Scrapping National Standards concerns MP

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges is worried about Labour’s intention to scrap National Standards. Photo: Bruce Barnard. Video: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

New Minister of Education Chris Hipkins has indicated his government will scrap the controversial National Standards policy introduced under John Key's prime ministership.

National Standards were introduced in 2010, and were designed to show parents how their children were doing in comparison to their peers around the country, in core subjects such as reading, writing, and maths.

National Party frontbencher and MP for Tauranga Simon Bridges says he's ‘concerned' to hear Labour will be scrapping the policy.

'That worries me, as it seems to be doing what's good for the teachers' union, not what's good for children and their parents. The whole point of National Standards was to make sure you knew how your child compared against the rest of New Zealand children in core subjects such as reading, writing, and maths.

'If they're doing incredibly well, they can get even more help to be world-beaters, and if they're not doing so well, they can get the assistance and funding they need to do better.”

He says parents have also been left in the dark about what will replace National Standards.

'You'd think after a long time in opposition Labour would have done their homework in that area.”

However, Labour Party list MP and former Merivale School principal Jan Tinetti says it's the best news she's heard in a long time.

'National Standards are incredibly damaging. When they first came in, as a principal I knew we had to try and make them work, but every fear I had about them came true. They narrowed our curriculum and my teachers were spending too much time on assessment rather than teaching and learning. It took away from the process of developing creative thinkers.”

She believes teachers already have the tools to let parents know, in plain language, how their children are progressing. Furthermore, an individual pupil's progress can't always be measured in reading, writing, and maths.

'I had a boy at Merivale last year with high behavioural needs and disabilities. He head-butted me at one stage, but we still persisted with him, and now he loves being at school. It's the first school he hasn't ran away from.

'Has he made progress in National Standards? No, but he has certainly made progress.”

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36 comments

chookymac

Posted on 01-11-2017 07:12 | By Chookymac

Well this is the pot calling the kettle black is it not? What about our roads in the Tauranga area which are the most dangerous in the country.You did nothing in all the time you were sitting on your arse in Govt to improve them.I suggest you find something else to do to bide your time because I feel it is a long time before you will ever have any say again


Shhhh

Posted on 01-11-2017 07:36 | By Bassist

Time to sit down and Shhhh Mr Bridges - You've had your time & did nothing with it.


Once again...

Posted on 01-11-2017 08:43 | By penguin

...Bridges is commenting from a standpoint of profound ignorance. One day he will realise that there are other people in the community with factual and meaningful statements to make. Must be hard suddenly losing power and control by being in Opposition!


On a hiding to nothing

Posted on 01-11-2017 08:48 | By backofthequeue

Dear Simon, You need to step away from Stephen Joyce style politics and realise that debating primary education with a long time and well respected former primary school principal is not a credible start to your time in opposition..


Simon Bridges

Posted on 01-11-2017 09:33 | By Captain Sensible

Does nothing for 9 years and then suddenly comes alive when in opposition.


Hope

Posted on 01-11-2017 10:36 | By Merlin

Hope we are not going to get saturated with comments from Simon here.He should save it for the house because saying it here will have no effect before the next election.


Cureent situation

Posted on 01-11-2017 10:45 | By MISS ADVENTURE

The infirmation about kids efforts and results is more or less meaningless, certianly of no use to determine if a kid has a functioning brain and can work. The results from the to be scrapped (yeah) policy is no use whatsoever. However the real concern has to be about what is going to replace it. Known Labour as a bunch of muppet brainless morons the go forward wont be better. All that is needed is a nationwide external exam that sets a bench mark for all kids and is meansable. All kids must sit before they can leave school.


Too Late For Simon

Posted on 01-11-2017 11:36 | By The author of this comment has been removed.

Simon's body language gives it away - he is defending himself and his cronies. If they had listened to their constituents they may not be in oppsosition now.


No time for assessment?

Posted on 01-11-2017 12:42 | By morepork

Leaving aside the debate regarding the National Standards, and speaking as a sometime teacher, don't you think that ANY teacher needs to assess the results of what they are doing? Assessment is an ESSENTIAL part of teaching and you have to MAKE time for it. Certainly, students don't need to be examined continually, but the effectiveness of the lessons taught and the methods used definitely need to be assessed or the whole exercise of education becomes futile. Maybe it isn't so important for parents to know how their child relates to the whole of the country; it is pretty obvious when a kid is struggling, but, teachers need to know how effective they are, and that is determined by assessment.


Leet the teachers do their job!

