My recent visit to Pōneke | Wellington was a truly rewarding experience, meeting the leaders of the organisations that support schools in Aotearoa.

This tour has offered me valuable insights into the broader educational landscape. What stood out most was how fortunate we are at Waihī Beach School, particularly in our readiness to adapt to the refreshed curriculum and our focus on well-being.

A huge part of our strength lies in our four-year commitment to Structured Literacy. This proactive approach means we're ahead of the curve and incredibly well-prepared. I want to send a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated kaiako who have invested their own time in extra university study, all while teaching full-time, to truly master and implement our literacy programme. Their hard work is making a real difference.

It's clear that all schools are working incredibly hard to support learners with challenging needs. These needs are increasing in both number and complexity, and it's a challenge that truly requires a community approach. We are so fortunate to have our Hauora space, and our incredible kaiako there who are specialists in emotional regulation. They do an amazing job supporting our tamariki to understand and manage their emotions, building essential self-awareness skills. A big thank you to our Board of Trustees for having the foresight to invest in the mental health and wellbeing of our tamariki – it's foundational to their learning.

Sport NZ research found that on-task time increased by 5 hours when we integrate physical activity into classroom time! And that students who continued sport participation from childhood to adolescence had 66% lower odds of absenteeism. We have already benefitted from the Tū Manawa fund allocated by Sport BOP and Sport Waikato, which funded the in-ground trampolines that are a feature in our playground to provide seniors with more challenging and creative play.

Discussions in Wellington also highlighted the significant shortage of teachers across New Zealand. While we are well supported by high-quality relievers, finding kaiako willing to take on the full-time, demanding, yet incredibly rewarding workload of primary teaching remains a challenge.

Discussions in the capital also touched on the tension surrounding Government budget announcements and their implications. The Minister described a 'learning and behaviour support budget,' and we eagerly anticipate this provision being allocated in a timely manner that schools desperately need.

Ultimately, the visit reinforced the importance of working together. System-wide data shows an urgent need for improvements in resourcing for learning needs, attendance, mental health, and overall achievement. As a school and community, our continued collaboration is key to achieving great outcomes for our tamariki. Thank you for your ongoing support!

Our group met with...

● Erica Stanford, Minister of Education & her officials.

● Lesley Hoskins, CEO of the NZ Teaching Council.

● Ellen MacGregor-Reid, Acting Secretary for Education, Pauline Cleaver, Acting Deputy Secretary, & Jerome Sheppard, Chief Executive for School Property. (MOE)

● Gregor Fountain, Strategic Engagement Manager of Sport NZ | Ihi Aotearoa

● Leanne Otene, President, New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF)

● Stephanie Mills, National Secretary & Ripeka Lessels, President of NZEI Te Riu Roa Union.

● Belinda Webber - Chief Advisor Governance: New Zealand School Boards Association (NZSBA)