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Supporting teachers and kaiako with impactful professional learning and development 

18 September, 2024

We know quality teaching makes the biggest difference for learners and that teachers and kaiako need high impact professional learning and development (PLD) at every stage of their career.

That’s why new opportunities and important changes are coming for PLD in Aotearoa New Zealand as we focus on strengthening our system, so it is clear, coherent, and consistent.  

The absence of a nationally consistent approach to PLD has limited the ability to monitor and understand the impacts PLD is having at both the regional and system level while also making the system complex, fragmented and difficult for teachers and kaiako to navigate. 

Changes are coming to address these issues and in turn support the Government’s education priority four – improved teacher training:

Education priority four

 

What you can expect

  • There will be no new regionally allocated professional learning and development (RAPLD), and most of the current RAPLD delivery will be complete by the end of 2024.
  • We’re focusing PLD opportunities on the Government’s priorities for education. We’ll start by supporting the workforce to implement changes to the national curriculum and use structured teaching approaches.  
  • We’re introducing enhanced measurements into PLD initiatives so we can be confident they make a difference and allow us to effectively target PLD investment. 
  • We’ll gather data to show shifts in teaching practice across the sector, the ability of leaders to support and maintain shifts in practice, and student and ākonga progress and achievement. 
  • Leadership, equity and inclusion will continue to be addressed through our PLD offerings.
  • The new PLD system will give more immediate effect to Government priorities for teacher training. 

 

Structured maths and Rangaranga Pāngarau 

In August, the Government announced a plan to tackle declining maths achievement:

Government transforms maths education | Beehive.govt.nz

The Make It Count Maths Action Plan accelerates the mandatory use of the refreshed mathematics and statistics learning area from the New Zealand Curriculum and the pāngarau wāhanga ako from Te Marautanga o Aotearoa for Years 0-8. These will now come into use from Term 1, 2025.

As part of the Maths Action Plan, the Government announced that $20 million will be invested in PLD and other resources to support the new structured maths and pāngarau curricula roll out and lift student and ākonga achievement. 

  • Maths and pāngarau PLD will be delivered by skilled facilitators to model the best teaching practices for use in the classroom, backed by local support from the Ministry’s regional Curriculum Advisory Service. 
  • This facilitated PLD will be available throughout 2025 and 2026 to help meet your school and Kāhui Ako needs. 
  • \More information, including how to register for this PLD, will be available on Tāhūrangi and our PLD website. 
  • You will be able to request this PLD from 4 November 2024.

 

2025 maths and pāngarau curriculum days 

The Minister of Education has approved two dedicated maths and pāngarau curriculum days for 2025 to support Years 0-8 teachers and kaiako as they start to embed curriculum content from the start of next year. 

The purpose of these days is to: 

  • Provide Years 0-8 leaders and staff with protected time to participate in PLD, focused on understanding the updated Year 0-8 maths or pāngarau curriculum and teaching practice expectations.
  • Grow their knowledge, capabilities and confidence using the curriculum. 

You will have flexibility over when in 2025 your school and kura closes for these days, with parents and caregivers to be given at least a term’s notice of the actual closure dates decided on. Because schools and kura are closed, it also means relief teachers can participate in PLD.  

Further information will be provided on how to access maths and pāngarau PLD and how to book facilitators to support the curriculum days. 

Maths and pāngarau curriculum days were announced as part of the Make It Count Maths Action Plan, and details about these days and support available will be released in the coming weeks. 

 

PLD for structured literacy and Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā (structured pānui and tuhituhi)

  • The first cohort of Years 0-3 kaiako is already receiving new PLD in structured literacy approaches. Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā will follow soon. The second cohort starts receiving PLD in Term 4. 
  • Applications for the third cohort of structured literacy Years 0-8 open on 23 October 2024, and PLD will start in Term 1 2025.    
  • These PLD opportunities for structured literacy and Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā will be ongoing throughout 2025 and 2026, offering schools and kura multiple opportunities to engage. 
  • Early in 2025 we will offer PLD to develop the in-school leadership that will support schools to embed and sustain structured literacy approaches and targeted and tailored supports.

 

PLD for assessment and aromatawai

PLD to support assessment and aromatawai practices, data literacy and the use of standardised tools will become available in 2025. 

  • The Ministry funded PLD offering for using e-asTTle will be expanded to include those settings delivering through te reo Māori. 
  • Support will be provided for administering Te Waharoa Ararau and Progressive Achievement Tests in 2025. 
  • This PLD offering will also support the use of the phonics check.  

 

Teacher-only days 

Schools and kura will have an opportunity to consider the final learning area and wāhanga ako materials, alongside other resources focused on English, maths, Te Reo Rangatira and pāngarau during their fourth curriculum and assessment teacher-only day (TOD). This day is scheduled to be held between Monday 21 October and Friday 15 November 2024. 

Alternatively, schools and kura can use this day to cover one of the required three days of structured literacy approaches or Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā. Schools who are not involved in the new structured literacy or Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā PLD, should use the time to cover the material focused on maths and pāngarau curriculum implementation within the original timeframe to minimise disruption to whānau. 

 

In addition to the PLD and other supports, we will support maths and pāngarau and literacy and te reo matatini through the following: 

  • Literacy, te reo matatini, maths and pāngarau targeted support will be available for secondary schools from Term 4 2024. Schools will be chosen based on their co-requisite results and information provided by regional teams.
  • Resources and online learning opportunities through Tāhūrangi.
  • A Curriculum Advisory Service to provide curriculum expertise. The Ministry-led service will work alongside you and your leaders to support the implementation of a national curriculum and to build capability.
  • For more information on PLD, visit the PLD website here:
  • A new Curriculum Newsletter will be out 23 September. Stay up to date and subscribe to the newsletter here: