The election policy would allow parents to buy basic items such as shorts, skirts, pants, and socks in similar colours from standard retailers.

ACT takes aim at 'outrageous cost' of school uniforms in election policy

ACT has announced a new election policy aimed at cutting the cost of school uniforms by limiting how many branded items state schools can required families to buy.

9:18am

5:58

Erica Stanford playing a recorder

Budget 2026: $5.6m for musical instruments in schools

The new investment makes it easier for schools to provide students with instruments and supports teachers to deliver the new music curriculum.

Thursday 12:55pm

Xanthe Baker is an international student here from the UK.

What UK student finds pricier in NZ and her plea to our leaders

Xanthe Baker is loving her time here – but did notice one thing that makes life a bit tougher.

Sat, May 30

Manurewa High School sign

Auckland high school to close early due to staff absences

Almost 30 staff were absent yesterday from "illnesses and events", with the school closing at the end of lunchtime today.

Fri, May 29

Education Minister Erica Stanford.

Govt backs down on last-minute homeschooling law change

The Education Minister last week suddenly announced the introduction of new requirements on parents homeschooling their children.

Wed, May 27

More specialist learning support is needed.

Teachers 'just not seeing' Govt boost to learning support

Educators still waiting to see impacts from $750 million education injection from the last Budget flowing into classrooms.

Wed, May 27

There are now six Māori-focused charter schools either in the pipeline or already operating.

Māori find value in highly politicised charter schools

A growing number of Māori-led charter schools are opening within the next 12 months.

Tue, May 26

Alcohol-related stand-downs have increased over the past year.

School alcohol stand-downs rise, students also carrying drugs and weapons

Exclusive: Ministry of Education figures obtained by 1News show serious incidents happening at schools.

Sun, May 24

Education Minister Erica Stanford says last-minute changes were made to protect children’s welfare. 

Home schoolers fear 'anything can be imposed' in proposed changes

Education Minister Erica Stanford says last-minute changes were made to protect children’s welfare.

Sat, May 23

Labour deputy leader Kelvin Davis at the 2023 Labour Congress.

Ex-senior Labour MP joins Government education advisory group

Kelvin Davis was deputy leader of Labour for six years under both Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins before being replaced following the last election.

Tue, May 19

Fire and Emergency NZ said it had responded to a "chemical causing concern" in the suburb of Welbourn at around 9am on Tuesday.

Taranaki school closes after 'unstable' chemical spill in science lab

Emergency services responded to the incident in a science lab at New Plymouth Boys' High School, with the New Zealand Defence Force called.

Tue, May 19

Budget 2026: New maths hubs among $131m primary learning package

Budget 2026: New maths hubs among $131m primary learning package

The package will help deliver what's been billed as the second phase of the "Teaching the Basics Brilliantly" changes targeting primary and intermediates.

Mon, May 18

Stanford appeared after announcing the Government's replacement for NCEA.

Erica Stanford slaps down 'rogue' ESOL funding plan

The Education Minister has stepped in to prevent a plan to remove English as a Second Language funding from students in years zero and one.

Sun, May 17

Education Minister Erica Stanford.

Government reveals structure for post-NCEA school qualifications

From A+ grading to compulsory literacy benchmarks and five-subject study, the Education Minister's detailed the structure of the system set to replace NCEA.

Sat, May 16

The government has put $212 million towards Healthy School Lunches changes starting 2028.

Government commits $212m to school lunches – but changes coming

Healthy School Lunches programme has been funded for another year, with David Seymour signalling changes are likely for 2028 and beyond.

Fri, May 15

Education Minister has promised two new schools will be opened in 2027 and 2028.

Concern over specialist education wait times for disabled students

There hasn’t been a specialist school opened in over 50 years but the Education Minister has promised two new schools will be opened in 2027 and 2028.

Thu, May 14

Massey University site.

Massey University numbers rising but union says sites are 'ghost towns'

There were nearly 2000 more studying remotely than in 2016, but the on-campus figure was the lowest point in a steady decline from a high of 9705 in 2016.

Tue, May 12

Finance Minister Nicola Willis.

Fees-free: Scheme failed to get more students into tertiary education - Govt

Ministers say the policy failed to lift tertiary enrolments or reach disadvantaged students, with support ending for new cohorts from next year.

Mon, May 11

Person driving a bus.

Buses refusing to take child not acceptable, Children's Commissioner says

"No child should be left behind when they're trying to get to school in a situation like this and transport providers have a responsibility to ensure that children are not put in harm's way."

Mon, May 11

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

End of fees-free scheme confirmed after Peters' 'Budget leak'

This year's cohort will be the final one in which students will be eligible for fees-free support, Finance Minister Nicola Willis confirmed.

Sat, May 9

University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology (file image)

Auckland students' details caught up in massive global university hack

Names, email addresses, ID numbers and messages between users could all be affected by the breach.

Fri, May 8

A stock image of a kindergarten.

ECE relief teacher kissed 3-year-old on the lips, twice

While there was "no sexual or indecent motivation", a tribunal found that Ankui (Ian) Gui's behaviour amounted to serious misconduct.

Thu, May 7

Ministry letters to Gloriavale reveal 'multiple concerns'

Ministry letters to Gloriavale reveal 'multiple concerns'

The school exists to indoctrinate children, maintain a caste system and grow a workforce, new documents show.

Wed, May 6

The University of Auckland study - which pulled together research from around the world - found 81% of 58 studies showed at least one negative link between screen use and the brain's executive function, or management system.

Kids' screen use linked to long-term attention, self-control problems - study

Lead researcher Claire Reid said the study found "a really clear pattern" that higher or problematic screen time predicted difficulties in attention and focus, planning, impulse control.

Wed, May 6

Hutt Intermediate School is getting a new teaching block with 14 classrooms.

Intermediate to get 14 new classrooms in major school upgrade

Hutt Intermediate School is getting a new teaching block with more than a dozen classrooms.

Tue, May 5