The
Prime
Minister’s
Science
Prizes

The Prize is open to school teachers who have been teaching Science in the same school for at least 12 months prior to their nomination.  

In the case of secondary school teachers, the majority of their teaching time must have been devoted to teaching science subjects.

Applicants must be qualified and registered teachers currently employed in a permanent capacity in a New Zealand school by a Board of Trustees. 

To be considered, the applicant must be either a New Zealand citizen or a New Zealand permanent resident. 

The recipient of the Prize is expected to remain in the teaching profession for at least the year following the presentation of the Prize.

In subsequent years of this Prize, a teacher who has already received it will not be eligible for the Prize a second time. However renomination by unsuccessful applicants is encouraged as long as the Nominee continues to satisfy the eligibility criteria.

Selection for The Prime Minister’s Science Teaching Prize will be based on evidence of significant achievements in Science education. To be considered the achievements must have occurred within five years of the date of nomination.

Nominees need to demonstrate:

• Evidence of a sound understanding and practical application of quality pedagogy (20%)
• Their actions have led to improved outcomes in Science for their students (35%)
• How they have influenced the school's delivery of, and engagement with Science, including supporting their colleagues (20%)
• They have been an active participant in their local teaching and learning community and/or the national education community (20%)
• How they have contributed to the awareness and appreciation of science by the wider community (5%)

All nominations must be completed and received by 27 August 2010.

The teacher (Nominee) will need to be nominated by a person (Nominator) who is knowledgeable of the Nominee’s work and able to comment on all of the criteria. A short CV for the Nominator will be required.

The nomination will also need to be endorsed by one Supporter. The Supporter must be knowledgeable about the Nominee and able to comment on their achievements. A short CV for the Supporter will also be required.

In addition, a confidential statement regarding the Nominee is required from the Nominee’s current Principal. (The Principal will not therefore be able to be a Nominator or Supporter).

The Nominator will be required to complete an on-line form which addresses the selection criteria.

The Nominee, Supporter and Principal will be emailed a link to complete once the nomination has been submitted.

Nominees will be asked to sign an on-line authorisation form endorsing their nomination and agreeing that any information provided in the nomination may be used in publicity for the Prize.

Finally, a short CV for the Nominee will be required.

Please note that information provided in the nomination may be subject to the Official Information Act.

The Secretariat gives no undertaking to keep confidential any information that is provided in the nomination form unless this is identified as information that should be treated as such. It may, for example, be used to prepare promotional material for the Prize in future years.

The Prime Minister’s decision to present the Prize will have regard to the advice of the Judging Panel. The Judging Panel will be comprised of experienced education professionals.

It is recognised that occasionally members of the Judging Panel will know applicants, or have other conflicts of interest. They will be expected to declare all conflicts of interest when these situations arise. In the case of knowing an applicant, the Chair of the Judging Panel will rule if this is significant enough for the judge to be stood down from the committee for that applicant. (In the case of the Chair having a conflict of interest the decision will be made by another member of the Panel who has been identified in this role at the beginning of the process). If there is a conflict of interest the judge will stand down for that application.

The Judging Panel will not enter into any correspondence concerning its deliberations. All inquiries should be directed to the Secretariat. The Secretariat will not disclose information on matters such as ranking, or names of nominees.

The Secretariat for The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes is The Royal Society of New Zealand.

Secretariat
The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes
PO Box 90-040
Auckland 1142

Phone: (09) 360 1240
Fax: (09) 360-1242

Email: pmscienceprizes@tcc.co.nz

The Panel will make its decision based on the information in the on-line nomination forms from the Nominator, Supporter and Principal.

Short listed Nominees may be required to attend an interview with the Judging Panel.

$50,000 of the Prize money is to go to the recipient. The Prize winner will be expected to be involved in promotional opportunities appropriate to receiving The Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize.

The Prize recipient’s school is expected to use the $100,000 to support Science education in the school and an indicative plan needs to be included in the Principal’s Statement.

• The Nominee is a school teacher who has been teaching Science in the same school for at least 12 months prior to their nomination
• In the case of secondary school teachers, the majority of the Nominees teaching time has been devoted to teaching science subjects
• The Nominee is a qualified and registered teacher currently employed in a permanent capacity in a New Zealand school by a Board of Trustees
• The Nominee is either a New Zealand citizen or a New Zealand permanent resident
• The Nominee has agreed to being nominated
• The Principal has agreed to fill in the Principal’s form
• The Principal will provide a plan outlining how the $100,000 will be used
• A Supporter has been identified and they are able to effectively fill out the Supporter form

The Nominator can apply through the online entry form. The entry form will become available on Wednesday, 5th May 2010.