Term 3 APPA Pānui

Welcome to the Term 3 Pānui.

Thank you to everyone who attended the WAGS, Council and / or lunch last week. Whilst navigating the churning waters of our profession, it was inspiring to see so many positive and energised people. Your hard work, though often unseen, is the bedrock of our education system, and it is a privilege to stand alongside such a group of leaders. 

APPA TTPA ASB Fellowship Awards
Every year, the APPA TTPA ASB Trust awards two Principals a fellowship. We are delighted to announce that the two recipients are:

• Louise Doyle: Beyond Their Walls: Specialist Schools as Inclusion Catalysts
• Caroline Bush: AI in Education - Potential and Pitfalls

We look forward to hearing the outcomes presented at the Term 3 lunch in 2026.

Thank you to the Trust Committee, Chaired by Alison Spence, for their time and commitment to the appointments process.

Congratulations – Iain Taylor, ONZM for Services to Education
APPA would like to acknowledge and extend congratulations to Iain Taylor on being recognised for significant Services to Education.

Iain has dedicated over 30 years to a career in school leadership, starting as a principal at Lake Rotoma School in the Bay of Plenty. He later served as the principal of Ponsonby Intermediate School before taking on the role of foundation Principal for the United College of Southeast Asia Elementary School in Singapore.

In 2008, he became principal of Manurewa Intermediate School. At the time, the school faced numerous challenges. He spearheaded a transformation, upgrading learning spaces, increasing staff and student engagement, and placing a strong emphasis on academic achievement. Today, Manurewa Intermediate has one of the highest attendance rates in the country.

Beyond his work as a principal, Iain has also held leadership positions in several Auckland and national Principals' Associations, and served as an executive member for Oceania-Pacific on the International Confederation of Principals. He is currently a member of various advisory groups for the Ministry of Education.

Congratulations, Iain, on an incredible and well-deserved achievement.

NZPF Conference – APPA Social
APPA are looking forward to attending the NZPF Conference in Wellington (8-10 September). For those who are attending, APPA will be hosting a social event on Sunday, 7 September. To book a suitable venue and arrange catering, please complete this quick form to RSVP.  

APPA Social RSVP

Learning Support Survey 
See below for the Learning Support WAG update, but just in case you miss it. We encourage you to complete the Learning Support Survey to provide the WAG with the evidence they need to advocate on your behalf. 

APPA Learning Support Survey.

Nga mihi nui 

Lucy Naylor 
APPA President 

The APPA Learning Support Working Group was thrilled with the outcomes detailed in Budget 2025.  Whilst many of the new initiatives and increases signalled are yet to see light within our schools, the intent and commitment to some of our most vulnerable children is welcomed.  We now await the details that will underpin the impact of Budget 2025 in our schools.

We are keen to keep the pressure on the government and are now focused on gathering data in the following areas;

• Readiness for School
• With numerous schools reporting that many new enrolments are not ready for school, citing toileting and personal care issues, we are keen to gather data to understand the extent of this issue better.
• Transition to School
• Whilst the Minister has signalled the Early Intervention Service will now extend until a child turns  6 years of age, is this enough?  What are schools experiences with the EIS?
• LSC Rollout
• We are delighted to hear that by 2028, every school in the country will have a funded LSC, but what does this look like, and when will the details of the rollout be released?
• Increase in ORS allocation.
• Once again, we welcome an increase in this valuable resource; however, what pressure will this put on mainstream schools, knowing that our Specialist Schools are full and have long waitlists?
• Increase in Teacher Aide Hours
• Providing more teacher aide hours will have a positive impact on many schools.  However, unless the MoE’s contribution is increased or moved to an FTE allocation, we worry that this may place schools under a financial burden, as most schools have to top up funding by almost $16 per hour.

We would appreciate your support by completing the following brief survey.  The data gathered through this survey will assist us, as we continue to advocate on your behalf.

Please click on this link to access the APPA Learning Support Survey.

The Workforce and Leadership Working Groups met jointly for a valuable session with Deputy Secretary Anna Welynk and MOE Principle Analyst, Natalia Xie, who presented updates on national workforce data and upcoming initiatives aimed at strengthening the education workforce.

Summary of Discussion:

• Key insights were shared from the latest workforce analysis, highlighting regional pressures and progress in supporting teacher supply. The group was particularly encouraged by the proactive developments underway to address sector needs, including structured leadership pathways and targeted training support.

