Information on PLD for structured approaches to literacy & te reo matatini

The Ministry is funding professional learning and development (PLD) for structured approaches to literacy and te reo matatini.

This PLD will support teachers to use structured literacy approaches including: oral language, phonemic knowledge, systematic synthetic phonics teaching and knowledge for decoding and spelling, handwriting, vocabulary, morphology, syntax, fluency, text structure, writing, and comprehension.  

It will also support teachers to understand the principles of explicit teaching including: a gradual release of responsibility, being systematic, being precise, providing repeated and varied opportunities for learning, being cumulative, being diagnostic and responsive, and developing mastery and automaticity. 

As part of the PLD for structured literacy approaches, teachers will learn assessment practices and how to use tools that align with these approaches to inform their teaching.  Providers will ask teachers to share assessment data with them to evaluate the effectiveness of the PLD.

This support will be available from Term 3 2024, initially focusing on year 0-3 teachers and becoming available to year 4-6 and year 7-8 teachers from  Term 1 2025.


Applications for Cohort 3 of this PLD are now closed.

Structure of the PLD

This PLD will be offered through providers who have been quality-assured by the Ministry.

Schools will be able to apply to participate in this PLD and select an approved provider of their choice – subject to provider capacity.

PLD will be delivered over three school terms and comprises the following as a minimum over two phases:

  • Core delivery: 3 full day facilitated workshops, and 4 communities of practice (over one term)
  • Maintenance and support: 4 communities of practice (over two terms)

The delivery of PLD can include face-to-face and/or virtual/remote delivery, and will run in cohorts. For the 2024 school year, cohort details are:

 

Cohort

Begins

Ends

Cohort 1, 2024

Term 3 2024

Term 1 2025

Cohort 2, 2024

Term 4 2024

Term 2 2025

Cohort 3, 2025

Term 1 2025

Term 3 2025

Cohort 4, 2025

Term 2 2025

Term 4 2025

Cohort 5, 2025

Term 3 2025

Term 1 2026

Funding and how to access the PLD

Schools and kura can apply on a per-teacher basis for participation in the PLD.

If participation is approved, schools and kura will be able to approach and select an approved provider to enrol their participants in the PLD.

PLD costs will be paid directly to providers by the Ministry.

Applications are now closed for Cohort 3, 2025. Refer to key dates below for cohort and application round dates.

Funding for Teacher Release Days (TRDs)

Teacher release funding will be provided for the 3 full day facilitated workshops. This funding will be calculated on approval of successful funding applications and will be paid to schools and kura directly in the later stages of the PLD.

Note: teacher release funding will only be provided for participants that are full-time or part-time teachers, and staff employed at the school in a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT).

Eligibility criteria

From Cohort 3 beginning in 2025, the PLD is accessible to teachers of years 0-8, including: 

  • Full time or part-time teachers
  • Staff employed on a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT)
  • RTLit/RTLB, reading recovery teachers and other specialist staff attached to the school
  • Regular relieving teachers

Priority will be given to teachers who have had no prior training in structured teaching approaches for literacy or te reo matatini.

All state and state-integrated schools and kura nationwide are welcome to apply.

All state/integrated schools with teachers of years 0–8 who have not yet received structured literacy PLD are eligible for this PLD. If a school already has teachers trained in structured literacy approaches, this does not exclude the school from applying for this PLD for their untrained teachers.

Approved providers

The following providers have been approved to deliver PLD for schools and kura who have been approved to participate in PLD for structured literacy and te reo matatini approaches.

Information about each provider’s offering can be found on their website.

Schools and kura approved for PLD will need to contact their chosen provider directly to enrol. Providers will require the approved funding application reference number (ARN) to accept enrolment – the ARN can be found in the approval confirmation email.

Schools and kura will need to ensure they have enrolled with their chosen provider by the deadline – refer to key dates below for enrolment deadlines.

