Professional learning

The model for regionally-allocated PLD (formerly 'locally-focused PLD’) was introduced in 2017. 

PLD allocation decisions are made by local panels of sector leaders. These panels are aware of the particular educational needs of ākonga and students in that region.

• Read more about regional allocation panels.

In 2020, the PLD priorities were reset to focus on core curriculum capabilities that enable a more responsive and equitable education system.

The new priorities for English medium settings are:

• cultural capability
• local curriculum design
• assessment for learning.

The new priorities for Māori medium and te reo Māori settings are:

• mātauranga Māori and te reo Māori
• marau ā-kura
• aromatawai.

Digital fluency remains a priority in all settings.

• Read more about the PLD priorities.

More information:

• Ministry funded professional learning supports and opportunities.

• Help and guides explaining how to use the online regionally-allocated PLD system.

Online and downloadable resources from ERO, TKI and Ministry of Education websites to support schools and teachers with self-review, planning, and reporting.

A practical guide to assessment and reporting contains information for schools who are seeking to review their systems and processes for curriculum review, assessment, and reporting to parents.

Leading Local Curriculum Guide series

The Leading Local Curriculum Guide series has been developed to steer review of your curriculum, assessment, and design decisions as you strengthen your local curriculum, respond to progress, and reinforce learning partnerships with parents and whānau.  

There are three guides:

• Local curriculum 
• Assessment for learning
• Information sharing and building learning partnerships.

School evaluation indicators: Effective practice for improvement and learner success

School Evaluation Indicators identifies six domains that have the most significant influence on improving student outcomes.  The effective practice indicators reflect new research and evidence about what really works to achieve equity and excellence.  

Effective school evaluation: How to do and use internal evaluation for improvement

Effective school evaluation: how to do and use internal evaluation for improvement is published jointly by ERO and the Ministry of Education as a companion to School Evaluation Indicators: Effective practice for improvement and learner success, and is supported by Internal Evaluation: good practice.

Internal evaluation: good practice

Internal evaluation: good practice showcases 13 schools and how they've used internal evaluation to change their practice to support students to achieve. The findings from this report have informed the joint Ministry of Education and ERO resource Effective School Evaluation: How to do and use internal evaluation for improvement.

Schools' planning and reporting

Schools' planning and reporting provides guidance and requirements for developing, submitting and publishing your planning and reporting documents. These documents are part of your wider planning and reporting cycle.

Information and materials from previous uLearn presentations to help you improve your assessment understanding and practice. 

uLearn 2018 - Assessment and reporting in the post-National Standards era

Presenters: Adrienne Carlisle and Brenda Crozier

This PowerPoint presentation is based on A Practical Guide to Assessment and Reporting, a section on Assessment Online commissioned by The Ministry of Education. They had received feedback indicating that many schools were uncertain about what assessment and reporting might look like in the post-National Standards era.

Download the slide presentation:

Assessment and reporting in the post-National Standards era - ULearn presentation (PowerPoint 2007 9 MB)

uLearn 2016 – Using data to transform teaching and learning

Presenters: Adrienne Carlisle and Brenda Crozier

What data does your school collect? What use do you make of it? Does the analysis support your teachers to improve teaching and learning? This ULearn workshop showed delegates ways to use evidence for learning. It took them through data gathering, manipulation, and analysis, and showed them how to transform the results into targeted teaching.

Download the slide presentation:

Using data to transform teaching and learning (PowerPoint 2007 4 MB)

For further information contact: [email protected]

uLearn 2015 – Resources to improve teaching and learning

Presenters: Brenda Crozier and Anna Sullivan

Assessment Online on TKI offers a wide range of information on how leaders and teachers can use assessment to enhance teaching and learning.

The ULearn workshop assisted delegates to navigate quickly and easily within the Assessment Online website and find a wealth of tools and resources that include data interpretation tutorials, PowerPoint presentations for in-school professional learning, useful online tools, and important assessment information. Emphases of the workshop covered:

• formative assessment in the classroom
• the collection and analysis of data
• moderation
• overall teacher judgments
• reporting to parents and whānau
• assessment tools and their most effective use. 

Schools can use the PowerPoint presentation to help colleagues discover the range of content available in Assessment Online and/or to use resources in the site to improve their understanding and application of assessment knowledge and practices. 

Download the slide presentation:

Assessment Online – resources to improve teaching and learning (PowerPoint 3 MB)

For further information contact: [email protected]