Minister Hipkins, in speaking to the Principals' Federation Conference this week, said that the great challenges for the last thirty years have been the promotion of competition, and choice.

As someone whose educational career has spanned both the last thirty years and a considerable period before that, I can understand how he sees that these two elements have had more influence on the development of the network than was intended.

I can also see that choice is an important human right for parents seeking an education in a faith or special philosophy based school. Maintaining that choice while managing the state network is important.

Prior to 1989 and the implementation of Tomorrow’s Schools, pupil enrolments were contained within zoned areas around their local schools. Good schools were not magnets for enrolment and competition happened on the sports field.

The last thirty years has seen an increase in advertising, marketing and developing perceptions about the quality of schools which may not all have a basis in fact. Much of that activity has diverted schools from the key work of delivering quality teaching and learning.

Professor John Hattie says that the greatest difference in education outcomes occurs between classrooms and not between schools. It is time to put the focus on to what makes the greatest difference in outcomes and that is the quality of teaching and learning in each classroom.

The discussion on choice needs to note the way schools have been subject to decile flight and socio-economic weighting. That is the problem. What would be dangerous for state integrated schools would be for the discussion about choice to have a negative focus on the right of parents to choose a faith or special philosophy based education as part of the State’s provision for inclusion and diversity.

Ngā mihi nui,

Paul Ferris, CEO

SCHOOL PAYMENT REQUESTS

School payment requests may vary from school to school but there is no charge for education at a state integrated school for domestic students aged 5 – 19 years.

Proprietors of integrated schools may charge attendance dues, which are enforceable, but the level of these must not be greater than the amount approved by the Minister of Education and published in the New Zealand Gazette.

All requests for other payments should indicate clearly that they are a donation and accordingly are voluntary in nature.

There can be no interest charged for unpaid attendance dues, purchases of goods and/or services – unless parents agree to purchase goods and services they will not be liable for payment.

Click here for more information.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CONSULTATION

Education Conversation | Kōrero Mātauranga - The Ministry have extended the online survey deadline to 31 October. Click here to fill it in.

Congratulations to teachers Myra Fidow, Marian College and Lui Lorenc-Lafou, Bishop Viard College, who were invited to be on the expert teacher group for the implementation of Tapasā, the recently published Cultural Competencies Framework for Teachers of Pacific Learners. They will do good work there, we are sure.

Kavanagh College, Dunedin: has added agribusiness to its school curriculum after it became part of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) this year.

John McGlashan College and Columba College, both Dunedin: have collaborated and delivered an agribusiness course across both school campuses.

Click here to read more via the Otago Daily Times.

Congratulations to integrated schools that received awards in the Big Sing National Finale 2018 Awards

Bronze Awards

• Schola, Baradene College of the Sacred Heart, Auckland
• Animoso, Bethlehem College, Tauranga
• Viva Camerata, Rathkeale College & St Matthew’s College, Masterton
• Sings Hilda, St Hilda’s Collegiate School, Dunedin
• Con Anima, St Patrick’s College, Wellington

Silver Award

• Con Brio, Villa Maria College, Christchurch

Recordings of some of the performances are available on YouTube, click here.

Congratulations to Caritas on this important report, which follows on from annual reports since 2014. It is of significant interest to schools and could be a valuable teaching resource. Click here to visit the Caritas website to download the report or contact Caritas for a hardcopy.

ALSCO IS PROUD TO BE THE INDUSTRY LEADER IN EMPLOYMENT

Alsco believes that by genuinely valuing and taking an interest in our people it enhances their engagement with their work, delivers long term benefits for our team and grows our business.

We offer higher wages, guaranteed hours of work, overtime rates, better conditions, regular pay reviews, family friendly hours, employee assistance programmes, fair employment practices and safe work conditions.   We strive to be a workplace that people want to be part of and where their safety and wellbeing is a priority.

Alsco fosters a culture of learning to provide opportunities for our people to participate in education, training and development throughout their career with Alsco. Alsco invests significantly in our people, we view our teams as long term assets well worth nurturing. 

More than 25% (199) of our workforce have been with Alsco for 10 years or more. 

For more information check out our website www.alsco.co.nz.

In recent years Alsco has committed to apprenticeships in our largest plants.  These are a mixture of adult apprenticeships and also fantastic opportunities for younger people to learn a trade that will equip them for life.

“I previously worked in the Service team at Alsco in Auckland for 8 years, then an opportunity for a Trade Assistant with the Engineering team became available. I was like a moth to a flame, and now I am more than 3 years into an Engineering Apprenticeship with Alsco.  Looking into the future is exciting. Technology is changing rapidly, and engineering is changing faster than ever. 3D printing is available now, so rather than wasting materials with machining operations such as milling and turning, the 3D printing will only use as much material that is required to produce the product. This is much more sustainable and will soon become a cost effective process that I would like learn about and utilise in the future.”

MATT COMPTOM, Apprentice