The Minister of Education launched a new and informative webspace for parents and whānau today, designed to help them support children’s learning at home and strengthening the relationship between families and schools

What is the new webspace and what does it include?

The Parent Portal is an online platform that provides parents and whānau with easy-to-use resources and tools to support their child’s education at home. It allows them to work in partnership with their school or kura and to keep informed about what their child is learning, by including:

• Year-by-year Curriculum Learning Guides: parent-friendly versions of both The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (For TPM) detailing what children are learning, why it’s important, and when they’ll be learning it.

• Practice activities: activities that parents and whānau can use to support their child’s learning at home, such as phonics cards with audio files to model correct sounds.

• Informative videos and resources: videos explaining new assessments like the Phonics Checks and Hihira Weteoro, which help identify additional support a child might need, and resources to help parents prepare for the first day of school and parent-teacher interviews

The Parent Portal can be accessed here:

https://www.education.govt.nz/your-childs-learning

Why is it important?

This new webspace aims to create a more transparent and supportive educational experience for both students and their whānau. It is designed to support every child’s learning journey by offering tools and resources that make it easier for parents and whānau to help with their education, at home and at school.

It enhances communication between parents, whānau, teachers and schools , ensuring everyone is on the same page about student progress. Additionally, it provides parents and whānau with the knowledge and resources needed to actively participate in their child’s education, meaning they can complement it with learning at home and have meaningful conversations with teachers.

How will schools and kura benefit?

• Engaged and informed parents and whānau can play a crucial role in supporting the education of their child, which in turn benefits schools by creating a more supportive, collaborative, and effective learning environment.

• Parents and whānau can now better support their child’s learning at home, reinforcing what is taught in school, and supporting their children to make progress in line with the National Curriculum.

• Strengthening relationships and partnering with parents and whānau can lead to improved academic outcomes for children.