The National Administration Guidelines (NAGs)

Updated on 14 December 2017

National Administration Guideline 1

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 2007 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 progress and achieve for success in all areas of The National Curriculum;

ii. giving priority to student progress and 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 the analysis of good quality assessment information*, evaluate the progress and achievement of students, giving priority first to:

i. student progress and achievement in literacy and numeracy and/or te re 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 2007 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.

National Administration Guideline 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 good quality assessment information* on student progress and achievement;

c. on the basis of good quality assessment information* report to students and their parents on progress and achievement of individual students:

i. in plain language, in writing, and at least twice a year; and

ii. across The National Curriculum, as expressed in The New Zealand Curriculum 2007 or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, including in mathematics and literacy, and/or te reo matatini and pāngarau;

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

* 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.

National Administration Guideline 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.

National Administration Guideline 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.

National Administration Guideline 5

Each board of trustees is also required to:

a. provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students;

b. promote health 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.

National Administration Guideline 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.

National Administration Guideline 7

Each board of trustees is required to complete an annual update of the school charter for each school it administers, and provide the Secretary for Education with a copy of the updated school charter before 1 March of the relevant year.

National Administration Guideline 8

Each 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 7.