ImpactEd are accredited to support MoE funded Assessment PLD.
Schools can apply for PLD through the MoE website, and pick any of the accredited MoE facilitators from our list to support your school.
- Vicki Nicolson (Otago)
- Tim de Vries (Top of the South)
- Bex Rose (Auckland)
- Caroline Gill (Bay of Plenty)
- James Riley (Wairarapa)
- Arnika Macphail (Canterbury)
- Katie Tullett (Canterbury)
- Keryn Hooker (Canterbury)
- Sarah Peacock (Top of the South and West Coast)
- Gabrielle Wall (Canterbury and West Coast)
ImpactEd uses our iAssess Assessment rubric too guide the PLD and co-create a starting point and recording next steps. The rubric itself is extremely detailed, and has the entire framework incorporated. This can be overwhelming for some schools, so on occasion we just work through it one phase at a time. Some school leaders may want to focus on school wide practices, so at this point we just introduce this part of the rubric, and inform them about the subsequent two phases to come.
The Science of Learning is deeply embedded within the iAssess framework and all our professional learning.
Our approach draws on key principles from cognitive science, such as the role of memory, feedback, and metacognition, alongside research into motivation and effective instruction. We support kura to use a balanced mix of formative and summative assessment to ensure every learner has meaningful opportunities to progress and demonstrate their understanding. This approach aligns with the work of researchers including Wiliam, Hattie, and Shepard, and reflects what we know from the science of learning about how students acquire, strengthen, and transfer knowledge over time.
Educators who engage in this PLD also have the option to engage in ImpactEds EPIC coaching model. This is an option - as schools may already use another coaching model. It is important though, as part of the PLD that there is a coaching model in place to ensure consistency and accountability in practice. The ImpactEd’s EPIC coaching model is research based. Its four stages of Engage, Plan, Implement, and Check-in, have been designed and are informed by seminal research, from Goal-Setting Theory, to experiential learning , to self determination theory (Locke & Latham, 1990; Kolb, 1984; Ryan & Deci, 2000 ).The EPIC model fosters a supportive environment, facilitates the co-creation of clear plans and goals, and supports kaiako to gain mastery through experiences, and fosters reflection. Kura have found that the EPIC model provides a powerful vehicle for sustainable change and growth.
We consistently help schools strengthen their knowledge, understanding, and implementation of effective assessment approaches, leading directly to improved student achievement. Our core strength lies in truly understanding and responding to the unique needs of each kura. We pride ourselves on developing and sharing high-quality assessment resources, ensuring our professional learning creates lasting change at an organisational level. We empower schools with the tools and capabilities to reflect internally and sustain their assessment practices, ultimately fostering environments where teachers can truly "notice, recognise, and respond to students" to monitor and measure progress effectively. We have a proven track record of supporting schools to improve student achievement as a direct result of the work our team has achieved with schools.
“It has been a pleasure working with ImpactEd over the past several years, as a school and also across the Waimea Kahui Ako. Their expertise and dedication as an educational professional and learner facilitator has had a significant and lasting impact on both teaching capability and student outcomes at Brightwater School. They played a pivotal role in supporting our mathematics curriculum planning and alignment, particularly as we transitioned to the new curriculum. Their deep knowledge of both the mathematics and English curricula has allowed for the development of coherent learning pathways across phases, ensuring alignment and consistency in teaching and assessment practices across our kura. This has directly contributed to increased teacher confidence, alignment of teaching practice and improved instructional clarity. This is directly linked to student progress and attainment. Because of the work facilitated by ImpactEd, our mathematics attainment at mid-year this year was over 80% - this is a really positive result, particularly as we are working with a new curriculum and are still embedding it fully. I believe this attainment is a direct result of the professional development our school has been involved in over several years with ImpactEd. We have also worked with ImpactEd, specifically to further enhance Assessment for Learning pedagogies. This has allowed teachers and students to have greater clarity in scaffolding instruction and next learning steps and has given further ownership to students as they have a clearer understanding of their own learning journey. Our students can now more clearly articulate what they are learning and why and how they can improve - ultimately having a direct impact on attainment and engagement in the learning process.” Principal, Brightwater School
“Our staff found the facilitation by ImpactED highly impactful, deepening their assessment capability in a way that directly supported improvements in student progress and achievement. The team provided practical, evidence-based support that made a measurable difference in our classrooms.” Principal, Papanui High School.
