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Simon Collins
Reporter

Education reporter, NZ Herald

We are your advocate, Aotearoa. Uncovering stories that matter, asking hard-hitting questions of those in power, live-blogging sport events, monitoring the highs and lows of the NZX and providing Premium expert opinion and analysis. Bringing you distinctive, quality journalism and breaking news from across New Zealand and around the world. With specialists working together to create indepth reads, engaging video, and unmissable podcasts.

Check out Simon’s latest content
Communities split over free school lunches
Hawkes Bay Today

Communities split over free school lunches

11 Oct 04:00 PM
'Don't want to get ahead of ourselves': PM on possible change in NZ's alert levels
Hawkes Bay Today

'Don't want to get ahead of ourselves': PM on possible change in NZ's alert levels

03 Sep 04:12 AM

School students may get a fast-track into building industry jobs.

Teacher censured for viewing porn
Hawkes Bay Today

Teacher censured for viewing porn

07 Jun 01:36 AM

Forensic examination found the teacher had 'attempted to erase any trace of the material'.

Principals worry: Can 'voluntary' schooling at alert level three work?
Hawkes Bay Today

Principals worry: Can 'voluntary' schooling at alert level three work?

16 Apr 02:46 AM

Principals have serious concerns about how 'voluntary' schooling will work.

Virus shuts English language school
Hawkes Bay Today

Virus shuts English language school

09 Apr 12:54 AM

Napier language school shuts, but no widespread closures in NZ yet.

'A couple of handfuls' of kids at school
Hawkes Bay Today

'A couple of handfuls' of kids at school

23 Mar 11:02 PM

Most schools seem to be well prepared with home learning plans.

Childcare 'hit squad' finds widespread breaches
Hawkes Bay Today

Childcare 'hit squad' finds widespread breaches

25 Feb 04:00 PM

Breaches by home-based services jumped from 15 in 2018 to at least 52 in 2019.

Half of Kiwis flunk general knowledge questions - test yourself
Hawkes Bay Today

Half of Kiwis flunk general knowledge questions - test yourself

18 Nov 09:00 AM

Half of NZ adults don't know basic facts in science, maths, history and geography.

Principals ban working with ministry
Hawkes Bay Today

Principals ban working with ministry

03 Jul 11:32 PM

Principals have voted to stop co-operation with the ministry from July 8 to August 16.

Non-union teachers angry at pay rise delay
Hawkes Bay Today

Non-union teachers angry at pay rise delay

15 Jun 05:15 AM

Unusual three-month delay in pay rises angers non-union teachers.

Minister steps into Māori baby uplift case
Hawkes Bay Today

Minister steps into Māori baby uplift case

15 Jun 01:44 AM

Minister will meet Hastings iwi tomorrow over child uplift case.

Schools launch $23K campaign to 'say no to hubs'
Hawkes Bay Today

Schools launch $23K campaign to 'say no to hubs'

25 Mar 09:30 PM

School group launches campaign to "say no to hubs" controlling schools.

Legal threat hits industry training shakeup
Hawkes Bay Today

Legal threat hits industry training shakeup

21 Mar 04:00 PM

High Court and Waitangi Tribunal may consider industry training shakeup.

Safety fears: Muslim students in NZ being escorted to shops and university
Hawkes Bay Today

Safety fears: Muslim students in NZ being escorted to shops and university

19 Mar 04:00 PM

Friday's attack has left hijab-wearing Muslim women scared to leave home.

Last minute no-shows: Chinese chill hits NZ schools as students bow out
Hawkes Bay Today

Last minute no-shows: Chinese chill hits NZ schools as students bow out

17 Feb 04:00 PM

Chinese student numbers in NZ schools are down 20 to 30 per cent this year.

Polytech rescue plan spells upheaval for apprentices too
Hawkes Bay Today

Polytech rescue plan spells upheaval for apprentices too

13 Feb 04:00 PM

Radical industry training plan goes way beyond anything discussed in consultations.

Training shakeup: How will it affect you?
Hawkes Bay Today

Training shakeup: How will it affect you?

13 Feb 04:00 AM

How the big shakeup affects students, apprentices, employers and staff.

Industry shakeup: New body to run polytechs, apprentices
Hawkes Bay Today

Industry shakeup: New body to run polytechs, apprentices

12 Feb 11:00 PM

Sixteen polytechnics will be merged into one entity that will take over industry training,

Biggest education shake-up in 30 years proposed
Hawkes Bay Today

Biggest education shake-up in 30 years proposed

06 Dec 10:30 PM

School boards could be stripped of power in new proposal.

School driving scheme may teach parents too
Hawkes Bay Today

School driving scheme may teach parents too

15 Nov 05:18 AM

At least half of parents of students at William Colenso College don't have licences.

Premium
NCEA injustice: Poor schools not getting reader-writer help
Hawkes Bay Today

NCEA injustice: Poor schools not getting reader-writer help

13 Nov 04:00 PM

A third of NCEA students at some schools are getting help to read and write exams.

