2010

NEW ZEALAND CHILDREN AMONGST HIGHEST ACHIEVERS IN OECD - 9 December 2010

A report released yesterday shows New Zealand children’s achievement is amongst the highest in the OECD, ahead of Australia and the UK and well ahead of the US, demonstrating that the government’s determination to pour endless resources into the introduction of a ‘national standards’ system is completely misguided, says Ernie Buutveld, President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF).

ERO Report Does Not Show Schools Support National Standards

A report on 80 schools, representing 3.6% of all primary and intermediate schools, does not necessarily reflect support for National Standards says Ernie Buutveld, President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation.

The report claims that 27 schools are well prepared for National Standards and 47 have preparation underway.

“I would expect all schools to be giving due diligence to achievement, assessment and reporting and within this context learning about the National Standards. In the process schools have found them wanting”, says Buutveld.

Boards and parents key to limiting National Standards damage 3 November 2010

The New Zealand Principals’ Federation says it is heartening to see the growing number of boards of trustees now recognising how the current National Standards can cause harm to children and taking a stand against them.

It is urging more parents and boards to get in behind the independent network, the ‘Boards Taking Action Coalition’, which includes urban, rural, high, medium and low decile schools in all regions of New Zealand.

Sector group too little, too late 12 October 2010

The New Zealand Principals’ Federation has declined an invitation from the Minister of Education to join a newly formed National Standards sector advisory group, saying participation is a waste of time until the Minister accepts that the system is flawed and in need of complete revision.

The invitation states, “The group will discuss ways in which to support schools to continue with the implementation of standards.”

Stop dragging out old data and get back to the table so we can get it right together 17 August 2010

New Zealand‟s Principals are dismissing claims by the Education Minister that 80% of schools are „working well‟ with National Standards and are again asking her to engage in meaningful dialogue with the sector to get the standards right.

Special Needs Students not getting Support Hours they need 5 June 2010

Independent research commissioned by the Special Needs Action Group and the New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF), has found that schools are dipping into their own funds, and staff and parents are volunteering their time to cover the learning and socialisation of special needs children.

NZPF executive member Paul Drummond said, “The allocation of teacher aide hours when students are verified as eligible for Ministry fundingis far less than what they actually need and this is especially noticeable for high needs children”.

Ministry Funding well short for special needs children, says NZPF 4 February 2010

The New Zealand Principals’ Federation says the Prime Minister John Key is misleading the public, by saying that opposition to the National Standards has come only from teacher unions.

“That is a complete myth, and one which the Prime Minister is conveniently using to detract the focus from the real debate on National Standards which urgently needs to take place,” says NZPF President Ernie Buutveld.

Call for Government to ‘stop, look and listen’ in the face of National Standards dangers 11 August 2010

New Zealand School principals say they’re saddened that the Government has resorted to once again attacking the profession as it defends its failing National Standards system.

Call to Minister to get back to table as principals work to 'make sense of the senseless' 9 August 2010

Parents need to know that the current National Standards system won't deliver the outcomes the government is promising - and that the standards in their current form will likely do more harm than good to New Zealand children and schools.

Partnership with sector crucial if Standards issues to be resolved 2 August 2010

New Zealand’s school principals are disappointed that the Minister of Education does not appear to want to get the NS system right via a meaningful partnership with principals and teachers.

“We have already presented to the Minister some of the information on the flaws in the Standards, and have offered to provide full details once the framework for a meaningful partnership to address the flaws is agreed,” says NZPF President Ernie Buutveld.