The Principals (Aotearoa | New Zealand)

Change is inevitable in a school, and managing change can be challenging. Changes you make may be a choice, where you identify improvements that can be made; or there may be changes to legislation, curriculum, or teaching methods that you need to implement in your school. Principals need to learn how to lead and manage change effectively. My guests are: Iain Taylor, principal of

All ākonga deserve the opportunity to flourish and succeed in their education, and making sure your students have this opportunity is your most important priority as principal. This means providing them with any learning support they need to reach their potential. But how easy is it to find the support your students need, and what can you do if you can’t access it? That’s what

All tumuaki want the ākonga in their schools to do well, but we know there are persistent disparities in achievement. In this episode, we speak with three tumuaki who have taken action to make a difference for tamariki and rangatahi previously at risk of underachievement. At the heart of their stories is the expectation that every student can achieve, even if some kids need more h

Today we’re continuing to talk to three Māori leaders who worked hard to turn around learning outcomes for Māori ākonga in their English-medium kura. We’re talking about what drives and motivates these rangatira, and where they turn for support when they need it, including Te Akatea Maōri Principals Association. My guests are: Tom Paekau, principal of Merivale School in

New Zealand's education system has under-served Māori learners for a long time. As a result, the 97% of Māori learners in English-medium settings collectively experience worse education outcomes than other learners and are less engaged in the education system. Today we’re going to talk to three principals who have worked to turn around learning and achievement for Māori ākon

The principal role can be both demanding and complex. It requires a lot of managerial and administrative tasks, you're the professional leader of the school and you have responsibility for and oversight of others, and your workload may feel overwhelming at first. It's absolutely essential that you take time to look after yourself. If this episode raises concerns for your own health

The mental health needs of tamariki and rangatahi have undoubtedly increased post-COVID, and schools are often the places where these issues emerge because of the relationships between teachers, young people and their whānau. Getting mental health support for students can be difficult, which can make looking after the wellbeing of students difficult. But there are things schools c

In this episode, we continue talking about crisis management, including extreme weather events and events that can’t be foreseen, like the Christchurch mosque attack. My guests are: Rowan Milburn, principal at Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College Nori Parata, tumuaki at Tolaga Bay Area School and Kahukuranui Kevin Bush, regional leadership advisor, Ministry of Education Thi

All sorts of emergencies, traumatic incidents, evacuations and lockdowns may impact on your kura, and as tumuaki you will lead the response. In this episode, we’ll talk about planning for incidents where you can, and where you can get help with your response to them. My guests are: Rowan Milburn, principal at Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College Nori Parata, tumuaki at Tola

As the leader of a kura, you'll most often be the one who receives and has to deal with complaints. You may also have to handle employment issues from time to time, maybe even your own. In this episode, we talk about how to handle them. My guests are: Patrick Ikiua, Director of Professional Practice for Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa (New Zealand School Boards Associ