Policy 8: Variance

Reviewed February 2023

8.1 Variance

As per Ministry guidelines, the board of trustees is required to provide a statement providing an analysis of any variance between the school’s performance and the relevant aims, objectives, directions, priorities, or targets set out in the school charter at the same time as the updated school charter provided to the Secretary for Education under National Administration Guideline

Appendix 1: The National Administration Guidelines (NAGs)

August 2019

The National Administration Guidelines for school administration set out statements of desirable principles of conduct or administration for specified personnel or bodies. The following is provided for convenience and was current at the time of inclusion. However, please ensure you reference the most current version of these guidelines.

Each Board of Trustees is required to foster student achievement by providing teaching and learning programmes which incorporate The National Curriculum as expressed in The New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

Each Board, through the Principal and staff, is required to:

(a) develop and implement teaching and learning programmes:

i. to provide all students in Years 1-10 with opportunities to achieve for success in all areas of the National Curriculum;

ii. giving priority to student achievement in literacy and numeracy and/or Te Reo Matatini and Pāngarau, especially in Years 1-8;

iii. giving priority to regular quality physical activity that develops movement skills for all students, especially in Years 1-6.

(b) through assessment information* evaluate the progress and achievement of students; giving priority first to:

i. student achievement in literacy and numeracy and/or Te Reo Matatini and Pāngarau, especially in Years 1-8; and then to

ii. breadth and depth of learning related to the needs, abilities and interests of students, the nature of the school’s curriculum, and the scope of The National Curriculum as expressed in The New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa;

(c) through the analysis of good quality assessment information*, identify students and groups of students:

i. who are not progressing and/or achieving;

ii. who are at risk of not progressing and/or achieving;

iii. who have special needs (including gifted and talented students); and

iv. aspects of the curriculum which require particular attention;

(d) develop and implement teaching and learning strategies to address the needs of students and aspects of the curriculum identified in (c) above;

(e) in consultation with the school’s Māori community, develop and make known to the school’s community policies, plans and targets for improving the progress and achievement of Māori students; and

(f) provide appropriate career education and guidance for all students in Year 7 and above, with a particular emphasis on specific career guidance for those students who have been identified by the school as being at risk of leaving school unprepared for the transition to the workplace or further education/training.

*Good quality assessment information draws on a range of evidence to evaluate the progress and achievement of students and build a comprehensive picture of student learning across the curriculum.

NAG 2

Each Board of Trustees, with the Principal and teaching staff, is required to:

(a) develop a strategic plan which documents how they are giving effect to the National Education Guidelines through their policies, plans and programmes, including those for curriculum, aromatawai and/or assessment, and staff professional development;

(b) maintain an on-going programme of self-review in relation to the above policies, plans and programmes, including evaluation of information* on student achievement; and

(c) on the basis of good quality assessment information* report to students and their parents on the progress and achievement of individual students, and to the school’s community on the achievement of students as a whole and of groups (identified through NAG 1(c) above) including the achievement of Māori students against the plans and targets referred to in 1(e) above.

NAG 3

According to the legislation on employment and personnel matters, each Board of Trustees is required in particular to:

(a) develop and implement personnel and industrial policies, within policy and procedural frameworks set by the Government from time to time, which promote high levels of staff performance, use educational resources effectively and recognise the needs of students; and

(b) be a good employer as defined in the State Sector Act 1988 and comply with the conditions contained in employment contracts applying to teaching and non-teaching staff.

NAG 4

According to legislation on financial and property matters, each Board of Trustees is also required in particular to:

(a) allocate funds to reflect the school’s priorities as stated in the charter;

(b) monitor and control school expenditure, and ensure that annual accounts are prepared and audited as required by the Public Finance Act 1989 and the Education Act 1989; and

(c) comply with the negotiated conditions of any current asset management agreement, and implement a maintenance programme to ensure that the school’s buildings and facilities provide a safe, healthy learning environment for students.

NAG 5

Each Board of Trustees is also required to:

(a) provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students;

(b) promote healthy food and nutrition for all students; and

(c) comply in full with any legislation currently in force or that may be developed to ensure the safety of students and employees.

NAG 6

Each Board of Trustees is also expected to comply with all general legislation concerning requirements such as attendance, the length of the school day, and the length of the school year.

NAG 1 & 5 were updated on 3 July 2018.