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Tāhūrangi - New Zealand Curriculum
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Staffing resource for structured literacy support in years 0-2

23 August 2024

For 2025, schools can apply for structured literacy approach staffing that provides additional capacity to meet the needs of their students in the first years of schooling. This staffing is available for schools teaching the New Zealand Curriculum. 

This staffing resource should be used to provide additional capacity to meet students’ needs. Allocation of the staffing resource will depend on school equity needs, roll size and the number of applications made. If there are more applications than funding available, the staffing resource will be prioritised to schools with highest equity needs, with consideration given to roll size and need.  Structured literacy providers will be available to work with your in-school lead to build knowledge and capability in organising and supporting accelerated learning responses in your school. This will be available from early 2025. 

Note that, should your school be successful, the funding is granted for 2025 only.  

Key dates 

  • Application opens on Monday 2 September 2024 

  • Application closes on Friday 27 September 2024 

  • Outcomes notified on week of 21 October 2024 

  • Staffing available for schools from Term 1 2025 

Criteria  

To apply, state and state integrated schools teaching the New Zealand Curriculum (English-medium) will meet the following criteria:  

  1. Participation in structured literacy professional development with a Ministry approved provider or University of Canterbury Better Start Literacy Approach.  (PLD for structured literacy & te reo matatini approaches – Professional Learning & Development (education.govt.nz)) This could be Ministry or self-funded. 

  1. Using structured literacy as core/foundation in teaching reading, writing and oral language in the context of curriculum.   

  1. Agree to assigning the resourcing to deliver accelerative literacy teaching for students to provide targeted, tailored student support to meet student need and accelerate progress. 

  1. Commitment to reporting, monitoring and evaluation as required by the Ministry based on evidence of identification of student achievement. We will provide more information about reporting requirements by Term 1 2025. 

  1. Commitment to matching the allocation from your own resources. 

Application process 

  1. Discuss the application with your Board and your Kāhui Ako or cluster schools. Consider how your school can use this opportunity to accelerate progress for those learners at risk of under achievement.   

  1. Ensure your school has a PLD Lead with Education Sector Logon access to the staffing resource for structured literacy support in years 0-2 application form.  

  1. Apply for staffing resource for structured literacy support in years 0-2 through the online Salesforce application form.   

  1. The Ministry receives and processes the application.   

  1. You are notified of the outcome of your application. Please note that any emails regarding the status or outcome of your application will be sent from an email address with the @Salesforce.com domain. Please ensure you are checking your junk/spam email folders. 

You can find more information on how to apply for this resource on the Applications and Online Systems page. 

Further information about the Ministry’s accelerative support  

The Ministry is providing a range of supports that build on the updated national curriculum and structured teaching approaches. The supports deliver accelerated support for students not progressing with literacy as expected. This is designed to provide all students with access to strong, foundational learning experiences aligned with the structured literacy approaches in every school. 

This resource, for 2025, is for schools that use the New Zealand curriculum (English-medium).  

What is accelerated learning? 

Classroom teaching is being strengthened by the updated national curriculum and structured literacy approach PLD so all students and ākonga have access to strong, foundational learning experiences. Targeted teaching to accelerate learning is designed to build on these practices by increasing the intensity and frequency of teaching. 

Accelerated learning combines specific teaching strategies and scaffolded supports so that students and ākonga can quickly acquire the skills and knowledge they need to continue to access the curriculum.  
 

Support 

For further information and support regarding this resource, you can contact us at SLA.Staffing@education.govt.nz.