Parents set to get better information about children's learning
14 November, 2017
Parents will have better information about their children's learning following Government assurances today that schools
will be required to report on the full curriculum - not just children's results in the three National Standards
subjects, says NZEI Te Riu Roa.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins today assured Parliament that the replacement for National Standards will be a
requirement for schools to report to parents on their children's progress in all areas of the curriculum.
"This will have a hugely positive influence on children's learning, which repeated studies have shown has been
restricted by a narrow focus on success in National Standards," NZEI president Lynda Stuart said.
"While there has been some questions about what will replace National Standards, the fact is the standards were never
needed in the first place. Schools reported on the full breadth of the curriculum before the standards were introduced,
and teachers will be delighted to do that again.
"Its about time that children are encouraged to explore the full, rich curriculum , without schools feeling pressured to
focus largely on only the three subjects the former Government considered worthy of measurement.
"Our members welcome the return to quality reporting about children's learning and look forward to hearing when they
will no longer be required to report National Standards to the Ministry.
"We look forward to seeing the full timetable for the scrapping of compulsory national standards,which the Minister says
is with Cabinet for signoff now," Ms Stuart said.