The ebb and flow of political change, inevitably, affects our schooling system. New governments bring new policy changes. As stewards of our schools, principals front the new policies, examine them, seek input from their communities, and apply their own knowledge and experience to predict whether the policies can achieve what politicians intend.
Some policies will present benefits for tamariki achievement and will be warmly embraced and applied. Some will not. To convert policies into opportunities that will shape a brighter future for our students, takes commitment and dialogue from both the policy makers and ourselves. Politicians must understand that the only way our tamariki will succeed is by working with us.
Together with our regional leaders, NZPF established six principles by which we can assess government policies. These six principles are a litmus test for asking whether policies are giving effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi; designed for equity of outcomes; agreed through consultation with government and the sector; resourced appropriately; relevant to present societal expectations and provide the skills for tamariki to participate in their future world of work; giving effect to inclusiveness and cultural appropriateness.
When policies affirm our principles, they are likely to be well received. There is just one more requirement. That is to ensure our principals and teachers are given the necessary professional learning and development to embed policies.
Leadership support and professional development are often overlooked. High-performing schools thrive under visionary, well-informed leadership, yet the support structures and professional development opportunities for principals in Aotearoa New Zealand have been notably neglected. The Tomorrow’s Schools’ Review promise of a Leadership Centre, a hub for systematic leadership support and development, remains unfulfilled.
Establishing a Centre for Principal Leadership is a focus for NZPF this year. Inspired by successful models abroad, our call is for a paradigm shift. An online, government-funded Centre for Principal Leadership could serve as a transformative space, fostering a community of leaders who mentor and support each other. The foundations have been laid with the introduction of our Principal Leadership Advisors (PLAs), who are all current principals, and who support individual principals, clusters, and Kahui Ako. The Leadership Advisory has also developed a formal ‘Principals’ Induction Programme’, to support all principals who take leadership of a new or different school. An induction programme is a practical and welcome addition, filling an important gap in leadership support.
Professional learning and development (PLD) is another challenge; there is no oversight, no coordination, no framework, and inequitable access for rural and small schools. Whilst the few Ministry offerings may be quality assured there is no such quality assurance system for private providers.
There is however, an opportunity for a Centre for Principal Leadership to develop a comprehensive system for PLD, including a framework, oversight, and quality endorsement for all leadership PLD. Such a system would allow principals to continually upskill and map their own leadership career pathway, in a supported way. NZPF is eager to begin discussions with our new Minister, Hon. Erica Stanford, on establishing a Centre for Leadership.
An important role of every principal, is leading the curriculum in their schools. Principals are the leaders of their schools’ national and local curricula and best equipped to advise on curriculum design, assessment, content and how to teach. They understand the diversity of learning patterns, how young people learn best, and how to evaluate what has been learned. There is an opportunity to foster a collaborative environment where principals and policymakers work together to create a curriculum of high-quality content and appropriate assessment to measure progress that indicates next steps for learning. NZPF is well placed, as the professional body of over 2,000 school principals, to commit to this work, and calls on the government to actively engage with us, so that together we can create the best curriculum and assessment system that meets the needs of all ākonga.
Principals are also calling for systemic changes to the resourcing and accessibility of learning and behaviour support in their schools. If Principal PLD has been an issue for a long time, learning and behaviour support has been a failure point for much longer. Meanwhile, the number of ākonga in need of additional support with their learning and behaviour, has escalated. High-needs students necessitate high-level resources – from educational psychologists to teacher aides – if they are to have any success in their learning. Principals are the frontline. They are best placed to identify the challenges and actively propose solutions to address the neglected needs of students requiring additional support.
The tides of change in Aotearoa New Zealand’s educational landscape lay bare a complex yet opportunity-laden setting for school principals. Navigating these waters demands a collaborative and forward-thinking approach. Challenges must be met with resilience, and opportunities seized with a visionary mindset. The role of school principals extends beyond managing day-to-day operations; it involves actively shaping the future direction of education. School principals and the Government can together chart a course towards a more equitable, innovative, and resilient education system for all ākonga. With challenges come opportunities, and it is our collective responsibility to embrace these opportunities and navigate towards a brighter educational future. Our policy makers have a responsibility to do this with us.