TTI Primary Programme accredited for 2026

Wednesday 1 October 2025

Photograph by Tom Roberton at Summerland Primary School (One of TTI's partner primary schools)

The Teachers’ Institute (TTI) Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary, School-based) has received approval and accreditation from NZQA and the Teaching Council.

The recognition follows a rigorous quality-assurance process, including a review of programme documentation, and a three-day in-person panel assessment, which saw representatives from across the sector examine TTI’s approach, decisions, and design.

TTI Academic Director Dr Nina Hood MNZM said the accreditation meant more than being able to officially deliver the Primary programme in 2026.

“It’s also a vote of confidence in our teacher training approach and curriculum, and confirmation that we’re equipping future primary teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed,” she said.

Dr Hood said the organisation was extremely excited to welcome its first cohort of 50 Primary teacher trainees next year, working in partnership with 30 primary schools across Auckland.

She said, like in TTI’s Secondary Programme, TTI Primary trainees would be embedded in a home school from day one. Each trainee would begin the academic year spending two days per week in workshops at the TTI campus in Epsom, Auckland, and three days in their home school.

As the year progresses, trainees would gradually take on more teaching responsibility, always supported by an experienced mentor teacher who closely supports the development of their teaching practice.

Dr Hood said one of the key elements that defined the TTI Primary programme was its focus on ensuring every trainee received solid, research-led training in teaching literacy and maths.

“Reading, writing and mathematics are essential skills for every primary student. If children can’t read and write, they can’t access learning in other curriculum areas. We’re providing trainees with the theory and practice to help children build these skills, grounded in the most up-to-date research available.”

She said TTI’s ability to bring in experts from around the country was a key advantage.

“Sarah Taylor, a hugely experienced educator, will be leading the programme and brings particular expertise in literacy instruction and effective pedagogy.

“Structured literacy will be taught by Felicity Fahey, one of New Zealand’s leading experts in literacy and part of the team writing the new English curriculum for Y0-Y10.

“And mathematics education will be delivered by Dr Jo Knox, an experienced mathematics education consultant with more than 30 years’ experience in primary education. She is uniquely placed to show our trainees how to combine explicit instruction with rich, problem-solving tasks in the classroom, to help children develop both procedural fluency and deep conceptual, mathematical understanding.”

Beyond literacy and maths, trainees would be gaining curriculum expertise across all learning areas thanks to specialist teachers and experts from across New Zealand leading targeted workshops in science, history, geography, PE, technology, and the arts.

“Receiving accreditation is an exciting milestone for us. We’ve drawn on innovative pedagogies to design a programme combining what we believe is the best in curriculum, delivery and expertise across the sector. It’s hands-on and responsive to the needs of New Zealand students. We’re looking forward to seeing the impact our first cohort of primary teachers will have.”

Dr Hood said the Primary programme was already largely full in 2026 and attracting enquiries for 2027.