Posted on 11 June 2026
AchievementLorraine Taylor-Tams, Partnership Coordinator, Learning Delivery at Open Polytechnic was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education in June.
Lorraine has more than three decades of teaching experience and 20 years as a primary school principal, most recently as Principal of Silverstream School in Upper Hutt.
She was contacted back in April by the Honours Unit of the Cabinet Office in Parliament and told that she had been put forward for the award, and it would be announced in June.
“I am very humbled and immensely proud to have worked with some incredible teams and communities over the last 36 years,” Lorraine says.
Lorraine’s role at Open Polytechnic as Partnership Coordinator is in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Learning Delivery for our Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education), Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary Education), Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary Education).
She works closely with both Open Polytechnic ākonga (learners) and schools to place student teachers with a partner school for the school-based learning practicum portion of their programmes.
Lorraine is also a visiting academic for student teachers on practicum placements in local schools.
“Working with people who are brand new to teaching is exciting, because they are the next generation to inspire our children to explore the world of learning,” she says.
Lorraine’s passion for education
Lorraine fell in love with education at a young age.
“I remember on my first day at school that I knew this was a place I wanted to stay and I really never left school after that,” Lorraine said.
Lorraine came from a home where her parents had not had the opportunity to take part in education.
“My dad barely went to school, and my mum had to leave at 15 to work in a factory,” she says.
“They were always very supportive of my brothers and myself and felt strongly that education was the key to having more opportunities and more choices in life.”
“I am very thankful to their insight and have always held a strong belief that education is the greatest way to open new pathways for your life and new opportunities.”
Career highlights
Lorraine first became principal at Horohoro School in Rotorua in 2006, followed by two other rural and urban schools in the region until 2021.
During this time, she was leader of the Eastern Rotorua Kāhui Ako community of learning, led transformative curriculum design, strengthened partnerships with local iwi, and championed equity focused initiatives that improved student achievement and wellbeing.
She has contributed to national education initiatives, including serving on Ministry of Education (MoE) working parties.
Lorraine was also a member of the 2024 Ministerial Advisory Group focused on the English, mathematics and statistics learning areas for the New Zealand curriculum refresh.
She was also a key contributor to the development and implementation of the Ministry of Education’s Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT).
Her understanding of the frameworks and education experience was invaluable to the success of the tool across New Zealand schools.
Lorraine has been a member of several principals’ associations and is currently an Establishment Board Member for the Altum Classical Academy in Wellington.