 

English medium 

Please note that separate Ministry funded PLD in structured literacy approaches is also being delivered through Better Start Literacy Approach in Terms 3 and 4 2024, but is now closed to new applications.

Provider

Website and contact details

Blend Learning NZ Ltd

Website: Blend Learning NZ Ltd

Email: traceypacheco@blendlearning.nz

Phone: 021 444 209

Clarity Education NZ

Website: Clarity Education NZ

Email: andreaford@clarityeducation.co.nz

Phone: 022 358 1310

Learning Adventures New Zealand

Website: Learning Adventures New Zealand

Email: admin@learningadventures.nz

Phone: 027 439 3489

Includes facilitators for the following organisations:

  • Freedom Literacy
  • Gem Literacy
  • Liz Kane Literacy
  • Literacy Connections
  • Marianne Brown Literacy
  • Raising Achievement
  • Sound Foundations for Literacy

Learning MATTERS

Website: Learning MATTERS

Email: PLD@learningmatters.co.nz

Phone: 027 532 7646

Massey University

Website: Tātai Angitu

Email: SLA.PLD@massey.ac.nz

Phone: 06 951 7490

Spectrum Education

Website: Spectrum Education

Email: info@spectrumeducation.com

Phone: 021 270 3733

Tātai Aho Rau Core Education

Website: Tātai Aho rau | Core Education

Email: learning@core-ed.ac.nz

Phone: 027 415 3921

Māori medium

You can find out more about Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā here: Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā (education.govt.nz)

Provider

Website and contact details

K.I.S Education Limited

Website: K.I.S Education Limited

Email: pld@kiseducation.org

Phone: 027 544 6189

Kia Ata Mai Educational Trust

Website: Kia Ata Mai Educational Trust

Email: tautoko@kiaatamai.org

Phone: 027 283 3900

Learning Leaders Limited

Website: Learning Leaders Limited

Email: learningleaders.limted@gmail.com

Phone: 027 216 4871

Moko Kauri Limited

Website: Moko Kauri Limited

Email: info@mokokauri.co.nz

Phone: 021 217 4051

Arahia Associates (Patrick & Patrick Associates)

Website: Alice Patrick

Email: arahia03@gmail.com

Phone: 027 665 9443

Tai Huki Consult Limited

Website: Tai Huki Consult Limited

Email: Whare@taihukiconsult.co.nz

Phone: 021 515 029

Tātai Aho Rau Core Education

Website: Tātai Aho Rau | Core Education

Email: learning@core-ed.ac.nz

Phone: 0800 267 301 or 022 015 3844

The University of Waikato

Website: The University of Waikato

Email: tammy.gardiner@waikato.ac.nz

Phone: 027 424 2359

Tools4Teachers

Website: Tools4Teachers

Email: charlene@tools4teachers.co.nz

Phone: 022 0172 638

TupuOra Education & Development Limited

Website: TupuOra Education & Development Limited

Email: pld@tupuora.co.nz

Tui Tuia - Auckland UniServices

Website: Tui Tuia - Learning Circle

Email: aroha.ngaropo@auckland.ac.nz

Phone: 027 616 2477

Working with a provider and accessing funding

SLA PLD Funding process diagram
1

Discuss the application with your principal or tumuaki and determine which year 0-8 teachers would participate in this PLD. Ensure the teachers give consent for their names and work email addresses in the application. 

2

Ensure your school has a PLD Leader with an Education Sector Logon (ESL) – they will apply on behalf of the school.

3

Apply for the PLD through the online form.

Ensure you have the names and work email addresses of each participant before you start.

4

The Ministry receives and reviews your application. Ministry Regional Offices will be consulted to determine priority schools and kura for support (funding is limited).

5

The Ministry will notify schools and kura of the outcome of their application.

If the application is successful, an application reference number (ARN) will be provided - which confirms approved participation and teacher release funding (where applicable).
 

Schools and kura who have been granted approval can approach and enrol in PLD with a Ministry-approved provider for structured literacy or te reo matatini approaches.

