The Principals (Aotearoa | New Zealand)

• Episode 27: ERO reviews

  The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government’s external education evaluation agency, and normally reviews schools over a three year cycle. As tumuaki, you’ll be involved in preparing for a review. Today we’re going to talk about what to expect during an ERO review.   My guests are: Shane Morrow, Manager Review and Improvement Services, ERO Sharee Hemingway, Director Ākonga Māori, ERO Stephen Lethbridge, principal of Point Chevalier School Rangi-mata-rau Nick Leith, tumuaki of Te Raekura Redcliffs School.   This podcast was produced for the Ministry of Education as part of Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals.   You can learn more about this topic by accessing Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals e-learning modules on the Education LMS: https://training.education.govt.nz   Show notes Episode themes: The traditional event-based three-yearly ERO reviews have changed, and now schools have an evaluation partner who works with the school across a three-year cycle looking at what the school is working on, the impact of that work on their young people, the priorities that they're setting, and helping them measure or figure out how well they're doing to get there. The idea is to help build evaluation capacity with the school so that they really have an understanding of the impact of the work that they're doing. The hauhake phase of the review cycle (the six months leading up to the report) is the intense phase of ERO working with the school. Outline of the ERO process for English-medium schools. Outline of the process for Māori-medium kura. The Te Pou Reo team and how it works in rumaki and bilingual kura. What evaluation partners are looking for when they visit a kura. ERO reviews are different than when you experience them as a kaiako or member of senior leadership team when you become tumuaki. ERO reviews are useful for new tumuaki to help them learn about their school and the way it works.   Additional information ERO website www.ero.govt.nz  School Improvement Framework (SIF) https://ero.govt.nz/how-ero-reviews/how-ero-reviews-schoolskura-english-medium/te-ara-huarau-the-new-approach-to-evaluation/school-improvement-framework   Questions 1:16 [Shane] What is the purpose of an ERO review and why are they important?    2:44 [Shane] The approach for reviews has changed quite a bit in recent years. Can you tell me about the new approach?   4:35 [Shane] In terms of the amount of time that an evaluation partner would spend with a tumuaki or the board, how much time are we talking over a cycle?   6:46 [Shane] How does the process work now?   10:26 [Sharee] The process is slightly different for Maōri medium rumaki and bilingual reviews?   11:28 [Sharee] For a new tumuaki coming in going through that process, what does that look like?   12:35 [Sharee] Can you tell me about Te Pou Reo and how that team works, please?   13:25 [Shane and Sharee] What are evaluation partners and Toki Ao Mārama looking for when they go into a kura?   16:45 [Stephen and Nick] You will have both experienced ERO visits maybe when you were a kaiako or a member of senior leadership. How does it differ now that you're tumuaki?

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• Episode 26: Leading through change

