Educator Association Updates | November 2025
- Lian Soh
- Nov 4
- 7 min read
Updated: 18 hours ago
This article contains updates from various educator associations. News is curated via:
Your friendly regional representative,
Announcements, newsletters, spokespersons
This is a live article so please continue to check-in as the month progresses.
🟩 = There is an update for this month ❌ = No Updates this month |
🟩 Earth and Space Science Educators New Zealand
ESSENZ would appreciate if their members could spend a few minutes completing this form on the curriculum, so that they can advocate accordingly for Earth & Space Science.
ESSENZ have also published an open letter in response to the draft science curriculum.
Make EarthFest part of your November plans; a range of Public Talks are also on.
Reminder: there is a free ESS Teachers PD Day on November 7th at the University of Auckland (register here) - there is also funding support for those who do not get school support or who must travel from afar; email jenny@earthspacescience.org.nz .
Wellington region also has an ESS Teacher's Day coming up on December 1st; this is free and kai is provided. Register here.
Membership to ESSENZ is currently free and gives kaiako access to all ESSENZ resources on their Google shared area, as well as access to all the exams that the association has produced. You can join here.
Ngā mihi nui
Jim Critchley and Erin Nolan
ESSENZ Regional Representatives
🟩 Secondary Chemistry Educators New Zealand
Biolive ChemEd
Biolive–ChemEd 2026 is confirmed to take place in Christchurch from 18 to 20 November 2026. The organising team is currently locking down the venue, with further details to come. An estimated cost of $450–$500 per person has been indicated, with confirmation expected once the new conference website is released.
Online Webinars SCENZ is putting together a series of six online sessions in the first half of 2026, each focused on one of the Level 2 or Level 3 external standards. These will be 45–60 minute sessions led by experienced chemistry teachers, with space for attendees to share ideas, ask questions, and contribute.
All sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the SCENZ website for anyone who can’t make it live.
They’re also hoping to offer similar support for some of the internal standards, though those might work better face-to-face given the hands-on nature of the practicals.
Early next year, SCENZ will run a quick poll to find out which day of the week works best, and whether teachers prefer a 4 pm start or something closer to 7/7.30 pm.
New Resources:
Full teaching and assessment package for C2.2, plus three research-informed best practice compilations:
• Misconceptions in chemistry
• Using Johnstone’s Triangle
• EEF guidelines for improving science teaching
A fourth one — Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction — is due out by the end of the year.
Coming soon: teaching/assessment resources for C3.3, new teaching resources for C2.7 and C3.7, and a revised CB1.2 assessment task for use in 2026.
The SCENZ AGM for 2025 is coming up.
Ngā manaakitanga
Lian Soh
SCENZ Regional Representative
🟩 Horticultural and Agricultural Teachers Associations
NZQA reminded HATA that they offer a wide range of assessor support resources for teachers, mostly subject-specific, all available on their website.
A big part of that growth has come from the new Assessor Practice Tool (APT) on Pūtake. Teachers can log in with their ESL and practise making assessment judgements against real student samples, then get instant feedback from NZQA moderators. They’re still adding more exemplars, and you can now repeat the judgement process — something subject associations had asked for.
For externals, NZQA has also changed how they support teachers and students. Assessment Reports and Assessment Schedules are now published much earlier — in early February each year — so students have clearer information before reconsiderations, and teachers can use the reports for planning. The 2025 reports will be released on 9 February 2026.
NZQA also clarified when they can provide in-person presentations at national conferences. The request needs to come from a recognised national subject association, be for a national-level event with a reach of 100+ people (including via recordings), and be for something that can’t really be delivered through other means. Requests should be made at least 10 weeks in advance, and availability from August to December is limited. If they can’t provide someone in person, they’ll offer alternatives like webinars or webcasts.
There’s now a new web form for subject associations to request NZQA support, and more guidance is on their website. Associations can also contact National Assessment Advisors/Facilitators directly if they need subject-level advice — but they’re not able to support individual teachers or schools.
NZQA will continue to send updates as new resources are released, and they’re open to feedback on assessor support.
HATA (Horticultural and Agricultural Teachers Association) circulated a message to its members on October 31 expressing disappointment at the Science Curriculum draft.
