News release

15 Comments
23 October 2009
National Standards the key to lifting achievement

Prime Minister John Key will today fulfil a major election promise with the launch of National Standards in reading, writing, and maths for primary and intermediate schools.

"We have a strong mandate from parents and we are delivering for them," says Mr Key, who will launch the standards with Education Minister Anne Tolley at Glen Taylor School in Auckland today.

"National Standards will lift achievement levels for New Zealand children, and will give parents plain English reporting on their child's progress."

The standards provide clear signposts for teachers and parents on how students are achieving in literacy and numeracy. 

"As many as one-in-five students are being left behind. We need to identify those students early so they get the help they need to make progress.

"The Government is providing $36 million over four years to support schools in doing this.

"Parents want, and deserve, clear information on how their children are doing at school. Parents can't help if they don't know there is a problem in the first place.

"Under National Standards, schools will report to parents twice a year from 2010.

"In order to succeed, our children must have the very best educational opportunities.

"National Standards will help realise those opportunities."  

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#1 - Grant Philpott 2009-10-23 18:24 - (Reply)

Until the government understands that we no longer have an education system, nothing will change. What we have now is an academic industry. Academics have overrun education. Teaching now produces students that are either failed academics or academics to perpetuate the academic industry. As a teacher aide I watched these academics floundering in the classroom when faced with students who did not conform to the autistic academic mindset. Later, as a qualified secondary school teacher I despaired at the rgidity and inadequacy of the academic teachers and the academics that wrote the curriculum.

#2 - Chrissy 2009-10-23 19:23 - (Reply)

Hi, you may already have been asked this, but how will these new standards relate to those who homeschool? Many of the 6500 or so NZ children who are home educated have such diagnoses as dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, ADHD etc as well as those who are extremely gifted... would this initiative affect them in any way? Would any of the resources be directed toward struggling parents for the necessary specialist help at all? Many thanks, Chrissy

#3 - Merle Braithwaite 2009-10-24 12:24 - (Reply)

It is disappointing that the media, and some teachers, seem to see literacy as something separate, removed from other activities, topics and learning areas, wheras literacy is an integral part of all areas of the curriculum. Hopefully, professional development will focus on this aspect of teaching literacy skills

#4 - Fred Webster 2009-10-24 18:52 - (Reply)

Congratulations on introducing standards which we can all relate to. one of the problems in Mangere is that so many parents are from the Islands and seem to prefer to speak the Polynesian Languages to their children, so they start school with very little understanding of English.

#4.1 - lor 2010-02-16 17:36 - (Reply)

Is that an excuse? This is being introduced to increase numeracy and literacy levels in children. This is a good thing for Polynesians and all other ethnicities with english as their second language.

#5 - Mere Narayan said:
2009-10-24 22:44 - (Reply)

Great and it is about time. Our children are our future who deserves a better education system. More development is needed for our primary schools today. Literacy and numeracy are both equvalent in all areas. And parents needs clear information from teachers. Professional development will enhance this.

#5.1 - T Wood 2009-10-25 14:46 - (Reply)

Teachers already know who are underachieving in their classes. Spending $36 million is not going to change this. Spending $36 million on support for those children might make a difference though. Interestingly, that does not seem to be a feature of this policy.

#5.1.1 - Ian 2009-11-18 12:28 - (Reply)

well said; testing creates more stress, more barriers and international research clearly demonstrates it achieves no improvement in outcomes.

#6 - Colleen 2009-10-27 18:26 - (Reply)

Why is it New Zealand always makes the mistake of following other countries even if they have learned that the new system that they have introduced for eduction hasn't worked and go back to the old ways, e.g. Phonetics for the teaching of reading and spelling, to name but one,instead of learnig from their mistakes?

#7 - Vivian said:
2009-11-03 11:41 - (Reply)

LIFTING EDUCATION STANDARDS I am totally agree and applause for this.In my view currently education standards of primary and intermediate school in NZ like kindergarten level although high school education is better. There are three keys how to lift education standards in NZ. Firstly, students themselves must know. They really understand how important education not only for themselves but for the countries in the future as well. Secondly, teachers of primary, intermediate, high school and tertiary level should sharpen their professional knowledge and their skill and art of education. They really know how to teach and to guide their students properly. Finally, parents should involve as well. If teachers and parents of students have good communication and work together it will achieve the goal of lifting national standards of education in NZ. All of them need government involves.I am so pleased prime minister is doing it. Well done.

#8 - Mere Narayan 2009-11-17 01:13 - (Reply)

Well said Vivian, Our children today seem to struggle in high schools due to low standard of basics causing early drop outs. Further development for primary school teachers is surely needed especially for the long service teachers. In my view of new graduates makes a difference in comparison to the longer service teachers in my recent involvement. Seemed like parents having to do most of the teaching. I am very committed to my children's learning and would appreciate teachers honesty on childrens development rather providing excellent profiles for our children throughout the year and only to find out in high schools the lack of knowledge. This needs improvement. Commitment is needed for both parents and teachers especially teachers whom our children spend most of the day. Our Prime ministry has seen this and I support and in favour of this move.

#8.1 - Mike 2010-02-24 17:10 - (Reply)

I disagree. I would be interested to look at the school reports and progress indicators of students who drop out of high school. I would suggest that quality of primary school teaching is not a major factor in the cause of dropping out of high schools. I would go further to suggest that maybe parental financial security, home situation, educational perspective and attendance will be the main factors.

#9 - Vicki 2010-02-18 18:29 - (Reply)

As a teacher I have been using national standards to report to parents for along time now. Checking our students progress with standardised tests is a normal tool used in schools. Teachers use the results to make decisions about what to teach to meet students needs and to report to parents. I have no problem with continuing to do so. The concern I have is that the only thing being reported will be percentage below, at and above national standards. This tells us nothing about the quality of teaching in a school. Many low decile schools (and others) have children enter well below national standard and work extremely hard and professionally to bring these children up to national standard level. Some schools will have many children enter at national standard level and five years later the children leave still meeting but not exceeding national standards. Surely it is fairer to report the whole picture to the community. We need to know about the progress schools are making with children rather than just the end result.

#9.1 - bronwyn Robinson 2010-06-16 11:30 - (Reply)

If as you say Vicki teachers have for along time been reporting and using the National Standard tool. Why do I have a grandson who has this year entered Intermediate and we are now told he has the reading age of a six year old at age 11... Because the primary school has FAILED. Bring on National Standards and I say let there be accountability. E.G. Parents should be able to Sue in such cases.

#9.1.1 - Vicki 2010-06-19 09:12 - (Reply)

If a child is reading at 6 year old level at age 11 I would expect there has been significant input into this child through reading recovery, rainbow reading and classroom programs. IT would be quite difficult for a parent to think their child was reading at a decent level if they are reading at this low level - as it suggests the child struggles with decoding words. Parents need to be talking to teachers throughout schooling and be involved in their child's education. IT is quite scary that people think that 4.5 hours of schooling, 5 days per week, and only 40 weeks of the year is enough. Responsible parents are reading with their children for enjoyment throughout the year, taking them to the library possibly, and actually observing their child reading. To suggest that the teacher should be sued is ridiculous. Parents and teachers should be working in partnership to educate children,not playing a blame game.


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