Wee Wisdom Montessori 100 places in Drury. It is great to have quality learning environments for the young children of Auckland.

Opportunities to strengthen learning and teaching

Each month there are opportunities to meet and learn with other ECE providers and teachers. These are funded through Strengthening Early Learning Outcomes (SELO). Every early learning network will have the opportunity to attend an event on each topic over the year.

April 2016

• Growing social competency– there will be a forum for every early learning network in April. Please go to this website for more details and to register: www.eceastute.co.nz.

• Improving your physical environment– there will be an event for the Kuki Airani early learning network. Please register by emailing: earlylearningnetworks.registration@education.govt.nz.

May 2016

• Business strategy events will be held for the Howick, Manurewa, Henderson, Waitakere and Niuean early learning networks. Please go to this website for more details and to register: www.eceastute.co.nz.

• Strengthening child protection practices– events will be held for the Maungakiekie-Tamaki, Devonport-Takapuna, Puketapapa, Albert-Eden, Orakei, Waitemata, Rodney, Upper Harbour and Hibiscus and Bays early learning networks. Please go to this website for more details and to register: www.ecetraining.nz.

• Introduction to autism in an early childhood setting– events will be held for the Devonport-Takapuna and Kaipatiki early learning networks. Please check your inbox for the email invite to come out in April 2016.

• Strengthening bicultural practice– events will be held for the Henderson-Massey, Waitakere Ranges, Whau and the Tongan, Niuean and Home-based early learning networks. Please check your inbox for the email invite to come out in April 2016.

• Improving your physical environment– events will be held for the Puketapapa and Maungakiekie-Tamaki early learning networks. Please check your inbox for the email invite to come out in April 2016.

Isabel Evans
Director of Education Auckland
Phone: 09 632 9333
Email: Isabel.Evans@education.govt.nz

Waikato regional update

Kia ora koutou katoa. Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou.

Communities of Learning

In my last Bulletin article, I told you that we had 10 approved Communities of Learning (COLs) across Waikato. This represents 30% (or 87) of all schools and kura across our region. It means that 36% of all children and young people (approximately 26,000 students) living in the Waikato are in a school or kura that is in a COL.

It’s very exciting to observe, discuss and hear the great work that’s going on as these COLs develop their achievement challenges and organise the way they wish to work together. We’ve had the first achievement challenges, along with their high-level plans, endorsed by the Minister of Education and I expect the appointment of people into the various roles to be confirmed shortly.

I encourage you to talk to your local schooling colleagues (if you have not already) about the formation of a COL in your area and how you could be involved. We have COLs established in Hauraki, Waihi, Thames, Paeroa, Putaruru, Hillcrest, North West Hamilton, Central Hamilton and Cambridge with a specific focus on the Māori medium pathway across Waikato.

We have recently welcomed Bevan Smith as our lead education advisor for COLs. He has a specific responsibility and will grow his specialist skill in supporting COLs alongside education managers and senior advisors who work with schools, kura, early childhood education (ECE) services and kōhanga reo. Bevan will also link with other lead education advisors across the country to ensure we are learning from others and can apply this within our context.

If you would like to talk to us about forming a COL, or want some help on any of this, get in touch with Bevan at bevan.smith@education.govt.nz or myself paula.rawiri@education.govt.nz. I also encourage you to connect with colleagues in other parts of the country who may be in a COL already.

Education Review Office and Ministry of Education in the Waikato

Recently, the Waikato teams of the Ministry of Education and the Education Review Office met here at our Hamilton offices. I understand this is a first for our area and it was a great way to understand each other’s business priorities and discuss how best we can provide a service to you in ECE, kōhanga reo, schools and kura. We’ve taken the approach that while we have our respective roles and responsibilities, we want to work in a collaborative way to get the best outcomes for children and young people.

Hamilton Children’s Team

The team is up and running in the city and has a key focus on and responsibility for ensuring that children and young people in this city, who may be vulnerable, get the best service from the collective of agencies and providers that are working with and for them. If you work with children and young people in Hamilton, and are worried about one who might be at risk of abuse or neglect, contact the Vulnerable Children’s Hub on 0800 FOR OUR KIDS (0800 367 687) to discuss this.