  Change is inevitable in a school, and managing change can be challenging. Changes you make may be a choice, where you identify improvements that can be made; or there may be changes to legislation, curriculum, or teaching methods that you need to implement in your school. Principals need to learn how to lead and manage change effectively.   My guests are: Iain Taylor, principal of Manurewa Intermediate School, former president of New Zealand Principals’ Federation, member of ERO Advisory Board, recipient of Prime Minister’s Supreme Educational Excellence Award in 2017. Ann Brokenshire, tumuaki of Hillmorton School in Christchurch since1995. Jason Miles, principal of Kaiapoi North School in Christchurch, current vice president of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation.   This podcast was produced for the Ministry of Education as part of Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals.   You can learn more about this topic by accessing Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals e-learning modules on the Education LMS: https://training.education.govt.nz   Show notes Episode themes: Change is constant in education, especially in curriculum as it needs to evolve. The tumuaki is the change manager in the process. The need to include others, especially senior leaders and teachers, along with you when change is necessary. Empower change champions who can help you promote the change. When you’re implementing changes you’re choosing to make you have more time to plan and bring people along for the journey. When change is thrown on you, like after a natural disaster for example, you need to be the decisive person leading the change. Depending on the situation your change leadership style will change. With legislation change, make sure you know exactly what you need to do, and make sure you communicate the change well to staff, students and whānau. When implementing change in a kura around curriculum, look at what you’re already doing then systematically look at the aspects you’re not currently covering, make those changes and ensure staff have PD for those things. Ensure you’re recording solid data around the results of the change. With systemic change in a school, sometimes there isn’t time to spend too long observing before you start making changes. Get your senior leadership team involved in change so they know how to manage it before they become a principal. New tumuaki can talk to experienced principals, NZSBA, principal associations etc if they’re unsure about change or need advice or support.   Questions 2:01 [All] What are some of the changes that you've had to deal with as tumuaki?   5:46 [All] Curricula evolve all the time. What kinds of curriculum changes have you been through, and how did you go about implementing them?   9:46 [All] You mentioned that people sometimes feel like things are being done to them, not with them. Is that one of the challenges when it comes to change within a school?   11:27 [All] How does the change process differ when you're a tumuaki than rather than a teacher or a senior leader in a kura?   13:20 [All] As a tumuaki there's a difference between making the changes that you choose to make, and making changes that you have to make. When you're making those changes, do you approach them differently? And if so, how, how does that approach differ?   16:42 [All] If you're trying to make a change that some of your kaiako or others don't agree with, how difficult can make things for you as tumuaki?   19:51 [All] In terms of practical things that you need to do in your kura when something is changed in legislation, what changes do you need to put in place to make sure that you can comply with that legislation?    22:07 [All] What about when there's a requirement to make changes to the school curriculum? How does that process work?   23:38 [Iain] Where do you even start when going into a school to make systemic changes to the way the kura works? Is it a matter of just sitting and watching and looking for a while to see what's not working?   26:56 [Ann] Where can new tumuaki go for information or advice to learn how to manage change within their new kura?

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• Episode 25: Supporting students with diverse learning needs

  All ākonga deserve the opportunity to flourish and succeed in their education, and making sure your students have this opportunity is your most important priority as principal. This means providing them with any learning support they need to reach their potential. But how easy is it to find the support your students need, and what can you do if you can’t access it? That’s what we’re going to talk about today.   My guests are: John Bangma, tumuaki of Mariehau Primary School and one of the leaders of the national RTLB (Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour) lead school network Saane Faaofo-Oldehaver, former principal and leadership advisor, former special education need coordinator in two schools, member of Highest Needs Review Advisory Group Jane Corcoran, principal Brunswick School in Whanganui and executive member of NZRSLA.   This podcast was produced for the Ministry of Education as part of Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals.   You can learn more about this topic by accessing Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals e-learning modules on the Education LMS: https://training.education.govt.nz   Show notes Episode themes: What inclusive information is. The more that you know the tamariki in your own school, the more diversity you recognise, the more needs that you see, the more you’ll want to find ways to help them. There will never be enough resource to meet all the needs out there – but it’s important that you are doing the best you can do, making every effort to support every child with those needs in any way you can. In small schools you may be the teacher, the SENCO and the principal, so you’ll be able to notice needs yourself. Understanding the pathways to getting support, including your RTLB (Resource Teacher Learning and Behaviour service). Using parents to help with their own kids may not be the best choice! Challenges of sourcing support in rural and other areas, as well as the opportunities small schools offer diverse learners.   Additional information RTLB online https://www.education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/learning-support/resource-teachers-learning-and-behaviour#what-is-the-rtlb-service-1 Learning support for literacy and communication https://www.education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/learning-support/learning-support-literacy-and-communication   Learning support needs https://www.education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/managing-students/stand-downs-suspensions-exclusions-and-expulsions-guidelines-part-2/section-2-creating-procedures-and-processes/learning-support-needs   Questions 2:07 [All] As tumuaki, what is inclusive education for you? What does it mean? 3:20 [John] What does it mean to provide adequate support for a child with learning challenges? 5:53 [All] If a child's starting in your school and the teacher notices that they're not keeping up, where do you start, and what are the steps to getting them what they need? 12:22 [John] You talked about the RTLB. Can you tell me about that, please? 15:26 [John] Where do new principals go to get information about RTLB? 16:04 [All] There’s a really wide spectrum of learning need in kura. What kinds of learning challenges have you all seen? What are the most common - if there is such a thing?  23:36 [Jane] What are the challenges facing rural schools around getting support for the kids who need it? 25:30 [All] Parents must be keen to support their kids if you can’t find that help elsewhere? 29:44 [All] Is there anything that we haven't talked about that we should discuss?

