Professional learning and development (PLD)

Mentoring guidelines 

These guidelines were launched at PPTA Te Wehengarua Annual Conference in late September 2025. The guidelines are designed to support those teachers being mentored and those mentoring across all stages of their career. However, it is likely that those who will gain the most benefit from these guidelines will already have been teaching a few years.

• MENTORING Guidelines for Effective Practice in Secondary Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand

PLD toolkit

The PLD toolkit comprises information and an audit process that can be used to support improved practices and outcomes for teachers and learners in New Zealand secondary and area schools.

It can be used in at least two ways: Firstly, we invite staff responsible for leading and managing PLD to use the toolkit as a guide and measure to support the establishment and maintenance of good policy and practice. Secondly, the toolkit is a resource for branches to use where their school’s PLD processes are not transparent, perceived as unhelpful or ineffective, or in need of a thorough review.

PLD research reports

The research reports, based on PPTA Te Wehengarua surveys, show teachers and school leaders agree current professional learning and development (PLD) provision is inadequate, piecemeal and incoherent.

Teachers want more PLD opportunities, preferably with colleagues from other schools, led by an expert facilitator with valuable and trusted external expertise.

For many teachers the least effective PLD is a whole staff transmission model delivered in-house.

Teachers want a variety of PLD and while they value especially in-depth professional learning community based work, they also value the opportunity to go to one-off workshops that enhance their knowledge in particular areas, such as the NZQA best practice workshops.

Teachers and school leaders have subtle differences in their perceptions of PLD and value the work being done in slightly different ways, but agree completely in their desire for locally trusted, officially sanctioned, effective PLD to be made more available to them in the future.