In the Coromandel

In the spirit of supporting learning pathways from early childhood into schooling, while in the Coromandel, Cameron Frethey (Senior Advisor), Mere Lawson-Nuri (Manager Education) and I visited Kirsty Miller at the Riverlee Early Learning Centre. This service has a focus on providing children with a ‘home away from home’ environment. The learning we observed the children engaged in was just great. We think as a team it’s important for us to understand how services are working, and particularly how they support children through to schooling. There is no other way to do this other than to get out there and hear and see it happening.

Cameron Frethey, Mere Lawson-Nuri and Kirsty Miller at the Riverlee Early Learning Centre.

Talking with your children

Early childhood teachers play an important role in developing children’s critical thinking skills. The early childhood environment provides many opportunities for children to hear and experience words in lots of ways. Simple tweaks to everyday interactions between adults and children can make a huge difference to a child’s language development. Talking with children about things beyond the here and now will help to develop their critical thinking which is important for language and learning. This page on the Hanen Centre website has some great information.

If you’d like to learn more about building children’s critical thinking skills and how to support children’s language development, the Much More Than Words workshop may be for you.

The next workshop will be held on Thursday 28 April (9.15am to 3pm) at the Ministry of Education office at 19 Home Straight, Hamilton with Aimie Stowers and Ruth Brehaut, Speech & Language Therapists.

This workshop will:

• Raise your awareness of normal speech language development
• Help you to identify possible communication difficulties
• Share strategies to help you support speech language development in young children.

Feedback from previous attendees:

• “Interactive, funny, knowledgeable – thank you.”
• “I especially liked linking relevant examples from our own centre to relevant slides.”

Please enrol so you don’t miss out. You can email Ann Luxton at ann.luxton@education.govt.nz or phone (07) 867 9520.

And, finally, guest wifi has arrived ...

We can now offer guest wireless at our buildings ... so next time you are in please ask at reception for the details.

Noho ora mai

Paula Rawiri
Director of Education Waikato
Tel: (07) 850 8924
Email: paula.rawiri@education.govt.nz

Bay of Plenty–Waiariki regional update

Director’s message

Talofa lava and kia ora koutou.

I hope you’ve had a good month and the warm muggy weather hasn’t bothered you too much. As always, take the time to read the information in this month’s Bulletin as well as my update below.

Recent threats and support

In the last fortnight, several of our schools have had to deal with threats sent to them. I was impressed with the way our schools handled these stressful and disruptive situations. If threats of this nature are made, centres should call the Police immediately and ask for advice. You should note the exact nature of the threat and provide as much detail to the Police as possible. From there, the Police can provide appropriate advice for a response. For example, a non-specific bomb threat may require a slightly different response from the threat of a gunman on the roof of a building.

I also want to acknowledge that some early childhood education (ECE) centres have had to deal with a crisis or serious incident in the past few weeks. I want to remind you that you are never alone when you are faced with something like this. We are able to support you in a number of ways and can provide both practical and strategic support. Please call us and we will activate support for you.

Participation programme initiatives

We are steadily climbing to reach our target of having 98% of children start school having attended an early childhood service. We are awaiting the data to be releasedconcerning children who have started school at the beginning of this year. The beginning of each year is the time when there is the largest number of new enrolments in our schools. As soon as it is available we will let you know. Recently I heard of an ECE service that was providing their graduating children with a certificate that included the child’s Early Learning Information (ELI) number and included the words “Congratulations, you have participated in ECE.” We think this is a great idea as it provides the parents with good information to take to school.

We are in the middle of evaluating our Targeted Assistance for Participation (TAP 3) proposals. We have had a high number of proposals and are sure we will be able to use our allocated budget. These grants enable services in target areas to increase their capacity to enrol more children.

We still have some Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO) funding to allocate. If you have identified a professional development need in your centre please call Renee Jensen on (07) 349 0832. She will be able to talk through your ideas and let you know if we are able to assist.

Rotorua and Eastern Bay of Plenty Children’s Team

We have 2 Children’s Teams up and running in our region with a focus on and responsibility for ensuring that children and young people across Rotorua and the Eastern Bay of Plenty, who may be vulnerable, get the best service from the collective of agencies and providers that are working with and for them. If you work with children and young people and are worried that one might be at risk of abuse or neglect, contact the Vulnerable Children’s Hub on 0800 FOR OUR KIDS (0800 367 687) or the relevant Children’s Team Director for your area, listed below. You can also find more information on the Children’s Action Plan website and the Children’s Action Plan Facebook page.

Mahalia Paewai
Children’s Team Director
Ground Floor
1144 Pukaki Street
Rotorua
Tel: (07) 347 5010
Mobile: 029 200 3672
Email: mahalia.paewai@childrensactionplan.govt.nz

Donna Poynton
Children’s Team Director
Eastern Bay of Plenty
26 Richardson Street
Whakatane
Mobile: 029 350 0039
Email: donna.poynton@childrensactionplan.govt.nz

If you have questions about anything in this Bulletin, don’t hesitate to talk with Aroha, Gina, Jon, Renee, Chrissy or Michelle in the first instance or contact me directly at the email address below.

Ngā mihi

Ezra Schuster
Director of Education Bay of Plenty – Waiariki
Tel: (07) 349 8309
Email: ezra.schuster@education.govt.nz

Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne regional update

No update this month

Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu regional update

Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa

Warm greetings to you all.

Early Learning Sector Forums

As mentioned in the February Pānui, plans are well underway for hosting 3 sector forums across our region. Each forum will have a focus topic and provide opportunities for you to engage with your regional Ministry of Education team.

Invitations confirming dates and venues will be sent to all licensed services and certificated playgroups. We look forward to seeing you there.

Communities of Learning

Investing in Education Success (IES) is a government initiative focused on lifting student achievement. One of the strategies of IES is the formation of Communities of Learning (COLs), which provide exciting and innovative opportunities for education-focused communities to work together to strengthen seamless educational pathways. To date, the Minister has approved 5 COLs in our region. Our teams will be working to support a number of others to establish throughout the year.

• Find more information about COLs.

In response to developing COLs we are working to develop a project that will focus on continuity of learning, links between the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Whāriki and developing educationally powerful relationships with local schools. The project will invite over 80 early childhood education (ECE) services and Kōhanga Reo to participate and will be rolled out in 3 different geographical areas. Do consider participating if your service is invited. If you would like more information about the project please contact Leigh Owen at leigh.owen@education.govt.nz.

Reminders

The new Food Safety 2014 has now come into effect. Ministry for Primary Industries website has more information about Early Childhood Education Services - Guidance.

A number of our Ministry of Education licensing and certification forms have been recently updated as a result of the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014. Please remember to ensure you use the most up-to-date versions that are available on the Ministry of Education website.

Please contact me, using the details below, if you wish to discuss any issues or ideas. I look forward to hearing from you.

Ngā mihi

Jann Marshall
Director of Education Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
Tel: (06) 349 6352
Mobile: 021 229 7685
Email: jann.marshall@education.govt.nz

Wellington regional update

Kia ora koutou

I continue to touch on what the Wellington region is doing towards the Government’s Better Public Services goal that “In 2016, 98% of children starting school will have participated in quality early childhood education.”

It is fantastic that the Wellington region has already reached the 98% target, but we don’t want to get comfortable and think we have made it. We want to make sure that 98% is also achieved for Māori and Pasifika who are currently sitting at 96.3% and 96%, respectively, in our region.

In this issue, we highlight 2 stories about early learning in the Wairarapa. One is about our region’s only punā kainga called ‘Ngā Manu Kākākura ō Te Ao Turoa’ in Featherston. Find out more in the Early Learning Taskforce section of this issue.

Our other story is about the Pacific community in Masterton working together to establish the ‘Moana’ Playgroup.

Let’s make sure we continue to all work together so that we ensure every child gets a great start to their educational journey.

Ngā mihi nui

Pauline Cleaver
Director of Education, Wellington region
Tel: (04) 463 8668
Mobile: 027 229 6982
Email: pauline.cleaver@education.govt.nz

Masterton’s new Moana Playgroup hits ‘The Spot’

Moana Playgroup has hit Masterton at a well known local venue, ‘The Spot’.

Four local Samoan women – Melnissa Faumui, Fale Lio, Alofagia Vaifale and Mabel Paulo – got together with Jude Mitchell and Peter McNeur from Wairarapa REAP to make their vision of a playgroup with a Pacific focus a reality.

