ppta te wehengarua annual report 2020 – 2021
TRANSCRIPT
PPTA TE WEHENGARUA ANNUAL REPORT 2020 – 2021
Published by:
New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua PO Box 2119 Wellington 6140 ISSN 2382-2058 (print) ISSN 2382-2066 (online - ppta.org.nz)
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CONTENTS
PPTA constitution ..................................................................................................................... 2
Overview of 2020-2021 year: PPTA President, Melanie Webber .............................................. 3
Foreword to the 2020-2021 annual report: PPTA General Secretary, Michael Stevenson ........ 4
PPTA decision-making structures 2020-2021 ........................................................................... 5
Membership of PPTA Executive, committees and groups who served during the 2020-2021 year .......................................................................................................................................... 6
Executive Committees .............................................................................................................. 7
PPTA regional officers .............................................................................................................. 9
COVID-19 report .................................................................................................................... 11
Teaching Council campaign ................................................................................................... 11
Professional learning and development Fund ......................................................................... 12
The Education Work Programme ............................................................................................ 14
PPTA industrial activity 2020-2021 ......................................................................................... 17
Secondary School Staffing ..................................................................................................... 19
Professional Activity 2020/2021 .............................................................................................. 20
Kaupapa Māori ....................................................................................................................... 24
PPTA Membership activity ...................................................................................................... 25
Communications ..................................................................................................................... 30
PPTA Executive Ethics Committee ......................................................................................... 31
External Links ......................................................................................................................... 31
Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021 .................................. 33
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PPTA CONSTITUTION
All PPTA activity is guided by a constitution with the following objectives:
• To advance the cause of education generally and of all phases of secondary and technical education in particular
• To uphold and maintain the just claims of its members individually and collectively • To affirm and advance Te Tiriti O Waitangi
The PPTA's activities include:
• Negotiating collective employment agreements • Advising members about conditions of employment • Advocating on professional and educational issues
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OVERVIEW OF 2020-2021 YEAR: PPTA PRESIDENT, MELANIE WEBBER
E ngā kaiako o Aotearoa
Haere tonu kia mau. Tēnā koutou uniana hoamahi.
Is it possible to be locked down and flying at speed at the same time? We seem to be achieving that in these strange Covid times. Educational reforms continue apace as we try our hardest to make sure that the ākonga in front of us (even if virtually) are receiving the learning they need right now.
It’s hard to look back when events are moving at such pace, but it’s important we do because here have been some significant achievements in
this 2020-21 year despite the difficulties.
COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions resulted in the cancellation of the Pasifika Fono, the Māori Teachers’ Conference, and a delay in the timing of the Issues and Organising seminar.
The Provisionally Certificated Teachers’ Conference, eagerly anticipated in July as one of the key events in the Professional Learning and Development calendar, became a virtual conference given the uncertainty created by COVID-19. Despite not being able to meet with and talk to other participants face to face, the Zoom sessions were insightful and inspiring. Congratulations to the organisers for their flexibility and versatility.
PPTA Te Wehengarua National Executive, regional officers and staff demonstrated similarly impressive agility in organising annual conference, but not quite as we know it, in 2020. The conference was held across two venues, one in Wellington and the other in Christchurch. The energy and enthusiasm evident at both bubbles, coupled with thought-provoking speakers and robust discussion of some very significant issues, made for a memorable event.
April 2021 brought the first professional conference for some time, a fantastic event opened by the Minister of Education, Hon Chris Hipkins, and bringing together hundreds of teachers from across the motu to engage with the latest in educational research.
Last but definitely not least must be the decision in our favour in five out of the six grounds we contested in the judicial review of the Teaching Council fees decision. Being able to take this sort of action is exactly what unions are about. The war is not yet won, and we continue to lobby to limit the scope of what teachers can expect to pay for with the Teaching Council. The Education and Workforce select committee saw hundreds of PPTA members speaking to their submissions against a legislative change to the Education and Training Act that would allow the council to set their program of work and ask the profession to pay for it. It was an important reminder for legislators that ‘teacher unions’ are actually teachers.
The implementation of the NCEA Review continues to loom large for teachers, and the announcement of a curriculum review trailing behind has done little to remove concern, particularly with timelines remaining unchanged from those set pre-pandemic.
Meanwhile, in between the significant events of 2020-21, the day-to-day work of our activists continued across the motu, ably supported by our field service and the team here at national office in Wellington. Thanks to all.
Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui.
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FOREWORD TO THE 2020-2021 ANNUAL REPORT: PPTA GENERAL SECRETARY, MICHAEL STEVENSON
2020/21 was a significant year for PPTA Te Wehengarua, with continued activism, campaigning and organising. All against a backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Three highlights were our judicial review victory in the High Court over illegal Teaching Council actions, the roll-out of flagship PLD fund events, including the professional and provisionally certified teachers' conferences, and our 2020 ‘double-bubble’ Annual Conference where the power of PPTA people overcame the virus.
I need to acknowledge our four brave teacher plaintiffs, who stood up against the injustice of no guaranteed pro-rata non-contact time
for part-time teachers. The result was not what we wanted, but we remain steadfast in our campaign to right this wrong. It is an honour to work alongside such a brave group of members.
At PPTA Te Wehengarua we have an incredibly strong foundation. Day-to-day activists, members and staff work together to ensure secondary teaching is a first-choice profession. We benefit from a loyal membership, who work in well-organised branches and have multiple opportunities to engage with the Association through our constitutional structures, networks, social media and events.
Of course, we need a solid financial base to ensure our vital mahi continues. So, I am pleased to say the Association remains in the black in 2020-21, despite all the challenges of COVID-19.
Thank you to all members and staff for making PPTA Te Wehengarua the powerful machine it is today. Kia kaha – it is a privilege to work alongside you.
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PPTA DECISION-MAKING STRUCTURES 2020-2021
This section of the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association Te Wehengarua (PPTA) annual report for the 2020-2021 year provides a brief introduction to PPTA decision making structures.
The PPTA Annual Conference is its supreme decision-making body.
Business between annual conferences is conducted by the PPTA executive, which meets five times a year. The executive comprises volunteers who are practising secondary teachers, elected by PPTA members. They represent each of the 24 PPTA regions, and there are three representatives from Te Huarahi Māori Motuhake (the Māori executive), and a representative from Komiti Pasifika.
Members also elect the PPTA president, a full-time position with a maximum term of four years based in Wellington, for which the incumbent can take leave from his or her school.
The executive is assisted in its decision-making by a number of advisory committees and taskforces which are responsible for providing advice on specific issues of concern to secondary teachers.