Our foundational work ensures teachers can truly "notice, recognise and respond to students, and use this as a practice to monitor and measure progress.
“ImpactEd’s assessment-focused professional development significantly enhanced both our teaching capability and our students’ achievement. Their facilitation helped our teachers become much more skilled in using assessment data to inform instruction — for example, ImpactEd guided us in developing clear learning progressions in writing and other subjects, which gave staff a stronger framework to consistently assess and support student learning. We’ve seen tangible gains in student outcomes as a result: by mid-2019, 86% of our Year 5 students were reading at or above the expected level, surpassing national benchmarks, and even after COVID disruptions, our overall at/above achievement rate rebounded by 2022. ImpactEd’s hands-on support was a key driver behind these improvements – their guidance in assessment and curriculum planning empowered our staff to teach more effectively, leading to notable progress in our learners’ reading, writing, and maths.” DP Richmond Primary
Our commitment extends to providing practical and immediately implementable assessment strategies that teachers can apply across their classrooms.
We pride ourselves on developing and sharing high-quality assessment resources that impact school-wide practice. This is developed through PLD planning, and also the use of ImpactEd EPIC coaching model.
“Our staff have engaged in the EPIC coaching model to support our Professional Growth Cycle this year. We wanted a simple process for staff to work together to identify professional goals and strengthen practice. EPIC has allowed our staff to practise the skill of coaching. This collaborative model suits our school, as we value the contribution of all teaching staff to our pedagogical conversations, whether they are experienced or newly trained teachers. Katie worked closely with our Leadership Team, then our whole staff to take us through the EPIC process. The training provided an opportunity for all staff to step back and reflect on the professionalism required to be a coach and contribute to the growth of a peer's professional journey. The prompts provided enable a teacher led approach and staff are actively following the implementation and check ins independently. As a principal, I have noticed the increased engagement of our staff in their professional growth cycle through the use of EPIC Coaching.” Principal, Methven Primary School.
"The EPIC coaching model has been transformative at Myross Bush School, particularly in embedding a culture of evidence-informed practice. By guiding our teachers through the 'Engage' phase to articulate their ideal, and then meticulously 'Plan' with a clear FOCUS goal, we've systematically adopted strategies grounded in current research, including the Science of Learning. This structured approach, combined with the 'Implement' phase's emphasis on finding demonstrable impact, and the ongoing 'Check-in' for progress and support, has fundamentally elevated our teaching capability. We now confidently apply practices proven to be effective, which is directly translating into significant and measurable improvements in student progress and achievement across our school." Principal, Myross Bush School
Supporting curriculum integration and effective tracking is another area where we excel at an organisational level. We ensure that engagement is at all levels of the school. We use our iAssess rubric as a starting point with school leaders to establish where their school is at on their assessment journey, once this is established we co-create a PLD plan with a range of foundational material from our iAssess resource modules,and supplement these with other resources when needed for a specific school context. iAssess filters right through from a school wide strategy through to teaching practice, and student assessment dispositions. Our aim with this content is to give schools the tools and capabilities required to reflect internally, and eventually to take this on without constant external support. Fostering collaborative assessment practices is central to our philosophy, strengthening assessment at a collegial and school-wide level.
“Whītau School has greatly benefited from the powerful yet practical professional learning opportunities provided by Arnika and her ImpactEd team of facilitators to our senior leaders, teaching team and learning assistants over a range of relevant educational strategies and programmes. Quality learning with ImpactEd has greatly supported our strategic planning, planning for Literacy and Mathematics together with implementing schoolwide Assessment for learning strategies; impacting on increasing leadership, teacher and learning assistant confidence and capability in planning and delivering quality learning programmes to accelerate student progress and achievement in our high equity setting.” Principal, Whitau School.
"ImpactEd's facilitation at Te Waka Unua School has profoundly elevated our assessment teaching capability, directly translating into remarkable improvements in student progress and achievement. They didn't just support us; they empowered our team, developed high quality resources, and as a result, the positive shifts in our students' learning journey are undeniable." Principal, Te Waka Unua School
Our commitment to professionalism, responsiveness, and deep knowledge is consistently highlighted at an organisational level.
