Hon Hekia Parata

Minister of Education
9 November 2016

Online guide to help schools plan new builds

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the release of an online guide to help schools plan new builds and building modifications that meet the needs of all students.

The Ministry of Education has released the guide on its Inclusive Education website and will showcase it today at a workshop for the OECD Group of National Experts in Effective Learning Environments.

“This is a very useful and comprehensive resource. It takes schools through all the components they need to think about when planning a new learning environment,” says Ms Parata.

“New Zealand is diverse and every child has different learning needs. Each one of them deserves to feel included and valued at school. This guide will help principals, teachers and boards of trustees to take into account the different needs of students when planning innovative and inclusive learning environments.”

The guide features local and international videos, illustrations, case studies, ideas and advice.

A delegation of representatives from OECD countries including Ireland, Greece, Japan, Turkey and Mexico are holding their annual meeting in New Zealand this year, to share information on effective learning environments. They will be given a demonstration of the guide today.

“I trust that the international experts will find the guide practical and enriching, and that it will provide them with valuable insights into how New Zealand schools can better plan inclusive learning environments,” says Ms Parata.

The Inclusive Education website already has over 20 ‘how to’ guides to help educators become confident in meeting the diverse needs of students. The guides feature practical ideas and strategies from New Zealand and around the world.

The website can be found here.

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