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MEMBERSHIP OF PPTA EXECUTIVE, COMMITTEES AND GROUPS WHO SERVED DURING THE 2020-2021 YEAR
PPTA NATIONAL EXECUTIVE
Chris Abercrombie, Ellen Curnow, Raj Dawson, Kevin Greig, Jacinta Grice, Vincent Hapi, Lisa Hargreaves, Henare Hutana, Evan Jones, Bernie Lee, Gazala Maihi, Angela Maisiri, Rob McCafferty, Lawrence Mikkelsen, Vinnie Monga, Amanda Moys, Micky Nogher, Austen Pageau, Emma Porter, Tania Rae, Simon Reid, Powhiri Rika-Heke, Angela Roberts, Patty Robinson, Louise Ryan, Graham Sharp, Graham Smith, Rob Torr, Michael Waller, Shona West, Miles Winter, Jilian Woods
TE HUARAHI MĀORI MOTUHAKE
Miriama Barton, Hemi Ferris-Bretherton, Vince Hapi, Daniel Hapuku, Henare Hutana, Gazala Maihi, Tihi Puanaki, Powhiri Rika-Heke, Patty Robinson, Te Aomihia Taua-Glassie, Lia Te Wao, Anthony Urwin, Shona West
TE RŌPŪ MATUA
Jacinta Grice, Joe Hunter, Henare Hutana, Gazala Maihi, Vinnie Monga, Kui Morrell, Tania Rae, Angela Roberts, Te Whare Turuwhenua
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Chris Abercrombie, Jack Boyle, Joe Hunter, Henare Hutana, Simon Reid, Angela Roberts, Michael
Stevenson, Rob Torr, Melanie Webber, Shona West
AREA SCHOOLS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Raj Dawson, Glenys Hanley, Raveena Lal, Rose Lal-Phillips, Michelle Maiava, Edgar Mitchell, Max
Ross
CONDITIONS STRATEGY COMMITTEE Simon Curnow, Jacinta Grice, Daniel Hapuku, Lawrence Mikkelsen, Austen Pageau, Emma Porter,
Powhiri Rika-Heke, Patty Robinson, Graham Sharp, Shona West, Miles Winter
CURRICULUM ADVISORY COMMITTEE Chris Abercrombie, Simon Curnow, Angela Maisiri, Lawrence Mikkelsen, Emma Porter, Tania Rae,
Louise Ryan, Graham Smith, Te Aomihia Taua-Glassie
ESTABLISHING TEACHERS' COMMITTEE Georgia Dougherty, Vincent Hapi, Natalie Jump, Vinnie Monga, Luke Nickholds, Emma Porter,
Paul Stevens, Cameron Stewart, Stephanie Walton, Nikki Weston
ICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE Jarrod Aberhart, Craig Briggs, Edwin Bruce, Laurence Caltaux, Richard Cameron, Rachel Chisnall, Robbie Cleland-Pottie, Grant Collie, John Creighton, Chris Dillon, Hemi Ferris-Bretherton, Caroline Gill, Tish Glasson, Kevin Greig, Allie Hemmings, Elaine Hughes, Andy McMillan, Sam Mortimer, Tim Muir, Patty Robinson, Michael Waller, Miles Winter
KOMITI PASIFIKA Alvin Chand, AJ Jyotika, Angela Maisiri, Sanjay Naidu, Leitu Samaseia, Tai Tarai, Vernon Tile,
Robbie Timo
MIDDLE LEADERSHIP ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Chris Bangs, Jo Barber, Natalie Faitala, Amanda Johnson, Jeanne Lomax, Michelle Maiava, Kate Parker-Corney, Louise Ryan, Graham Sharp, Te Aomihia Taua-Glassie, David Taylor, Peter Varey, Michael Waller, Robyn Welsh, Katrina Daniela (Wickham), Miles Winter, Fiona Wolff, Tamara Yuill Proctor
POLITICAL STRATEGY COMMITTEE
Chris Abercrombie, Hemi Ferris-Bretherton, Joe Hunter, Evan Jones, Lawrence Mikkelsen, Micky Nogher, Austen Pageau, Tania Rae, Louise Ryan, Jillian Woods
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PROFESSIONAL ISSUES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Jacinta Grice, Joe Hunter, Henare Hutana, Evan Jones, Tania Rae, Simon Reid, Michael Waller, Jillian Woods
RAINBOW TASKFORCE
Sara Anderson, Shawn Cooper, Ben Millar, Vinnie Monga, Amanda Moys, Powhiri Rika-Heke, Paul Stevens, Vernon Tile
SECONDARY PRINCIPALS’ COUNCIL OF AOTEAROA (SPC)
Maurie Abraham, Christine Allen, Jack Anderson, Chris Betty, Lance Christiansen, Virginia Crawford, Catherine Ewing, Robin Fabish, Kate Gainsford, Karyn Gray, Alan Liddle, Rosey Mabin, Nic Richards, Simon Reid, Rachel Skelton, Lynlee Smith, Fleur Wainohu, Stephen Walters
SENIOR POSITIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Peter Brailsford, Kevin Byrne, Laurence Caltaux, Kevin Dean, Maria Dunn, Jo Fissenden, Amanda Johnson, Kathleen Kaveney, Peter Mathias, Ian Nicholson, Christine Pili, Stephen Read, Elizabeth Ross, Timothy Tucker, Melanie Webber, Jackie West, Michael Wilkinson-Meyers
SURPLUS STAFFING NOMINEES
Aoraki: Rosie Adams, Miles Winter
Bay of Plenty: Niall Pearce
Canterbury: Jo Fissenden, Pete Gill, Bernie Lee
Central Plateau: Elizabeth Ross
Counties Manukau: Rodger Barlow, Stuart King
Hawkes Bay: Jill Gray
Manawatū-Whanganui: Hamish Wood
Northland Upper: Alan Carson
Southland: Chris Abercrombie
Taranaki: Richard Armond, Bruce Johnson, Eileen Mott
Wellington: Paul Cutler, Vernon Tile
Terry McNamara
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PPTA REGIONAL OFFICERS
The following groups are office-holders in each of PPTA’s 24 regions:
REGIONAL CHAIRPERSONS
Greg Allum, Rachel Burnett, Michael Cabral-Tarry, Bill Claridge, Josh Clark, Jason Devery, Sudhir Duppati, Kate Grage, Roger Gregory, Simon Hirini, Rebecca Holmes, Evan Jones, Martin Kane, Helen Kato, Bevan King, Georgette Lampitt, Alex Le Long, Erin MacDonald, David Masters, Thomas Newton, Micky Nogher, Kieran Phillip, Vanessa Pringle, Jody Reynolds, Johni Rutene, Graham Sharp, Kelly Sheridan, Janette Snowden, Jane Sorensen, Cameron Stewart, Francis van Buren-Schele, Esther Van Dyke, Stephanie Walton, Michael Waller, Cassandra Wilberforce, Miles Winter.
REGIONAL SECRETARIES
Rosie Adams, Melly Allom, Julia Barnes, Sharon Barrett, Emma Box, Robyn Bright, Kieran Browne, Emma Burns, Melita Burrows, Joanne Doak, Jess Earnshaw, Amanda Ellwood, Jo Fissenden, Hannah Gould, Theresa Gracie, Kate Grage, Kate Halls, Diana Henderson, Rebecca Hopper, Kathryn Jenkin, Pratik Jethwa, Hamish Johnston, Lesley Lundquist, Helen Kato, Georgette Lampitt, Aletta Lamprecht, Tom Leonard, Jason Liddall, Lesley Lundquist, Ryan McCroskery, Luke Nickholds, Dave Patchett, Sean Scanlen, Andrea Sims Lorraine Still, Stephanie Watson, Kim Wilson, Colin Wood
REGIONAL TREASURERS
Jamie Ashman, Quentin Barry, Penelope Bovaird-Walker, Robyn Bright, Grant Collie, Jacki Durham, Connor Dykes, Sharon Ensor, Julie George, Lisa Hargreaves, Stuart King, Hazel McIntosh , Radha McKendry, Terry McNamara, Linda Merriman, Sarah Morgan, Divendar Nath, Eileen Parsons, Niall Pearce, Ryan Peters, Felicity Pitt, Vijeshwar Prasad, Andrew Ricciardi, Angela Roberts, Elizabeth Ross, Stephen Ross, Angela Seyb, Vernon Tile
TE REO-A-ROHE
Robyn Aloua , Rihari Brown, Maree Coleman, Jane du Feu, Sharon Fernée, Mikaere Gardiner, Ngawini Heretini, Henrietta Hillman, Simon Hirini, Tuihana Jack-Ainsley, Irihapeti Macdonald, Robert Mahanga, Anaru Mikaere, Maria Paikea, Tina Peters, Patty Robinson, Shanna Rope, Nicole Solomon, Lia Te Wao, Hayley Thompson, Rauhina Tipuna, Malia-Ana Turketo, Anthony Urwin, Kapuhuia Waaka, Christine Weepu, Jackie West, Lucy Wihongi, Jan Worrall.
