Issue 9, June 2004

This issue of Sharpening the Focus outlines support that is available for schools in addressing the needs of their gifted and talented students.

From Term 1 2005, it will be mandatory for all state and state-integrated schools to identify their gifted and talented students and develop and implement teaching and learning strategies to address the needs of these students, as they are currently required to do for students who are not achieving, who are at risk of not achieving, and who have special education needs.

The National Administration Guidelines | Support for Schools

The National Administration Guidelines (NAGs)

March 2004, as amended by notice published in the New Zealand Gazette December 2003.

NAG 1

Each Board of Trustees is required to foster student achievement by providing teaching and learning programmes which incorporate the New Zealand Curriculum (essential learning areas, essential skills and attitudes and values) as expressed in National Curriculum Statements.

Each Board, through the principal and staff, is required to:

1. develop and implement teaching and learning programmes:
1. to provide all students in years 1–10 with opportunities to achieve for success in all the essential learning and skill areas of the New Zealand curriculum
2. giving priority to student achievement in literacy and numeracy, especially in years 1–4
2. through a range of assessment practices, gather information that is sufficiently comprehensive to enable the progress and achievement of students to be evaluated; giving priority first to:

1. student achievement in literacy and numeracy, especially in years 1–4

and then to:

2. breadth and depth of learning related to the needs, abilities and interests of students, the nature of the school's curriculum, and the scope of the New Zealand curriculum (as expressed in the National Curriculum Statements)

3. on the basis of good quality assessment information, identify students and groups of students:
1. who are not achieving
2. who are at risk of not achieving
3. who have special education needs (including gifted and talented students)

and

4. aspects of the curriculum which require particular attention

4. develop and implement teaching and learning strategies to address the needs of students and aspects of the curriculum identified in (iii) above
   
   
5. in consultation with the school's Māori community, develop and make known to the school's community, policies, plans and targets for improving the achievement of Māori students
   
   
6. provide appropriate career education and guidance for all students in year 7 and above, with a particular emphasis on specific career guidance for those students who have been identified by the school as being at risk of leaving school unprepared for the transition to the workplace or further education/training.

Support for schools

Since 2000 the government has worked to improve the education gifted and talented learners receive as follows:

The gifted education community was established on Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) www.tki.org.nz/gifted.

A working party on gifted education was established and reported to the Minister of Education. Their report is available on TKI, see under the heading 'Government Initiatives' on www.tki.org.nz/r/gifted/talented/parents/index_e.php

The number of gifted education advisory positions within School Support Services was increased to 12 FTEs. There are now 19 full and part-time advisors throughout New Zealand.

A $1.2 million contestable funding pool to improve outcomes for gifted and talented learners was established. Applications for the next round will be advertised in the Education Gazette in 2005.

A summary of the research, titled Gifted and Talented Education in New Zealand Schools, was sent to all schools. Additional copies can be obtained from the Ministry of Education.

For more information go to: www.minedu.govt.nz and www.tki.org.nz/gifted or contact your local Ministry of Education office.

Enquiries to the Ministry are welcome by:

• telephone: (04) 463 8104, or
• email: josh.williams@minedu.govt.nz

Additional copies of Sharpening the Focus 9 are available free on request from Learning Media Customer Services, freephone 0800 800 565, freefax 0800 800 570, email: orders@learningmedia.co.nz

Published 2002 for the Ministry of Education by Learning Media Limited, Box 3293, Wellington, New Zealand. Website: www.learningmedia.co.nz

Copyright © Crown 2002. All rights reserved. Enquiries should be made to the publisher. Item number 10420.

Issue 10
This issue of Sharpening the Focus outlines the support available to schools and teachers as they address the need for students to develop high levels of competence (knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values) in physical education and physical activity. It also includes the amended sections relating to physical activity in the National Education Goals (NEGs) and National Administration Guidelines (NAGs).

Issue 9
This issue of Sharpening the Focus outlines support that is available for schools in addressing the needs of their gifted and talented students.

Issue 8
This issue of Sharpening the Focus, is a newsletter for boards of trustees, principals, and teachers on school management and administration.

Issue 7
This issue of Sharpening the Focus looks at the intent and effect of the Education Standards Act 2001, which has introduced the requirement that every school's charter include planning for improvement of student outcomes.

Issue 6
This issue of Sharpening the Focus discusses the National Education Guidelines' requirement for boards of trustees to identify and provide for students who have special needs related to disabilities, learning difficulties, and behavioural problems. It also answers some frequently asked questions.

Issue 5
This issue of Sharpening the Focus looks more closely at the relationship between the revised National Administration Guideline 2 and professional development and answers some frequently asked questions.

Issue 4
This issue of Sharpening the Focus looks more closely at the requirements that the revised National Administration Guideline 2 places on schools as they undertake strategic planning.

Issue 3
This issue of Sharpening the Focus looks more closely at what schools will need to consider as they align their curriculum and assessment policies and practices to the revised National Administration Guidelines 1 and 2.

Issue 2
This issue includes information on Kia mahitahi - working together, Frequently Asked Questions, and Better Relationships for Better Learning.

Issue 1
This newsletter backgrounds the recent revision of the National Education Guidelines, outlines the help to be offered to schools as they adjust to the new requirements, and answers some frequently asked questions.