An Election Year Philip Harding
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation
The grey-bearded wise ones who advise me have all been launch in 2015. quick to suggest that Wellington is great on a good day, and even Given the work that many schools have completed in recent better in an election year. In case you haven’t been listening, this is years adopting and shaping their practice in line with the tenets of an election year, and we already have the policy announcements the various Best Evidence Syntheses, this seemed reasonably well to prove it. Apparently election years bring the treats out. aligned. I was quickly disavowed of any such notion as colleagues It started with a request to attend a policy announcement in emailed me expressing their outrage at the news, pointing out Auckland at short notice, where various sector group leaders that it did not address the out of school factors that make raising were locked in a room with all their cell-phones confiscated, to achievement so difficult for many schools. be briefed by the Minister of Whether we liked it or not, Education on a policy called, So – we know that the world is far the money was on the table, Investing for Success. This the challenge ahead was to less than perfect, and indeed it is and briefing was timed to more or inform and shape a model that less coincide with the Prime scary to see how hard things are can make a difference. Minister’s “state of the nation” Dr Cathy Wylie’s book, Vital address which was happening to change and to fix. Connections, was well received in a West Auckland business last year for its analysis and forum, and which would serve to make the news public. evidence of the impact of Tomorrow’s Schools. Dr Wylie argues It was hard to take it in. We heard about the creation of new that schools have become somewhat isolated and competitive, positions for school leaders, including executive and change and the cost of that has been a loss of collaborative and shared principals, and expert and lead teachers. We learnt that there practice. Chapter Ten suggests that some structural change is would be money for teacher inquiry, and a teacher-led innovation needed, and proposes the creation of “districts”, not unlike those fund would be created. In addition – and for me this was the to be found in Canada, where collaboration is managed and most astonishing part – there would be consultation about the supervised by new leadership roles. detail, as it was recognised that this was very broad brush, and Peter Hughes’s comment at the launch was that “this becomes a there would be challenges and subtleties that had undoubtedly lever for changed practice in schools, without structural change”. been missed. In total, a package of $360m, to roll out over four So – Boards survive into the future. years, was put squarely onto the table. There have been other signs of structural change already. That last promise offered relief for me, as it meant that any Learning Change Networks have been established in multiple questions or reservations should quite properly be parked, and settings and regional contexts, and are proving successful. The await the meeting of the working party which was to be formed NZPF Māori Achievement Collaborative is based on co-operative immediately and start its work – in order that the proposal could clustering for a common purpose, and in Canterbury, Learning
Community Clusters have been directed, based on geography, right down to specifying which schools should work together. The Greens then launched their response, and it was a totally different tack. School based hubs, new child-care and early childhood education centres, parent support and guidance, and all for just $90m. This policy promised a coherent and managed approach to the known challenges of poverty, with funding to ensure that hubs were properly led and managed. A couple of days later and it was Labour’s turn to pronounce on the state of the nation. Their approach talks about resourcing young families to ensure the “Best Start” possible for all children. There was some confusion to begin with around who would be eligible, but the intent was clear – a significant chunk of money would ensure that all young children were well assisted for their first five years. With the announcement last December that the number of children living in poverty in New Zealand is now well above 265,000 – that’s enough children to fill Eden Park more than five times – it has to be welcomed to see someone acknowledge this national disgrace, and move to act. Whenever I talk to a principal from South Auckland and ask about their biggest challenge- it is always the impact of poverty. So – we know that the world is far less than perfect, and indeed it is scary to see how hard things are to change and to fix. My simple wish as I consider these three proposals is that we get it all – the support for early childhood, the co-ordinated in-school approach to support those most vulnerable, and the opportunity to really develop useful and meaningful collaborative partnerships of shared and de-privatised practice. Enjoy the year!
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Resources to help you provide a safer EOTC experience
Be AdventureSmart and Know Before You Go
Contribute to New Zealand’s Outdoor Safety Culture
Think Mountain Safety for free outdoors resources
The AdventureSmart website provides tips, links and advice to help you plan and prepare for any outdoors activity safely. On land, snow, water, boating or in the air – you can be sure to find helpful info for any level of ability. Use the free tools to complete your outdoors intentions and tell someone your plans.
The National Incident Database (NID) is an easy to use incidentreporting format that meets health and safety legislation requirements. It’s free to register and use and all organisations who submit data remain anonymous, retain ownership of their data and have access at any time.
If you are involved in EOTC then visit the MSC’s website for helpful information and resources. Pamphlets, information sheets and posters are available free of charge and books, DVDs and equipment are available for purchase at educational rates. Check out the free Outdoor Safety Code short films.
www.mountainsafety.org.nz
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