REGIONAL ESTABLISHING TEACHER REPRESENTATIVES
Greg Allum, Robyn Aloua, Melissa Bell, Nathan Bergin, Joanna Boonen, Josh Clark, Surrey Collette, Emily Duke, Saskia Ghadiali, Andrew Guy, Rosa Hughes-Currie, Kussi Hurtado-Stuart, Stephanie Julian, Natalie Jump, Bethany Kennedy, Holly Lindsay, Gina Loader Knowles, Mandy Maber, Kylie O’Dowd, Joshua O’Sullivan, Richard Pollard, Emma Porter, Sanjay Prasad, Jana Robertson, Rose Ruzicka, Alana Sayers, Sam Speedy, Cameron Stewart, Areka Watson, Nikki Weston
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REGIONAL WOMEN’S COORDINATORS
Annette Atkins, Shirley Baume, Emma Burns, Melita Burrows, Marion de Weyer, Shalom Del’ Monte-Aberhart, Alana Duckett, Juliette Emery-Fenemor, Samantha Farook, Anna Heinz, Leah Henderson, Kate Hope, Georgette Lampitt, Bernie Lee, Mere Manning, Sally McGunnigle-Trail, Tarsh McLaughlin, Desiree Mulligan, Kate Parker-Corney, Lida Penn, Clare Preston, Radhe Radhe, Julie Secker, Angela Seyb, Lauren Strange, Francis van Buren-Schele, Esther van Dyke, Demelza Venning-Slater, Robyn Welsh, Cassandra Wilberforce, Barbara Williams, Yomi Williams, Kim Wilson, Megan Wishart, Fiona Wolff, Jillian Woods
REGIONAL PASIFIKA COORDINATORS
Samid Buksh, Indar Deo, Manjula Devi, Shalendra Kumar, Kamal Nair, Diven Nath, Camillia Padgett, John Palamo, Jana Robertson, Joyce Shankar-Kay, Tai Tarai, Sione Tauveli, Robbie Timo
RAINBOW NETWORK COORDINATORS
Samid Buksh, Shay Cowley, Marion de Weyer, Deanna Foster, Ruby Grant, Rosa Hughes-Currie, Nartarsha Ikuia, Maggie Jones, David Moore, Amanda Moys, Toni Neve, Ashlin Raymond, Powhiri Rika-Heke, Francessa Stubbins
REGIONAL MEN’S REPRESENTATIVES
Richard Armond, Jeremy Ball, Phillip Bell, Nicholas Campbell, Graham Conlon, Philip Coyle, Nick Gartell, Bob Gray, Attila Kiss, David Masters, Maxwell Matenga, Tony Nelson, Dallas Pitt, Geoff Prentice, Graham Smith, Russell Stirling, Grady Trail, Carl Vose, Jason Wang, Teina Wells-Smith, Ross Wickett, David Young
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COVID-19 REPORT
New Zealand has continued to be impacted by COVID-19. In the year to 30 June 2021 there have been four COVID-19 events that have required alert level changes.
12 August – 7 October 2020
An outbreak in Auckland resulted in Auckland moving to Level 3 and the rest of New Zealand moving to Level 2. Auckland schools were closed and learning moved online. After two weeks in Level 3 Auckland joined the rest of the country at Level 2 (but with additional restrictions on gatherings). Auckland eventually returned to Level 1 on 7 October. This outbreak impacted the 2020 Annual Conference (reported on elsewhere).
14 -20 February 2021
Auckland returned to Level 3, closing schools and moving learning online. This lockdown presented some difficulties for schools as it was so early in the school year, and teachers were still setting up their routines for the year and establishing classroom relationships.
28 February – 12 March 2021
Auckland was plunged back into Level 3 and the rest of the country to Level 2. Schools were again closed for another week, with learning moved online. This lockdown impacted the 2021 Issues and Organising Conference (reported on elsewhere).
23 – 29 June 2021
Wellington was moved to Level 2 in response to an Australian visitor who tested positive to the Covid-19 delta variant upon their return to Australia. While schools remained open there was the challenge of a significant number of teachers from some schools being identified as close contacts and being required to self-isolate for 14 days.
PPTA Te Wehengarua has continued to monitor the situation, advocating for teachers and ensuring students were not disadvantaged in terms of their NCEA results or University Entrance. Teachers showed themselves to be incredibly resilient and willing to do the best that they could in often difficult situations. As the situation has unfolded and changed, advice on the website has been updated.
TEACHING COUNCIL CAMPAIGN
The main focus of the Teaching Council campaign in 2021 has been the judicial review of the Teaching Council’s fee setting and annual certification decisions. PPTA challenged these decisions on six grounds over two days in the High Court in Wellington in May 2021. Justice Churchman found in PPTA’s favour on five of the six grounds, including most significantly the ruling that the omnibus fee that the Teaching Council charges for all its functions is unlawful, and that there had been no consultation on the move from triennial to annual certification. As a result, the Teaching Council’s decisions were quashed immediately, validating teachers’ concerns that they had not been treated fairly.
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PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT FUND
The 2019 Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement established a fund for the purposes of secondary school teachers' professional development. PPTA provides professional development opportunities under this fund in consultation with members of the sector. This ensures that the teaching workforce can respond to the challenges posed by learner needs in a rapidly changing world. PPTA is committed to supporting the sector nationally to ensure all young people in New Zealand have equitable access to a high-quality public education.
COVID-19 has had an unprecedented effect on New Zealand’s society, economy, and environment. At the time of this reporting, COVID-19 has once again caused abrupt changes to our education system and as a country we find ourselves facing lockdown challenges. However, we have continued to evolve and adapt our responses to meet these challenging times and support our education sector with a number of successful and well received PLD-funded programmes.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we had to cancel the Māori Teachers’ Conference 2020 and Pasifika Fono 2020. However, we were able to successfully pivot to virtual platforms for the Provisionally Certificated Teachers’ Conference 2020 and our Health and Safety and Wellbeing in Education workshops. We also successfully launched the PPTA Te Wehengarua Professional Conference Whakatairangatia – Advancing the dream of public education.
PROVISIONALLY CERTIFICATED TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE 2020
When Covid-19 caused the nation to go into lockdown in March 2020, the decision was made to run the provisionally certificated teachers’ conference as a virtual conference. the programme was designed around the traditional model of a two-day conference, but with increased gaps between sessions to avoid zoom overload and enable some networking options. a conference organiser, who was employed for the event, ran the conference through the digital conference platform Eventsair.
PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE – 19-21 APRIL 2021
The PPTA Te Wehengarua Professional Conference: ‘Whakatairangatia – Advancing the dream of public education’ was held during the April 2021 school holidays. Officially opened by the Minister of Education, Hon Chris Hipkins, the conference was attended by 191 people. Feedback from conference attendees indicated the event was highly regarded inside and outside of PPTA for its coverage of key issues facing the sector. The workshops, research presentations and keynote speakers were well received and praised for being relevant and informative.
NATIONAL TE REO AND TIKANGA MĀORI PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Development of course content for the PPTA Te Wehengarua National Te Reo and Tikanga Māori professional development programme, ‘Te Tatau ki te Ao Māori: Opening the door to the Māori world’, was carried out by PPTA’s Education Officers / Āpiha Mātauranga during the first half of 2021. The programme aims to provide a safe haven for secondary teachers to begin a journey into te reo Māori. The programme design acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It applies Tangata Whenuatanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi values within the learning environment and is respectful of all learners’ identities and cultures. There have been several opportunities to promote the programme via PPTA News, the Secondary Principals Council of Aotearoa hui and presentations at branch officers’ meetings and regional training in Te Tairāwhiti, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Waikato, and Manawatū.
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Workshops were also held at the Professional Conference 2021. The response to these presentations and the programme in general has been overwhelmingly positive. Feedback from these events highlighted that teachers and schools are very keen to engage in the programme.
The programme delivery phase is currently planned for Terms 3 and 4 2021. This kaupapa fulfils responsibilities for teachers by promoting whanaungatanga with colleagues through professional and respectful collaboration. As part of the school and teacher engagement for delivery of the programme, PPTA’s Education Officers / Āpiha Mātauranga assess the varying ability levels and needs of all learners and design a bespoke course to engage and support learners.
HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WELLBEING IN EDUCATION WORKSHOPS
The wellbeing workshops are one-day courses, based on the PPTA Education Worker Wellbeing Strategy and Framework, and have been organised to run predominantly in Terms 2 and 3. This schedule has been adapted to suit the needs of the teacher workforce and to take into account other PLD-funded events. The resources made available at these workshops are taken from a variety of sources including WorkSafe New Zealand’s Good Practice Guidelines, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment resources on harassment, World Health Organisation Protecting Workers’ Health, WorkSafe Victoria, the Mental Health Foundation, State Services Commission’s Safe and Positive Workplaces (State Service Commission), Netsafe and Worksafe Australia.
SUPPORTING SUBJECT ASSOCIATIONS AND THEIR CONFERENCES
COVID-19 has significantly affected the uptake of subject association grants. As at 30 June 2021 a total of 197 grants were awarded. However, we are seeing a significant upswing in grant applications in 2021. For 2021-22, a pre-approval process will be introduced to give certainty to teachers who want to use the grant for an event at the end of the year, that their claim will be paid.
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WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
The Women in Leadership Summit was held on 8 – 9 October 2020. Both the summit and the research report PPTA commissioned from the New Zealand Council of Educational Research preceding the conference, identified the need for alternative models of leadership as one of the key challenges to more women taking up leadership roles.
SECONDARY TEACHER CAREER PATHWAY QUALIFICATION
We have been working with Victoria University of Wellington exploring what we can do together in terms of a micro-credential. We recognise that there is a gap in PLD for teachers who work with other teachers, including but not limited to Specialist Classroom Teachers, Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour, Heads of Department, Heads of Faculty, Heads of Language Associations, Deputy and Associate Principals, mentor teachers of Initial Teacher Education students and PCTs, teachers who hold PLD roles in their school, Within Schools Teachers, etc. Historically some of these roles have included some PLD, but that has become increasingly rare, and teachers often come to these roles with little knowledge and experience of how to teach and mentor adults.
During 2020-21, the PLD fund successfully supported the education sector and evolved its delivery approaches to ensure that programme outcomes could still be achieved in the complex COVID-19 environment.
THE EDUCATION WORK PROGRAMME
GOVERNANCE REVIEW
Education Service Agency – Te Māhau The Tomorrow’s Schools review identified the need for a stronger local presence in the schooling network to address the enduring shortfall in support for boards, principals, teachers, and communities. It proposed that this could be achieved by what the Ministry has called the Education Service Agency (ESA), now known as Te Māhau, which will deliver “responsive, accessible and integrated support by delivering functions relevant to the needs of teachers, leaders, students, whānau and their wider communities, to support equity and excellence of learning outcomes”. The Minister of Education made the establishment of the ESA a high priority to be progressed within 18-24 months.
PPTA and other sector groups have been frustrated at the lack of ministry action in establishing the ESA as such support for schools is needed urgently. Having already written to the Secretary for Education, Iona Holsted, in January 2020, we raised the issue again in October 2020 in our briefing to the incoming minister after the elections.
In May 2021 there was a cross-sector hui over the lack of information and consultation over the ESA, and a call for a kaitiaki group to oversee its development. Finally, Ms Holsted called an urgent cross-sector workshop on 29 June.
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So it has been a slow and rocky start to Te Māhau. It was always questionable whether the ministry, which was slated in the Tomorrow’s Schools review as not having the trust of the sector and not providing the necessary support, had the wherewithal to reinvent itself to address its failings. The early signs are not good.
EDUCATION WORKFORCE STRATEGY
There has been no further engagement and no noticeable outcomes in 2020-2021 relating to the education workforce strategy.
The dedicated COVID-19 Professional Issues Taskforce that was established by PPTA Te Wehengarua Executive in May 2020 to guide policy on the impact of COVID-19 and inform input into ministry, New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and other sector agencies’ proposed responses to the crisis, met three times in 2020. This taskforce and its associated teaching, learning and assessment focus group supported discussions that led to the NCEA 2020 changes due to the disruptions to teaching and learning as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. These changes included resources to support gathering of alternative evidence for assessment, a delay to the start of the external examinations and the application of learning recognition credits (LRCs). The calculations for these LRCs were further altered in September 2020 to acknowledge the extra disruption faced by Auckland-based students from additional lockdowns.
Not surprisingly, the pandemic also impacted on the work of the NCEA review of achievement standards (RAS). There was an extension given for the ministry to receive feedback on the provisional NCEA level 1 subject list, there was a delay in the first meetings of the ‘remaining’ Level 1 subject expert groups (SEGs), and the decision was made to hold only one of the two planned Accord teacher-only days (TODs) for 2020 (holding the second one over into 2022).
In order to provide a space for PPTA members to share experiences and involvement in the NCEA changes beyond the structured TODs, the Executive approved a support package at the end of
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2020 for regional seminars and other gatherings. An organising plan has been developed and to date there have been workshops at the 2021 Professional Conference in addition to three regions accessing support for local meetings.
PPTA acknowledges that some members have faced significant changes to their teaching subjects as a result of the NCEA Level 1 subject list that was finalised in December 2020 and has encouraged those affected to access the support of the field service when negotiating changes to their employment conditions. The NCEA Levels 2 and 3 subject lists were consulted on in 2021 and are yet to be finalised.
PPTA has continued to provide input into the Accord teacher-only days although it has little influence over the content and timing of the resources. While members have appreciated the opportunity to set aside time for the NCEA changes, there has been huge pressure put on middle and senior leaders to wade through large volumes of material provided within days of the expected delivery. This was particularly evident at the second TOD held in May. Despite the challenges, members reported some rich conversations and strong commitment to the main focus of the day - Mana ōrite mō te mātauranga Māori.
