Home About

The Government’s reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system will put more frontline support closer to schools to give every child the best chance to succeed.

The key decisions announced by Education Minister Chris Hipkins include:

  • more frontline support for schools through a new education agency, as part of a redesigned Ministry of Education
  • more support for principals and school boards including a new centre of leadership and local leadership advisor roles
  • new independent disputes panels for parents and students
  • management of school property simplified and/or transferred to the Ministry to free up boards’ time
  • enrolment zones to be managed locally, not by each school.

Tomorrow’s Schools is the name given to the reforms that dramatically changed the governance, management and administration of our schools nearly 30 years ago.

While the current system has strengths, it isn’t adequately serving some of our learners, in particular Māori, Pacific, people with disabilities, learning needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Knowing this, as part of the Government’s Education Work Programme, a review was launched to look into the Tomorrow’s Schools model.

After more than 200 meetings with people interested in education, an Independent Taskforce provided its initial report to the Minister of Education in November 2018. Their report Our Schooling Futures, Stronger Together l Whiria Ngā Kura Tūātinitini was released for public consultation on 7 December 2018.

From December 2018–April 2019 the Taskforce undertook more than 100 public and targeted meetings with stakeholders and received more than 5,000 submissions on their initial report.

The Taskforce’s final report was submitted to the Minister of Education in July 2019.

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.

The reset is significant and changes will require an ongoing investment of both time and resource. Changes related to the governance and management of schools need to work in a complex system that also includes early learning and tertiary education. They will need to be managed in a coherent and connected way over the next ten years.

Over the last 18–24 months, we have listened to thousands of voices from across the country as part of Kōrero Mātauranga. We have learned a great deal from these conversations and now have an opportunity to further strengthen our education system for all learners/ākonga, whānau and communities throughout New Zealand.

Supporting all schools to succeed – Minister Chris Hipkins media release

Reform to support better outcomes for Māori learners and whānau – Minister Kelvin Davis media release

Reports

Government’s Tomorrow’s Schools review Final Decisions

Full report: Supporting all schools to succeed: Reform of Tomorrow’s Schools system [PDF, 2MB]

Tomorrow’s Schools Taskforce Final Report

Full report: Our Schooling Futures, Stronger Together | Whiria Ngā Kura Tūātinitini [PDF, 6MB]

Tomorrow's Schools Taskforce Final Report Summary translations

Tomorrow’s Schools Taskforce Final Report – Summary in Te Reo Māori [PDF, 1.2MB] 

More translations and accessible formats

Information about what the changes mean for you

Information for School Boards

Information for Principals and Leaders

Information for Parents and Whānau

Information for Learners | Ākonga

Information for Māori Communities

Information for Pacific education stakeholders

Information for learners with disabilities and or learning needs

Information for Early Childhood Education Services and Kōhanga reo

Information for learner transitions into employment and education

Information for Teachers

Information for schools and school administration

Timeline

Timeline for implementation of recommendations [PDF, 539KB]

Background information

Cabinet papers 2019

Submissions and Survey Analysis 2019

Tomorrow's Schools Review: costs

Queries

Queries about the consultation or review can be emailed to tomorrows.schools@education.govt.nz.