Section
Advertorial
Physical education and sport are about more than just teaching skills or running laps – they are about giving every student the opportunity to move, play, and belong. For teaching staff, planning PE lessons that meet the needs of diverse classrooms can be challenging. Inclusive sport plays a vital role in strengthening school culture. It […]
PASL is seeing an increase in principals receiving a “Letter of Expectation” from their Board. These letters are not officially formal warnings, but they often set out purported wrongdoing and what the Board expects of the principal going forward. While a Letter of Expectation can be an appropriate tool, it can also have real employment […]
Let’s say your new ERO report is generally positive, but it includes a line like: “Inconsistent teaching quality across classes.” Colour coding aside, that’s enough to worry a parent and, as you well know, some will make an appointment to see you about it. Others will just arrive unannounced. With recent changes to ERO reports […]
The principal is the thermostat of the school, not the thermometer. A mentor doesn’t just teach you how to read the temperature; they show you how to set it to ‘hope’ when the halls feel cold. Todd Whitaker, 2011 Whilst tucking into my hot cross buns and awaiting Cyclone Vaianu, I am reflecting on how […]
The NZCER National Survey of Schools has shown that only 18% of teachers in primary settings have any level of interest in becoming a principal in the future. The survey also shows that the longer someone is in a teaching role, the less likely they are to aspire to become a principal. Growing new leaders […]
Jo Grant is the founding principal of Te Rau Horopito, one of New Zealand’s newest schools. Fresh off an exciting stopover on her leadership journey, having helped set up UHub in Upper Hutt, Jo is exhilarated by the unique possibilities of starting a school while the community it’s set to serve grows alongside it. Haere […]
Ireland’s current primary school curriculum : a significant year for Irish education – and . With the long-standing 1999 curriculum now being phased out, there have been a number of in-service days for teachers to prepare them for the changes ahead. So what exactly is changing, and what will it mean for children in primary […]
At our final board hui of 2025, my newly elected board voted to formally write to Education Minister Erica Stanford outlining why we will continue to give effect to Tiriti o Waitangi. Our reasons were expressed as follows: Our Board represents a kura of 330 tamariki – 51 per cent of whom are tamariki Māori. […]
When something goes wrong at a school, it rarely happens at a convenient time. An incident occurs. Parents start asking questions. A journalist rings. Staff are looking to you for direction and this often happens before all the facts are known. In those moments, the pressure isn’t just to respond, but to respond quickly. What […]
All NZPF members who join Principals’ Advice & Support Limited (PASL) can get legal advice on any matters affecting their employment and relationship with the Board as their employer. Do you have a tricky issue? Employment issues can arise unexpectedly, and it can take time to build relationships with new Board members. Remember that as […]
Woodville is a small rural town nestled at the northern end of the Tararua Range. It’s not so remote now the new Te Ahu a Turanga section of State Highway 2 is open – it’s now the gateway to Tararua, Hawke’s Bay, and Wairarapa from the central North Island. In any case, it still classifies […]
As Editor of the NZPF magazine, Liz Hawes has been tireless in highlighting the harms a neoliberal agenda brings to education and the benefits of collectivism so that schools and tamariki can thrive. Her wisdom, values and writing skills will be greatly missed – E mihi ana ki a koe e te mareikura. In her […]
