Thursday, October 15, 2009

Lifting Education Standards

Your children deserve the best possible start in life. All young New Zealanders should have a chance to climb the ladder of opportunity.

Currently, one in five school leavers don’t have the numeracy and literacy skills they need to succeed. The National-led Government is determined to change this. We are committed to securing a brighter future for all New Zealanders, and this relies on unlocking the potential of our next generation.

It’s timely to look at the progress your children have made this year. We know parents want to know how their children are doing at school, and what they can do to help them at home.

From next year, our National Standards initiative will make this easier for you. National Standards will ensure all primary and intermediate schools assess your children’s progress in reading, writing, and maths. The standards will describe what children should have learnt by a certain age or year level. They will help teachers identify when children are falling behind, help get them on back track, and help them achieve. Parents will get plain language reports on their children’s progress, giving you a better idea of how your children are doing at school and what you can do to make a difference.

Teachers will use the same tools they work with now to measure children’s progress, and all children will be assessed against the same standard – no matter what school they are at.

Schools will begin using the standards next year, and parents will receive reports on their child’s progress. Schools will report back to the Ministry of Education in 2012.

National is dedicated to providing all children with the opportunities and tools they need to fulfil their potential. It’s been great to receive positive feedback about National Standards and our other education initiatives from parents in Dunedin.

We’re delivering on our promise to help all New Zealand children learn the basic skills they need to do well at school, prepare for the workforce, and climb the ladder of opportunity.

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