This past fortnight has seen two announcements that effect us here at Addington Te Kura Taumatua - Ka Ora Ka Ako (Healthy Lunches) and Structured Literacy.

Ka Ora Ka Ako

I was dreading what this week might bring in terms of whether we will still be able to offer our ākonga free and healthy lunches. I am please to say that we will be able to continue offering this hugely important service with Ministry support as we currently do through to 2026.

Press Release...

Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise.

“We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money with respect,” says Mr Seymour.

“All students currently receiving a lunch through the programme will continue to receive a lunch at school for significantly less cost to taxpayers.

“The Healthy School Lunches Programme will continue, alongside a new targeted programme for up to 10,000 two-to-five-year-olds in early learning services.

“I am pleased to announce there will be a new targeted programme to provide food to 10,000 two-to-five-year-olds who attend low-equity, not-for-profit, community-based early learning services, funded using the cost savings found in the lunch programme.

“The first 1,000 days are key to a child’s development. I am proud this government can innovate to help even more children who need it,” says Mr Seymour.

Budget 2024 provides $478 million of funding for the school lunches programme. Funding an interim model which will be put in place for 2025 and 2026 while a full redesign of the programme is implemented, based on commercial experience, data, and evidence.

“In the meantime, there will be no change to the school lunch programme for primary learners in years 0 to 6 that currently receive a taxpayer-funded lunch. An alternative provision model will be established for years 7 and up.

“The alternate provision model will use the government’s significant buying power to save money on food, give schools more flexibility on what they provide, and significantly reduce wastage. It also means parents and students can choose to make their own lunch.

“Because of the fiscal cliff left by the previous government, we have had to fund an interim solution for 2025 and 2026 in an environment of extreme fiscal restraint to ensure we do not leave children and their families in the lurch.

“Through innovation and embracing commercial expertise, we’re delivering a better programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million per annum compared to how Labour funded it.

“The previous government conditioned people to believe that the only way to show your love as a government is to spend more money and employ more people. We think getting improved outcomes for all New Zealanders is better and those things are not always connected.

“Students will receive nutritious food that they want to eat. It will be made up of the sorts of food items thousands of mums and dads put into lunch boxes every day for their kids – forget quinoa, couscous, and hummus, it will be more like sandwiches and fruit.

“This improved school lunches programme is an example of how this government is committed to providing New Zealanders with better public services while spending less of their money.”

Students at schools receiving taxpayer-funded lunches will also continue to be supported by the Kickstart Breakfast and Fruit in Schools programmes.

For the remainder of 2024, the school lunches programme will remain as is with all current contracts and commitments in place. Current lunch provision for Years 1-6 learners will continue until the end of 2026.

Structured Literacy

We have been on a school wide journey with Structured Literacy for 3 years. Our junior school already teach reading with a Structured Literacy approach with 3 teachers trained in BSLA.

Our whole teaching team have been having training in delivering The Code - a structured literacy approach that focusses in on spelling patterns.

This governement announcement will mean we should be better resourced with tragetted funding to support professional learning and the purchasing of resources to strengthen and build on current teacher practises and in turn continue to raise student achievement.

Press Release

Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

“Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that just 56 per cent of Year 8 students are at the expected level for reading, and just 35 per cent for writing,” Ms Stanford says.

“Domestic and international evidence shows this method is the most effective way of equipping children with strong reading skills that are critical for their futures.

“A number of schools in New Zealand are already teaching structured literacy and have experienced significant improvements in student achievement. I want all children to have this opportunity.

“That is why, beginning in Term 1 2025, all state schools will teach reading using the proven structured literacy approach.

“Structured Literacy is about getting back to basics and teaching children to read by using sounds and phonics to understand words.

“This Government has set an ambitious target of getting 80 per cent of Year 8 students to curriculum level by 2030, and teaching structured literacy is a critical part of how we plan to get there.”

The rollout includes a $67 million commitment as part of Budget 2024 to support:

• Professional development on structured literacy for teachers.
• Books and resources for schools and teachers.
• Introducing phonics checks to assess student progression.
• Additional support for students that need it.

“Structured literacy goes hand-in-hand with our requirement for schools to teach an hour a day of reading, writing and maths, as well as implementing a curriculum that is rich in knowledge and clear about what students should be learning and when.

“Today’s funding announcement ensures teachers will receive the training, support and resources they need to deliver this.

“Our teachers are amazing and we are supporting them to deliver improved outcomes in reading and writing.”