The women started their journey by spreading the word around and talking to the communities of churches around Masterton. Moana Playgroup officially opened on 15 February 2016 and now operates out of ‘The Spot’ hall in Masterton.

Moana Playgroup welcomes all Pasifika families and their children in Masterton. Hence the reason the playgroup is named ‘Moana’, which means the ocean, is because the ocean relates to all Pasifika people.

At Moana Playgroup, children, their parents and their grandparents learn their languages or mother tongue together. They can share their stories and make resources together.

On Moana Playgroup’s first day children’s learning was focused on water play which proved very popular with the older children, Praise Paul and Ramailey Liko. Lots of fun and laughter could be heard. Children were given the opportunity to learn strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning.

Moana Playgroup has 15 children currently enrolled, with more new families still joining.

Ramailey Liko enjoying water play at Moana Playgroup.

Praise Paul (left) and Ramailey Liko (right) helping each other at Moana Playgroup.

Nelson/Marlborough, West Coast regional update

Special Education staff profiles and contact details

Nelson Office – Special Education staff

Below is an overview of the Special Education staff based in the Nelson office.

Christine Curnow - Service Manager, Special Education

Christine Curnow is the Service Manager for the Special Education team in Nelson. She manages a team of 19 specialists including psychologists, speech & language therapists, early intervention teachers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and advisors on deaf children and special education advisors.

Christine also manages the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) funding across the district.

Contact details for Christine:
Tel: (03) 539 1518
Mobile: 027 289 7471
Email: christine.curnow@education.govt.nz 

Blenheim Office – Special Education staff

Below is an overview of the Special Education staff based in the Blenheim office.

Rachel Patrick - Acting Service Manager, Special Education

Rachel Patrick is the Acting Service Manager for the Special Education team in Marlborough and Kaikoura until the end of June 2016, while Jill Ford is at National Office. Rachel’s professional background is as a speech & language therapist, and she is keen to continue building relationships in the Marlborough and Kaikoura area.

The Blenheim office is home to an early intervention teacher, an occupational therapist, psychologists, and speech & language therapists. A kaitakawaenga and advisor on deaf children regularly join the Blenheim team from Nelson.

The Marlborough and Kaikoura team’s office is based at 18 Stephenson Street, Blenheim.

Contact details for Rachel:
Tel: (03) 579 1874
Mobile: 027 289 7562
Email: rachel.patrick@education.govt.nz

Canterbury regional update

Director’s message

Kia ora koutou

What a busy couple of weeks it has been in Canterbury. I had the privilege of being part of the opening celebrations of the new Bishopdale Community Preschool at its new permanent location at Breens Intermediate. The opening of the preschool is another great milestone, not just for their community but for our city. This is a tribute to everyone’s hard work and now the tamariki and teachers can enjoy the fantastic building. See the story and photos later on in this newsletter.

Some staff from the Ministry of Education took the opportunity to attend a presentation about a Teaching and Learning Research Project, ‘Nurturing and encouraging young children’s identity, language and culture’. This is being undertaken with 2 early childhood services in Christchurch. Information about this exciting project can also be found in this newsletter.

One of our main priorities remains supporting you, your staff and the children enrolled in  your services. We contacted every early childhood service by email following the shake on 14 February, but unfortunately some contact details had changed and some of the emails did not get through. Please remember to notify our office if contact details such as phone numbers and email addresses are changed so that we can update our records. Changes in these details should be sent to: ECE.Canterbury@education.govt.nz

The impact of the recent quakes and the series of ongoing aftershocks may still be affecting some. We are here to assist you so please to do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further support.

Many of you will also be aware of the series of bomb threats schools have been receiving. The threats have been investigated by the Police and it is their belief that the threats have been generated offshore. While the threats have not been directed at early childhood services, this is a good time for you to review your emergency procedures to ensure that staff are aware of what actions they need to take should such a threat be made.