Posted on 01-11-2017 13:24 | By Chapsmate

Simon, it is way past time when politicians needed to learn to take their hands off what worked, and let the professional people do what they are paid to do ~ to educate our young people ready for life.I have been a teacher in both Primary, Intermediate and Secondary schools during my 45 years in education.Sure, we have a very few teachers who simply do the basics, and collect the meagre pay that teachers collect ~ like some politicians.But I have only admiration and respect for the vast majority of my colleagues who I have observed giving more than just an 8 hoour day for their students.Teaching to pass a so-called, culturally biased standardised test was harmful to students.Take the next 3 years to listen and observe, Simon, instead of making out that you know better than the professionals.


Dumbing down

Posted on 01-11-2017 14:58 | By Mike Kuipers von Lande

Sadly on this occasion Mr. Bridges is correct. The Education sector was long ago seized by socialists intent on implementing Gramsci's strategy of indoctrinating students into specific ways of thought and acting via their schooling. Once a generation or two has passed - which for us occurred more than a decade ago, society is fully controlled. We see the effects of this brainwashing everyday in group-think and lack of critical analysis in places such as the media. National standards were an attempt to reduce the effects of this process. Small wonder that the conductors fight tooth and nail to maintain the status quo.


here we go again

Posted on 01-11-2017 17:15 | By old trucker

Agree with by chookymac and bassit you are both right, Simple did nothing for us, and was always standing behind the leader NODDING,my thoughts are that once a new party gets in these blowhards should leave, and pay for their own airfares etc,all the promises made at run up to election he promised to spend $$$10billion on new roads etc, BUT only if he got in,and during his time (probably got one bridge built) if this was China ,they work around the clock, and the same should be done here and work 12hr shifts to get things done around the clock during contruction time (SUMMER) gosh by the time they get to work and have meetings etc its time to go home, NOT a lot of work gets done these days,as its very tiring,(yeah right) Anyway Sunlive you WON BEST NEWS AWESOME, Thankyou 10-4 out. phew.


Oh, Morepork!

Posted on 01-11-2017 17:39 | By Chapsmate

Your ignorance of an effective teacher shows!OF COURSE teachers need to assess how well their students are doing.They have a whole barrage of diagnostic tools available - not the least of which is the PAT [Progressive Achievement Tests] which DIAGNOSE the AREAS of difficulty a child brings to their learning . I have forgotten the names of all tests which make up an effective teacher's armanent. Then there is the ongoing marking of written work and projects, the one-on-one assessments.The NS an instrument brought in to appease social climbing parents, who wantd to skite that their child was at a particular level ~ or castigate and judge overworked and underpaid teachers because their students came from a class of parents who didn't read to their child; or even talk to them.This is one inexpensive action that this government is taking,that I wholeheartedly support.


Quiet

Posted on 01-11-2017 22:47 | By roseh

I think like a few others Just shhh up Mr Bridges and let them get on.You perhaps may still have been in goverment if there hadn't of been so much talking from all and little good action.Or a lot of things being hidden.Like no housing problems and then we hear gow much was being spent on Motels !!!!!!!!!!!!!


Old Trucker

Posted on 02-11-2017 10:00 | By Kenworthlogger

Ever heard of the TEL? Must be old age sir?


Be fair to Simon,

Posted on 02-11-2017 10:18 | By R. Bell

He is the elected member for Tauranga, like it or not. He is both right and wrong. Parents have the right to expect regular comparisons,teachers have the right to fair compensation for extra work. Education has absolutely nothing to do with roads expenditure. Nor has the N.Z. education system been infiltrated by Marxist theory Mike. Chapsmate is the only one making any sense here. The rest is purely political claptrap. Robin Bell.


Old Trucker

Posted on 02-11-2017 13:06 | By NZer

Just announced by labour. Labour bins new Auckland east west link. Only been in power for a few weeks and are now binning new reading projects. At least we saw a brand new TEL under National. Seems you are getting a bit forgetful in your old age.


@Chapsmate

Posted on 02-11-2017 14:43 | By morepork

Perhaps you should re-read my post. My point is that assessment is for both teachers AND pupils. If there was no assessment, I certainly would be ignorant of whether a teacher is good or not. We can agree to disagree on the case in point (Government Standards). My post was prompted by a teacher saying she felt that assessment took too much time for her staff. I just think it is much more important than parents being able to skite, and I'm NOT anti-teacher. (I was that soldier once...)


@ Chookymac

Posted on 02-11-2017 22:02 | By The Caveman

Well he will say he did, and the only real road built in the last 9 years is a TOLL road and TAURANGA now has TWO TOLL ROADS, and sad to say that the proposed Bethlehem by pass will never get built by the current mob, and if it does, it will also be a TOLL road.


