Two Tauranga schools are being given approved funding as part of a $359 million trial for innovative teaching approaches.

Tauranga Girls' College and St Mary's Catholic School have been included in the 39 successful applicants in the first round of the Teacher-led Innovation Fund – part of National's Investing in Educational Success initiative.

Tauranga Girls' College will get $40,200 in the first round of the Teacher-led Innovation Fund. Photo: File.

Tauranga Girls' College have been given $40,200 and St Mary's $97,293, with the projects running for 18 months and two years respectively.

Tauranga Girls' College teacher inquiry project is about using e-portfolios to improve academic performance of Year 10 priority learners through pastoral care, connections with whanau/families/communities and a future focused approach.

St Mary's Catholic School's two year project is about multiple teachers in one school conducting inquiry into the impacts of digital conversations/portfolios on teacher practices, parent engagement and student learning and achievement.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges can't wait to see the results of the two projects.

'I'm happy to see our local education providers working together for the benefit of children here in Tauranga,” says Simon.

Teacher-led Innovation Fund initiative aims to encourage collaboration between schools and lift teaching practice.

This current funding round is committing about $2.6 million of the $10 million fund. The next funding round will open in November.

'These projects will trial new ways of doing things, and undertake important research. National's unrelenting focus is on raising achievement for all students, and where these projects are successful, other schools will be able to learn from the successes,” says Simon.

Other projects nationwide include: a programme to help students with dyslexia with their reading, based on insights from neurological research, a project targeting gifted and talented Maori and Pasifika boys, a programme to change teaching practices so students become more active learners, and a ‘flipped' classrooms where class time is used flexibly to encourage students to be enquiring and test their skills.

Education Minister Hekia Parata is delighted with the quality of the 39 projects that have won funding in the first round.

'It's part of our $359m Investing in Educational Success initiative and allows schools to put their bright ideas into practice and share them across schools,” says Hekia.

'This is an exciting time for the more than 75 schools that are taking part in this first round. Several early childhood services are also involved.”

Not only are these projects important for the schools involved, but other schools will be able to learn from their successes, adds Hekia.

Schools whose applications were unsuccessful have received feedback and are encouraged to re-apply when the next round opens in November.