As the RAS work continues, PPTA regularly hears concerns from members relating to the pace and volume of changes. Many members also involved with SEGs and mini-pilots, while acknowledging some of the opportunities and long-term benefits for both students and teachers, also report additional pressure and impacts on time, and increased anxiety relating to the significant pedagogical shifts and resourcing challenges that will be required before implementation. In response to this, PPTA has repeatedly requested targeted, centrally-funded PLD to be provided by the ministry. These requests are yet to be met with a positive response.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACT 2020
The Association consulted widely on the Education and Training Bill. This was a vast piece of legislation that consolidated, restructured and updated material from the Education Act 1964 and Education Act 1989, Education (Vocational Education and Training Reform) Amendment Act 2020 and the Education (Pastoral Care) Amendment Act 2019. In addition, it included changes recommended by the Tomorrow’s Schools review.
PPTA supported the changes:
• Clarifying schools’ obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi • Removal of appraisal audits • Reinforcing all students’ rights to an inclusive, quality education at their local school • Refocusing the priorities for boards of trustees • Having staff representation on the board of Te Kura.
However, there were areas where we felt changes were needed, in particular:
• concerns about the detail of the new complaint and dispute resolution panels, and • some of the wording around the physical restraint framework.
The Bill was passed largely as written and came into law on 1 August 2020.
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PPTA INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY 2020-2021
ACCORD
In 2020, the Accord governance group shifted its focus. The subgroups associated with personalised learning, students with additional learning needs, and compliance reduction were thanked for their work and disbanded. The wellbeing subgroup was still working on establishing an online wellbeing hub for the education sector so it was retained to complete this work.
Other areas of focus arose and subgroups were formed to progress this work.
Teacher aide funding and career pathways
This work followed on from the teacher aide pay equity settlement, which awarded teacher aides a significant pay increase and an established matrix for career progression. Two Accord subgroups were tasked with developing a funding system for the pay increases, and implementation of the career pathways.
Kāhui Ako
Discussion initially arose in relation to the moratorium on establishing new Kāhui Ako, and then developed into consideration of increased flexibility in the within school and across community roles to meet the needs of each Kāhui Ako.
At the start of the 2021 calendar year, Melanie Webber replaced Jack Boyle as the PPTA Te Wehengarua president on the Accord governance group. The governance group also took stock of its priorities, and agreed to focus on the following areas of workload crunch:
• Chronic dysfunctional behaviour • Intensification of assessment time (1:1) • Localisation of curriculum • Multiple, competing goals and priorities • Modern learning environments • Increase in community engagement • Growth in ‘social work’ beyond the classroom.
The first of the three planned Accord teacher-only days for 2021 was held in May. These had a focus on ‘Mana ōrite mō te mātauranga Māori’ and Literacy and Numeracy.
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INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 2022
The industrial strategy over the past 12 months has been to focus on key goals, anticipate work which will be required for the 2022 negotiations (including making the collective agreements compliant with legislation), and to prepare the vision framework in which to develop and progress industrial goals in 2022 and following years.
ENFORCING THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS
MITA
Te Huarahi Māori Motuhake has continued to engage with kaiako reo Māori members regarding ongoing issues concerning their ineligibility to receive the Māori Immersion Teacher Allowance (MITA). An identified barrier to their progression has been the lack of employer support to attest to their eligibility for the allowance according to the Māori language resourcing criteria. Consequently, when kaiako disagree with the school’s assessment of the immersion levels of their students, they require a range of strategies to address these concerns. Schools and students stand to benefit when kaiako are supported and recognised for their specialised knowledge and skills in te reo Māori. The key is is to work collaboratively with school principals, the Ministry of Education and Te Huarahi/ PPTA Te Wehengarua.
Very little progress has been made on the case lodged in 2020 with the Employment Relations Authority to determine the eligibility of RTLB in Māori medium settings. Initially it was delayed by COVID-19. Now the case has been assigned to a new Employment Authority member, after the last one appointed had an accident which delayed proceedings.
Lump sum / pay delay
All of the remaining known cases relating to the non-payment or underpayment of the lump sum from the 2019 collective agreement settlement have been resolved.
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Rodney case
The Rodney case was heard in the Employment Court in March 2021. The case is about what constitutes open and closed for instruction for the purposes of the call back clauses. The case was originally heard by the Employment Authority and PPTA appealed an unfavourable decision to the court. The Rodney College board has withdrawn as a complainant and the matter was defended by the Secretary for Education. We are currently awaiting the judgement.
Part-time case
The judgement for the part-time pay equity case was released on 22 June 2021. The news was not good news. In a judgment written by Judge Smith, the court dismissed the plaintiffs' claims of unlawful discrimination. To say that this process has been challenging and difficult for the plaintiffs is an understatement. Kia kaha to the wonderful teachers at the heart of this case. The advice from our legal team was that there were no grounds for a legal appeal. The fight for part-time pay equity is not over; it means that now we take this battle back to the claims process.
Pay equity case
In November 2020, Executive received a late report in relation to recent amendments to the Equal Pay Act and to a proposal by NZEI that the teacher unions make a joint pay equity claim under those new provisions. In December 2020 PPTA lodged a pay equity claim for our members under the Equal Pay Act 1972. The claim was made on behalf of all our members including all secondary teachers, guidance counsellors, middle and senior leaders, and principals. This process will be a long one – the teachers’ aide settlement took more than four years. This case differs from the previously reported part-time case, as it relates to all our members, and is raised under an amendment to the Act that has been enacted since lodging the part-time case.
SECONDARY SCHOOL STAFFING
SECONDARY TEACHER SUPPLY
The loss of fee-paying students due to Covid-19 restrictions put at risk an estimated 500 locally funded teaching positions in secondary schools. Most did not eventuate as schools used relief funding provided by government to support the positions. While the numbers of fee-paying students continue to be down, roll growth offers an opportunity for those positions to be absorbed into the centrally funded staffing.
The closing of the borders to overseas teachers and the loss of fee-paying students impacted on recruitment and application numbers. Fewer resignations helped to stabilise staffing supply but applications for advertised jobs fell because of a decline in overseas applicants.
The average number of relievers available to schools has fallen to the second lowest since 1998. A fall in day reliever numbers is an early signal of building supply problems.
Proportionately fewer schools reported teachers leaving the secondary workforce between 15 November 2020 and 15 March 2021. Retirement is the main reason for resignation. Concerns are being expressed by principals and senior leaders that the current refresh of curriculum and review of NCEA will trigger an increased loss of teachers from the system.
PPTA has been working with the New Zealand Graphics and Technology Teachers Association and the education agencies to find ways to ease access for those with trades training to get into teacher training programmes.
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SURPLUS STAFFING
The provisional data provided by the Ministry of Education in early October 2020 identified 93 secondary schools requiring staffing ‘protection’ and there was a total reduction of 176.6 FTTEs in these schools. The provisional data identified that 22 composite (area) schools required staffing protection and there was a total reduction of 37.8 FTTEs in these schools.
While not captured by the guaranteed minimum formula staffing data, there were fewer international students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Any surplus staffing process occurring because of fewer international students is required to follow the processes in clause 3.9 of the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement and Appendix 5 of the Area Schools’ Collective Agreement. Data requested from the ministry has shown that based on the data it had received as of 16 November 2020, there were 4,487 fewer international students attending secondary and composite schools than at the same time in 2019.
