Advice On Charters and Annual Reporting
Submission of charters has created unintended problems for many principals and we recognise that the process may be seen as undermining of self-management and local decision making. The NZPF executive has thus resolved to offer some advice which may assist you in achieving a compliant charter and distinguishing the difference between what is necessary for compliance and what is ministerial advice for you and your board to discuss.
Secondly, annual reporting is not far away. A second section of advice is offered to help you prepare for your annual reporting cycle.
School Charters
The Education Act is clear about what you must include in your Charter in order for it to be deemed compliant. Click here to access the Education Act 1989, refer section 61 and section 60A (1) (ba).
The Ministry of Education website provides a useful charter checklist which you can use to make sure you have covered everything. You can access the checklist by clicking here.
Some of you have reported receiving feedback from Ministry staff which is confusing and you are unsure whether you are expected to make alterations to your charter or not.
• The Ministry advises that if you did not collect data against national standards in 2010 you do not have to provide progress data against national standards in your charter
• If your charter has been deemed noncompliant, seek clarity from your Ministry Office to identifyin which aspect(s) your charter is not compliant in respect of the Education Act (above)
• According to the response you will either amend your charter, if you agree with the Ministry’s judgement, or provide evidence that supports your Board’s position.
• Although you are obliged to assess all students in relation to national standards in reading writing and maths, there is no specificity in the Act about the number of targets in relation to national standards that you must include in your charter although you must include one.
• Nothing precludes you from setting targets for reading writing and maths that are not referenced to national standards.
• You are strongly encouraged to maintain the integrity of the NZC and include targets that reflect the wider curriculum and your school’s priorities.
• If your charter has been deemed compliant, you need take no more action.
• Feedback received on compliant charters is for you and your Board to discuss. They may include advice on ways in which you could strengthen or improve your charter, but you are not required to act on them.
NZPF is interested in receiving copies of any non-compliant charters and accompanying Ministry correspondence in order to pursue your concerns with the Secretary for Education. Please direct these to me at pauld@nzpf.ac.nz or mail them to the postal address below.
Annual Reports
NZPF encourages principals and Boards to do their own thinking about the format and content they use for reporting requirements. As you prepare your annual report you may wish to think about how to present your data. In particular note that it will be possible for a journalist to access your reports under the OIA and create league tables from the data. Below are some questions you may wish to think about:
• Will you report your school data in tables or in words?
• Will your school report on the proportions using proper fractions, decimals or percentages or a mixture or will you use graphs?
• Will your analysis of variance be separate from the data, or will it include the data and the analysis in related paragraphs?
• Will your document be sent as an editable Word document, as a PDF, or in hard copy? We recommend posting hard copy only.
It is suggested that:
• Schools reflect their own context and their own community
• You meet the Act’s requirements but resist the temptation to over-report.
• You consider reporting in general terms about progress, actions and explanations.
Schools are required to forward four copies of the school’s annual report to the Ministry of education by 31 May.
Below is a checklist of Annual Report requirements which appears on the Ministry website.
1. Analysis of variance.
2. National Standards school-level data (for applicable schools).
3. List of board of trustee members and the dates they go out of office.
4. Statement on Kiwisport funding.
5. Remuneration statement (included in financial statements).
6. Financial statements attached (all pages - please check).
7. Statement of Responsibility signed and dated.
8. Audit report (not the management letter) signed and dated.
Naku Noa
Paul
Submission of charters has created unintended problems for many principals and we recognise that the process may be seen as undermining of self-management and local decision making. The NZPF executive has thus resolved to offer some advice which may assist you in achieving a compliant charter and distinguishing the difference between what is necessary for compliance and what is ministerial advice for you and your board to discuss.
Secondly, annual reporting is not far away. A second section of advice is offered to help you prepare for your annual reporting cycle.
School Charters
The Education Act is clear about what you must include in your Charter in order for it to be deemed compliant. Click here to access the Education Act 1989, refer section 61 and section 60A (1) (ba).
The Ministry of Education website provides a useful charter checklist which you can use to make sure you have covered everything. You can access the checklist by clicking here.
Some of you have reported receiving feedback from Ministry staff which is confusing and you are unsure whether you are expected to make alterations to your charter or not.
• The Ministry advises that if you did not collect data against national standards in 2010 you do not have to provide progress data against national standards in your charter
• If your charter has been deemed noncompliant, seek clarity from your Ministry Office to identifyin which aspect(s) your charter is not compliant in respect of the Education Act (above)
• According to the response you will either amend your charter, if you agree with the Ministry’s judgement, or provide evidence that supports your Board’s position.
• Although you are obliged to assess all students in relation to national standards in reading writing and maths, there is no specificity in the Act about the number of targets in relation to national standards that you must include in your charter although you must include one.
• Nothing precludes you from setting targets for reading writing and maths that are not referenced to national standards.
• You are strongly encouraged to maintain the integrity of the NZC and include targets that reflect the wider curriculum and your school’s priorities.
• If your charter has been deemed compliant, you need take no more action.
• Feedback received on compliant charters is for you and your Board to discuss. They may include advice on ways in which you could strengthen or improve your charter, but you are not required to act on them.
NZPF is interested in receiving copies of any non-compliant charters and accompanying Ministry correspondence in order to pursue your concerns with the Secretary for Education. Please direct these to me at pauld@nzpf.ac.nz or mail them to the postal address below.
Annual Reports
NZPF encourages principals and Boards to do their own thinking about the format and content they use for reporting requirements. As you prepare your annual report you may wish to think about how to present your data. In particular note that it will be possible for a journalist to access your reports under the OIA and create league tables from the data. Below are some questions you may wish to think about:
• Will you report your school data in tables or in words?
• Will your school report on the proportions using proper fractions, decimals or percentages or a mixture or will you use graphs?
• Will your analysis of variance be separate from the data, or will it include the data and the analysis in related paragraphs?
• Will your document be sent as an editable Word document, as a PDF, or in hard copy? We recommend posting hard copy only.
It is suggested that:
• Schools reflect their own context and their own community
• You meet the Act’s requirements but resist the temptation to over-report.
• You consider reporting in general terms about progress, actions and explanations.
Schools are required to forward four copies of the school’s annual report to the Ministry of education by 31 May.
Below is a checklist of Annual Report requirements which appears on the Ministry website.
1. Analysis of variance.
2. National Standards school-level data (for applicable schools).
3. List of board of trustee members and the dates they go out of office.
4. Statement on Kiwisport funding.
5. Remuneration statement (included in financial statements).
6. Financial statements attached (all pages - please check).
7. Statement of Responsibility signed and dated.
8. Audit report (not the management letter) signed and dated.
Naku Noa
Paul
