Amended 1.6.10
School boards (where their school has year 1–8 students) are responsible for ensuring their schools implement The New Zealand Curriculum and use the National Standards. Board members should be clear about:
Support | Self-review tool | Changes to NAGs | Reporting | 2011 | Further training
The Ministry of Education and the New Zealand School Trustees Association have developed National Standards professional development resources specifically for boards.
The Ministry contracts providers to provide cluster workshops to groups of boards, or one on one support to individual school boards that request it. This can be arranged through local Ministry offices. The workshops focus on understanding the standards, how the standards impact on planning and reporting, self review and the role boards play in guiding and supporting principals and teachers.They include information on:
The workshop content will be updated following the board elections in May. Training providers can also provide assistance to individual school boards that request it.
The Ministry has developed a self-review tool to support boards of trustees to implement the National Standards within The New Zealand Curriculum. This tool supports boards’ self-review processes and helps to inform strategic and annual planning. As they engage with the tool, boards will better understand how to use the National Standards and what their next steps might be to support the learning of in-school leaders, teachers, and students.
See 'Self-review tool for boards of trustees'.
Small changes were made to NAG 1 and 2, and a new NAG 2A introduced in October 2009. These are available at www.minedu.govt.nz/nags. The NAG2A requirements are phased from 2010 to 2012.
In 2010 schools need to provide at least two plain language written reports to students and their parents on students’ progress and achievement in relation to National Standards. Boards should work with their principal and teachers to ensure this is done.
They should work with their school community including students, parents, families, whānau and iwi, to understand what information they would like to see in school reports. School assessment systems and processes may need to be reviewed to ensure they can provide the information and data to support school planning for 2011.
Schools can choose what format to use for reports. Reports could include:
More guidance about school reports can be found in 'Reporting to parents, families and whānau'.
Before setting goals and targets for student progress and achievement in relation to the National Standards in your 2011 Charter, boards may need to consider; with their principal and teaching staff:
You can use these questions to identify any shifts in practice and/or professional learning that might be needed as your school uses the National Standards. These shifts can then be identified in your Annual Plan with strategies developed to ensure the required changes are made.
The Ministry of Education funds a range of training and support services for boards of trustees. Information about the training and support the Ministry funds and how your board can access it can be found on the Ministry’s website.
Published on: 10 Nov 2009
