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Background

In December 2017, the Minister of Education, Hon Chris Hipkins, revoked Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori and National Standards, and asked the Ministry of Education to work with experts and stakeholders to develop an approach to assessment and reporting which is based on understanding progress across the curricula, including key capabilities for success in life, learning and work.

To understand progress, one needs to understand what is most important to be learnt. The national curricula set expectations for teaching and learning, and provide flexibility for local curricula to be designed and delivered in a way that meets the needs of the learners within early learning services, kōhanga reo, kura, schools or Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako.

Assessment and aromatawai is important for understanding how individual learners are progressing in relation to curricula expectations. It assists teachers to plan learning opportunities that support each learner’s next learning step, including where more learning opportunities or additional support is needed. It also assists students’ and their parents’ understanding of progress and achievement.

There are a range of assessment tools available for understanding learners’ progress, but these do not cover the full breadth of the curricula and few provide teachers with a comprehensive picture of progress against a curriculum learning area or for students working long term in level 1. As well as having tools available, teachers need to make effective decisions about when and how to use these tools to support students’ progress without adding unnecessary workload.

We have a system-wide focus on ensuring that every child gets the necessary support and opportunities to learn, and to be successful in life, learning and work and to contribute to society. The achievement data shows that, despite pockets of improvement, the education system is not yet closing the equity gap. To address the equity gap, we need a system that reflects on student progress and refocusses teaching, learning and system-level settings to better support all students’ progress across the curricula, especially for Māori, Pasifika, those with additional learning needs, and those that are disadvantaged. 

The role and purpose of the Ministerial Advisory Group

The Minister of Education (‘the Minister’) is establishing a Curriculum, Progress and Achievement Ministerial Advisory Group (Advisory Group). This will be an expert group that provides advice to the Minister on strengthening the use of the curricula to understand student progress and achievement. 

Objectives

  1. The advice of the Advisory Group will help to develop a programme of work that builds teacher and leader capability to work with their students, parents, whānau and communities to:
    1. design and deliver local curricula that include learning opportunities that integrate knowledge, skills and key competencies in The New Zealand Curriculum, and Māori medium graduate qualities and characteristics in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
    2. personalise learning opportunities to meet the needs and aspirations of all students and their whānau, within an inclusive and culturally responsive learning environment.
    3. be data literate, understanding and acting on data/evidence for improvement, including making effective and efficient use of information in inquiry, planning and reporting, and sharing meaningful reports with students, parents and whānau.
  1. The advice of the Advisory group will help develop a programme of work that builds capabilities across the full system to be data literate, understand and act on data/evidence for improvement, including making effective and efficient use of information in inquiry, planning and reporting, and sharing meaningful information across the system.

Scope

The scope of the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement Ministerial Advisory Group is to provide advice on:

  • how to strengthen the design and use of local curriculum so that all children and young people progress and achieve across the breadth and depth of the national Curricula in years 1-10
  • how a stronger focus on student progress across the curricula can be embedded, including change management, implementation and capability building.
  • how to meet information needs across the system in relation to year 1-10 student progress and achievement 

While the scope of the Advisory Group is specific to curriculum, progress and achievement, its considerations will intersect with other work streams such as the NCEA Review and the Education Workforce Strategy. The Ministry in their secretariat role will ensure the flow of relevant information and support the Advisory Group to connect with other groups where appropriate.

Functions of the Advisory Group

The Advisory Group’s role is subject to these Terms of Reference.

The Advisory Group will be:

  • a source of advice for the Minister
  • a critical friend and advisor to the Ministry
  • providers of a report synthesising themes arising from the wider engagement, as well as recommendations to inform the Minister’s work programme. 

Advisors to the Minister of Education

The primary and paramount function of the Advisory Group is to advise the Minister.

The Advisory Group and its Chair may engage directly with the Minister but, typically, the Advisory Group’s advice will be provided through the Ministry, as intermediary, at the Minister’s request. 

Advisors to the Ministry of Education 

As part of their role in advising the Minister, the Advisory Group will provide support and advice to the Ministry to assist in their delivery of the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement work programme.

The Ministry, through the Deputy Secretary, Early Learning and Student Achievement, may ask the Advisory Group to provide support and advice by: 

  • contributing to, or reviewing, key documents prepared by the Ministry to support the process
  • providing advice on the structure and nature of engagement with stakeholders and the wider public. 

Membership

Members of the Advisory Group will be appointed by the Minister. The term of appointment will be until 30 June 2019 and reappointment is possible. The Advisory Group will comprise paid members drawn from a diverse cross-section of New Zealand society – one of whom will Chair the Advisory Group.

Members have been selected to participate based on the following criteria:

  • Contribution as curriculum and assessment thought leaders/experts e.g. involved in the development of significant papers such as ‘Directions for Assessment in New Zealand’ and ‘Rukuhia, Rarangahia’.
  • Contribution to significant curriculum design and implementation in New Zealand schools and classrooms.
  • Ability to understand that each level of the system requires data in order to improve.
  • Demonstrated commitment to equity and excellence across the education pathway.
  • Credibility within the sector.
  • Commitment to the process and outcomes of the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement Ministerial Advisory Group. 

Chair

The Chair will lead meetings of the Advisory Group, unless otherwise directed by the Office of the Minister of Education, or otherwise agreed.

The Chair may also engage directly with the Minister, on behalf of the Advisory Group.

Confirmation

Members of the Advisory Group (including the Chair) are approved by the Appointment and Honours Committee. Members of the Advisory Group affirm that they have provided all relevant and / or requested information relevant to the approval process, and that all information disclosed is true and accurate to the best of the knowledge of the Advisory Group members.

Fees

Fees for members of the Group have been assessed in accordance with the Cabinet Fees Framework, according to Cabinet Office Circular (12)6. The Stakeholder Advisory Group falls within Group 4 (‘All other committees and other bodies’), and has been scored at 22 (Level 2).

In addition, the Chair and members will be reimbursed for actual and reasonable travel, meal and accommodation costs.

Secretariat

Secretariat services for the Advisory Group will be provided by the Ministry.

Media

The Advisory Group, and Advisory Group members acting in that capacity, will not make media statements without the prior agreement of the Minister.

If the Advisory Group are asked to provide comment on any issue relating to education by a third party (i.e. other than the Minister or Ministry), that Advisory Group will forward the question or request to the Office of the Minister of Education, and to the Ministry of Education through the Progress and Achievement mailbox: (Progress.Achievement@education.govt.nz).

Meetings

Meetings of the Advisory Group will be held in Wellington. Advisory Group members are expected to attend Advisory Group meetings wherever reasonably possible. The Advisory Group will meet when requested by the Minister, in consultation between the Chair and the Ministry, or at the discretion of the Chair.

The Advisory Group will aim to achieve a consensus on the issues it considers, but is not required to do so.

The Ministry of Education will support the Chair to prepare meeting agendas where appropriate. The agenda and papers for meetings of the Advisory Group will be circulated to Advisory Group members six working days in advance of each meeting, and draft minutes will be circulated to Advisory Group members no later than five working days after each meeting.

The Ministry has a budget to operate the Advisory Group, including travel costs. The Advisory Group and its members will not have an independent budget.

Contestability of advice

Both the Advisory Group and the Ministry will provide advice to the Minister on the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement work programme in good faith, and with regards to the interests of the other. Where appropriate, the Advisory Group and Ministry will provide the other with copies of relevant advice provided to the Minister.

Conflicts of interest

As part of the Appointment and Honours Committee appointment process, the members of the Advisory Group disclose conflicts of interest relating to the Advisory Group and the Curriculum, Progress, and Achievement work programme.

Members of the Advisory Group who have a specific, real conflict of interest in relation to an issue or item will advise the Chair and recuse themselves from consideration of those issues or items.

If members of the Advisory Group develop new, relevant conflicts of interest, whether real, potential or perceived, in the course of the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement work programme, they will inform the Ministry’s secretariat as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Key relationships

In addition to the Minister of Education and Ministry of Education, the Advisory Group will have relationships with the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement Reference Group(s).

Unless otherwise agreed with the Ministry (in relation to the Reference Group), the Advisory Group’s contact with these groups will be facilitated by the Ministry and Minister respectively.

It is expected that the Advisory Group will engage in the process in good faith, and champion the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement work programme process with stakeholders.

Confidentiality

The work of the Advisory Group is confidential, unless otherwise agreed by either the Minister of Education or Ministry of Education as appropriate. Members of the Advisory Group will maintain this confidence, and will not disclose information about the operations of the Advisory Group to any person without the above agreement.