WAG Update - Learning Support

2025/2026 Budget

• We are keen to see which of our 2024 Priorities have been included in this year’s budget.  Those that are not included will continue to be prioritised by our WAG in 2025

Readiness For School

• Many schools are reporting that incoming New Entrants are less ready for school than in previous years.  A growing number of children without medical conditions are not toilet trained and often require support with personal care.
• The variability between ECEs is also reflected in how ready some learners are for school. Eg.  
  • Learners unable to identify their name
  • Learners unable to name the letters in their first name
  • Learners not having a preferred hand
• The Learning Support WAG would like to gather data from schools to establish the magnitude of these issues

Access To Specialist Schools

• Currently, demand far exceeds supply. More than 80% (460) of students on the ‘Expressions of Interest’ List (waitlist) for the 10 Auckland-based Specialist Schools will be denied access to enrolment in 2025 due to closed rolls or schools at capacity.
• Property and recruiting experienced staff continue to be a real challenge for our Specialist Schools

Early Intervention

• Currently, Early Intervention funding ceases when a learner turns 5 years old. To enhance the transition to school, we would like to see the funding extended until the learner turns 8 years old.

Access to Speech Language Therapists and Educational Psychologists

• We continue to be concerned with the wait times to access MoE SLTs and Ed Psychs