Striking teachers hold out for workload relief, smaller classes
Hawkes Bay Today

Striking teachers hold out for workload relief, smaller classes

11 Nov 09:25 PM

"Time to teach, time to lead" - workload claims are now dominating teachers' demands.

Teachers on strike: 'The 1980s called, they want their wages back'
Hawkes Bay Today

Teachers on strike: 'The 1980s called, they want their wages back'

11 Nov 05:00 PM

Teachers say $700m pay offer came too late to rearrange strike meetings.

Premium
Struggling to learn: Some kids have better chances in Africa
Hawkes Bay Today

Struggling to learn: Some kids have better chances in Africa

11 Nov 04:00 PM

Simon Collins shares Razeal's tale and asks where we are going wrong.

Two-week window for $10,000 beginner teacher grants
Hawkes Bay Today

Two-week window for $10,000 beginner teacher grants

05 Nov 06:35 AM

Applications close next week - the same week primary teachers are due to go on strike.

Teacher aides, trainees 'earn less than minimum wage'
Hawkes Bay Today

Teacher aides, trainees 'earn less than minimum wage'

30 Sep 09:01 PM

NZEI survey finds many people are earning below the minimum wage of $16.50 an hour.

All kids to be screened for dyslexia, giftedness and other learning needs
Hawkes Bay Today

All kids to be screened for dyslexia, giftedness and other learning needs

21 Sep 01:15 AM

learning support

$569m offer to teachers: More at the top, less at the bottom
Hawkes Bay Today

$569m offer to teachers: More at the top, less at the bottom

10 Sep 11:21 PM

Ministry offers more to experienced teachers, less to beginners.

School's out: More young Kiwis quit early to chase jobs
Hawkes Bay Today

School's out: More young Kiwis quit early to chase jobs

04 Sep 09:10 PM

More Pākehā are leaving school early to chase jobs, narrowing the qualifications gap.

Teacher shortage hits 52% of primary schools
Hawkes Bay Today

Teacher shortage hits 52% of primary schools

04 Sep 06:09 PM

A third of schools say there are no suitable applicants for jobs they are trying to fill.

It's now tougher to get into varsity: Look what's happened to those who made it
Hawkes Bay Today

It's now tougher to get into varsity: Look what's happened to those who made it

19 Aug 05:00 PM

UE pass rates have dropped, but those who get through are doing better at university.

Kindy teacher held children down to force them to sleep
Hawkes Bay Today

Kindy teacher held children down to force them to sleep

01 Aug 11:47 PM

Newly trained teacher loses registration after physical and psychological abuse of kids.

Polytech second-half rolls jump with free fees
Hawkes Bay Today

Polytech second-half rolls jump with free fees

31 Jul 05:00 PM

Jump in second-half domestic enrolments relieves financially strapped polytechnics.

Charter school founder in 'massive shock' over delay
Hawkes Bay Today

Charter school founder in 'massive shock' over delay

24 Jul 03:45 AM

All except three charter schools now look set to become state or integrated schools.

Dr Lance O'Sullivan's health-by-email NZ-wide
Hawkes Bay Today

Dr Lance O'Sullivan's health-by-email NZ-wide

23 Jul 05:00 PM

Deal with BestStart's 280 centres marks Lance O'Sullivan's jump to a nationwide service.

Partnership schools receive termination notices
Hawkes Bay Today

Partnership schools receive termination notices

07 Jun 09:40 PM

Schools told their contracts will finish at the end of the year.

New app aims to lure an extra 2000 building apprentices
Hawkes Bay Today

New app aims to lure an extra 2000 building apprentices

24 May 01:30 AM

App will let students track their progress through school - then get an apprenticeship.

Budget: 'Our outgoings are bigger than our income'
Hawkes Bay Today

Budget: 'Our outgoings are bigger than our income'

16 May 05:29 AM

Manurewa family looks for Budget help for children and their education.

What would you do as NZ education boss?
Hawkes Bay Today

What would you do as NZ education boss?

13 May 05:00 PM

Ten voices from the Education Summit on how to improve our education system.

Budget 2018: Teachers' pay hikes threaten education pledges
Hawkes Bay Today

Budget 2018: Teachers' pay hikes threaten education pledges

13 May 06:13 AM

Expect higher funding for qualified preschool teachers, careers advisers, driving lessons.

Lift to 'halve queue for tots seeking aid'
Hawkes Bay Today

Lift to 'halve queue for tots seeking aid'

13 May 02:00 AM

An extra 1750 preschoolers will get specialist help in the coming year.

One in 10 primary schools ask parents to pay for teacher aides and support
Hawkes Bay Today

One in 10 primary schools ask parents to pay for teacher aides and support

02 May 02:11 AM

More than two-thirds of schools say they don't get enough support for all children.

Pacific NCEA pass rate above 80% for first time
Hawkes Bay Today

Pacific NCEA pass rate above 80% for first time

11 Apr 01:18 AM

Maori success rate rises impressively but still lags behind other groups.

Female teacher struck off after sex with 16-year-old pupil
Hawkes Bay Today

Female teacher struck off after sex with 16-year-old pupil

04 Apr 11:00 PM

Teacher admitted sexual relationship after texts between her and 16-year-old boy exposed.

