Statement of Government Policy Relating to Teaching Council Functions
Pursuant to section 482(1) of the Education and Training Act 2020 (“Act”), I hereby issue to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa (“Council”) the following Statement of Government Policy in relation to its functions under section 479(1). Section 482(5) provides that the Council is required to ‘have regard to’ this Statement of Government Policy.
I have consulted with the Council prior to issuing this Statement as required under section 482(2).
The Coalition Government is putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of the education system so that every child can achieve to the best of their ability and gain skills and qualifications to support them into further study and employment.
We recognise that fundamental changes are required to turn around declining achievement statistics. To achieve this, we have set six education priorities:
1. Clearer curriculum: Establishing a knowledge-rich curriculum grounded in the science of learning.
2. Better approach to literacy and numeracy: Implementing evidence-based instruction in early literacy and mathematics.
3. Smarter assessment and reporting: Implementing consistent modes of monitoring student progress and achievement.
4. Improved teacher training: Developing the workforce of the future, including leadership development pathways.
5. Stronger learning support: Targeting effective learning support interventions for students with additional needs.
6. Greater use of data: Using data and evidence to drive consistent improvement in achievement.
We have set the ambitious target of reaching 80 per cent of Year 8 students achieving at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths by December 2030. These priorities are focused on lifting achievement and meeting this important target. These priorities are inclusive of those students learning through te reo Māori, so that they achieve at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau.
Improving teacher training, including leadership development pathways – Priority Four
The quality of teaching is the most important in-school factor influencing educational outcomes. We need to enable teachers to excel, consistently, in their practice, and to be supported to succeed. Our current settings do not provide the right level of specificity in expectations for teachers and leaders about the key components of highly effective teaching and learning, nor do they deliver consistent pre-and in-service training and development, or provide sufficient ongoing regulatory oversight of quality teaching.
Recent research highlights the variability in competence and confidence in classroom practice, pedagogy and content knowledge of new teachers1. This aligns with recent concerning data and evidence about student achievement, but also impacts on workforce retention and teacher supply.
Our vision is to raise the quality and status of the teaching profession, attract and retain great teachers to address teacher supply issues and support all students to achieve success.
One of the ways we will do this is through the provision of high-quality training opportunities that consistently set teachers up to excel in the classroom, no matter where they train, what type of programme pathway they choose, or what school they end up working in as a provisionally or fully certificated teacher.
The Government has committed to a work programme to develop the teaching workforce of the future with five focus areas:
Attraction and retention of quality teachers underpins all five priorities.
The Teaching Council currently has legislative responsibility for functions directly related to aspects of each of these priorities. To help deliver on its education priorities, this Statement focuses specifically on what the Government considers important in the Teaching Standards, Principal Standards, and ongoing regulatory oversight to meet system needs.
The Teaching Council also has legislative responsibility for functions related to initial teacher education (“ITE”). I intend to issue a separate SoGP relating to ITE in early 2025.
The Teaching Standards underpin some of the key elements of the regulatory system enabling quality teaching outcomes. They are a critical lever to direct the focus of Initial Teacher Education (“ITE”) programmes, registration, and ongoing certification requirements and professional learning and development focus areas.
The Government wants to strengthen ITE to ensure the system consistently delivers confident, capable graduates into the workplace and sets teachers up for success early in their careers.
The Government considers this can be achieved through Teaching Standards that better align to our education priorities, as reflected in the eight policy priorities outlined below.
The Government acknowledges that in having regard to this Statement, the Teaching Council will need to ensure that the Teaching Standards remain appropriate for newly certificated and overseas teachers who will be required to meet the Teaching Standards with support. This recognises that these teachers have not yet had the opportunity to demonstrate they can independently meet the Teaching Standards.
The Government notes that the current Teaching Standards are applicable to all teachers across the early learning and schooling sectors. In any new or revised standards, the Government acknowledges that the Teaching Standards will need to remain responsive to the needs of teachers across all settings. This may be through clear and distinct callouts within the Teaching Standards where elements apply specifically to certain sectors, for example, the requirements of curricula and curriculum frameworks in early learning and compulsory schooling.
The Government also acknowledges that the Teaching Standards sit alongside the Code of Professional Responsibility (Our Code, Our Standards). Although this Statement does not directly cover the Code, it recognises that the two documents complement each other and that any changes to the Teaching Standards may need to be reflected in the Code.
Aligning the Teaching Standards with the Government’s priorities for curriculum will set clear expectations for effective teaching and give consistent direction to the sector regardless of what setting someone teaches in.