The Principal of North East Valley Normal School, appreciated….. "made us feel heard and seen," and "understood where we were starting and how to phase our approach at our pace and understanding." She added, "Unpacking where we were, and where we sat with our knowledge was vital; they were professional and structured this to suit the needs of all our staff, being mindful of where they were and individualised their needs when moving into the subsequent delivery of professional learning."
ImpactEd stands as a leading partner in strengthening assessment practices across Aotearoa. Our deep expertise, grounded in Assessment for Learning research and the Science of Learning, ensures that our approaches are not only evidence-informed but also highly effective. Through our innovative iAssess framework and the EPIC coaching model, we provide a structured, yet flexible, pathway for schools to enhance their assessment knowledge, understanding, and implementation.
The testimonials from numerous school leaders across the country unequivocally demonstrate our proven impact on both teacher capability and tangible gains in student progress and achievement. We pride ourselves on delivering bespoke, practical, and sustainable professional learning that empowers educators to confidently use assessment as a dynamic tool for learning and instructional adaptation.
We are a team committed to fostering collaborative assessment practices, translating complex research into actionable strategies, and ultimately, driving significant, measurable improvements in school communities. We are confident that our comprehensive approach and unwavering dedication will support schools in achieving its assessment goals and ensuring the best outcomes for ākonga.
Our commitment extends to providing practical and immediately implementable assessment strategies that teachers can apply. The Principal of Boulcott School, shared that our support was "practical, and focused on providing teachers with strategies, lesson ideas, resources and support that they could implement immediately in the classroom." A classroom teacher from North East Valley Normal School, enthusiastically affirmed this, stating, "Their resources are incredible - detailed, explicit and adaptive to the unique needs of each school. I would say the resources they’ve shared with us have been the best and most used resources I’ve ever received as a teacher from any professional development sessions. Assessment is at the forefront of what they share with us and they provide a range of ways to formatively and summatively assess, particularly with a changing curriculum."
This focus on actionable strategies ensures that our professional development translates directly into improved classroom practice with existing tools.
As learning areas are released, our team work alongside key leaders in the sector to develop resources that are timely, and responsive to the needs of educators. We pride ourselves on developing and sharing truly high-quality assessment resources. Maths Curriculum leader at Boulcott School, praised "the wealth of resources ImpactEd supplied, including planning templates and resources for warm-up activities and lesson ideas for learners across all levels of the curriculum. These resources have helped teachers’ with their planning process."
Haumoana School similarly found "ImpactEd’s designing and sharing of exceptional practical resources such as up to date Long Term Planning exemplars, lesson plans, and student tracking sheets, have been significant in supporting our teachers in their collaborative planning."
This demonstrates our ability to not only work with existing tools but also to create new, high-quality resources that enhance assessment and reporting.
“The ImpactEd team to are "professional, knowledgeable and up to date with the new curriculum changes," and "quick to respond to our needs and able to pivot when required." Jenny Washington, Roydvale School.
ImpactEd's extensive experience and proactive approach ensures that schools are not only proficient in implementing commonly used assessment and reporting tools and resources but are also seamlessly integrated with new key messages and shifts as they emerge. Our dynamic team swiftly incorporates the latest Ministry of Education guidance into all presentations, webinars, and support materials.
“Beaconsfeld School has successfully worked with Impacted across a variety of PLD's as individuals, senior staff and/or full staff sessions. Every time, we have come away from the PLD with deeper understanding and practical skills, which has directly supported the teachers' capabilities and theoretical knowledge, enabling us to see our students progress and achieve. “ Principal, Beaconsfield School
We pride ourselves on providing practical, immediately implementable strategies and high-quality, adaptive resources—from planning templates and lesson ideas to curriculum-aligned tracking sheets and diagnostic tools. Our resources are consistently praised for their detail, explicitness, and direct applicability in the classroom, ensuring teachers have the most up to date information and resources to ensure they can effectively monitor progress and plan next steps within a changing curriculum landscape.
ImpactEd's delivery is fundamentally rooted in robust evidence-informed practice, directly translating current research into tangible improvements in classroom teaching and student learning outcomes. Our approach is not merely theoretical; it is a direct application of what has been demonstrably shown to be effective in educational settings.
