Steve Edwards

National Manager - PLD Services

Steve is one of our National Managers of Professional Learning and Development. A key part of this role at Evaluation Associates | Te Huinga Kākākura Mātauranga is to manage the quality and impact of all our professional learning and development (PLD) work and using this to inform our practice as an organisation. Steve is also a very highly regarded consultant due to his depth of expertise and the positive way in which he works with others.

Steve has extensive experience in strategically leading professional learning and development:

  • Establishing (as an Alliance member) the Grow Waitaha project; an innovative, future focused initiative initiated by Ngai Tāhu (Mātauraka Mahaanui) and the Christchurch Regional Ministry of Education (MoE).

  • Establishing the national Beginning Principals Programme; working with the New Zealand Principals Federation and MoE.

  • Participating in several regional and national MoE reference groups.

  • Working with several Kāhui Ako as Expert Partner.

  • Leading the South Island Consortium for Professional Learning team.

  • Leading the Christchurch based Assess to Learn (AtoL) programme.

Steve shares his expertise with the wider sector. He frequently presents to groups of schools leaders – recently at Beginning Principal Hui and to the Christchurch Primary Principals’ Association. He is a member of the New Zealand Assessment Institute (NZAI), the Schooling Sector Reference Group, and the Grow Waitaha Governance Group (Puaka).

Steve holds a current Teacher’s Registration, is Open to Learning™ trained and is a Ministry of Education accredited PLD facilitator. He currently works with primary, intermediate, and secondary schools in the following areas:

  • local curriculum design and implementation

  • using information to inform teaching and learning

  • developing leadership, particularly senior and middle leaders of learning

  • school management including charter development, and the writing of Education Briefs in readiness for school rebuilds and new builds

  • assessment for learning

  • monitoring and evaluating progress and learning

  • principal appraisal

  • learning-focused conversations.

Contributing to the landscape of PLD is an important driver for Steve; he has engaged in educational research projects in Queensland (Australia) and New Zealand.

Outside of his work, he is involved in competitive sport and enjoys supporting his two children who compete at a high level across several sports.