Schools sign up for Govt's flagship education policy

Education Minister Hekia Parata. File photo / Mark Mitchell

Government says it has confirmed the first groups of schools which will take part in its flagship education policy.

Education Minister Hekia Parata said eleven "communities of schools" with a total roll of 38,000 students would begin working under the Investing in Educational Success model from term one next year.

Ms Parata said 71 expressions of interests had so far been received for the $359 million scheme, which paid the best teachers and principals more to lift achievement across groups of schools.

The first tranche of school hubs would be publicly revealed later this week.

The minister said they were all over the country, covered all deciles, and included primary, intermediate, secondary and area schools.

"They will have agreed and shared achievement goals and will be sharing expertise and best practice in leadership and teaching," she said in a statement.

"The communities also form clear pathways for kids as they transition through their education, from day one through to senior schooling."

Ms Parata said she had been delighted with the enthusiasm shown by boards of trustees, principals, teachers and parents.

The policy was backed by the secondary principals' association and the secondary teachers' union, the PPTA, but not the primary teachers' union, the NZEI.