National standards: leadership links

Frequently asked questions about National Standards

These frequently asked questions and answers are grouped into information about: goals and targets, assessment, reporting, support, ESOL and students with special education needs, ERO, communication, and secondary schools. Go to FAQ

Overview of self-review tools

These self-review tools support teachers, in-school leaders, and boards of trustees to use the National Standards for reading, writing, and mathematics. Go to self-review tools overview

Self-review tools learning module

This series of short videos looks at how Russley School in Christchurch is using the tools to focus on student achievement. Go to self-review tools learning module

Using self-review to inform school planning

Six leadership teams from primary schools in Auckland, Waikato, and Christchurch came together for a day, in regional pairings, to work on their action and annual plans.This series of resources contains: a video of the leadership teams from Beckenham and Opawa primary schools working together and the plans they produced; sets of actions plans, and related documents, from Birkdale and Tamaki primary schools in Auckland, and Te Pahu and Pokuru primary schools in Waikato. Go to school planning resources

Self-review tool for school leaders

This tool supports school leaders as they work with their teachers and boards of trustees to use the National Standards for reading, writing, and mathematics. The tool has been developed on the basis of the findings of the Leadership Best Evidence Synthesis, with a particular focus on:

• establishing goals and expectations
• planning, coordinating, and evaluating teaching and the curriculum
• promoting and participating in teacher learning and development.

Go to self-review tool

Aligning assessment tools with National Standards

There's a good range of formal assessment tools that teachers use to assess student progress in reading, writing and maths. These tools will remain very useful as teachers work with the National Standards.

Scores obtained from such tools are one of the sources of evidence that teachers can draw on as they make overall teacher judgments.

To make it easier for teachers to get a handle on this process, the Ministry of Education has provided online information about how scores align to the standards at certain year levels. Included are a set of PDF files and web-pages that teachers can use as guidelines in their own work and during in-school professional development. Go to alignment of assessment tools

National Standards sector advisory group

The National Standards Sector Advisory Group (NSSAG) provides a formal avenue for the education sector to contribute to the continuous improvement of the National Standards implementation. Go to NSSAG website

ERO: working with the National Standards

This is an interim report of findings from 80 schools reviewed in Term 3, 2010. As part of the review process, ERO asked specific questions about each school's use of National Standards, its preparedness for these and how well school leaders, teachers and trustees understood the National Standards. Go to report

National Standards website

This website contains key information for schools and parents about National Standards. Go to the National Standards website

National Standards and school charters

School charters need to include targets in relation to the standards to provide a basis for boards to report annually on progress and achievement in relation to the standards. The resource School Charters – Incorporating National Standards has been developed to help English-medium schools with students in years 1–8 with this requirement. Go to this page to download the resource

National Standards: assessment and reporting

This Assessment Online link connects to frequently asked questions, with answers, about assessment and reporting to parents, families and whānau in relation to National Standards. It also contains information about assessment tools and resources, and overall teacher judgment. Go to assessment and reporting information

National Standards and English language learners

Progress and achievement for English language learners shall be reported against The National Standards. It is recommended that schools also assess and report the progress and achievement of English language learners in relation to the The English Language Learning Progressions (ELLP), as the Progressions provide a guide to typical language learning pathways for students learning English as an additional language. Go to information about English language learners

Professional learning modules

This set of professional learning modules supports schools to understand the reading, writing, and mathematics standards and how they relate to The New Zealand Curriculum. Go to professional learning modules

The role of school boards in National Standards

School boards have particular responsibilities for the use of National Standards in 2010. This fact sheet overviews what those responsibilities are. Go to role of boards fact sheet

Training and professional development for National Standards implementation

A range of material to support principals and teachers to understand the reading, writing, and mathematics standards is available at this link. This includes material to be used by principals and lead teachers when leading their school's development. Go to training and professional development information

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