Laura Stutz
Ko Puheke te maunga
Ko Māmaru te waka
Ko Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa te iwi
Ko Taupō te marae
Ko Laura taku ingoa
Laura is an experienced education consultant who partners with schools across primary, intermediate, and secondary levels to design and facilitate professional learning that strengthens literacy and assessment capability, builds cultural competence, and improves equitable outcomes for all ākonga.
She is approved to deliver Ministry of Education PLD in the following areas:
Structured literacy approaches
Assessment
Laura’s areas of expertise are:
Mana enhancing practice and responsive pedagogies
Cultural capabilities
Literacy acquisition
Across and within school leadership roles
Laura supports kaiako to implement systematic, evidence-based approaches to literacy that prioritise explicit instruction in phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Aligned with the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum and supported by the Ministry of Education, these approaches ensure that all ākonga - including those who experience learning challenges - can access the code of literacy, build confidence, and make accelerated progress.
As a Ministry-approved assessment facilitator, Laura helps kaiako use learner-centered, culturally responsive assessment tools to strengthen teaching and learning. She promotes assessment practice that goes beyond measuring achievement to supporting progress, giving kaiako, ākonga, and whānau clear insights into what has been learned, what matters next, and how best to get there. Effective assessment is evidence-informed, connected to the curriculum, and focused on equity — helping every learner to succeed.
Laura also supports kaiako and leaders on their Niho Taniwha journey, co-facilitating introductory workshops and leading Niho Taniwha online courses. She is committed to mana-enhancing practice and draws on the Science of Learning to help kaiako apply strategies such as retrieval practice and responsive teaching. Her strength lies in empowering leaders and teachers to use evaluative tools to know their impact, strengthen whānau partnerships, and raise outcomes for all ākonga.
Outside of work, Laura enjoys spending time with her whānau, getting outdoors for a run, and exploring anything creative.
Here are the blog posts that Laura has written to share her thinking with the education sector:
This blog explores how culturally responsive practice and deep listening can transform teaching and assessment to truly uplift ākonga Māori - “Hold fast to our collective responsibilities, and listen deeply.”
This blog explores the meaning of cultural competency in education and its impact on creating inclusive learning spaces for all ākonga.
In this blog, Laura shares insights into how the Niho Taniwha framework can guide educators to create learning environments where ākonga Māori can be Māori.