Board Matters Term 4 2026
9 October 2026
Tēnā koutou katoa,
A warm welcome to the fourth and final edition of Board Matters for 2026.
Below are some key updates as your school heads into Term 4, as well as information to support your planning for 2027. This term we are reviewing how we offer learning to school board members, so we have included a surveyopen_in_new designed to gather your input. We really appreciate everyone who takes the time to share their thoughts, particularly as we start putting together our 2027 learning programme!
As always, you’ll also find our Board Task Checklist attached below to assist you with your Term 4 meetings and work programme.
Ngā mihi nui,
The GovHub team
Your mahi for Term 4
Download our Board Task Checklistopen_in_new, which covers the tasks you’ll need to undertake this term.
Workshops and webinars
Welcome on Board – New Student Representatives
Help your new board member begin their school governance journey through this interactive workshop. They'll learn alongside fellow student representatives, gaining the knowledge and confidence to participate effectively in board discussions and decision-making.
View upcoming workshopsopen_in_new, share the link with your student representative, and encourage them to register today.
Financial Governance – Oversight, Assurance, and Accountability
Good financial decisions start with an informed board. Ideal for new board members and those seeking a refresher, this session will deepen your understanding of sound financial governance and effective oversight.
Choose a sessionopen_in_new that suits you and secure your place today.
Help shape the future of GovHub learning
How do you prefer to learn? What would you like to learn more about? What would make learning easier for you?
Whether you're a regular attendee at our workshops and webinars, a keen user of the Learning Library or Resource Centre, or you’re new to GovHub learning, we’d value your input.
Your feedback will help shape future learning opportunities, topics, and resources for boards and principals across the country.
If you can spare 10 minutes, we'd love to hear your thoughts.
Strategic planning – amended regulations are here
The Education (School Planning and Reporting) Amendment Regulations 2026open_in_new will take effect from 15 October 2026. These make significant changes to what is required in your 2027 strategic plan. You will need to check that your plan now meets the updated requirements.
See more information from the Ministry of Education here: School Planning and Reporting Frameworkopen_in_new, and the guidance from our Resource Centre here: An Introduction to Strategic Planningopen_in_new.
Induction of Student Representatives
Ensuring your newly elected student representative is well prepared and supported to contribute meaningfully at board meetings is an essential role of the board. GovHub will be running workshops across the motu this term to provide student representatives with an introduction to their role.
Be mindful that your new student rep will be coming into an established group of adult board members and will require additional support to find their feet. Consider whether another board member (potentially the staff rep) would make a suitable mentor while they find their feet. We have resources available to help you with their induction in on our Resource Centre.
Have a look at our Board Term Task checklistopen_in_new to see what steps need to be taken this term and have a read of The Role of the Student Representativeopen_in_new to help with understanding their role.
Overseas convictions and safety checking requirements
Changes to the Children’s Act 2014open_in_new come into effect from 24 October 2026. School boards already cannot engage or employ core children’s workers, including teachers, with New Zealand convictions for Schedule 2 offencesopen_in_new unless they hold a core worker exemption. From that date, this restriction will extend to new core children’s workers with equivalent overseas convictions.
Boards must also take reasonable steps, by 24 April 2027, to determine whether current core children’s workers have overseas convictions equivalent to Schedule 2 offences. This includes reviewing previous safety checks and completing any additional checks needed.
Please see the Ministry of Education website for full information: MOE Safety Checking and Overseas Convictionsopen_in_new.
Confirming principal's annual leave in Term 4
In Term 4 school boards should confirm with their principal when this year's remaining annual leave will be taken and recorded, because the collective agreements expect leave to be used in the year it falls due.
The Holidays Act 2003 requires the board to keep a holiday and leave record showing the dates leave was taken and a running balance. GovHub recommends an agreed way, such as a confirmation email or form, for principals to report the days they take as leave during term breaks.
Help shape Netsafe’s support for school boards
Netsafe is seeking input from school board members across Aotearoa New Zealand to better understand how digital safety and wellbeing issues currently show up at governance level, where boards experience challenges or uncertainty, and what guidance, tools and support would be most useful.
Your feedback will help shape how Netsafe supports boards in the future, including how boards can gain assurance that appropriate approaches are in place, ask the right questions of school leadership, and provide effective oversight without stepping into operational responsibilities.
The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete. You can also register your interest in joining a 45-minute online discussion with Netsafe to explore these issues in more depth.
As a thank you for taking part, survey respondents can choose to enter the draw to win a $200 Prezzy Card. The survey is open from 5th October and closes 5pm on 23rd October. The winner of the prize draw will be notified by 30th October.
Digital safety and wellbeing: Understanding the priorities of school boardsopen_in_new
The Ministry of Education are Reviewing Initial Teacher Education Programme Requirements want to hear from School Boards
The Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Programme Requirements sets the expectations for how student teachers are prepared for the profession. This review is an opportunity to consider whether the current requirements continue to provide a strong and consistent foundation for beginning teachers, and whether they reflect the knowledge, skills and capabilities needed in today's education system. This includes considering whether the requirements:
- align with changes to curriculum, assessment and aromatawai
- reflect what schools and early learning services expect from beginning teachers
- draw on evidence and international best practice in teacher education
- prepare beginning teachers to work effectively with diverse learners and honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice
- provide clear and consistent expectations while allowing flexibility for providers to respond to their contexts
- reflect good regulatory practice and align with wider New Zealand workforce and early career support settings.
The Ministry encourage school boards to share their views on whether the current requirements are preparing beginning teachers to meet the needs of learners, whānau and school communities. As part of a wider sector engagement, feedback is also being sought from schools, kura, early learning services, ITE providers, teachers, beginning teachers, parents and whānau.
The engagement period runs from 1 October to 13 November 2026. Feedback can be provided through an online survey or written submission and will help inform the next stage of the review.
Find out more and have your say on the Review of Initial Teacher Education Programme Requirements webpageopen_in_new.