Welcome to our Consultation Hub

This site will help you find and participate in public consultations undertaken by the Ministry of Education.

Find out what we're consulting on now and have your say.

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Open Consultations

  • Developing an enrolment scheme at Tawhiti School, Hawera

    In collaboration with the Tawhiti School Board, Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | The Ministry of Education has developed a proposed enrolment scheme for Tawhiti School The purpose of an enrolment scheme of a State school is: to avoid overcrowding, or the likelihood of overcrowding, at the school; and to ensure the selection of applicants for enrolment at the school is carried out in a fair and transparent manner; and to enable the Secretary to make the best use of...

    Closes 19 July 2024

  • Developing an enrolment scheme at Terrace End School, Palmerston North

    In collaboration with the Terrace End School Board, Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | The Ministry of Education has developed a proposed enrolment scheme for Terrace End School. The purpose of an enrolment scheme of a State school is: to avoid overcrowding, or the likelihood of overcrowding, at the school; and to ensure the selection of applicants for enrolment at the school is carried out in a fair and transparent manner; and to enable the Secretary to make the best use...

    Closes 19 July 2024

  • Hukerenui School

    The Ministry of Education is currently working with the Board of Trustees of Hukerenui School to establish a new enrolment scheme. The new scheme will come into effect January 2025. Enrolment schemes are needed to help manage enrolments across schools. This allows Boards to manage the risk of overcrowding, provides a fair and transparent process for enrolment and ensures we are making the best use of schooling facilities across the area. ...

    Closes 21 July 2024

  • Lakeview School Proposed Enrolment Scheme

    The Ministry of Education is currently working with the Board of Lakeview School to establish a new enrolment scheme. The purpose of an enrolment scheme is to assist the school board to manage the risk of overcrowding, provide a fair and transparent process for enrolment and to ensure we are making the best use of schooling facilities across the network of local schools. Click here for the purpose and principles of an enrolment scheme . If overcrowding...

    Closes 22 July 2024

  • Arakura School Proposed Enrolment Scheme

    The Ministry of Education is currently working with the Board of Arakura School to establish a new enrolment scheme. The purpose of an enrolment scheme is to assist the school board to manage the risk of overcrowding, provide a fair and transparent process for enrolment and to ensure we are making the best use of schooling facilities across the network of local schools. Click here for the purpose and principles of an enrolment scheme . If overcrowding...

    Closes 26 July 2024

Closed Consultations

  • Portland School

    The Ministry of Education is currently working with the Board of Portland School to establish a new enrolment scheme. The new scheme will come into effect Term 4 2024. Enrolment schemes are needed to help manage enrolments across schools. This allows Boards to manage the risk of overcrowding, provides a fair and transparent process for enrolment and ensures we are making the best use of schooling facilities across the area. ...

    Closed 6 July 2024

  • Whau Valley Primary

    The Ministry of Education is currently working with the Board of Whau Valley School to establish a new enrolment scheme. The new scheme will come into effect Term three 2024. Whau Valley School have a bilingual programme and learning support programme they can include as a special programme, priority 1 on the out of zone ballot. The ministry is interested to hear if you would like to include these programmes. Enrolment schemes are needed to help manage...

    Closed 5 July 2024

  • Paroa School Enrolment Scheme Consultation

    The Ministry of Education is currently working with the Board of Paroa School to establish a new enrolment scheme. The purpose of an enrolment scheme is to assist the school board to manage the risk of overcrowding, provide a fair and transparent process for enrolment and to ensure we are making the best use of schooling facilities across the network of local schools. Click here for the purpose and principles of an enrolment scheme. Enrolment schemes do...

    Closed 5 July 2024

  • Temuka Primary School - New Enrolment Scheme

    The Ministry of Education has been working with Temuka Primary School to establish a new enrolment scheme as required by the Education and Training Act 2020. If overcrowding occurs or is likely to occur at a State school, the Ministry of Education must establish an enrolment scheme for the school. This is to assist the school board to manage the risk of overcrowding, provide a fair and transparent process for enrolment and to ensure we are making the best use of...

    Closed 5 July 2024

  • Hokitika Primary School Enrolment Scheme Consultation

    The Ministry of Education is currently working with the Board of Hokitika Primary School to establish a new enrolment scheme. The purpose of an enrolment scheme is to assist the school board to manage the risk of overcrowding, provide a fair and transparent process for enrolment and to ensure we are making the best use of schooling facilities across the network of local schools. Click here for the purpose and principles of an enrolment scheme. Enrolment...

    Closed 5 July 2024

We Asked, You Said, We Did

Here are some of the issues we have consulted on and their outcomes. See all outcomes

We asked

The Ministry of Education and Te Wānanga o Raukawa have been working together to develop a proposal for legislative change to recognise the mana and tino rangatiratanga of Te Wānanga o Raukawa, reflect the Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi-based relationship Te Wānanga o Raukawa has with the Crown, and reflect the unique role that Te Wānanga o Raukawa plays in the education system.

We asked for feedback on the proposal to:

  • reconstitute Te Wānanga o Raukawa as a new statutory entity, with dual accountability to the ART Confederation (Te Āti Awa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Toa Rangatira) and the Crown; AND
  • introduce new bespoke (custom) administrative arrangements for Te Wānanga o Raukawa related to its purpose, functions, and governance.

