National+Education+Goals

=The National Administration Guidelines (NAGs)= The National Administration Guidelines for school administration set out statements of desirable principles of conduct or administration for specified personnel or bodies. Recent amendments include the planning and reporting requirements, the footnote to 1(iii)c relating to gifted and talented learners (with effect from Term 1 2005), and clause 1(i)c regarding "regular quality physical activity" (with effect from Term 1 2006).

The National Administration Guidelines (NAGs)
In December 2003 a notice in the New Zealand Gazette advised that NAG 1(iii)c had been amended with a footnote that states: "including gifted and talented students". From Term 1, 2005 it will be mandatory for all state and state-integrated schools to demonstrate how they are meeting the needs of their gifted and talented learners, as they are currently required to do for students who are not achieving, who are at risk of not achieving, and who have special needs. A range of professional support is in place to assist schools with implementing this NAG change. This includes:
 * in-depth professional development through School Support Services advisors;
 * the handbook Gifted and Talented Students: Meeting their Needs in New Zealand Schools;
 * a range of online and hard copy materials, including resources on Te Kete Ipurangi/The Online Learning Centre [|www.tki.org.nz/e/community/gifted/] and the Ministry of Education website [|www.minedu.govt.nz]; and
 * the recently released research into effective approaches to meeting the needs of gifted and talented learners [|www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/gifted]

In December 2004 a notice in the New Zealand Gazette advised that an additional clause had been added. The addition, NAG 1 (i) (c), requires the development and implementation of programmes that "give priority to regular quality physical activity that develops movement skills for all students, especially in years 1-6". This requirement takes effect from Term 1 2006.

In May 2007 a notice in the New Zealand Gazette advised that two new clauses had been added to NAG 5. From 1 June 2008 the additions require boards of trustees to: In February 2009 the requirement to sell only healthy food and beverages on school premises was removed from NAG 5. The requirement to promote healthy food and nutrition for all students remains.
 * promote healthy food and nutrition for all students; and
 * where food and beverages are sold on school premises, make only healthy options available.

The Ministry of Education's Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids: Guidelines to Support Healthy Eating Environments in New Zealand Early Childhood Education Services and Schools (March 2007) provides a framework to help schools and their communities develop environments that promote and support healthy eating.

NAG 1
Each Board of Trustees is required to foster student achievement by providing teaching and learning programmes which incorporate the New Zealand Curriculum (essential learning areas, essential skills and attitudes and values) as expressed in National Curriculum Statements.

Each Board, through the principal and staff, is required to: (i) develop and implement teaching and learning programmes: (a) to provide all students in years 1-10 with opportunities to achieve for success in all the essential learning and skill areas of the New Zealand curriculum; (b) giving priority to student achievement in literacy and numeracy, especially in years 1-4; (c) giving priority to regular quality physical activity that develops movement skills for all students, especially in years 1-6; (ii) through a range of assessment practices, gather information that is sufficiently comprehensive to enable the progress and achievement of students to be evaluated; giving priority first to: (a) student achievement in literacy and numeracy, especially in years 1-4; and then to: (b) 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 New Zealand curriculum (as expressed in the National Curriculum Statements); (iii) on the basis of good quality assessment information, identify students and groups of students; (a) who are not achieving; (b) who are at risk of not achieving; (c) who have special needs and (d) aspects of the curriculum which require particular attention; (iv) develop and implement teaching and learning strategies to address the needs of students and aspects of the curriculum identified in (iii) above; (v) in consultation with the school's Maori community, develop and make known to the school's community policies, plans and targets for improving the achievement of Maori students; (vi) 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.

NAG 2
Each Board of Trustees, with the principal and teaching staff, is required to: (i) 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, assessment and staff professional development; (ii) maintain an on-going programme of self-review in relation to the above policies, plans and programmes, including evaluation of information on student achievement; (iii) report to students and their parents on the achievement of individual students, and to the school's community on the achievement of students as a whole and of groups (identified through 1(iii) above) including the achievement of Maori students against the plans and targets referred to in 1(v) above.

NAG 3
According to the legislation on employment and personnel matters, each Board of Trustees is required in particular to: (i) 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; (ii) 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: (i) allocate funds to reflect the school's priorities as stated in the charter; (ii) 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; (iii) 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: (i) provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students; (ii) promote healthy food and nutrition for all students; (iv) 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.