Finally, if you are applying to amend your licence please take heed of the following information. Service providers apply to the Ministry for any amendments to their licence using an Application to Amend an Early Childhood Licence form (EC/8). At times, we receive an EC/8 with a proposed effective date which has already passed, or it will pass before we are able to process the amendment. We are unable to backdate licences and the effective date must not precede the date on which the change is made. Therefore, we ask that if you have an amendment to be made it does not require a visit to the service. Also that you allow at least 1 week processing time between when the form is received in this office (including allowing time for this to be delivered to us if you are posting the form) and the date that you want the licence to be effective from. We usually are able to process licence amendments quicker than this, but 1 week will ensure that if any issues arises we have sufficient time to resolve these. No changes can be made to your operation before the effective date of the amended licence.

Again, thank you for your ongoing support.

Mā te wā

Coralanne Child
Director of Education for Canterbury
Tel: (03) 378 7345
Email: coralanne.child@education.govt.nz

Bishopdale Community Preschool – opens in its new permanent location

On Saturday 27 February, the Ministry of Education joined with the Hereora Learning Community Cluster to celebrate the opening of Bishopdale Community Preschool’s new whare. It is a tribute to the resilience of spirit and enormous persistence that 4 years after the preschool was forced to ‘temporarily relocate’ to Breens Intermediate due to earthquake damage they have finally found a permanent home.

The Hereora Learning Community Cluster’s vision is to ‘collaborate, inquire and aspire’. This is a true example of living your vision as the community came together to support the preschool during its time of need. Breens Intermediate has been pivotal and from the outset saw the opportunities to build a strong sense of community. The speeches held one theme – early childhood education (ECE) services and schools are the glue that holds our communities together. Together we plan for the education of our students as these are ‘our kids’.

The opening celebrations exemplified this as the deputy principal of the school and a teacher from the preschool jointly managed the barbeque for a sausage sizzle and the voices of the Breens kapahaka group sang the Hereora waiata.

For the last 15 years, Roberta Burt had been kaitiaki for a carving which represented Hereora made by students of the area. Hereora is the guardian of the puna/springs which bubble up in the local area and feed the streams. Roberta said that she had always intended to gift the carving to the school, but when she heard that a preschool was going to be built it felt right that it go to them as a representation of the link between ngā puna and the mokopuna of this community.

Roberta Burt (left) presents the carving to Sarah Straver (right) from Bishopdale Community Preschool.

Congratulations to the parents, whānau, committee member and teachers of Bishopdale Community Preschool.

Nurturing and encouraging young children’s identity, language and culture in the early years

The Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TRLI) seeks to enhance the links between educational research and teaching practices to improve outcomes for learners. The fund was established by the Government in 2003. One of projects is being undertaken in Christchurch, led by Keryn Davis with support from Ruta McKenzie as Co-researcher and Dalene Mactier as Research Assistant (CORE Education). It focuses on understanding how young children express their working theories about identity, language and culture. Associate Professor Sally Peters and Vanessa Paki (University of Waikato) are Research Associates. A description of the project can be found on the TRLI website.

Mapusaga A’oga Amata and North Beach Community Childcare Centre in east Christchurch are the research sites and the project involves teachers, children and families from both services. At the end of February the early childhood community had the opportunity to hear the team introduce the project and share emerging examples and ideas from the first year of this 2-year project. Fa’amavaega Saofai from Mapusaga and Deborah Rose, Rachael Vincent and Munira Sugarwala from North Beach described the benefits of working together as ‘sister’ services and the impact this is having on children’s emerging understanding of cultural identity. The teachers are capturing and analysing children’s expressions of their working theories about ‘self and other’, as well as teacher pedagogy which contributes to these outcomes. The final report on this project is expected to be available in mid-2017. For further information contact Keryn Davis at: keryn.davis@core-ed.org.

Otago, Southland regional update

Roles and responsibilities of Ministry staff across the Otago/Southland region

Kia ora koutou and warm Pasifika greetings.

Last week we welcomed Dr Hassan Ibrahim, the Regional Ministry Refugee Education Coordinator for the Southern region, to our office. He has been helping us to plan for the resettlement of the Syrian refugees. Hassan highlighted to us the importance of a whole family approach, where building the capacity of the parents as well as the children is key. Understanding language and local culture, and the ways families can be supported to engage with early childhood centres and schools, helps give parents confidence in their ability to support their children and is a key to successful resettlement. We have met with Penel Pask, a representative from the early childhood sector, and representatives from the Otago Primary and Secondary Principals Associations to discuss the extra support needed to assist with the education of the refugees. We expect the first group of around 45 people (less than 10 families) at the end of April.

