Download a digital copy of the Leadership Strategy | Rautaki Kaihautū

The Leadership Strategy | Rautaki Kaihautū supports the growth and development of leadership capability for all registered teachers across English and Māori medium settings, in positional and non-positional roles. 

“To enable every teacher, regardless of their role or setting, to have the opportunity to develop their own leadership capability so that through principles and inspirational leadership, a culturally capable, competent and connected teaching profession achieves educational equity and excellence for all children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand."

"He whakawātea i te ara ki ngā kaiako katoa, ahakoa te tūranga, ahakoa te horopaki whakaako ki te whakapakari i ōna pūmanawa hautū, kia tino eke ngā tamariki katoa o Aotearoa ki ngā taumata mātauranga kounga tiketike, i runga i te mahi pai o ngā kaihautū o tētahi tira kaiako matatau ā-ahurea, tūhono ki te ao."

(Vision from Leadership Strategy | Te Rautaki Kaihautū, p 4) 

It also provides an opportunity for New Zealand to be world-leading in its approach to leadership in education because: 

  • it belongs to the profession.
  • it is relevant to every teacher across English and Māori medium settings - in both positional and non-positional roles.
  • it is steeped in international and New Zealand leadership research.
  • It sets out a guiding framework for teachers to develop their own leadership capability - making leadership development accessible to everyone.
  • it is unique to Aotearoa New Zealand - recognising Te Tiriti o Waitangi, as well as the cultural distinctiveness of leadership in Māori medium and bilingual settings. 
  • it provides a system-level approach to growing and developing leadership in education. 

Towards a leadership strategy


This brief video outlines the story of the early days of the development of the Leadership Strategy, by Ripeka Lessels (Tumuaki Te Whata Tau o Pūtuaki and Teaching Council board member) with Frances Nelson (Convenor of the Centre of Leadership Excellence, previous Principal, Fairburn School).

They speak about the on-going relevance in providing opportunities for the leadership development of all teachers and what the vision was from 2016 when the work began.