Our philosophy of PLD is explicitly grounded in leading Assessment for Learning research. Pioneers such as Black and Wiliam have established the profound impact of formative assessment on student achievement. This aligns directly with the extensive meta-analyses presented in Hattie's Visible Learning (2009), which consistently identifies feedback and formative assessment as among the most powerful influences on student achievement (with effect sizes significantly above the hinge point). With team members who used this grounding research for Masters level assessment papers, this deep expertise guides every aspect of our work. We firmly believe that assessment should transcend being an endpoint; it must serve as an ongoing, dynamic tool for learning and continuous instructional adaptation. Consequently, teachers engaging with ImpactEd are provided with direct opportunities to apply A4L strategies, such as effective feedback (as detailed by Hattie & Clarke, 2018) and metacognitive prompts, that continuously inform and enhance their teaching and student learning, making student progress truly "visible."
“The ImpactEd facilitators are very knowledgeable and expert in the content, research and latest theory and practice that they bring to the table. They have incorporated assessment for learning pedagogies, explicit teaching and learning guidance and the Science of Learning - into their literacy mahi with us.” Principal, Brightwater School
“On behalf of our teachers, thank you so much. It was really useful and informative to be taken back through the science of reading, writing and learning. You covered so much in the time you had.” Team Leader, Central Regional Health School
By consistently integrating the latest research, particularly in the Science of Learning and the high-impact strategies identified through meta-analyses like Hattie's Visible Learning, ImpactEd ensures that our PLD is not only current but also profoundly effective in driving improved classroom practices and sustained student learning outcomes.
Our facilitators are coached to actively promote and model explicit and intentional teaching, enabling teachers to deliver clear and effective lessons. We maintain this high standard through regular team meetings focused on pedagogical best practices and by sharing the most up-to-date, evidence-aligned resources via our Google Drive.
At ImpactEd, our commitment to explicit and intentional teaching is foundational to all our professional learning. This internal alignment ensures our professional development directly translates into enhanced classroom practice. Below, you will see examples of pieces of work that support explicit and intentional teaching, these are supported by a testimonial from each project.
Our facilitation intentionally builds the internal capability of educators and leaders to sustain improvement. Teachers are supported to reflect on their practice using evidence, identify high-leverage strategies, and iterate based on student outcomes. This cycle of inquiry mirrors the Spirals of Inquiry framework (Timperley, Kaser & Halbert, 2014) and embeds a culture of adaptive expertise within schools.
We see real gains not only in teacher knowledge and practice but in learner progress and achievement. For example, through targeted facilitation, teachers strengthen their understanding of curriculum and assessment coherence, leading to improved task design, clearer learning intentions and success criteria, and more responsive teaching. These improvements translate directly into accelerated progress for priority learners, as evidenced in school-collected data sets.
The positive shifts in data observed in our long-standing relationships with schools further underscore our effectiveness. At ImpactEd, determining and delivering measurable impact is not just a goal; it's an embedded practice central to our philosophy.
“We were fortunate enough to work with a facilitation team from ImpactEd over the last couple of years in mathematics. ImpactEd provided us with a bespoke professional development model to progress our teachers to improve their teaching capabilities. Using the EPIC coaching model, as a direct result of this professional learning teachers engaged in teacher observations to improve practices and reflect on their learning. Prior to, during and after this professional learning we monitored our whole school wide data and saw a 5% overall improvement to 80% in mathematics. We valued having the professional, bespoke model with skills facilitators to support our staff in improving outcomes for our teachers and learners.” Principal, Roydvale School
“Finding a facilitator who listens to your journey, sees your vision, and delivers in a style that works for all your staff is a rare find, and Barrytown School have been fortunate enough to find that diamond in the rough with Impacted. Their facilitators are professional, knowledgeable, down to earth and practical, working at your pace - there is no 'cookie cutter' PLD with these guys, it is all tailored to your school's needs and what you want. I can not speak highly enough of the team at Impact and after experiencing some of the other providers out there, Impact is by far our preferred provider.” Principal, Barrytown Primary
“Impact Ed has provided comprehensive whole-staff professional learning that has equipped our teachers with innovative tools and strategies to significantly improve teaching and learning practices across our school. Their professional development has deepened our staff's knowledge and understanding of effective pedagogical practices and how to implement these to foster greater student engagement and, as a direct result, accelerate student learning progress. Their approach is highly collaborative and responsive to our specific needs. ImpactEd has worked effectively with our entire staff, as well as with smaller groups, demonstrating a profound understanding of our context and the unique challenges and opportunities within our student body. Their team is exceptionally knowledgeable, and their delivery style is particularly impactful. They engage teachers effectively, fostering a collaborative environment where we work together to identify student needs. They then provide our teachers with the practical tools and expertise required to meet those needs, particularly excelling in the realm of digital learning. Furthermore, their expertise in strategic planning has been invaluable, directly informing and strengthening our teaching approaches.
