Thirty years ago, New Zealand ushered in a school governance system that placed the daily governance of all aspects of schooling in the hands of local communities. Known as Tomorrow’s Schools, the system was a world first and gave an extraordinary degree of autonomy to schools and elected boards of trustees.

What are tomorrow’s schools?

The ‘Tomorrow’s Schools’ reforms introduced parental elected school boards to bring parents’ input to school governance and give them a way to influence their children’s education.

When did tomorrows schools start?

1989
1989: Tomorrow’s Schools In 1989, the government released their education policy in response to the Administering for Excellence report. This document, called Tomorrow’s Schools was the blueprint for the education sector as we know it today.

When did school start in NZ?

The passing of the Education Act 1877 established New Zealand’s first secular, compulsory and free national system of primary education.

When did NZ schools change to 4 terms?

1996
In 1993 Te Kauwhata College and five other rural North Waikato schools successfully trialled a four-term school year. By 1996, the four-term year was adopted nationwide. “Our motivation 25 years ago was about creating a school term where you could see the end from the beginning.

What is Higher School Certificate NZ?

Higher School Certificate was a record of the satisfactory completion of five full-time years of secondary education. Students had to study at least three subjects in advance of Sixth Form Certificate. In addition to the University Bursaries subjects, NZQA approved 17 Higher School Certificate subjects.

What is the education system in New Zealand?

Most children stay at school until they’re around 17 years old. The education system for schools is made up of 13 Year levels. Your child’s primary education starts at Year 1 and goes to Year 8 (around 5–12 years of age). Your child’s secondary education goes from Year 9 to Year 13 (around 13–17 years of age).

Where was the first school in NZ?

In 2012/13 archaeologists uncovered evidence of New Zealand’s first school, built beside missionary Thomas Kendall’s house in the small Church Missionary Society (Anglican) settlement at Hohi (Oihi) in the Bay of Islands. The school was opened on 12 August 1816: read more here.

Is there a Year 13 in New Zealand?

In New Zealand, Year Thirteen is the second year of post-compulsory education. Students entering Year 13 are usually aged between 16.5 and 18. A student may stay in Year Thirteen until the end of the calendar year following their 19th birthday.

How many days are in a school year in NZ 2021?

* Or to a day in December that ensures that the school has been open for instruction for a minimum of 380 half-days in 2021.

What is Tomorrow’s schools?

This document, called Tomorrow’s Schools was the blueprint for the education sector as we know it today.

What are the changes to the education system in New Zealand?

In 1989 the government enacted sweeping changes to the education system. These changes created the Ministry of Education, Education Review Office, NZ Qualifications Authority and Tertiary Education Commission, abolished Education Boards and established site-based community governance through school boards of trustees.

What is the government doing to improve Tomorrow’s schools?

The Government released its response, inspired by the Taskforce’s final report, on 12 November 2019. In its response document, ‘Supporting all schools to succeed: Reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system’, Government has announced a series of significant reforms representing a reset of Tomorrow’s Schools.

What is the Tomorrow’s schools reset?

A range of other features of the proposed Tomorrow’s Schools reset of the governance, management, and administration of the schooling system, which can be progressed through the Education Work Programme over the next five to ten years, are also outlined, and grouped in accordance with the Government’s five objectives for education.