Sorted in Schools – Update

Kia ora koutou katoa, 

My warmest thoughts go to you as we continue to navigate the challenges of COVID-19. 

In this update, I’m delighted to report Te whai hua – kia ora, Sorted in Schools continues to achieve outstanding results. To date, 74% of secondary schools and 75% of kura have registered for the programme. 

In addition, our latest research shows 66.5% of schools have used Te whai hua – kia ora in the past 12 months.  In the last year more than 300 teachers have completed professional development with our team of specialists, and 98% of teachers value Te whai hua – kia ora as a financial capability programme. 

As many of you will know, being good with money is an essential life skill.  Financial capability means being equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make good financial decisions at each life stage and attain goals with choices. 

I’m proud to say that thousands of young New Zealanders will have the skills and knowledge to do better with money because of the important māhi that we’ve done in this space.

I hope you enjoy our update.

Hei konā mai,

Nick Thomson Director – Financial Capability

Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think may be interested. They can subscribe by emailing schools@retirement.govt.nz

• Wellington kura big winner of Money Jam competition
• Teachers give top marks to Sorted in Schools
• More te reo Māori resources launched
• Investing and preparing for retirement resources now live for EME
• Coming soon: Resources to teach students about taxes

Nau mai ngā hua 

Welcome all things that have grown 

Nau mai ngā pai  

Welcome all things that are good 

Nau mai kia nui 

May they be plentiful and abundant 

Kia hāwere ai 

Te whai hua - kia ora loves helping schools keep up the kōrero about money skills in the classroom, but one of this year’s Money Jam winners went a step further and made it on TV!

Waimarama, Rakairoa and Rauru-ki-tahi from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna in Seatoun, Wellington came up with such an orginal idea they were interviewed as part of TV2’s What Now. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face so please check it out!

To ensure our programme continues to attract and be effective for teachers and students, we engage the New Zealand Council for Educational Research to regularly evaluate Te whai hua - kia ora, Sorted in Schools.

Interim results released in May, reveal that 98% of teachers value the programme with 98% saying they would recommend it to others. We are also very proud to add that nearly all teachers agree the resources support Māori and Pacific students’ learning, and the programme supports overall whānau wellbeing.

Interestingly, teachers are saying that while their understanding and confidence to teach financial capability is improving, so is their own personal understanding of financial capability. This is exciting as it indicates that the programme is extending its reach beyond the classroom.

The final report will be available later this month. If you would like a copy which includes the survey, interviews, and case study results, please email us at schools@retirement.govt.nz

We’re excited to share that four new unit standard modules for Māori Medium Education have just been released enabling ākonga /students to gain NCEA credits.

These unit standard materials focus on important learning opportunities for our rangatahi as they look to build their knowledge around everyday financial topics that will impact them as adults.

They cover different saving and investment options, the effect of significant life events at different life stages on income, options to finance a property purchase, and the impacts of external factors on personal finances. All resources have been NZQA assured and available free to all kura.

We have also launched a fun, interactive resource Mahere Pāti /Party Planner for Year 9-10 students. Designed to test their budgeting skills and knowledge, students will learn how to plan a party while considering the needs and wants of their guests and that sometimes concessions need to be made if they want to stick to their budget.

View all these resources here.

We have also launched two new student resources for English Medium Education (EME).

Surviving in retirement

This interactive resource shows students how financial choices and events throughout their life impact on their ability to save for the long-term, specifically towards retirement. Students also learn the difficulties of budgeting in retirement with the savings they have accumulated throughout the first part of the interactive.

Investing in shares

This new resource is for year 9-10 students and introduces them to the basics about investing in shares. It covers how the share market works, how to choose companies to invest in and it puts their learning to the test with a share market simulation. Students will apply statistical knowledge aligned to the New Zealand curriculum to collect and understand share market information.

While tax time can be a trying experience for adults, it can also be a prime learning opportunity for students to understand how taxes work, why we pay them and their importance to society.

That’s why in Term 4 we are launching new resources about taxes created with the help from Inland Revenue. They will help teach students the basics so our young people can be better prepared financially to reach their life goals.

Te whai hua – kia ora, Sorted in Schools still has a big year ahead in terms of development and supporting schools and kura implementing the programme. Every quarter, new resources will be released, and our Learning Specialists will be out and about supporting teachers and kaiako. 

This year, the emphasis is on senior secondary resources, however, the team is here to support any school or kura that needs us. 

We recommend you check the website regularly for new updates. We also always like to hear feedback from users. If there is a topic or something missing, please get in touch schools@retirement.org.nz.