Gateway funding

Gateway funding

Last updated 3 October 2022
Last updated 3 October 2022

Gateway funding enables secondary schools to give senior students access to structured workplace learning integrated with school-based learning. Students’ learning is assessed in the workplace and they can achieve credits on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) towards their National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).

Gateway is designed to support school students’ transition into the workforce by offering them workplace learning while at secondary school. This should include a formal agreement (like an individualised learning plan) between the school, the student and the workplace.

The workplace learning should include:

  • set unit standards for the student to work towards and achieve
  • specific assessment methods.

October 2022 changes

We have made changes to the way Gateway funding is allocated and recovered. The changes have been made in response to feedback from schools, the Careers and Transition Education Association New Zealand (CATENZ) and the Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ).

These changes will support the growth of our high-quality Gateway programme by reducing the financial risk schools are exposed to through our recovery and allocation approaches. The intent is to support schools to focus on learner-centred programme delivery and reduce enrolment barriers for learners who may have struggled to achieve 20 credits.

Definition of delivery

We are expanding the definition of delivery. This will have an impact on any 2022 recoveries. Delivery is currently defined as occurring when a work placement is completed and reported. A work placement should be for a sustained period of time to ensure planned learning goals are met. 

The delivery definition now also includes:

  • A learner withdrew from a Gateway programme after 1 month enrolment; or
  • A learner is impacted by an employer withdrawing from an arranged work placement within 3 months of the anticipated placement's start date. 

Change impacts to definition of delivery

The impact of this change is:

  1. There will likely be less recovery of funding from schools that have previously under-delivered due to the circumstances covered under the expanded definition.
  2. The 2022 Reporting Templates will be updated to support this change and will be provisioned to your WorkSpace2 on 31 October 2022.
  3. Please note, as part of the funding conditions, each school must attest to integrity of the data it reports and that this may be audited.

Funding allocation methodology

When calculating your indicative allocation of learner numbers each year, adjustments are made based on past performance (credit achievement). (Please note, due to the impacts of COVID-19, these adjustments were not carried out on your 2022 and 2023 indicative allocations.)

Currently when the average credit achievement per learner falls below thresholds, we adjust allocations as follows:

  • 20-18 credits = 5% reduction,
  • 18-10 credits = 15% reduction,
  • Less than 10 credits = 25% reduction.

Change impacts to funding allocation methodology

From 2024 onwards we are reducing the use of credit achievement adjustments in the calculation of your indicative allocation. For you this means that:

  • We will only be retaining the threshold when the average credit achievement per learner is less than 10 credits. A 25% reduction in funding will be applied.
  • A learner who withdraws from a Gateway programme after 1 month enrolment will be excluded from your average credit per learner calculation.
  • As a result of this change, we will likely make fewer reductions to each school’s future allocation based on average credit achievement per learner calculations.

Performance expectations

The Ministry of Education performance expectations have not changed. The expectation remains that schools achieve an average 20 credits per learner. TEC will continue to monitor credit achievement and engage if we have concerns. We may also withhold or adjust funding when we are not satisfied with explanations regarding performance.

COVID-19-related changes

Credit achievement

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and Ministry of Education recognise the impacts of COVID-19 on schools and students in the Gateway programme.

The current benchmark requirement of 20 credits per student will not be used to adjust 2022 or 2023 Gateway allocations. This will ensure that your future funding allocations are not unfairly affected because of COVID-19.

 

Vocational Pathways provide an advantage

Vocational Pathways provide new ways to achieve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2. 

Including Vocational Pathways credits in NCEA allows students to see how their level 2 study leads to higher qualifications and career opportunities, and how their achievement will be valued in the workplace. The Pathways are a useful tool for planning programmes that are in line with what industry recommends.

Schools should closely align their Gateway programme with one or more of the Vocational Pathways:

  • Primary Industries
  • Services Industries
  • Social and Community Services
  • Manufacturing and Technology
  • Construction and Infrastructure
  • Creative Industries

See www.youthguarantee.education.govt.nz for more details about Vocational Pathways, and tools to design programmes and help students to plan their future career.

How to effectively deliver Gateway to Māori

The Māori Youth Transitions: Gateway report was completed by Te Puni Kōkiri and includes a summary of good practice findings in the Gateway programme. It also highlights examples of different schools’ approaches to delivering the Gateway programme effectively for Māori.

You’ll find the report on the Te Puni Kōkiri website.

Resources

The following resources are available to assist schools delivering Gateway programmes:

Gateway logos and how to use them

All Gateway communications must display the Gateway logo.

Read the Gateway Visual Identity Guidelines (PDF 1.4 MB) (PDF, 1 Mb) to see how to use the logo, including minimum size and space requirements.

See below for a black and white and a colour version of the logo (these are for reference only).

If you need a different file format (eg a TIFF or PDF file), or have any questions, please contact us

 

Gateway logo black

Gateway logo black (JPG 356 KB)

 Gateway logo colour

Gateway logo colour (JPG 1.3 MB)