We have 8 Communities of Learning (COLs) approved in our region in the Wakatipu Basin, Cromwell, Dunstan, South Otago, Gore, Fiordland and Northern Southland, Lower Mataura Valley and the Southern Area schools. Making connections with early childhood education (ECE) services is part of the education pathways focus of COLs. In a number of communities there are already connections between schools and ECE, but we want this extended within the COL context. The specific nature of ECE involvement in COLs is being explored and this will vary in different communities. We will keep you updated as developments progress. The sharing of transition strategies and making links between Te Whāriki and the New Zealand School Curriculum would be a great starting point for discussions.

This year, our key focus is on new ways of working and fostering transitions across educational pathways in our region. With new staff joining our ECE Team we have a wonderful opportunity to look at how we utilise the team’s strengths to support ECE development and practice. We have provided you with more of a team response with key contact leads as per the contact list below. If that person is not available at the time, other team members can and will assist.

	Kurt Chisholm (03) 471 5225  Mobile: 027 243 2915 Key contact for licensing regulations and new licensing services: Invercargill, Southland, Queenstown-Lakes and Central Otago
	Pip Laufiso  (03) 471 5202  Mobile: 027 051 1467 Key contact for licensing regulations and new licensing services: South Otago, Dunedin and North Otago
	Nikki Hosking  (03) 471 5227  Mobile: 027 705 6558 As of Term 2, key contact for all ECE and schools in Northern Southland, Central Southland and Western Southland (Kurt Chisholm will be back-up support for licensing regulatory)
	Natasha Munro  (03) 471 5218  Mobile: 027 248 5539 Key contact for Cromwell area for all ECE – Natasha is also the key contact for ECE Property Occupancy agreements on school sites
	Chris Cooper   (03) 471 5224   Mobile: 027 809 8573 Key contact for ECE playgroups in Dunedin and South Otago
	Ernie Mather:   (03) 471 5266   Mobile: 027 809 8422 Key contact for ECE playgroups in North Otago, Central Otago and Dunedin
	Robyn Powell:   (03) 211 8021 Key contact for ECE playgroups in Invercargill and Eastern Southland

ECE information (general) – Chris, Ernie, Robyn will be able to assist.

Managers:

	Mary Geary (Southland): (03) 471 5208  Mobile: 027-215-4143
	Kathryn Palmer (Otago):  (03) 471 5209  Mobile: 027-433-2126

Please contact me if you wish to discuss any issues or ideas. I look forward to hearing from you.

Ngā mihi mahana

Julie Anderson
Tel: (03) 471 5217
Mobile: 027 836 4846
Email: julie.anderson@education.govt.nz

Thousands of secondary school teachers take to classrooms throughout New Zealand each and every day.

What subjects do they teach? What kinds of professional learning have they completed? What are their future plans in the sector? These are just a few of the questions that will be asked in the 2016 Secondary Teacher Census.

Between 30 March and 22 April 2016, secondary teachers in New Zealand state and state-integrated schools who have taught at Year 9 or above at any point since 2013 have the opportunity to take part in the Census. This includes teachers currently working as relief teachers or who have moved out of secondary teaching.

The Census is designed to provide the education sector with up-to-date data on supply and demand patterns. A summary of the findings, including a snapshot of each subject, will be released in June and will enable teachers to see where their specialties may be most valued in the future. This is particularly important for subjects and areas currently in demand, such as maths, science, technology and Māori medium.

Adding your piece will help to create the big picture. Information packs will be sent to secondary school principals soon with an invitation for teachers to complete the Census.

It will take about 15 minutes to complete and is also available in te reo Māori. All information submitted as part of the Census is anonymous and cannot be linked to an individual or school.

Independent research company Nielsen is conducting the survey on behalf of the Ministry of Education and has designed the questions to gather the most valuable information while keeping it quick and easy for teachers.

The Census is a great opportunity for the secondary teaching community to add their piece and see where the profession is heading.

More information on the Census will be available in the next edition of the Education Gazette.

The new school site in Remarkables Park, Frankton means the Year 9 to 13 school will be able to expand its growing roll from around 840 to 1200.

Wakatipu High School will continue to operate from its current site until it moves.

