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Internal review updates
These updates were published to independent school sites at the end of 2024 and the start of 2025.
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Some independent schools were using state school versions of these policies, some were using independent school versions, and some had customised policies. Where possible, we have updated independent schools to the core policies shown below. This might result in customising one or more of these policies.
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Governance and Management Policy section updates
As noted in our advisories, this section has been restructured and now includes some policies that were previously in the Legislation and Regulations Policy section, which has been removed and its topics have been moved to other sections.
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Government and Management Policy
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- This policy update includes content from the Board Responsibilities and Principal Responsibilities policies.
- Independent schools can now more clearly outline, in this policy, how their schools are governed and managed.
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Governance Documents (optional)
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- Independent schools can link to governance documents from this optional topic.
- Remember, if you choose to link to any documents, they will be available to anyone with access to your SchoolDocs site and you'll need to provide updated versions as needed.
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Te Tiriti o Waitangi
SchoolDocs-supplied policy + school-supplied policy
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- Updated policy in consultation with an external advisor to clarify requirements and support schools to include more school-specific information.
- Created versions of this policy for independent schools and schools can select the policy option that suits their school: the SchoolDocs supplied policy or a school-supplied policy. The SchoolDocs policy is the default.
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Board Responsibilities
Principal Responsibilities
(retired)
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- Policies removed from independent school sites. The content is now covered in Government and Management Policy (see above).
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School Planning and Reporting
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- Updated so independent schools now have more flexibility to outline the purpose of planning documents, and who is responsible for them. Schools can link to information on their website, or link to a document.
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Length of School Year
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- Added a board assurance about being open for a sufficient number of half-days and hours per day "to ensure the school provides a standard of tuition no lower than that given to students enrolled at a state school".
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Managing Policies and Procedures
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- Updated so independent schools can now include more school-specific wording about how policies are managed.
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Review Schedule and Board Assurances
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- Updated to provide board assurances specific to independent schools. The purpose of this reporting is to assure the school's board (manager), that the school is meeting key legislative and regulatory requirements, including those assessed by ERO.
- Assurances have been added for Curriculum and Student Achievement Policy and Length of School Year.
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Current Review and Review Instructions
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- Removed wording about "board responsibilities" for independent schools.
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Requests for Official Information
(retired)
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- Policy not relevant to independent schools and topic has been removed. Any wording that was relevant to independent schools is covered elsewhere in the site.
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School Community Engagement Policy section updates
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School Community Engagement Policy
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- Policy updated for state and state-integrated schools in term3.
- Created a simpler version of this policy for independent schools as independent schools don't have the same consultation requirements as state schools.
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Inclusive School Culture
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- Policy updated for state and state-integrated schools in term3.
- Updated to remove reference to legislation that doesn't apply to independent schools.
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School Character
(new Model site topic)
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- Schools can add information here about their school character.
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Communicating with Parents and Whānau
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- Policy updated for state and state-integrated schools in term3.
- Updated to remove NELP reference and Education and Training Act reference not relevant for independent schools.
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School Community Conduct Expectations
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- Policy updated for state and state-integrated schools in term3.
- Updated to remove reference to legislation that doesn't apply to independent schools.
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Media and Publicity
(previously called Media)
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- Clarified information about interacting with the media.
- Linked to relevant school policies where specific actions are required and added relevant legislation.
- Updated for independent schools to remove removed unnecessary legislative references and unnecessary links.
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Curriculum and Student Achievement Policy section updates
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Curriculum and Student Achievement Policy
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- Added a board assurance, which is based on the ERO checklist.
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Reporting about Student Progress and Achievement
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- Policy updated for state and state-integrated schools in term3.
- Updated to remove reference to legislation that doesn't apply to independent schools.
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Health Education
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- This policy was part of the core policy set for independent schools but it is now optional. Independent schools that carry out a consultation process similar to state schools might like to keep the policy. If not, it can be removed.
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Employment Policy section updates
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Employment Policy
(previously Employer Responsibility Policy)
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- Updated policy title to align with employment policy requirements under the Education and Training Act 2020 (s 597).
- Emphasised good employer and good faith requirements.
- Moved information about Kāhui Ako to School Staffing.
- Updated the board assurance in this policy and Equal Employment Opportunities.
- Made minor changes to this topic for independent schools (i.e. removed emphasis on annual reports and removed reference to the Public Service Act.)
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Equal Employment Opportunities
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- Strengthened and reorganised the content in this topic, including providing additional school-specific sample wording schools can choose to include.
- Updated the board assurance to be clearer about complying with the principle of being a good employer.
- Removed any outdated EEO forms linked from school sites.
- Made minor changes to this topic for independent schools (i.e. removed reference to annual reports and removed reference to the Public Service Act.)
