The Ministry of Education has announced some significant changes to the way schools, Kahui Ako, kura and their leaders conduct planning and reporting.
Coming into effect from January 1st 2023, it’s going to mean some clear forward planning – here’s what you need to know.
What is changing in the Education and Training Act 2020?
The Education and Training Act 2020 includes a new set of planning and reporting requirements that all schools will have to fulfil. Specifically, this includes:
- Preparing a three-year strategic plan, that schools have to re-submit to the Secretary for Education every three years.
- Consulting your community (parents, whanau, teaching staff, learners and relevant community groups) when creating the strategy.
- Creating, every year, a plan for implementing that strategy (schools don’t need to submit this one).
- Creating annual reports for the school (which include board and financial statements)
This isn’t a reinvention of the wheel – but it is more work and strategic planning than many school leaders may be used to!
Why is the Ministry focusing on strategic planning?
Here at Springboard, much of the early work principals do in their journey focuses specifically on strategic leadership. It’s a viewpoint – and a skillset – that some school leaders haven’t always focused on, but it plays a critical role in the functioning of a school and community.
A good strategic plan, done in consultation with the students, parents whanau, staff, community and board, creates a cohesive blueprint for progress that applies to everyone. It helps schools know where they are, where they want to be and what needs to be done to get there.
The government notes that strong planning and reporting are critical elements of creating good impacts in schools and classrooms. They shape a school’s priorities and processes, helping them stay aligned to their own long-term goals as well as the National Education and Learning Priorities.
How can schools improve their strategic planning and reporting?
For schools who have worked with Springboard Trust before, the government’s focus on strategic planning will sound quite familiar. Since 2007, we have been supporting schools to improve their leadership, planning and stakeholder engagement with the end goal of improving outcomes for students.
We’ve honed our work immensely in the last 14 years, with supporting workshops, tailored rural teaching principal development and a unique cross-sector model that gives school leaders the help they need.
It’s great to see one of our focus areas shine through at a policy level – and we’re here to support any school that needs assistance with its planning and reporting.