The new facilities are being designed to allow future expansion that could cater for up to 1800 students on the site.

The new facilities will include a multipurpose theatre space, gym, specialist learning facilities, a dance studio, and a music rehearsal and recording studio. There will also be sports grounds for soccer, rugby and cricket and hard courts for netball and tennis.

Details of the design for Wakatipu High School are currently being finalised and the school has chosen to have an innovative learning environment.

Innovative learning environments include flexible learning spaces which can be adapted to suit different teaching and learning styles.

Wakatipu High School is one of four new schools to be built and maintained under the Ministry of Education’s second Public Private Partnership (PPP).

Site works will begin by the middle of this year, and actual construction by the end of 2016.

The Wakatipu High School community gathered to mark the start of construction on their new facilities.
Photo credit: Guillaume Charton.

The school has experienced problems with leaky buildings, and most of the existing buildings have reached the end of their economic life.

Ten new learning spaces will be built, along with a new administration block, library and resource room. Play areas and the carpark will also be upgraded.

The new learning spaces will support the creation of an innovative learning environment at the school.

This means the new spaces will be flexible, to support different ways of teaching and learning, and they will have high standards of acoustics, lighting, heating and ventilation. They will also feature the latest IT infrastructure to support digital learning.

Red Hill School principal Kathy Irvine says the school community is looking forward to a physical environment, which will support the aspirations of the community and its vision.

"The site provides a canvas for Innovative Learning Spaces sitting on the foothills of Pukekiwiariki with the Hunua Ranges beyond," she says. "As the full design emerges we hope to make the most of this."

"We consider ourselves very fortunate to be getting a new school and continue to work with all our partners to make the process one which has the needs of the students and their whānau at the forefront of the changes being made."

As part of the redevelopment, a satellite unit of Rosehill School, which caters for special education students, will also be established on-site.

The redevelopment of Red Hill School will be phased to minimise disruption, with construction of new buildings planned to begin in the second quarter of 2017.

Seven transportable classrooms will be located on-site for use during construction, with the project due to be completed in 2018.

Entries have more than doubled this year to over 200 and have come from 91 early childhood services and schools.

The Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards, which began two years ago, recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in early childhood education, primary and secondary schooling.

Entries will initially be reviewed by a panel of education experts, which will select up to four finalists in each of the four categories. They will also select the special focus education prize finalists, which this year is devoted to student health and wellbeing.

The final decisions will be made by a 10-person judging panel whose members include former All Black coach Sir Graham Henry and well-known businessman John Bongard. To assist in their deliberations, representatives from the judging panel will visit each of the finalists.

A ceremony to announce the winners will be held in Auckland on 13 June.

A Government interagency group has made this possible after employers asked us to look at increasing young people’s chances of employment. One way to do this is to provide an extra incentive for them to gain their licence.

The NCEA credits are not awarded in specific areas like literacy, but acknowledge the significant levels of varied knowledge and skill needed to pass driver licence tests.

Students can obtain up to 8 NCEA credits by passing tests for the Class 1 driver licence

Class 1 licences apply to cars, as opposed to heavier vehicles or motorcycles.

• A Learner’s Class 1 driver licence counts towards NCEA Level 1 (2 credits).
• A Restricted Class 1 driver licence counts towards NCEA Level 2 (4 credits).
• A Full Class 1 driver licence counts towards NCEA Level 2 (2 credits).

Our parents’ website has general information about how NCEA works.

Having a driver licence improves students’ future prospects

The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Development, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and the New Zealand Transport Agency worked together to provide this incentive for students to gain their licence.

People aged 16-24 are the biggest age group without driver licences, and yet certain industries, such as construction, are difficult to enter without one.

Having a licence can also enable people to engage safely in everyday tasks like travelling to job interviews, travelling to and from a job or training course, and providing safe transport for family.

Obtaining a Class 1 driver licence requires skill and commitment

Gaining a driver licence isn’t easy. In 2012, the Transport Agency introduced a Graduated Driver Licence system, which tightened the requirements for a Restricted Licence.

Obtaining a Graduated Driver Licence takes a minimum of 18 months. It involves a significant level of literacy, skill development, problem solving, and the ability to quickly make decisions that contribute to safe driving.