Impact Ed's ability to not only impart knowledge but also to empower teachers with actionable strategies has had a tangible positive effect on our school. We have observed a marked improvement in teaching quality, leading to increased student engagement and demonstrable progress in their learning outcomes.” Deputy Principal, Burnside High School
“As well as measuring the impact on teacher capability and confidence, facilitators also support teachers to use real-time data to form flexible, needs-based student groupings, rather than fixed ability streams. This includes time to plan and learn explicit teaching strategies and interventions that address identified skill gaps.” Deputy Principal, Richmond Primary School
“ImpactEd has been an invaluable partner, walking alongside us to build teacher capability as we embarked on significant changes to our curriculum. Their team is accessible and relatable, resonating effectively with both our staff and students. We particularly appreciate their willingness to tailor support to our evolving needs, demonstrating flexibility throughout our journey. ImpactEd consistently brings a depth of experience, expertise, and enthusiasm that truly enriches their work and the wider education sector.” Deputy Principal, Mt Hutt College
We pride ourselves on our collaborative and responsive approach, which is inherently designed to achieve measurable impact.
“At Mayfield School , our collaboration with ImpactED has focused on building teaching capability and accelerating student progress, this has been through targeted support. Teachers received regular coaching focused on planning, delivery, and assessment aligned with curriculum goals. With the guidance and targeted approach, notable improvements were seen in areas such as clarity of learning intentions, formative assessment practices and adaptive teaching strategies.” Principal, Mayfield School
Our work extends to co-creating measurable indicators of success and developing clear frameworks for student growth. We continuously monitor and respond to schools' evolving needs, ensuring sustained impact over time. The Principal of East Taieri School attests to our team being "So knowledgeable, so highly organised, such clear thinkers... They have streamlined our planning, set a clear pathway for us and above all, managed to weave together several pieces of work that we had started, but were struggling to complete." This highlights our ability to drive sustained improvement by providing clarity and structure.
Furthermore, our deep engagement with schools like Mt Hutt College, where we supported "significant changes to their curriculum" and the development of "student profiles, and a way to measure progress," showcases our commitment to long-term partnerships that yield clear developmental outcomes.
By the conclusion of each engagement, schools are equipped not just with improved practices but with the capability and confidence to continue measuring and enhancing their own impact. This ensures the professional learning has a legacy beyond our involvement—supporting long-term, measurable change in both teaching and student success.
Key Research References:
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement.
Rosenshine, B. (2012). Principles of Instruction: Research-Based Strategies That All Teachers Should Know, American Educator.
Deans for Impact. (2015). The Science of Learning.
Timperley, H., Kaser, L., & Halbert, J. (2014). A Framework for Transforming Learning in Schools: Innovation and the Spiral of Inquiry.
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. King's College London, School of Education.
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2009). Developing the theory of formative assessment. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 21(1), 5-31.
Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249-255.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load theory. Educational Psychologist, 23(3), 257-285.
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. Routledge.
Hattie, J., & Clarke, S. (2018). Visible Learning: Feedback. Routledge.
William & Black, ‘Developing the theory of formative assessment’,(2009)
Hattie & Timperley, 2011,‘The Power of Feedback’
Sadler, 2010, ‘Beyond feedback: Developing student capability in complex appraisal’
Dowden et al, 2013, ‘Students’ perceptions of written feedback in teacher education: ideally feedback is a continuing two-way communication that encourages progress’
