"Schools sometimes feel that they are forever running to stand still with the constant changes that face education."
Mr Robertson said it was interesting that Labour appeared to be trying to spread funding over a number of different areas to try to improve student achievement.
He said research showed reducing class sizes alone would not increase student learning, but it could allow extra time for teachers to cater to the things that do influence learning.
Labour's plans to develop and rebuild outdated classrooms were welcomed by Mr Robertson and policies to scrap National Standards and more investment in programmes such as Reading Recovery were a step in the right direction.
Tahatai Coast School principal Ian Leckie, the immediate past president of New Zealand Education Institute Te Riu Roa, said both parties had quite different approaches and it was clear which would matter to children and families.
The teaching profession and the unions were at loggerheads with the Government over National's Investing in Educational Success programme, creating an adversarial relationship between the groups, he said.
On the other hand, Mr Leckie said Labour's policies were more in line with the profession's views on achieving better results for children.
"IES is creating a whole new level of management, paying a few teachers a whole lot more to push achievement ... with Labour, the class sizes is one we know is close to the heart of every parent who wants to see attention for their children."
Tauranga Boys' College principal Robert Mangan said both parties' policies had merit, but it was a shame education had become a political issue.
Mr Mangan said he would support Labour's policies to bring in more teachers and reduce class sizes, plus ongoing support for more digital devices in the classroom and at home.
Education under National:
- Investing in Educational Success programme at a cost of $359 million.
- Fifty per cent of the $359 million cost of the package over four years goes on extra teacher and principal salaries associated with four new roles.
- The new roles will share expertise across schools and among teachers and principals, help recognise highly-capable teachers and principals with a proven track record, keeping good teachers in the classroom.
- Schools will have the option to form themselves into groups of about 10 schools. The proposal is each Community of Schools will have a principal who acts as a project facilitator for the group.
- There are 1000 expert teacher roles proposed and 5000 lead teacher roles. These are subject to the collective bargaining process.
- The lead teachers will open their classrooms to colleagues, sharing good practice within their schools. There will be about 20 of these positions for every cluster of schools.
- The expert teachers - about four for every school cluster - will have an average of two days a week out of the classroom working across the cluster of schools, leading sessions with other teachers or moving from class to class to observe teaching practice and give feedback.
- The executive principals, who will have a proven track record, will will use their collaborative leadership skills across a community of schools, work with the principals, boards of trustees and others to plan shared student achievement objectives and co-ordinate the support provided by the new roles to deliver the plan.
- Elite principals will be employed to lift achievement in schools that are struggling. They will be paid a higher salary to attract great principals.
Education under Labour:
- Total net four-year cost, including both operating and capital, is $295 million.
- Hire 2000 more teachers and reduce the average size of secondary school classes from 26+ down to 23. Reduce the size of Years 4-8 from 29+ down to 26.
- Invest $104 million in new classrooms.
- A programme to provide an affordable option for all Year 5-13 students to have access to a portable digital device, in the classroom and at home.
- Commit $25 million to provide teachers with professional development in 2016 and 2017 around making the most effective use of digital devices in the classroom.
- Partner with schools, local government and communities to put in place infrastructure that will allow students who do not currently have internet connections to use their portable devices to access the internet at home.
- Develop a plan for rebuilding outdated and worn-out school buildings, so that every school has access to modern learning environments by 2030.
- Fund schools $100 per student per year if they don't demand donations from parents.
- Scrap National Standards and require schools to report student progress to parents in all areas of their learning. Use funds for teacher professional development programmes to assist students who are under achieving.
- Extend Reading Recovery.
- Repeal charter school legislation.
- Provide funding of $13 million in the first two years and a further $9 million in the following years for adult and community education courses.
- Provide $1 million a year for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.