You must be at least 16 years old to take the first step and sit the learner licence theory test.

Go to the NZTA website to see the age limits that apply to each stage of the graduated driver licence.

Only enrolled students are eligible for NCEA credits

This covers senior secondary school aged students, and those enrolled in training programmes run by tertiary organisations. Go to the NZQA website for information about the class 1 driver licence standards.

Transport Agency agents will carry out the driver licensing tests as usual

Schools and tertiary education organisations will not conduct the tests themselves. The process and cost of sitting a test through the Transport Agency’s network of agents remains the same.

After passing a test, a student can show their licence (learner, restricted or full) to their school or tertiary organisation, who in turn reports the credits to NZQA. The credits will then be part of the student’s NZQA Record of Achievement.

NZQA will be working with schools and tertiary organisations to ensure this has a minimal impact on administration duties.

The credits will be carefully monitored

The Qualifications Authority and the Transport Agency determined the value of the credits involved. They will also carefully monitor the standards required for the tests, the number of credits obtained, and the number of licences gained. NZTA will continue to assure the quality of their network of agents.

There are a number of resources available to help students prepare for their licence tests

The Government provides a range of free resources to help learner drivers and their parents to prepare for their theory and practical tests.

You can explore these on the NZTA website.

They join the other workers in line for bacon and eggs, have decorated the lunch room with their works of art and are set to lend a hand planting thousands of trees.

The student’s efforts are part of a special partnership between Mangere Central School and the redevelopment of State Highway 20A in Auckland.

Principal Maria Heron says when she first heard about the road upgrade she was worried about possible disruptions to school life.

But after talking to the project’s NZ Transport Agency stakeholder manager, Kelli Sullivan, the pair came up with a plan to get the school community involved.

Students from Mangere Central School in front of the mural they created for the workers’ lunchroom.

"Right from the start, when NZ Transport Agency came to talk to us about the project, Kelli and I have worked closely together to make something positive of the disruption," Maria says.

"NZ Transport Agency got involved in the school’s strategic vision and how they could fit in with it, which threw up a lot of opportunities for us."

Kelli says she and Maria wanted to create exciting learning opportunities for students at Mangere Central.

Last year the school planned a lot of its curriculum around physical structures, bridges and infrastructure, so Maria says working on the highway project ‘ticked all the boxes’ in providing authentic learning opportuinities.

Eight students in particular have been readily involved in the project. Kelli says students were given the chance to apply for a job on site and were paired-up with a fully grown counterpart – from a mini health and safety officer to a mini construction manager.

"The students were inducted onto the site and given their own photo identification cards," Kelli says. “They are given specific monthly tasks, for example the stakeholder manager helped work on a neighbourhood barbeque to discuss the project with the community.

"The children love being involved. They have all gone from being shy and quiet to fitting right in with the rest of the team, they are great ambassadors for their school and community."

Students from Mangere Central School host a neighbourhood barbeque for the State Highway 20A project.

Kelli says the workers on site enjoy having the students around.

"They love it. To be honest I think that our workers get more out of it than the kids. For them it is like having their own children on site."

Because the students are under 18 there are strict health and safety rules when they are on site. As part of the project team the students have supervised access to site offices but are not allowed in construction areas. Luckily, due to the scale of the project, there are many vantage points and opportunities to interact directly with the workers.

Maria says both sides have tried to be good neighbours to each other and help each other in their work as much as they can

"They’ve helped us out a few times,” she says. “We were putting in a new garden so they sent over a few guys to put the boxing in for us. It was fantastic."

"On another occasion the workers discovered eels in an old drain. They stopped work and students were involved in the process of trapping and re-homing the eels in accordance with local iwi protocol."

Being involved in the project has shown the students many different career pathways, Maria says.

"One boy, who applied to be a mini-engineer, went up to one of the real engineers and said 'I really like Lego, can I be an engineer?'. He turned around and said 'that's how I became one'."

A lasting legacy of the partnership will be a man-made wetland across the road from the school, which students will help develop. After the project is complete the students will be the kaitiaki of this wetland.

Kelli says partnering up with stakeholders and being a good neighbour is something the NZ Transport Agency strives for on all their projects.

"The SH20A team are incredibly fortunate to be working right beside a school."