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Flexible Working Arrangements
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- Added information about applying for flexible working arrangements, and considering these requests.
- Updated the content in the "grounds for refusal" drop-down.
- Removed resources that do not apply to independent schools.
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Appointment Policy
(previously Appointment Procedure)
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- Made minor changes to this topic for independent schools (i.e. removed reference to NZSBA and removed unnecessary Ministry of Education links).
- Note that the Appointment Committee topic has been removed for all schools and this information has not been retained for independent schools as they are likely to operate more flexibly in this area.
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Stages of Appointment (new)
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- This new policy combines information previously in Appointment Procedure and its subtopics (no longer on school sites).
- Removed the sample referee check form. It is considered good practice for reference check questions to be tailored to each job description.
- Made minor changes to this topic for independent schools (i.e. removed unnecessary legislative references and links).
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School Staffing (new)
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- New policy to introduce related information in this section about the appointment and employment of staff.
- Removed "Staff funding" section for independent schools, as well as unnecessary links.
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Employment Agreements
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- Adapted the latest state school version of this policy (i.e. removed irrelevant links) for independent schools as it is more comprehensive than the current independent school version.
- Adapted the independent school version for charter schools (i.e. refers to a written individual employment agreement).
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Teaching Staff (new)
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- This is a new topic that contains content that was previously in Provisionally Certificated Teachers (PCTs), Student Teachers, and Teacher Registration and Certification.
- Made minor changes to this topic for independent schools (i.e. removed wording about certain allowances, and removed unnecessary references to the Ministry of Education).
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Staff Leave
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- Reordered information to clarify the processes of applying for leave and managing leave.
- Removed the template leave application form and any other forms linked to this topic. Schools should keep any leave forms internally, and can instead add optional wording about how staff apply for leave.
- Added more wording about sick leave, including updated sample wording about medical certificates that schools may choose to add.
- Added who manages principal leave to the table, for clarity.
- Updated topic contains content from Criteria for Discretionary Leave (topic removed from school sites).
- Reworded information about cashing up annual holidays so that schools can be clear about whether they will or will not consider requests.
- Independent schools version removes wording about election leave and applying to the Ministry for disregarded sick leave. Also removes unnecessary legislative references and unnecessary resource links.
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Timetable
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- Independent schools version contains more general wording and offers space for schools to add their own wording and link to own information.
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Teacher Relief Cover
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- Strengthened and reorganised the content in this topic; there's sections to cover school and reliever responsibilities, and content about arranging cover.
- Updated the default wording under "Arranging relief cover".
- Added legislation in relation to the health and safety and good employer responsibilities when employing relievers.
- This policy was added to school sites that did not have the policy
- Made minor changes to this topic for independent schools (i.e. removed wording based on state school collective agreements).
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Staff Conduct
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- Reorganised content to clarify conduct expectations that apply to all staff.
- Added a section to cover professional expectations for teachers, and simplified the concerns about staff conduct section.
- Removed all staff codes of conduct from school sites as this is an operational resource that can be maintained and shared internally.
- Removed requirements that don't apply to independent schools.
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Performance Management
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- Updated introductory information about legislative requirements as a good employer, good faith obligations, and employment agreements.
- Clarified that performance management differs according to different staff members, and described performance management processes for teaching staff, non-teaching staff, and the principal.
- Clarified that for teaching staff and the principal, performance management includes the professional growth cycle. Included information about professional standards of the principal in terms of performance management.
- Made minor changes to this topic for independent schools (i.e. removed unnecessary references to the Ministry of Education, removed wording based on state collective agreements).
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Professional Development
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- Updated introductory information about legislative requirements as a good employer.
- Included more information about the aims of professional development, and how these should align with the strategic direction of the school.
- Clarified information about conditions for approving professional development, including considering financial, staffing, release time, and equal employment requirements.
- Independent schools now use the state school version of this policy as wording that didn't apply to independent schools is no longer in the policy.
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Ending Employment
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- Strengthened and reorganised the content in this topic using clear subheadings to note the different reasons for resignation.
- Information from Staff Exit Interviews/Surveys is now included as optional information within this topic.
- Made minor changes to this topic for independent schools (i.e. removed unnecessary references to the Ministry of Education, removed wording about surplus staffing).
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Health, Safety, and Welfare Policy section updates
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Police Vetting
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- Clarified why the board is responsible for determining core or non-core workers, and clarified that a police vet is required for non-teaching staff that meet the definition of a children's worker.
- Added information about addressing concerns raised in the police vet and risk assessment process.
- Clarified record keeping requirements.
- Made minor changes to this topic for independent schools (i.e. removed wording about board candidates).
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Privacy Policy section updates
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Sharing Student Personal Information with Parents and Guardians
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- Policy updated to remove reference to legislation that doesn't apply to independent schools.
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