Of interest will be how ongoing COVID-19 border restrictions impact on the 2021 round.
There were 22 requests for surplus staffing kits. Nationally there were six curriculum and pastoral needs assessment (CAPNA) meetings and five reorganisations.
No appeals were received regarding the CAPNA process this year. However, the Appeals Committee met to consider three appeals from members who lost employment or conditions because of a reorganisation occurring during Term 4.
A one-day refresher training course was held to prepare nominees for the 2020 surplus staffing round. Due to Auckland having COVID-19 restrictions, nominees and staff from Auckland could not attend. Technical issues prevented the Auckland team from attending the course at the Brentwood Hotel via Zoom, so PPTA field officer David Fowlie facilitated their training separately.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY 2020/2021
APPRAISAL - PROFESSIONAL GROWTH CYCLE
On 20 August 2020, the Teaching Council told schools that it no longer required performance appraisal as an accountability instrument and wanted to replace appraisal with a focus on professional growth. It asked schools to spend the rest of the year designing a professional growth cycle and supplied a quality practice template (QPT) to help them do that.
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PPTA was concerned that the QPT would result in schools designing a professional growth cycle that could be just as onerous as some of the school-designed processes for inquiry and appraisal.
PPTA decided to develop its own professional growth template with an alternative approach to the Teaching Council QPT. We wanted it to be a high trust model that did not add significantly to teacher workload. Also, we did not believe that 2,500 schools (plus early childhood education centres) should all duplicate the same task.
We worked with teachers, principals and the Āpiha Māori to develop a process that was high trust and mana enhancing, drawing inspiration from the tuakana–teina relationship: a knowledgeable colleague (tuakana, a brother, sister or cousin in Māori tradition) helps and guides a less experienced colleague (teina, originally a younger sibling or cousin of the same gender) in growing their knowledge of teaching and learning.
The resources were completed in November 2020, translated into te reo Māori, and have been available on the PPTA website since November. The resources have been well received and a number of schools are using them. The process should also be able to be used for practising certificate renewal.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Professional learning plays an important role in keeping teachers current, motivated and effective. PPTA has substantial existing policy on adequacy of and access to professional development but no policy on the appropriate amount expected for a competent, trained teacher.
The absence of an agreed expectation of PLD for teachers has led to this being defined by employers, workplace by workplace. For many members employer-directed professional learning contributes to unmanageable workloads overall. Our last major survey on PLD commitments (2013) indicated an average commitment of more than 140 hours per year per teacher and PLD continued to be identified as a workload issue in the 2016 joint working group on secondary teacher workload. An April 2020 survey of randomly selected members supported the inclusion of time spent on professional learning being counted towards teachers’ hours of work.
Annual Conference 2020 approved PPTA policy that the appropriate expectation for ongoing PLD for fully certificated secondary teachers be 20 hours per year, with 10 of these hours for teacher self-identified needs. It also reinforced PPTA belief that both employer-directed and teacher self-identified PLD should be resourced by the employer through an allocation of contact time and/or any associated course and attendance costs. Time spent above the expectation is at the professional discretion of the teacher.
It was agreed that a set of guidelines needed to be prepared covering what constitutes PLD and where PLD sits within hours of work, and the call back provisions of the collective agreements. These guidelines have been completed.
TEACHING COUNCIL
PPTA has regular policy level meetings with the council in an effort to keep communication lines open and to address issues before they reach crisis point. This has been constructive and the council appears to be consulting with PPTA on more issues than previously and this has had spin-offs including the joint approach to address workload issues related to appraisal. However, these meetings ceased when PPTA undertook a judicial review of the council’s recent decisions.
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INITIAL TEACHER EDUCATION (ITE)
PPTA hosts a meeting of the secondary ITE providers twice a year. This has two main benefits for PPTA: firstly, it gives a valuable insight into teacher supply issues and, secondly, it maintains good relations with the providers which helps facilitate requests for our field officers to meet with students to promote joining the union.
At the November meeting the main issues were those arising from COVID-19
• Interruptions to the practicum • Course completion/graduation • Positions for 2021 – concerns that some schools were reluctant to hire beginning teachers
because of their disrupted preparation • Induction and mentoring – unsure how the enhanced induction and mentoring programme was
going to work and which graduates would be eligible • Applications for 2021 seemed to be good, although hard-to-staff areas were still the same.
There were concerns about the amount of work involved in getting all courses reapproved to align with the new approval rules required by the Teaching Council, especially the requirement to increase the duration of the practicum.
This year it appears that the providers are finding it increasingly difficult to get teachers to be associates. This may reflect the impact of COVID-19 on the teaching force, and other workload pressures related to all the other initiatives that the ministry is promoting, especially the NCEA changes, mana orite, and the new Aotearoa New Zealand histories curriculum. This has of course been exacerbated by the increase in length of practicum, increased ITE numbers since COVID-19 and Masters programmes which have an ongoing presence in schools.
There is an ongoing impression that the ITE programmes are marginalised in universities – they lack status, are expensive to run, putting pressure on budgets leading to the casualisation of subject specialists.
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There is also a concern that New Zealand’s poor Trends in International Mathematics and Science Survey and Programme for International Student Assessment results are being partly attributed to changes in ITE, namely that teacher training has become too theoretical. Teach First NZ pointed out that its practice-based programme has the opposite problem in that it is seen as not having enough theory. Teach First went on to state that its programme is complementary to, not in competition with, other ITE providers. Teach First is not allowed to market on university campuses and its focus is on career changers who need to continue getting an income while they train.
TEACHER REFRESHER COURSE COMMITTEE (TRCC) / NETWORKS OF EXPERTISE
PPTA has continued to play a key role in TRCC with representatives on the governance board (including the chair) and the PLD Advisory Committee. At the end of 2020 the ministry did not renew TRCC’s contract to organise the delivery of courses, instead boosting its contract to provide leadership for the Networks of Expertise. The contract has allowed TRCC to employ additional staff to support the subject associations and to employ a kaitakawaenga to develop iwi relationships with the them.
Over the past two years TRCC has supported the subject associations in providing PLD for 15,000 teachers. Because of the success of this, the ministry let a new round of contracts to the associations, promising funding for up to five years. The level of funding has also been increased, allowing some associations to employ or second teachers. In addition to the baseline funding there were two top-up contracts available, one to support NCEA changes and the second to support the introduction of the new history curriculum.
During the 2020 lockdown and uncertainty around alert levels several TRCC organised courses did not run. These were postponed and are running in 2021.
As part of the review of the strategic plan TRCC decided that its name no longer reflected its role. Its new name, rebrand and website were to be launched at the 75th anniversary celebrations in August 2021.
SUBJECT ASSOCIATIONS
The Subject Associations’ Forum that was cancelled in 2020 due to the Alert Level 4 lockdown, was able to go ahead in April 2021 with 37 representatives in attendance spanning 29
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organisations. The forum was chaired by Michael Cabral-Tarry (Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland regional chair) with seven PPTA Te Wehengarua representatives and/or staff also present.
The forum provided a welcome opportunity for subject associations to share current concerns and projects, including those involved as Networks of Expertise. Delegates were also updated on ministry initiatives such as the curriculum refresh (including Aotearoa New Zealand Histories and Vocational Education and Pathways), the NCEA change package and RAS, all of which drew lively discussion and debate.
