Principal News

With the elections completed, aside from the counting of special votes, it is safe to assume that the National Party has a mandate to form a coalition government. 

So what does this mean for education?  I have reviewed the National Party policy statement "Teaching the Basics Brilliantly". Keeping in mind that through the negotiation period with the coalition partners, this may change, but this is what is being proposed.

• An hour each on reading, writing and maths every day 
• Minimum requirements for what schools must teach every year in reading, writing, maths and science 
• Regular standardised assessment and clear reporting to parents 
• Better training and more tools to support teachers 

An hour each on reading, writing and maths every day 

This year we have made substantial changes to our timetable. All Year 7 and 8 classes have technology at the same time, allowing for math and literacy to be taught simultaneously. This also allows for math and literacy extension and support programmes to happen. Maths happens for Year 7 between 9:30 and 10:30 and for Year 8s between 11-12pm. At the same time, the literacy time is reversed for each group.

We do this four days per week, allowing Fridays to have other important learning opportunities such as Taiopeka, electives, dance and music groups and assemblies.

Minimum requirements for what schools must teach every year in reading, writing, maths and science 

National will rewrite the curriculum to include clear requirements about the specific knowledge and skills primary and intermediate schools will need to cover for each school year in reading, writing, maths and science.  

Without more detail, this sounds like a return to National Standards.  Anything that assists a teacher in knowing what they have to teach should be of benefit, but this pledge could be the most problematic....

Regular standardised assessment and clear reporting to parents 

Assessment is critical to good teaching and learning.  The standardised assessment tool that the new government is proposing is one that we use regularly throughout the year.  They have pledged to have a significant overhaul of the software, which will be very important.  The software has been good for identifying school-wide trends in learning, but it worries me that individual results can swing wildly from one test to the next and back again.  Hopefully, a new and improved programme will ensure that the information you receive accurately reflects what your child is capable of.

Perhaps one interesting aspect to come out of this policy will be a "common reporting template".  If you are of my generation, you may remember a time at primary schools when we all had the same report format.  Schools spend a lot of time consulting, creating and tinkering with their reports to ensure parents get the necessary information.  In my short time at Tahuna, we have made small changes every year to the report format.  A common report format will eliminate this issue, but will it provide parents with the necessary flavour that makes each school unique and values their differences?

Better training and more tools to support teachers

As a Normal or training school for young teachers, this is an area that we are passionate about. We fully support anything that provides better training for young teachers and the teachers who are currently employed.

None of these pledges, as currently proposed, will cause a significant change in how we teach and students learn, but as always, in these sorts of situations, the devil will be in the details.  Whatever happens, we are committed to doing the best job possible for your child's education and will work constructively with the Ministry of Education to achieve this.

Nga mihi nui

SImon Clarke

Principal