Key Points for Advocacy

• Aspiring Principals Programme: Due to launch in 2026, this initiative (led by Tim White) will provide a funded pathway for experienced Deputy Principals into principalship. The APPA executive, earlier in the year, engaged with this work and will continue to support clear entry criteria and equitable access for Auckland schools.
  
  

• SOTP (School Onsite Training Programme): In 2025, 68% of SOTP undergraduates gained employment at their placement schools. With 530 funded places opening up in 2026,  students will receive $21.5k in support, and host schools will receive approximately $2k per student.  The WAGS supports continued investment and expansion of this model.
  
  

• Go Rural Isolated Placements Fund: A welcome initiative offering $4,000 grants to 123 final-year students to support rural or isolated teaching placements, helping to address workforce needs in harder-to-staff areas.
  
  

• Demand and Supply Insights: The newly released Teacher Demand and Supply Report 2024 outlines key pressures. A more granular approach to Auckland—dividing the region into three workforce zones—is being developed to support tailored solutions.
  
  

• Clarifying Misconceptions: While teacher attrition is real, Natalia shared data that highlights the incoming and outgoing teachers for Auckland. The data surprisingly helped to dispel the myth that large numbers are exiting for Australia.
  
  

Next Steps

• The WAGS  will continue to be responsive to the data and feedback from its members. We thank you in advance for completing future surveys. We thank Anna, Natalia, and the Ministry team for their transparency and commitment to strengthening our workforce, and look forward to progressing these collaborative efforts. We also sincerely thank Deidre Alderson, Director of Education, for her attendance and ongoing support. She affirmed her commitment to taking forward several of the questions raised during the WAG sessions and will work through Te Mahau Auckland to ensure information and updates are shared back with schools.

Issue 1: Curriculum as a Political Tool / Big Picture - Where are we going?

Discussion Points:

• The current landscape of education policy in New Zealand often experiences shifts with changes in government, leading to instability and a lack of long-term strategic direction. 
• Challenges for schools, impacting curriculum implementation, resourcing, and the sustained well-being of principals and staff.
• There could be an opportunity to collaborate directly with the New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF) to advocate for a more stable and coherent approach to education policy.
• The establishment of cross-party agreements on key educational priorities. 

The discussion around working alongside NZPF was that:

• We can leverage our collective voice to impress upon political parties the critical importance of a stable, evaluated, and accountable education system. 
• Cross-party consensus would provide the certainty schools need to flourish, allowing principals to focus on strategic leadership and pedagogical excellence, ultimately benefiting every child in Aotearoa.

As with all discussions around curriculum, we had more questions than answers.

• The refreshed curricula are coming and will be implemented in 2027. Are these curricula grounded in rigorous research and proven best practices?
• Will these new curricula provide stability and allow schools to plan and implement initiatives with confidence, knowing they won't be abruptly abandoned?
• Will we get clear, transparent mechanisms for evaluating the effectiveness of these curricula over time, with accountability frameworks that ensure curricula deliver their intended outcomes for all learners? This includes regular, independent reviews of curriculum impact.
• Will we get a commitment to adequate and consistent funding models that support long-term educational goals, rather than be subject to annual political fluctuations.

Issue 2: Implementation of Curriculum Change

Discussion on:

• Clarifying SMART/PAT Assessment Alignment: 
• The ongoing challenge schools face in effectively using existing standardised assessment tools like Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) and the new curriculum's 'progress outcomes' and the Ministry's proposed 'SMART' descriptors (Needs Support, Progressing Towards, Proficient, Excelling). 
• Seeking clarity on best practices for triangulating different data sources.

• Who is Writing the Other Curriculum Areas? 
  • More clarity from the Ministry about the process and timeline for developing and releasing the updated content for the remaining learning areas. 
  • Who are the writing teams or advisory groups writing the new curriculums?
  • Will the process incorporate feedback from previous consultations to ensure the new content is practical, knowledge-rich, and culturally responsive?
    
• Where Are We At with the New Standardised Mathematics Assessment for Year 2 Students?
• We need an update on the rollout, administration of these Year 2 specific tests. 
• Some of the concerns raised:
• the logistics of administering the test.
• how the results will be used to inform teaching and reporting. 
• what support will be available for teachers and schools.

Thank you to those who completed the staffing survey. Below is a summary that will support data and evidence gathered by the Workforce WAG so that APPA can clearly articulate the realities faced in your schools.

