Like many ... a new start and a different way in 2025.

Hello

Firstly … - My Substack will change and be fully dedicated to best practice in learning/education for families, schools and systems. Please encourage others to subscribe - I will make it fully worthwhile and draw on all manner of good things. Love to have more paid subscibers as it gives me more time to research and write.

A few things from me at the start of 2025.

Charter Schools in NZ - over and out for me!

The show is over for us unless there is MASSIVE change in personnel and approach.

2024 was a disaster for Charter Schools in NZ. The one good outcome was the approval of St Stephen's - although it was bizarre that it took until December. Six other, tiny, schools were approved – two Australian and one French. Very little challenge to the "network" and simply underwhelming for children/familes. The 10 year (with renew options) for a tiny French school in Remuera really did nail a flag to the pole that the policy is not about those in need in our system.

Lasting Impressions:

Ass Minister Seymour.

- The dishonesty of Seymour on many occasions was incredibly poor, Especially with Mike Hosking and Jack Tame re "funding for 15 schools to start in Term 1 2025". Seymour would have known - what no applicant did - that there was only $10 million allocated for CS until June 30 2025 and that $2.5m was being spent on agency salaries. That would have meant each start-up, of 15, getting $500,000 to begin and operate for a year. Nonsensical and he knew it.

This, TVNZ on September 29, was clearly an outright lie to the media and NZ public:

“The Associate Education Minister told Q+A there is enough funding for "up to 15" charter schools to be operational by Term 1 next year.”

And this kind of statement from Seymour:

“There’s probably going to be a couple of hundred of these schools by the time Labour gets back into power. And it’s going to be big, powerful communities with lots of capital and lots of lawyers.

“It won’t be a small group of poor brown kids that Labour can shamefully and disgracefully ignore like they did last time.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-listener/new-zealand/schools-shake-up-what-some-find-terrifying-about-govt-plans-for-charter-schools/GDXNRNNWXVAJJLASBNXOPD4EXE/

Hipkins was able to shut down the model last time because Seymour failed so badly in developing it when Under-Secretary. This has been a much worse start than under John Banks (2013-16). For the sake of thousands of needy NZ children I hope Seymour either gets his act together or hands the portfolio to someone better.

NB: When Seymour was formally complained to re the Charter School Agency - neither he, nor his office, even contacted them to investigate. His head is elsewhere and I won’t speculate where.

The Charter School Agency

This has been woefully led and staffed in such a way that we did not get to speak to an educator on any occasion. No one seemed to have any idea of the purpose of the policy. The application documents bore little relevance to beginning and operating a Charter School (or any school for that matter).

Timelines were adhered to by applicants but a myriad of delays from the highly resourced agency resulted in new schools only being announced in December.

There are, at least, two cases of applicant's documents not even being opened in stage one of the process - as well as glaring inconsistencies between statements/evaluations of the CSA and the Authorisation Board.

The major take-away though is the appalling deception and dishonesty where all applicants (and their stake-holders) were strung along as if their applications were live when the spending limit for a year was the $7.5million they left after allocating their own salaries. We put in four applications that would have served 900 students by the end of 2026. We were never really considered - it was all a charade.

The Authorisation Board

A strange group and - with the exception of Prof Elizabet Rata - no great reputations in education.

They clearly participated in the charade with regards to the funding available and the number of schools that could actually begin.

Three bizarre things, of many, from their evaluation of our applications

1. They stated that I/we (Education 710+) did not have enough experience re beginning and managing schools. I have been in education since 1991, begun six schools (including two former Charter Schools), managed three schools from 2014 - 2018, was a Principal for 18 years, research and write widely on the system, etc. Our Board members are all exceptional people with broad experiences. No people/schools they have approved really come close - except St Stephen's.

2. Our applications included references and support from many remarkable people (John Hattie, Mike King, etc, etc.- including two Olympic medalist, a great kiwi musician and acclaimed artist)) All fully documented. A senior lawyer - whose advice we are seeking, has stated that the following statement from the AB is an accusation of fraud and should be fully challenged as it was in our AB evaluation document and publicly available through OIAs and pro-active releases.

“There is no validation of the “inspirers” and suggested contracted parties that they have agreed to or are aware of their involvement in the school.”

I had few expectations from other members of the AB but am deeply surprised that Prof Rata endorsed such a statement.

3. We were guaranteed that each of our four applications would be assessed on their own. Clearly, from many statements, this simply did not happen.

So, this is an “over and out” for me/us re Charter Schools in NZ – unless there are major changes. Keep in mind – it is by no means just us. A significant group of high-quality applicants who could have provided large and system changing schools have been treated just as badly.

We have all of this fully documented for any who want to know more (and there is a lot more to it).

I will include data on the CS in my annual system analysis.

To 2025

The NZ system is truly a mess by any standard and I/we will look for a range of ways to be a part of improving things for NZ young people in an ongoing way.

- We are working hard towards three high quality private school options.

- We will continue to advocate to Minister Stanford – who is actually trying hard – for a Designated Character School near an Auckland transport hub for neuro-diverse learners. Seymour has told us not to bother – but we will try never-the-less.

- I am working with a very good team to continue to develop education opportunities for schools visiting Waitangi and the Bay of Islands.

- I have three exciting and major research projects to under-take throughout the year and ongoing writing avenues.

- I am writing curriculum for a number of schools and assisting up to 40 high schools with goal setting (based on LEAVERS data) to improve their results over a 5 year period.

- I am working, with a range of good people, to bring David Eagleman (https://eagleman.com/) to NZ to speak on the development of the brain of young children.

- I am open to any families who need help/advice for the education of their children.

And a few other things. Really excited.

All the best to you for 2025.

Alwyn Poole
alwyn.poole@gmail.com
Innovative Education Consultants Ltd
Education 710+ Ltd
alwynpoole.substack.com
www.linkedin.com/in/alwyn-poole-16b02151/
Wood2Water (www.facebook.com/Wood2Water/)
Russell Booking and Info (www.russellinfo.co.nz/)