This work sits alongside work we have been doing with Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa to develop a broader proposal for a Wānanga sector framework in the Education and Training Act 2020.

You said

An overwhelming majority of submitters who participated in Te Wānanga o Raukawa survey (over 99%) supported the proposal for Te Wānanga o Raukawa to become a new statutory entity (over 99%), supported the proposed legislated purpose (over 99%) and believe it reflects the mission and role of Te Wānanga o Raukawa (over 99%).

You can find a summary of what was submitted during consultation attached below.

We did

We summarised the feedback we received through consultation, used this to refine the proposals, and sought Cabinet agreement to final policy decisions in early December 2022 on the broader sector framework in the Education and Training Act 2020. The outcome of this is the Education and Training Amendment Bill (No.3). This was introduced on 23 March 2023. Work is still continuing on the specific Te Wānanga o Raukawa proposal.

You can find the Bill here

You can make a submission on the Bill here. The closing date for submissions is 11.59pm on Monday, 01 May 2023

We asked

The Ministry and the Wānanga developed a shared proposal to create an enabling framework for the Wānanga sector in the Education and Training Act 2020 (E&T Act). This enabling framework would allow each Wānanga to work in collaboration with the Ministry to develop new rules in terms of who they are accountable to and how, their purpose and functions, and their governance structures.

We asked for your feedback on four issues:

Issue 1: Overall legislative design for the Wānanga sector which includes:

  • Option 1: Developing consistent administrative provisions for Wānanga in the E&T Act.
  • Option 2 (preferred option): Establishing an enabling Wānanga sector framework within the E&T Act that would allow Wānanga to:
    • Option 2a - Bespoke Tertiary Education Institution (TEI): Continue to be considered a TEI, with specific purpose, function and governance arrangements agreed between the Wānanga and the Government, or
    • Option 2b - New statutory entity: Become a new type of statutory entity which keeps its focus on education provision and but has greater independence in terms of its administrative arrangements, including accountability to iwi
  • Option 3: Developing separate primary legislation for individual Wānanga, outside the E&T Act.

Issue 2: More detail about the preferred legislative option (option 2 above), focusing on the characteristics of a Wānanga and provisions for establishing a new Wānanga

Issue 3: More detail about the preferred legislative option (option 2 above), focusing on how the Order In Council could enable each Wānanga to have different administrative settings (within set parameters).

Issue 4: Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi consistency, focusing on how the whole Wānanga sector framework aligns with Te Tiriti/the Treaty.

You said

The response to the proposed changes has been overwhelmingly supportive:

  • Most submitters were supportive of the proposed changes to establish a Wānanga sector framework
  • Most submitters strongly supported the respective positions of individual Wānanga

You can find a detailed summary of what was submitted during consultation attached below.

We did

We summarised the feedback we received through consultation, used this to refine the proposals, and sought Cabinet agreement to final policy decisions in early December 2022. The outcome of this is the Education and Training Amendment Bill (No.3) which proposes a Wānanga sector framework. This was introduced on 23 March 2023.

You can find the Bill here

You can make a submission on the Bill here. The closing date for submissions is 11.59pm on Monday, 01 May 2023

We asked

The Ministry published the draft rules and guidelines for minimising the use of physical restraint in registered schools on 23 November 2021 alongside an online survey. These draft rules and guidelines were developed by the Physical Restraint Advisory Group following changes to the framework for using physical restraint in The Education and Training Act 2020.

In our consultation we asked whether the new draft rules and guidelines would work, what changes might be needed, and whether there were any gaps or other issues that need considering.

Read the initial consultation paper [PDF, 573 KB]

You said

We received 267 responses from individuals and organisations, including parents, whānau and caregivers, teachers, principals and learning support specialists.

It’s clear that physical restraint is a complex area for school communities to navigate, but that schools, teachers and support staff want to do right by their learners and whānau. In general, the rules and guidelines are seen as helpful and needed and the preventative approach is appreciated. It was clear through the feedback that we need to look at how the rules and guidelines are applied in practice.

The guidelines need to better reflect a te ao Māori and disability view and they need some clearer definitions around what emotional distress is. They could also do with some more examples of context where physical contact is appropriate so that teachers know what they can do as well as what they can’t do.

The rules and guidelines are well positioned in terms of the emphasis on prevention and the contribution of school culture, leadership and environment in minimising the use of restraint, though there are those who strongly object to any use of physical restraint in schools.

Read the Consultation submissions summary [PDF, 1.3 MB].

We’re currently developing translations and accessible formats of this report.

We did

We’re using your feedback to clarify the rules and reshape the guidelines. We’ll also carry what we’ve heard from you into the planning for training for schools.

We’ll clarify in the final rules:

  • that school policies are to focus on reducing student distress and the use of physical restraint
  • that incidents of physical restraint can be reported to the Ministry using the new online form
  • when and how parents should be involved in debriefing after an incident of physical restraint.

We’ll reflect in the final guidelines:

  • a te ao Māori view of school as a place of shelter, with an integrated network of support to nurture ākonga potential
  • a strong focus on inclusive school cultures that promote wellbeing and minimise the need for physical restraint
  • broader definitions and examples of emotional distress
  • broader definitions of physical restraint as it relates to denying or removing mobility equipment and communication devices
  • a format that is less complex and more practical and readable.

Keep updated on next steps.