Subject associations, while not objecting to the changes, reported anxiety and stress from members about implementation, referring to concerns around capacity to deliver, especially given that many of the associations had no paid employees. One of the repeated calls from the floor was for there to be an overarching organiser for subject associations to provide coherence across the country. A few people suggested that PPTA might take this on. PPTA can give voice to concerns of its members via forums such as this but we do not have the capacity to take on extra administrative work that involves non-members.
There are clear benefits for PPTA in continuing to host the forum and to keep connected with associations that support many of our members in one way or another. We do believe however, that Whanaketanga Kaiako -Teacher Development Aotearoa (formerly known as the TRCC) is the body that could provide the overarching support needed.
KAUPAPA MĀORI
TE HUARAHI MĀORI MOTUHAKE Kia niwha ki te whakaū i ngā mahi atawhai, (be resolute in upholding what is good) Tīhei mauri ora.
I write this as one of the newly appointed Kaihautū Māori for PPTA Te Wehengarua. Te Huarahi Māori Motuhake and the union would like to acknowledge Te Mākao Bowkett, outgoing Āpiha Māori for all the work she has contributed to the association, Māori kaiako, professional matters affecting Māori, support given to the kaumātua and whaea, and the yearly event of Māori Teachers’ conference, to name a few. We thank her for the foundation and relationships she has built for the future of kaiako Māori, iwi and PPTA Te Wehengarua. E kore mātou e wareware i ngā mahi i para ai koe te huarahi mō mātou katoa.
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MĀORI TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the 26th National Māori Teachers’ Conference 2020 was cancelled. PPTA’s Te Huarahi instead ran a webinar on 3 September 2020. The webinar was facilitated by Kaye-Maree Dunn with speakers Eruera Tarena and Will (Wiremu) Flavell on the role of leaders, the role of teachers as leaders and how leaders need support.
NGĀ MANU KŌRERO
The Ngā Manu Kōrero speech contests 2020 were also cancelled due to COVID-19. At the March 2021 meeting of National Ngā Manu Kōrero regional coordinators it was decided that the competitions would go ahead this year, face-to-face if Covid allowed, or online if not, and contingency plans were made. September 2021 will see the national secondary schools’ Ngā Manu Kōrero competition go online for the first time. Manawatū / Horowhenua will host, enabling the judges to collectively judge the pre-recorded regional speeches in one place.
PAPER FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Te Huarahi Māori Motuhake has been working towards presenting, at the 2021 Annual Conference, a paper of significance as part of a Treaty-based relationship in the union. The paper, considerably changed since it was withdrawn last year, is: A Māori Vice-President: A seat at the top table.
PPTA MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITY
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Annual Conference is the supreme decision-making forum for PPTA Te Wehengarua. Held in the first week of the Term 3 break, it is attended by some 140 delegates and representatives from 24 regions and networks. The conference provides a forum for members to set policy that addresses issues of current importance to members. The 2020 conference took a different format from usual due to the COVID-19 outbreak that affected the country from 12 August – 7 October. The decision was taken to run a ‘double bubble’ conference, with two hubs, one in Wellington and one in Christchurch. This was a remarkable feat given the large number of conferences simply cancelled or postponed in 2020. Feedback from delegates was extremely positive.
At the 2020 conference, members discussed and voted on the following papers:
• 2020 NCEA review update • A PPTA Men’s Network V2.0 • Planning workshop: Industrial strategy 2022 • Professional learning expectations for teachers • Career structures for teachers • School Laboratory Managers • A Treaty of Waitangi strategy (withdrawn).
Reports were received on the following: • Teacher wellbeing • The road to sustainability • Remote voting • A Council for teachers • Guidance counsellors update.
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Delegates also heard from a range of engaging speakers including:
• Melissa Ansell-Bridges, Secretary, NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi • Jalila al-Salman, Vice President, Bahrain Teachers’ Association • Hon Chris Hipkins, Minister of Education • James Morris, NZ Secondary Principals’ Council • Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Māori Development • Corenna Haythorpe, Australian Education Union President • Liam Rutherford, President, NZEI Te Riu Roa.
WOMEN’S NETWORK
The highlight of the women’s network activities in 2020 was PPTA Te Wehengarua’s first Women in Leadership Summit. Funded through the union-led PLD fund, negotiated as part of the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement, the summit’s theme was Me aro ki te hā o Hine-ahu-one/ Pay heed to the mana of women. Around 70 women leaders met at Wellington’s Rydges Hotel from 8-9 October 2020, taking part in workshops on supporting each other, a leadership culture that works for women, recognising women’s skills and abilities and system change. In the lead up to the summit PPTA commissioned the New Zealand Council of Educational Research to conduct research into the literature on barriers and supports for women to succeed in secondary school leadership. This research will help shape the association’s future work to address gender-based inequities.
The women’s network has also been working with the field service on better ways of addressing sexual harm experienced by teachers at school. Many schools do not have good processes to deal with complaints of this nature. Executive has authorised the funds for PPTA to contract RespectEd to produce a sexual harm policy toolkit.
The aim of the toolkit is to assist schools to • Write procedure and policy regarding disclosures of sexual harm from staff • Create pathways for informal and formal resolution following a disclosure • Develop templates for formal reporting and responding to reports and investigations • Develop metrics for internal and external reporting • Produce a database of national and local support services.
It is hoped that schools will eventually use the toolkit and implementation guide to adopt policies and procedures to guide schools’ leadership teams and boards of trustees in order to handle such
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complaints in a manner that maintains the dignity of the complainant and that does not cause additional trauma.
MEN’S NETWORK
The PPTA men’s network continues to grow and meetings are frequently held for members around the country. The focus has continued to be on:
• Developing and maintaining strong communication links for men within and between regions, national office and the executive
• Increasing the number of male contacts in branches in each region.
Topics discussed include men's health, dealing with stress, interacting safely with students and active support for anti-violence campaigns.
With the growth of men’s networks within PPTA over the last two years, the Northland Central region sought to have the network embedded in the PPTA constitution to ensure support for, and the language used about, the men’s network would be consistent with other networks. A conference paper was developed but was not supported by the delegates and was lost on a ballot.
RAINBOW NETWORK
The Rainbow Network continues to grow and is becoming more active. We are continuing to increase representation at both the branch and regional level. This representation serves to strengthen the visibility and support available for both teachers and students of minority sexualities, genders and sex characteristics. The PPTA Te Wehengarua Rainbow Taskforce continues to offer diversity workshops to schools. These are delivered by both staff of PPTA and taskforce members. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the delivery of these in the 2020/21 year. We have managed to deliver ten workshops across this year, and have again had to reschedule a number, some for a second time.
KOMITI PASIFIKA
Komiti Pasifika has met just once in this year, in April 2021. Issues that Komiti Pasifika has been concerned about include equity in the COVID-19 space, the Pasifika Action Plan (including access to COVID-19 funding), updating of the PPTA Pasifika Handbook, the Tapasā framework and of course starting to plan for the 2022 Pasifika Fono after the cancellation of the 2020 conference due to COVID-19.
NETS
The Establishing Teachers’ Committee relaunched the Promise to New Teachers initiative at a Secondary Principals’ Council meeting at Aotea College in March 2021. A school’s board of trustees, principal and PPTA branch must all agree to sign the Promise that commits them to upholding best practice in supporting pre-certificated teachers.