A summary of the APPA Staffing Survey, completed by 191 APPA Principals in Tamaki Makaurau.

CURRENT VACANCIES

80% (15) of Principals reported 0 or 1 current vacancy. However, Principals expressed low confidence in being fully staffed for the remainder of 2025, indicating that even with seemingly low vacancies, filling them is challenging, or principals are creatively filling positions.

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

Quality of Applicants:

• Principals stated that "many, many overseas applicants whose written English is not that good" and who have "no understanding of the NZC".
• The quality of applicants is frequently described as "poor," and there's a strong sentiment that there are "not enough availability of good quality people," especially NZ-trained teachers.
• Some principals feel forced to employ "completely unsuitable” teachers due to the lack of suitable options.

Suitable Applicants per Position:
The distribution of suitable applicants per position (considered for interview) was:

• 7% (13 Principals) of positions received no suitable applicants.
• 35% (65 Principals} received 1 suitable applicant.
• 29% (54 Principals) received 2 suitable applicants.
• 15% (28 Principals) received 3 suitable applicants.
• 3% (5 Principals) received 4 suitable applicants.
• 2% (4 Principals) received 5+ suitable applicants.

Staff Retention:
Principals stated that teachers are leaving the school was;

• Pursuit of leadership roles
• Pursuit of part-time or job-share roles
• Relief teaching (CRT) - teaching without the workload
• Overseas opportunities and travel

Recruitment Agencies
In 2025, 24% (45) Principals had accessed recruitment agencies. Several principals reported using these agencies but mentioned high costs associated with them.

Overseas Teacher Recruitment:
22% (41) of Principals had recruited teachers from overseas.

Board Contribution for Additional Staffing Over Entitlement:

• Less than $50,000: 26% (50 schools).
• $50,000 - $100,000: 16% (30 schools).
• $100,000 - $150,000: 10% (18 schools).
• $150,000 - $200,000: 6% (12 schools).
• $200,000 - $250,000: 3% (6 schools).
• $250,000+: 2% (4 schools).

RELIEF TEACHER SUPPLY

66% (113) Principals described finding relievers as "extremely difficult" or "difficult" (unable to find adequate relievers more than 50% of the time, or 50% of the time, respectively).

Strategies for Covering Classes:

• senior leadership/principal covering classes (162 responses),
• loss of CRT (120 responses),
• use of Kahui Ako non-contact time (53 responses),
• specialist/support classes (78 responses),
• PRT release (85 responses).

Increased CRT days are noted to have "soaked up" relievers and part-time staff, making them harder to find.

PRINCIPAL WORKFORCE

• 69% (130) Principals stated they “love their job’
• 37% (72) Principals feel "overwhelmed, burned out, and unable to sustain the workload"
• 55% (103) Principals stated that, in 5 years, they look forward to doing the same role or leading a bigger
• school
• 34% (63) Principals stated that in the next 5 years, they would seek roles outside of education
• 11% (20) Principals were undecided or retirement age

CONCLUSION

A positive sentiment among principals is their love for the job, which is overshadowed by a pervasive feeling of

unsustainability and burnout.

The key workforce challenges include.

• A severe shortage of quality, New Zealand-trained teachers
• Ongoing difficulties in retaining experienced staff,
• A critical lack of relief teachers.

These issues collectively lead to compromised educational environments and place immense pressure on school leaders, necessitating urgent systemic intervention.

Update on Assessment and Aromatawai Tool

What it is

SMART is a new online and printable assessment tool for students in Years 1-10.

Key Features:

• The tool is currently under development, with content being built from scratch and some items adapted from e-asttle.
• The Ministry of Education (MOE) will be responsible for creating items that align with the NZC and the Māori medium.
• The goal is to have 600 calibrated items per year level, per domain, to allow for an increasingly comprehensive adaptive testing experience.
• The test items will be culturally and contextually appropriate for Aotearoa

Implementation & Use:

• Year 3 – Year 8; schools can choose to use either SMART or PAT or easttle (noting this will be decommissioned in 2027)
• Year 0-2; 20 and 40 Week phonics, and next year, math checks, which will be completed at the end of the full second year of schooling.
• SMART will integrate with all student management systems (SMS).

Rollout Timeline:

• It will begin being used for Years 1-8 in Term 1 2026.
• e-asttle can still be used in 2026 but will be decommissioned in 2027.

Reporting: The new tool will offer both e-asttle-style reporting and new, more comprehensive reports to support learning.