The Government’s view is this is best achieved by:
The Government is establishing a knowledge-rich curriculum for the schooling sector that is grounded in the science of learning. The updated curriculum will set out what to teach during each year of schooling (from years 0–13) and the evidence-based teaching and assessment practices to use to make sure every child develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies they need to progress and succeed.
The Government’s view is this focus is best achieved by:
To set teachers up to deliver the curriculum priorities outlined above, it is the Government’s view that the Teaching Standards should emphasise literacy and mathematics and te reo matatini and pāngarau requirements.
The Government’s view is this is best achieved by:
The Government recognises that children and young people have diverse learning needs. It has a priority focus on better responding to the needs of all learners and their whānau to ensure all students can progress and succeed and expects the Teaching Standards to reflect this focus.
The Government’s view is this is best achieved by:
The Government considers that the Teaching Standards should reflect a clear focus on responding to behaviour effectively and supporting a positive learning environment.
The Government’s view is this is best achieved by:
The Government is committed to giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Government considers that having high aspirations for all learners and delivering equitable progress and achievement outcomes for Māori students, should be a priority for all teachers that is reflected in the Teaching Standards.
The Government’s view is this is best achieved by:
The Government believes that assessment for learning and aromatawai are vital to quality teaching and monitoring progress.
The Government’s view is this is best achieved by:
The Government considers relationships as critical to quality teaching and successful student outcomes.
The Government’s view is that this is best achieved by:
The Government has a vision for a high-quality and effective leadership system across all stages of the principal pathway. It is undertaking a work programme to achieve this vision with an initial focus on aspiring principals.
To support this vision, it is the Government’s view that professional standards, that are used for the purpose of certification or registration for principals, are appropriate.
The Government’s view is this is best achieved by developing Principal Standards that reflect the unique role and additional skills, knowledge, and responsibilities of a principal above that of a teacher. It is important this includes a focus on both the leadership and operational elements of the role, including:
In alignment with the Teaching Standards, the Government’s view is that giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi would be best achieved through a focus on achieving equitable progress and achievement outcomes for Māori.
The Government is aware that there are existing ‘Standards for Principals’ that are set out in the relevant collective agreements, and any new Principal Standards, if developed, should avoid contradiction with other guidance principals are subject to. The Government therefore supports heavily drawing from existing professional standards included in collective agreements as the basis for any new Principal Standards.
The Government considers that any newly developed Teaching and Principal Standards will be more effective if appropriate regulatory oversights and supports are in place.
The Government recognises that strengthening or increasing requirements and processes for certification and registration requires availability of resources such as PLD and increased monitoring, and that the Teaching Council does not have access to all of the levers required to do this work. The Teaching Council holds a key regulatory lever in ongoing quality teaching, training and development once teachers are in the workforce through its requirements for registration and certification. The Government is committed to working with the Council to deliver stronger regulatory system settings.
The Government considers it will be important to consider any potential impacts of new standards and any strengthened regulatory settings on those who seek employment as a teacher in New Zealand through all avenues including overseas teachers and those on a Limited Authority to Teach.
It is the Government’s position that the transition from provisional to full certification could be strengthened to address the current inconsistency of support and mentoring experienced by beginning teachers, and this could be best achieved by:
3.1 Any new requirements would need to be developed in consultation with the profession, and the Ministry of Education, to ensure these requirements are fit for purpose and feasible to implement, taking into account system resource constraints.
It is the Government’s position that ongoing oversight of the teaching workforce could be strengthened, and this could be best achieved by:
It is the Government’s view that more fit-for-purpose regulatory settings for relief teachers could help to alleviate current supply pressures facing the workforce and this could be best achieved by:
This could include creating a specific relief teacher practicing certificate category or scope of practice with more relevant requirements than a full practicing certificate, with appropriate limitations.
1. Ready, set, teach: How prepared and supported are new teachers? Education Review Office. April 2024. Fit for purpose: Teachers’ own learning experiences and lessons about standardisation from the health sector. NZIER (2024). Pāngarau Mathematics and Tauanga Statistics in Aotearoa New Zealand Royal Society (2021).
2. National Curricula refers to national curriculum statements and foundation curriculum policy statements issued under section 90 of the Act, which make up the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and the curriculum framework for early childhood education refers to Te Whāriki as the early childhood curriculum under section 23 of the Act.
3. This recognises that some schools are not required to follow the New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. For example, Charter schools and Private schools are required to develop and deliver a curriculum for teaching, learning and assessment that has regard to any statement of national education and learning priorities, and that meets tuition standards at least equivalent to those at State schools of the same year level.