Sector representatives and leaders will be taking a list of concerns to the Government over the implementation of its national standards policy, and have suggested the standards be trialled before being fully adopted.
However, Minister of Education Anne Tolley said none of the concerns about national standards voiced at the forum were new and reasonable answers had already been given.
The forum was hosted by the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) on Thursday, involving principals, teachers, school trustees, educationists, researchers and academics.
It was the first opportunity the sector had had to take an in-depth look at the standards, which were released last month.
The standards were expected to be implemented in February.
After analysis, it was agreed the sector was not confident the national standards - in their present form and under the projected implementation timeframe - would raise pupil achievement as the Government intended.
NZEI would take some of the concerns discussed at the forum to Mrs Tolley.
Issues to be presented include concerns about national standards being a "one size fits all" initiative; the timeframe for implementation is potentially unworkable; the standards will compromise the implementation of the new curriculum; and teachers do not fully understand the standards and will need proper professional development and resourcing.
NZEI president Frances Nelson said the Minister had been sent a clear message from the forum that the sector was not comfortable with national standards, but is prepared to work in partnership to find a way forward.
"It would be dangerous for her to ignore it," she said.
However, School Trustees Association president Lorraine Kerr disagreed there was no confidence in national standards.
She said every parent should have the right to know how their children are performing and believed national standards would "help teachers get there".
She said the forum had been useful in trying to allay some of the fears surrounding national standards, but was compelled to leave when the media arrived.
"It was a very good day in terms of finding a positive way forward.
"However, in my opinion, the tone of the meeting changed when the cameras arrived and it became almost like a union rally which I refused to be a part of."
Mrs Tolley said there was nothing new to come out of the forum.
"I have been meeting with the sector groups all year and will continue to do so.
"It should be remembered that the sector groups helped work on the standards.
"We have a mandate to deliver national standards and they will be implemented next year, with schools required to send two plain language reports home to parents on their child's progress and how they can help.
"I've said all along that the first year will be a bedding-in period."
Concerns:
National standards is a one-size-fits all initiative.
The timeframe for implementation is potentially unworkable.
Standards will compromise the implementation of the new curriculum.
Teachers do not fully understand the standards and will need proper professional development and resourcing.