The Committee refreshed the original Promise, which had been first developed in 2017, at a time when 77% of new teachers were employed on temporary agreements. The new Promise has been updated to reflect new challenges facing first and second year teachers and it is now available in both te reo Māori and English versions.
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PRINCIPALS’ REPRESENTATION
The Secondary Principals’ Council of Aotearoa (SPC) farewelled its longstanding chairperson James Morris and welcomed Kate Gainsford as the new chairperson at the beginning of 2021. SPC again played a vital role providing feedback and representation on health and safety, school operation and curriculum delivery issues during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Input into the development of Te Māhau, the NCEA review and curriculum refresh have been important parts of the group’s work this year. SPC led the staffing summit and supported the first round of the Deakin University Wellbeing research with principals and senior leaders, a leadership coaching pilot for principals and senior leaders and the establishment of a trust to provide management support for school leaders.
SERVICE AWARDS
PPTA service awards are designed to recognise significant contributions members, or former members, have made to fellow members and the Association through their activism and commitment. In the past year, awards have been conferred on:
Rosie Adams. Martin Kane, Bruce Anink, Maryann Maxwell, Mike Murray, Brigid Raymond, Barry Thompson, Willem van De Ende, Kataraina Pitiroi, Te Kanawa Piriroi, Alister McDonald, Miriama Barton, Ross Hope.
REGIONAL ACTIVITIES
Regional events have been generally limited over the period covered by the annual report due to the instability of COVID-19 and a need to place health and safety above physical gatherings.
Regional committees have utilised technology such as Zoom and Teams to stay connected with each other and with national events. This continues to be the case for most of 2021.
In March the Otago region held a successful branch officer seminar, the first such event for some time. An important focus was sharing skills and experiences on ending fixed-term employment in branches with collective action.
The Auckland region held a series of seminars - both physical and online webinars, including:
• Tapasā, on 8 April at Western Springs College (30 members)
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• Neurodiverse Learners, on 10 June at Auckland Girls’ Grammar School (40 members)
These seminars acknowledge that PPTA is both a trade union and a professional association and that often in the past regional events were activist-centred or industrial in focus.
As the report goes to print, the Hawke’s Bay region has arranged a celebration evening to recognise long-standing PPTA members.
ISSUES AND ORGANISING SEMINAR
The March 2021 Issues and Organising seminar was postponed until August due to COVID-19 restrictions.
MEMBERSHIP EDUCATION
Mahi Tika courses during 2020-21 were approached cautiously with health and safety a priority due to the COVID-19 environment. It is hoped to run smaller courses in Term 4 and into early 2022 to build this important base of knowledge while keeping members safe.
The first pilot of a new senior leaders course was held in Christchurch this year. When notice of the course was sent out, the level of interest was incredibly high. Twenty-four APs and DPs from across the South Island attended the course, which was presented by PPTA senior field officers and advisory officer Fran Renton. The two-day course focused on the concepts of good faith, consultation, and best practice in keeping low-level conversations.
Executive funding removed all barriers to attending and this significantly contributed to attendees knowing they are valued and respected as both union members and senior leaders. Some attendees mentioned they had been questioning their membership after moving into a leadership role and needing to take on more employer-based responsibilities. The course helped them realise that PPTA can support them in professional development as a leader and this contributes to keeping them safe in that space. The second pilot was delayed due to COVID-19.
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PPTA continues to support the health and safety courses run by WorkSafe New Zealand representatives and the addition of the wellbeing workshop has been welcomed as an avenue to support schools with organisational cultural change.
COMMUNICATIONS
This year we have continued to publish PPTA News in print form. We have increasing numbers signing up for the digital version, and a few schools requesting fewer copies, but most schools still prefer to receive the magazine in print form.
We have continued to send many direct email communications to members this year. COVID-19 and the Teaching Council campaign contributed to some of this. Between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021, we sent out 93 direct email communications including Collective News emails (26), branch chair communications outside of the Collective News, all-member emails and interest group newsletters. Our open rates ranged from 40% to 76% and we had a 98% delivery rate. This is consistent with previous years. According to Campaign Monitor’s analytics the average email open rate benchmark for all industries is 17.92% and 20.39% for non-profits.
Social media
In terms of social media, our main platform is Facebook, as it is by far the most popular social media platform with our members. At the time of writing our official Facebook page had grown from 5,485 to 5,608 users. We used this page as a means of engaging with the public. Meanwhile, our "PPTA members – bringing out the best" private Facebook group has 3,110 members and remains exceptionally active. We are much less active on Twitter and Instagram.
Website and App
Both the website and the app continue to be in development. Staffing changes and COVID-19 have contributed to the delays. The new members' area will have a direct link to our members' database, meaning that all membership information on the website (such as branch lists) will
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always be up to date. The new system will also allow for electronic balloting and greatly reduce the maintenance hours the current system calls for.
The mobile app will contain all the functionality of the desktop website, presented in a user-friendly and intuitive manner on iPhone and Android devices. It will also double as a digital membership card.
The public-facing side of the website is also in the process of being upgraded. This upgrade is more of a 'behind the scenes' upgrade, but it will allow for slight cosmetic improvements on some pages and will boost ease-of-use and security.
PPTA EXECUTIVE ETHICS COMMITTEE
There were no ethics investigations in the 2020-21 year.
EXTERNAL LINKS
NATIONAL EDUCATION LEADERS’ PARTNERSHIP
This group, which includes education sector unions and employers’ groups, met three times over the course of the year: in October, March and June. The group meets to discuss the issues that are most pressing at the time and seeks to find common ground for joint action if appropriate. Topics for discussion have included the Education Service Agency, Tomorrow’s Schools Review and the Curriculum Centre. It also provides a forum for joint sessions with the Minister of Education when he is available, to allow clear articulation from across all sectors directly to the Minister.
EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL
Our global peak body Education International (EI) continued its important work, despite the challenges of a global pandemic. Unsurprisingly, EI’s focus shifted to the equity issues students and teachers face in the COVID-19 era. Work on climate justice and a just transition continued as this global emergency worsens.
COUNCIL OF PACIFIC EDUCATION (COPE)
Members will be aware that COVID-19 has hit Fiji hard, and sadly COPE, which has its headquarters in Suva, has been impacted. Working from home has proved hard for many Pasifika educators, as has communicating with COPE affiliates across the Pacific. There have also been reports of teacher unionists in Fiji falling victim to the virus and many families have struggled with accessing education provision during travel restrictions. Our thoughts are with our brothers, sisters and non-binary others in the Pacific.
UNIONAID
UnionAID’s work in 2020 and 2021 has been focussed on helping partners in the Asia-Pacific region negotiate the many challenges facing workers during a pandemic. For example, UnionAID has supported the Workers Union of Solomon Islands (WUSI) to travel to the provinces and re-connect with members and workplaces after many people were temporarily out of work or lost their jobs due to Covid-19. They have also supported the BIEN Pilipinas union to establish eight new chapters in call centres around the Philippines last year. It is working hard to bring the voices of
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workers into health and safety planning as nearly 1,000 call centre and IT workers have had Covid-19 since January this year.
UnionAID was deeply upset by the military coup in Myanmar on 1 February 2021. UnionAID has a strong connection with Myanmar through its Young Leaders Programme and has been working with its contacts to channel financial support to unions engaged in resisting the military regime.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