6

Approach an approved provider and enrol. The application reference number (ARN) must be given to the provider as confirmation of approved participation.

7

Providers will submit their enrolment list to the Ministry for verification against PLD approvals. Once enrolment lists have been verified with the Ministry, providers will confirm your school’s place in the cohort.

8

PLD will commence – refer to key dates below for cohort start and end dates.

9

Teacher release funding will be paid to schools and kura directly - this will be near the completion of the PLD.

Please note that any emails regarding the status or outcome of your application will be sent from an email address with the @Salesforce.com domain – please ensure you are checking your junk/spam email folders.

If you have questions about the PLD or about an application, please contact PLD.Enquiries@education.govt.nz

Key dates


Cohort 1, 2024

Activity

Dates - English medium

Dates - Māori medium

Application round opens

18 June 2024

18 June 2024

Application round closes

4 July 2024

4 July 2024

Application outcomes notified

5 July 2025

5 July 2025

Deadline for schools to enrol with providers

31 July 2024

19 August 2024

Cohort 1 PLD commences

From 26 August 2024

From 26 August 2024

Cohort 1 PLD completed

End of Term 1 2025

End of Term 1 2025

 Cohort 2, 2024

Activity

Dates - English medium

Dates - Māori medium

Application round opens

26 August 2024

26 August 2024

Application round closes

13 September 2024

13 September 2024

Application outcomes notified

13 September 2024

13 September 2024

Deadline for schools to enrol with providers

20 September 2024

20 September 2024

Cohort 2 PLD commences

Week commencing 21 October 2024

Week commencing 21 October 2024

Cohort 2 PLD completed

End of Term 2 2025

End of Term 2 2025

 Cohort 3, 2025

Activity

Dates - English Medium

Dates - Māori Medium

Application round opens

23 October 2024

23 October 2024

Application round closes

13 November 2024

13 November 2024

Application outcomes notified

22 November 2024

22 November 2024

Deadline for schools to enrol with providers

29 November 2024

29 November 2024

Cohort 3 PLD commences

From 20 January 2025 onwards

From 20 January 2025 onwards

Cohort 3 PLD completed

End of Term 3, 2025

End of Term 3, 2025


Cohort 4, 2025 - Indicative (to be confirmed)

Activity

Dates - English medium

Dates - Māori medium

Application round opens

 10 February 2025

 10 February 2025

Application round closes

 3 March 2025

 3 March 2025

Application outcomes notified

 3 March 2025

 3 March 2025

Deadline for schools to enrol with providers

 10 March 2025

 10 March 2025

Cohort 4 PLD Commences

From 28 April 2025

 From 28 April 2025

Cohort 4 PLD Completed

End of Term 4 2025

 End of Term 4 2025

 Cohort 5, 2025 - Indicative (to be confirmed)

Activity

Dates - English medium

Dates - Māori medium

Application round opens

5 May 2025

5 May 2025

Application round closes

26 May 2025

26 May 2025

Application outcomes notified

26 May 2025

26 May 2025

Deadline for schools to enrol with providers

3 June 2025

3 June 2025

Cohort 5 PLD commences

From 14 July 2025

From 14 July 2025

Cohort 5 PLD completed

End of Term 1 2026

End of Term 1 2026

Set up your Education Sector Logon (ESL)

If you are the PLD Lead within the school and do not have access, the Delegated Authoriser in your school must update your account with the “PLD Leader” permissions, or first invite you to create an account if you do not already have one. Your Delegated Authoriser is most likely the school principal or tumuaki.

Your Delegated Authoriser can visit Support for School Delegated Authorisers to update or create a new ESL account.

If you need help setting up your ESL, contact the Ministry's Education Service Desk team by phone: 0800 422 599 or email: service.desk@education.govt.nz.

PLD Lead Permissions v2

PLD Leader permissions in ESL for the PLD System