If you would like to provide feedback to HATA on the 2025 NCEA Agricultural and Horticultural Science External Achievement Standards, please fill out the form at this link: https://forms.gle/PrrX63WvhthLEz3h6 -- Feedback will be collated and sent on to NZQA at the end of January. Bay Science is assuming this is part of HATA's 2026 RAMP Review.
Reminder: HATA has regional hubs in Term 4, including one on November 11th at Mount Maunganui College. More information here.
🟩 New Zealand Association of Environmental Educators
🟩 New Zealand Association of Science Educators
NZASE Cluster PLD "Science Education: Moving Forward" is taking place in Taupō, Gisborne, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch. See more here.
There is also an online cluster on November 26; register here. Presentation slides are also available.
Ngā manaakitanga
Lian Soh
NZASE Regional Representative
🟩 Biology Educators of Aotearoa New Zealand
A decision has been made by the executive group of BEANZ which means that they will not be putting forward a collective response to the new Science curriculum.
The Executive is asking for teachers and schools to submit feedback individually through the links on Tāhūrangi (this closes on Friday, 24 April 2026) and attend the MoE webinars.
There is a hands-on genetics lab and BEANZ workshop coming up for secondary science kaiako on 26 November at Victoria University of Wellington (Alan MacDiarmid Building, rooms AM102/AM104). If you’re interested in going, you can email Dr Diane Ormsby diane.ormsby@vuw.ac.nz or use this form.
Ngā mihi nui,
Vicki Wallace
BEANZ Regional Representative
🟩 New Zealand Institute of Physics (Education)
New Zealand Institute of Physics (NZIP) has several PLD opportunities for secondary physics teachers. See the post here.
Ngā manaakitanga
Mat Synge
NZIP Regional Representative
🟩 Aotearoa Educator's Collective
A number of articles and reflections have been published relating to the curriculum and removal of board obligations to give effect to Te Tiriti.
How One Minister, One Book, and One Imported Ideology Are Reshaping New Zealand Education
World-Leading? Or World-Lagging? New Zealand Is Repeating the World’s Mistakes
Phonics Data and Te Tiriti: Stanford’s Abdication of Responsibility
Why Every Parent Should Care About the Government’s Move to Strip Te Tiriti from Education
❌ Empower Kaiako for Equity Aotearoa
No updates yet - please check back later.
Ngā mihi nui
Keri Tan Garlick
President of Empower KEA
❌ Te Kikini o te Rehutai (Tauranga Moana Māori Teacher's Association)
No updates this term; but note the change in email address.
Ngā manaakitanga
Whaea Tania Jackson
Tauranga Moana Māori Teacher's Association
❌ New Zealand Association of Primary Science Educators
Sentiments from the Sector:
Public statements, open letters and petitions from various educator associations and groups.
By Learning Area
Earth & Space Science Educators of New Zealand (ESSENZ)
New Zealand Association for Teachers of English (NZATE)
Aotearoa Social Studies Educators Network (ASSEN)
New Zealand Board of Geography Teachers (NZBOGT)
Physical Education New Zealand (PENZ)
Music Association of New Zealand (MENZA), Aotearoa New Zealand Arts Association in Education (ANZAAE), Whakaari Aotearoa Drama New Zealand (WADNZ), Dance Association of New Zealand (DSZANZ)
Education Outdoors New Zealand (EONZ)
Home Economics and Technology Teachers Association New Zealand (HETTANZ)
New Zealand Art History Teachers Association (NZAHTA)
Mana Whenua Groups
Ngā Kura ā Iwi
National Iwi Chairs Forum
Principal Groups
New Zealand Principals Federation (NZPF)
via NZEI Te Riu Roa
Western Bay of Plenty Principals Association (WBOPPA)
Hawkes Bay Principals Association (HBPA)
Wellington Regional Primary Principals' Association (WRPPA)
Rotorua Principals Association (RPA)
Canterbury Primary Principals’ Association (CPPA)
Whiria New Plymouth & South Taranaki Principals’ Association Open Letter
South Canterbury Primary Principals' Association Open Letter
Hawkes Bay Primary Principals' Association Open Letter (HBPPA)
