Appendix 1: Key documents

Selection of the outcomes, objectives and measures outlined in the operating intentions section was informed by a range of evidence, research and indicator information. Examples include:

• The State of Education in New Zealand report 2007, which pulls together existing education indicators on participation, achievement, effective teaching, labour market outcomes and resourcing across the early childhood, schooling and tertiary sectors, highlighting why participation, engagement and achievement are important and how we are doing.
• The annual Profile and Trends reports on the tertiary education sector, which bring together statistics on participation, achievement, resourcing, capability, research and other factors, covering New Zealand’s diverse range of tertiary education learners, providers and programmes.
• The best evidence synthesis iterations, which have since 2003 helped to draw together, explain and illustrate what makes a difference to student outcomes. Syntheses to date have focused on the complexity of community and family influences on children’s achievement, quality teaching, early foundations and characteristics of professional development linked to children’s learning in early childhood settings, high-quality teaching for a diverse range of students in schooling, effective teaching in mathematics and, most recently, teacher professional learning and development.
• Work done to research, consult on and develop sector and population strategies (as listed below) has added to our understanding of what is most important for children and students to succeed in education and to achieve their potential.
• The Student Outcome Overview 2001-2005 (Research Findings on Student Achievement in Reading, Writing and Mathematics in New Zealand Schools), which highlights the wide spread of achievement in reading and mathematics in schooling years compared to other highly achieving countries. Literacy and numeracy professional development projects and schooling improvement projects have produced very significant positive shifts in reading, writing and mathematics achievement for low-achieving students in participating schools.
• Findings of Competent Learners @ 16: Competency Performance and Development Over Time are consistent with results from previous phases of Competent Children, Competent Learners, which highlight the importance of developing early numeracy and literacy skills for later success.
• Picking Up the Pace research into raising literacy achievement of children in decile one schools.

The documents referred to above, and a wide range of further documents including statistical, research and evaluation publications and education sector indicator information, are available on the ministry’s website for statistics and research – Education Counts (www.educationcounts.govt.nz).

Early childhood education

• Pathways to the Future: Ngā Huarahi Arataki – A 10-year Strategic Plan for Early Childhood Education 2002-2012

Schooling sector

• The New Zealand Curriculum for English-medium teaching and learning in years 1-13
• 2006 New Zealand Schools Ngā Kura O Aotearoa – A report on the Compulsory School Sector in New Zealand (2007)

Tertiary sector

• Tertiary Education Strategy 2007-2012 (December 2006)
• Tertiary Education Strategy monitoring reports
• Profile and Trends 2006: New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Sector (November 2007)

Strengthening Māori educational achievement

• Ka Hikitia – Managing for Success: Māori Education Strategy 2008-2012 (2008)
• Ngā Haeata Mātauranga: Annual Report on Māori Education 2006/07 (December 2007)

Strengthening Pasifika educational achievement

• Pasifika Education Plan 2006-2010 (June 2006)

Strengthening outcomes for students with special education needs

• Special Education Action Plan: Better Outcomes for Children 2006-2011
• The New Zealand Disability Strategy – Making a World of Difference: Whakanui Oranga

Strengthening outcomes for all ethnic groups

• Ethnic Perspectives in Policy – Helping Ethnic People be Seen, Heard, Included and Accepted

International education

• International Education Agenda: A Strategy for 2007-2012 (August 2007)

Information and communications technologies

• ICT Strategic Framework for Education (2008-2012) (for consultation March 2008)