@ R. Bell

Posted on 05-11-2017 17:02 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Denail again, yes it is true that the NZ education is been infiltrated and is being ransacked by an outfit as bad and perhaps worse than as you say "Marxist theory" types. Label as you like it is well underway, the losers here are all kids, where there are no useful and measurable standards, no meaningful measure of kids performance, dropping standards/achivements and definitely la-de-da teaching, no accountability, no performace review and overpaid for what they are doing currently. NZ education was something good, it is being destroyed from the inside by separatists self interests and desires, No big picture here. You wont understand I am sure!


Name the ransacking outfit missy.

Posted on 06-11-2017 10:20 | By R. Bell

Put your money where your mouth is big boy. Now is your chance to name and shame and "perhaps" redeem some credibility. Name them, don't be shy. Robin Bell.


Robin

Posted on 06-11-2017 18:45 | By NZer

Thats a bit rich coming from you. You like to spend everybody elses money not you own.... unbelievable...


@ Tinker Bell

Posted on 07-11-2017 02:38 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Because you dont know and obviously can not see ... have a look at the "bi-cultural" tainting of policy, teacher guidelines and so on. This is race based as it fails to recognise New Zealand as multi-cultural. Thats about round 20 of GAME-SET-MATCH now isnt it!


Are, the old bi-cultural mind set again missy.

Posted on 07-11-2017 10:38 | By R. Bell

Your denial of the founding partners of this nation is astounding. I guess you have a perverse liking for being in the rank minority. N.zer, you have the opportunity to check me out any time. What you will find is that I don't spend other peoples money. So I suggest you find another way to insult me, more in line with the subject content. As you know I refuse to hide behind stupid nick names. Go on man give it a try.. Robin Bell.


Them that wants to see?

Posted on 07-11-2017 11:33 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Spend all dey looking but still only see what they want to see. The same applies to 9/11, a number of arabic types think it was all wonderful and celebrate it. You are despertately fallin into the same ethos, mindset and desires as to intent.


Well done missy

Posted on 07-11-2017 16:16 | By NZer

The umpire says he is caught out....


Tinkling away again.

Posted on 08-11-2017 08:21 | By R. Bell

There is no infiltration as claimed by missy. Simply recognition of our founding partnership. The only "tainting is that of the few who find that offensive." Typically people ignorant of our history, who seek to replace the truth with manufactured fantasy. Thankfully the majority see through this shallow ploy. and education is finally honest. Robin Bell.


founding partnership?

Posted on 09-11-2017 12:42 | By MISS ADVENTURE

What founding partnership? Sovereignty was ceded irrevocably, can you not read 1840 signed agreement?


Bi v's multiple

Posted on 09-11-2017 12:51 | By MISS ADVENTURE

For clarity master Tinker bealle, I do not like Bi at all just to dull and boring and certainly like ho-hum stuff 500 years ago. Multiple (meaning many, not meaning two only) is way better, enlightening, dynamic and that certainly gets a girl excited and going for it. Bi is like tunnel vision in a tunnel v's the wide open savanna. Do you understand the limitations that you are imposing on yourslef, the massive limits as to worldliness, open mind and perception. That is actual not believed.


@ NZer

Posted on 09-11-2017 12:57 | By MISS ADVENTURE

More in the category of "own goal" of a talent/category like via Greg Chappel, has a definite under-arm, struck out, gone-burger look, smell about it. You know what they say ... if it smells like a dog, eats like a dog and drools like a dog then well it must be like, a dog!


Outnumbered yet again missy.

Posted on 09-11-2017 15:11 | By R. Bell

Labour , National,Greens And the rest 99.8%. Anachists .2%. Sorry your not required. Robin Bell.


Game set match

Posted on 11-11-2017 17:05 | By MISS ADVENTURE

21-0 jsut this year alone matey.


Yep

Posted on 12-11-2017 21:19 | By NZer

Bell has sunk...... like a bell.


Is it possible to make sense,

Posted on 13-11-2017 09:01 | By R. Bell

of buffoonery? The twin bovver boys missy and nzer attempt the impossible, by attacking without substance. Par for the course and totally ineffective. The Bell continues to ring. Robin Bell.


I like fishing

Posted on 13-11-2017 12:53 | By NZer

I sit in me boat missy and put out my lure and I always seem to catch me a dumbbell fish. He cant help himself but bite.... gotta go think I got another bite...


MISSADVENTURE, an agreement between two parties is a partnership

Posted on 21-11-2017 16:12 | By Peter Dey

A marriage contract is a partnership between two parties. The Treaty of Waitangi is a partnership between two parties. The word partnership does not have to be in the agreement for it to be a partnership. Everybody knows that the Treaty of Waitangi is our founding document and is a partnership between Maori and the Crown. People who deny this have a hidden agenda.


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