Maori, Pacific, special needs will be priorities in schools review
Hawkes Bay Today

Maori, Pacific, special needs will be priorities in schools review

12 Mar 09:47 PM

Terms of reference for review of Tomorrow's Schools focus on responding to child's needs.

Free fees: Student numbers jump in Waikato, Napier and Nelson but flat overall
Hawkes Bay Today

Free fees: Student numbers jump in Waikato, Napier and Nelson but flat overall

08 Mar 01:49 AM

Only two polytechnics report significantly more students this year despite free fees.

Inside the curious world of a New Zealand charter school
Hawkes Bay Today

Inside the curious world of a New Zealand charter school

06 Mar 04:00 PM

Parents say charter schools picked up children excluded from other schools.

Army banned from letting school kids handle guns
Hawkes Bay Today

Army banned from letting school kids handle guns

04 Mar 10:00 PM

Draft guidelines issued after army let primary school kids handle guns last year.

Wide-ranging reforms for schools announced
Hawkes Bay Today

Wide-ranging reforms for schools announced

20 Feb 08:26 PM

Education summits in May will kick off wide-ranging reforms.

'Wake up' call over NZ students' decline
Hawkes Bay Today

'Wake up' call over NZ students' decline

30 Jan 01:00 AM

Fewer NZ children from poorer backgrounds are "beating the odds" to succeed at school.

Exam bosses coy on NCEA release time
Hawkes Bay Today

Exam bosses coy on NCEA release time

15 Jan 01:37 AM

About 143,000 students will be able to access their NCEA results online tomorrow.

Fees-free study for 80,000 next year
Hawkes Bay Today

Fees-free study for 80,000 next year

04 Dec 10:00 PM

Fees-free policy will help 30,000 at varsity and 50,000 in polytechs or industry training.

NZQA agrees to talk about maths exam
Hawkes Bay Today

NZQA agrees to talk about maths exam

04 Dec 12:15 AM

Open letter expressing concerns about the Level 1 maths exam signed by 118 teachers.

Teacher accessed dating site in class
Hawkes Bay Today

Teacher accessed dating site in class

23 Nov 05:37 AM

Reg Korau failed to disclose driving convictions and drove school van for personal use.

Revolution in Kiwi schools: National Standards abolished
Hawkes Bay Today

Revolution in Kiwi schools: National Standards abolished

29 Oct 04:00 PM

National Standards will go and NCEA is also up for review by the new Labour-led Government

Teacher aides: higher pay, fewer hours?
Hawkes Bay Today

Teacher aides: higher pay, fewer hours?

28 May 10:45 PM

Principals say school support staff hours may have to be cut if their wages are lifted.

Overseas students 'untapped' by regions
Hawkes Bay Today

Overseas students 'untapped' by regions

26 Apr 05:00 PM

A new study says international students are an "untapped opportunity" for NZ regions.

Greens call for compulsory Maori
Hawkes Bay Today

Greens call for compulsory Maori

31 Jan 10:00 PM

The Greens and some Labour MPs are calling for a national goal of making Māori language compulsory for all children in state schools.

Sexual self-defence for girls aged 10-12
Hawkes Bay Today

Sexual self-defence for girls aged 10-12

27 Nov 04:00 PM

A Hastings primary school is bringing in self-defence tutors for its older girls because the girls are afraid of being sexually abused by older men.

Our kids at risk: Calling time on trouble
Hawkes Bay Today

Our kids at risk: Calling time on trouble

27 Nov 04:00 PM

NZ has the fourth-highest rate of child deaths from assault in the OECD. Simon Collins visited three communities to look for the root causes.

Outta here! Why many want to quit city
Hawkes Bay Today

Outta here! Why many want to quit city

07 Nov 12:21 AM

Almost two-thirds of Aucklanders who don't own their own homes plan to buy their first homes outside the city.

Anglican Synod fails to approve gay marriages
Hawkes Bay Today

Anglican Synod fails to approve gay marriages

12 May 05:30 PM

Gay Anglicans are reacting with a mix of fury and resignation after the Anglican Synod today failed to approve the blessing of gay marriages.

'Today I hang my head in shame'
Hawkes Bay Today

'Today I hang my head in shame'

12 May 01:44 AM

Liberal Anglican priest Dr Helen Jacobi says she is ashamed of her Church after it postponed "blessings" for gay marriages for at least two years.

Bid to avoid split over gay marriage
Hawkes Bay Today

Bid to avoid split over gay marriage

10 May 12:14 AM

The Anglican Church is in yet another last-ditch effort to avoid a split over blessing gay marriages.

Bosses face tough new safety laws
Hawkes Bay Today

Bosses face tough new safety laws

03 Apr 05:00 PM

Forest owners could have been liable for fines of up to $3 million if worker Blair Palmer had been killed by a falling tree today rather than last week.

Rest homes win awards
Hawkes Bay Today

Rest homes win awards

03 Mar 10:00 AM

Hastings rest home Gracelands and Auckland's boutique Lynton Lodge Hospital have won the first independent awards for North Island rest homes based on residents' and relatives' reviews.

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