Providers and partners

Self-review and attestation

When is the next Code attestation due date?

We have taken a tailored approach for Code attestation due dates for each sub-sector, based on feedback. The upcoming Code attestation due dates are as follows:

Sub-sector	Attestation due date
Wānanga	1 November 2022
Private Training Establishments	1 November 2022
Code Signatory Schools	1 December 2022
Te Pūkenga	31 May 2023
Universities	Managed through a delegation to Universities New Zealand

Under the Code, tertiary education providers and schools signatories must:

carry out a self-review of how you are meeting the relevant Code outcomes and processes
document the self-review for your own records and external evaluation and review
- (For tertiary providers only): make your self-review report available, in an accessible format, to learners, staff and the general public, including on your website.
attest to NZQA, as required, that you have undertaken this self-review.

What is self-review?

Self-review is an ongoing process to examine an organisation’s performance. It identifies strengths and weaknesses so the education provider can make actual, worthwhile improvements to their practice.

It is a flexible, scalable, fit-for-purpose process. What self-review looks like in practice will depend on the size of the education provider, its learners, and its overarching education purposes.

Self-review is a core component of quality assurance policies and criteria across all types of education provider.

What is attestation?

Attestation is a declaration made each year to NZQA that self-review of learner wellbeing and safety practices under the Code is taking place. The attestation is made by completing an online attestation form signed by or authorised by the CEO/Principal/Chair of the Governing Board.

Resources for self-review

Self-review guidelines

NZQA has developed self-review guidelines for the Code.

They guide tertiary education providers and school signatories through the process of undertaking a self-review of learner wellbeing and safety practices, and embedding self-review as an ongoing process at an education provider.

Download the Guidelines for Self-review (PDF, 497KB)

Presentation on Self-review and the Code

NZQA has developed this presentation on conducting a self-review of learner wellbeing and safety practices against the requirements of the Code.

The presentation guides tertiary education providers and school signatories through the process of undertaking a self-review of learner wellbeing and safety practices, and embedding self-review as an ongoing process at an education provider.

We encourage you to use:

the Guidelines for Self-review (PDF, 497KB),
appropriate self-review toolkit (for tertiary providers (ZIP, 27MB) or schools (ZIP, 15MB)), and
a copy of your organisations' most recent self-review report/documentation to follow along with this presentation.

Use the links below to access a recording and copies of the presentation materials.

See the slides from the workshop:

Download the Self-review and the Code presentation as a PowerPoint (PPTX, 41MB)
Download the Self-review and the Code presentation as a pdf (PDF, 1.7MB)

Watch the Self-review and the Code presentation

See the transcript of the Self-review and the Code presentation (PDF, 275KB)

Self-review tool

NZQA has developed Code self-review tools for tertiary education providers and school signatories.

Code signatory schools:

Download the full self-review toolkit for schools in a zipped folder. (ZIP, 15MB)

Tertiary Education Providers:

Download the full self-review toolkit for tertiary education providers in a zipped folder. (ZIP, 27MB)

You are not obligated to use these tools, but they contain evaluative questions to help education providers cover all areas of the Code and review their performance against it.

How do I undertake a self-review?

Your organisation will need to evaluate its performance by:

gathering data about its learner wellbeing and safety practices (e.g. processes, learner support, input from diverse learners or other stakeholders)
reflecting on the data (e.g. gaps, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities)
coming to conclusions about its own effectiveness
using the reflections to make ongoing improvements to pastoral care of learners.

All education providers need to keep a record of their self-review, including the evidence, for their own quality assurance purposes, as well as for external evaluation and review. For tertiary providers, their self-review report must be readily available, in an accessible format, to learners, staff and the general public including on their website.

How do I submit a self-review attestation?

Providers will be emailed a link to complete the online attestation form ahead of the due date.

Further information

Email the Code team if you have any questions and concerns

Code News is our dedicated newsletter about quality assurance of pastoral care under the Code. It is released regularly.

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