Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust is delighted to announce that we will be jointly delivering the Ministry of Education’s Beginning Principal Programme alongside Evaluation Associates | Te Huinga Kākākura Mātauranga between 2026 – 2028.
Together, our organisations will deliver a refreshed programme supporting principals in their first two years of principalship across Aotearoa.
We are thrilled to be collaborating with Evaluation Associates, an organisation whose expertise and commitment to developing educational leadership is deeply aligned with our own. This partnership brings together complementary strengths, united by a shared belief in the power of effective leadership to transform school communities and outcomes for students.
Anna Sullivan, CEO, Evaluation Associates reflects on the partnership and our shared focus on equitable outcomes in education.
“We at Evaluation Associates | Te Huinga Kākākura Mātauranga are really excited to partner with Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust in the important mahi of supporting beginning principals and their mentors. The team at Te Uru Amokura brings significant expertise, and their network of volunteers will offer fresh insights and diverse leadership perspectives from outside the education sector. This will be a real strength of the support we offer together.
We share a strong commitment to raising achievement and reducing disparity. This partnership is really powerful because we each bring diverse and extensive capabilities and expertise to a shared purpose -providing excellent support to beginning principals and tumuaki that ultimately leads to great outcomes for young people across Aotearoa.”
For Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust, the opportunity to walk alongside new principals at such a pivotal moment in their leadership journey and strengthen the leadership pipeline in Aotearoa schools is especially significant. Having spent almost 20 years supporting principals in their 3rd year and beyond through our strategic leadership programmes, we’re excited to extend our support to those at the very beginning of their principalship.
Through the Beginning Principal Programme, we look forward to introducing new principals to the benefits of engaging with cross-sector leaders, which has long been a hallmark of our work. Connecting principals with experienced leaders from business and public sectors has proven to broaden perspectives, deepen strategic thinking, and build confidence and capability – benefits we are eager to share with those stepping into the role for the first time.
Ian Narev, Board Chair, Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust acknowledges the significance of this opportunity to work with new principals.
“Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust is delighted to have the opportunity to partner with the Ministry of Education and Evaluation Associates on this initiative. For the past 20 years, we have worked hand in hand with school leaders. Our work has reinforced our belief in the impact of school leadership on educational outcomes for our country’s children. Through regular independent assessment of our programmes, we have developed a strong body of evidence on how successful principals lead their schools. We are pleased to work in a structured way with new principals, so we can share our perspectives and learn from their experience.”
Noting Evaluation Associates’ proven record, Te Uru Amokura | Springboard Trust CEO Dale Bailey affirms the partnership’s alignment to Te Uru Amokura’s purpose.
“We are very excited to partner with Evaluation Associates who share a strong track record in lifting and driving school development. This collaboration speaks to the heart of our vision: ‘Strong strategic school leaders | Thriving tamariki mokopuna’. Through this partnership, we look forward to extending our leadership development support for school principals in Aotearoa who have the most important responsibility in realising great outcomes for our young people”
This partnership with Evaluation Associates marks an exciting new chapter, and we look forward to contributing to a programme that will help develop confident, strategic school principals who are well supported to deliver the best possible outcomes for our tamariki.