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• Episode 24: Improving student achievement

  All tumuaki want the ākonga in their schools to do well, but we know there are persistent disparities in achievement. In this episode, we speak with three tumuaki who have taken action to make a difference for tamariki and rangatahi previously at risk of underachievement. At the heart of their stories is the expectation that every student can achieve, even if some kids need more help than others to get there.    My guests are: Catherine Bentley, tumuaki of Hastings Girls’ High School, winner of excellence in leading award in the 2021 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards Barbara Ala’alota, former principal of Auckland’s Sylvia Park school, former chair of the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, made Officer of the NZ Order of Merit for service to education in 2020. Angela Walters, tumuaki of Fairfield Intermediate School in Waikato, winner of Founders’ Principals Leadership Award in the National Excellence in Teaching Awards in 2022.   This podcast was produced for the Ministry of Education as part of Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals.   You can learn more about this topic by accessing Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals e-learning modules on the Education LMS: https://training.education.govt.nz   Show notes Episode themes: What ākonga need to be able to learn well, and some of the barriers that prevent that from happening. Three stories about what strategies successfully turned around learning in three different kura.   Questions 1:30 [All] What do kids need to be able to learn really well?   4:04 [Catherine, Angela] What kind of barriers stop students learning?   5:12 [Barbara] What did you notice about the kura and about student achievement when you first started at Sylvia Park School?   14:13 [Barbara] What challenges did you face when trying to turn things around? 16:48 [Catherine] You have seen quite a turnaround in achievement at your kura. What did you notice when you first started at Hastings Girls?   17:55 [Catherine] How did you start the process of turning everything around?   19:21 [Catherine] I can imagine the teachers or the kaiako who engaged in deficit theorising, perhaps some of them decided not to continue?   21:39 [Catherine] What difference has it made for the kids?   23:36 [Catherine] What challenges did you face when making these changes?   25:13 [Angela] You were acting principal for three years at Fairfield before you became principal, and when you took over, where was the kura? What stage was it at?   31:24 [Angela] Have the changes made a big difference to student achievement?   31:59 [All] What's your best advice for new tumuaki about turning around learning in a kura?

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• Episode 23: Maōri rangatira supporting Māori ākonga

  Today we’re continuing to talk to three Māori leaders who worked hard to turn around learning outcomes for Māori ākonga in their English-medium kura. We’re talking about what drives and motivates these rangatira, and where they turn for support when they need it, including Te Akatea Maōri Principals Association.   My guests are: Tom Paekau, principal of Merivale School in Tauranga Bruce Jepsen, manukura of Te Akatea Māori Principals Ngahina Transom, tumuaki of Frimley School in Hastings   This podcast was produced for the Ministry of Education as part of Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals.   You can learn more about this topic by accessing Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals e-learning modules on the Education LMS: https://training.education.govt.nz   Show notes Episode themes: Making a plan to turn around learning, and having the courage to do it. The power of connection – surrounding yourself with people who whakamana your mana and coach, mentor and support you. The challenges of standing up in te ao Pākehā as a Māori leader. Te Akatea and the support it provides Māori leaders. Advice for new tumuaki.   Additional information Te Akatea Māori Principals https://www.teakatea.co.nz   Questions 00:40 It’s a heavy burden to start in a kura that’s not doing so well. How do you handle the stress?   9:18 Can you tell me about the mahi Te Akatea does?   14:59 What advice would you give new tumuaki about turning around learning in a kura?

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