ERO Insights - Issue 1 2020

Published: 25 Jun 2020
Audience:
Academics
Early learning
Education
Māori-medium
Parents
Schools
Topics:
COVID-19
Learning
Information and Communications Technology

Insights from Nicholas Pole, Te Tumu Whakarae mō te Arotake Mātauranga | Chief Executive and Chief Review Officer

In this edition of ERO Insights we focus on our recent experiences as a system under the lockdown period, explore some of the challenges that we face going forward as educators and provide some observations about how we might sustain some of the innovation that occurred during Alert Levels 3 and 4. While health considerations remain, the real challenges for our system and the conversations we need to be having are about education and quality teaching and learning!

Home Learning TV a Success

ERO made the most of the time under Levels 3 and 4, supporting the all-of-government response. ERO staff were posted to the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) and worked closely with the Ministry of Education to support the education sector in a number of ways. This included leading the work to set up and run Home Learning TV | Papa Kāinga TV. Under Levels 3 and 4, it provided in-home learning for the roughly 100,000 households that could not easily access online learning from their schools. We had a great team of teachers from across the sector who assisted with the development and the quality checking of the lessons that went to air. Feedback from the sector, from learners and from parents has been overwhelmingly positive. It is also being used in ways we never expected, from grand-mums and -dads using the te reo lessons, to teachers using segments in their own lessons. The channel also aired across the Pacific to support island nations, which equally had their education systems disrupted. The lessons will remain on TVNZ on Demand through to the end of the year, and the lesson plans associated with these lessons can be obtained from the Ministry’s Learning From Home website.

Teaching and Learning under COVID-19 and the Post-COVID-19 period

The two months at Alert Levels 3 and 4 forced us all to work in different ways. Through this time, ERO has had a key focus on capturing the innovations that help us be better educators. As we come out of this period, ERO wants to work with the sector to capture the lessons learnt and share these widely with the sector. Recent months have seen both New Zealand and other countries fast track our understanding and deployment of digital and remote teaching and learning. While we have achieved much throughout this period, it has clearly brought into focus real concerns about the digital divide which exists across our communities. It has also highlighted the need for a stronger curation of online teaching resources, guidance around effective teaching practices using digital and online platforms, and the strategies required to keep learners engaged in self-directed learning.

In assessing how well both students and teachers were managing learning during COVID-19, we surveyed students and teachers across a representative sample of schools. The surveys were conducted early in Term 2 under Levels 3 and 4 requirements. Overall, both learners and teachers were positive about their experience, but this was far from universal. Some learners faced significant practical challenges in accessing remote learning or the support they needed. One in five students told us they didn’t enjoy learning at home. This was particularly true for older students, boys compared with girls, and those that had no or limited access to digital devices and connectivity. Most notable from this survey was the absolute dedication of the profession to continue to support their students and colleagues through this difficult period. Teachers have done a fantastic job given what has been thrown at them!

We outline the high-level findings in the article below ‘Learning from home positive overall, but challenges remain for older students’. The full report is available now on the ERO website: COVID-19: Learning in Lockdown

Considerations in the return to school

With students returning to school, the last few weeks have focussed on re-establishing relationships and school routines. Most of the students we have heard from wanted to be back at school. Ensuring that students, particularly those at risk, re-engage with school and learning is a key priority across the system. Going forward it will also be about supporting students to catch-up on what they have missed out on, particularly in relation to foundational skills and knowledge.

Most of the teachers we surveyed reported that they were concerned that their students’ learning may not have progressed while they were away from school and that it was very hard to monitor engagement and progress, or to provide individualised feedback. There is a strong body of research that points to the so-called “summer time” effect where student learning regresses during long absences from school. This has been shown internationally and in New Zealand to disproportionately impact learners from poorer communities. Recent research out of the US also shows us that learning may also have a seasonal dimension to it, with the first half of the year being particularly important. Given the different experiences of students, even within the same school or class, this will clearly place real demands on teachers in terms of clarifying the status of individual learners, what needs to be done to recover lost learning and adopting differentiated teaching strategies to address what may be enhanced differences between students.

For some students, their experiences while at home and the economic impacts of COVID-19 are also likely to impact learner wellbeing, with many more learners coming from families impacted by greater economic insecurity and jobs losses. This may also place greater demands on their remaining in part-time employment. Equally important will be focusing on the wellbeing of school staff.

Going forward – capturing and building on teaching innovation after COVID-19

Maintaining and building on some of the innovation from this recent period is important to how we shape the future of teaching and learning and deciding which practices we should fast track.

Adoption of ICT for teaching and learning

The last few months have seen rapid adoption of and upskilling in the use of digital technologies in teaching and learning, whether it has been teaching over Zoom, Google Classroom or the myriad other platforms that have been used. This has been complemented by the rapid establishment within and across schools of online community platforms. Ninety percent of teachers in our recent survey told us that they were able to teach remotely using digital platforms. While not directly comparable, the 2018 OECD TALIS survey had around 75% of New Zealand “lower secondary teachers” reporting that they felt they could support student learning through information and communication technologies. As stated above, the important considerations going forward are ensuring that we address equity consideration and the digital divide that exists in our schools and classrooms. It also requires that we have strategies to maintain engagement and motivation among learners who may struggle to self-regulate or have limited meta-cognitive strategies when learning through these mediums.

We must also pay attention to the pedagogical model and instructional practices embedded within many digital teaching approaches. Over recent months, many of us have explored what is available in terms of online teaching resources and how they are being used. There is a lot of material out there. Much of it can be labelled “edutainment”, meaning it might have high entertainment value, but it does not necessarily deliver on specific learning intentions or support deep learning. A lot of the digital resources in support of teaching are also poorly curated “one-offs” and don’t naturally support learning progression or tailoring to the needs of individual learners. Furthermore, many of these online resources don’t reflect the distinctive culture and history of New Zealand, or link strongly to the NZC. Lastly, some of it is “dead boring” in comparison to the interactivity of a social media platform or an online game.

If we address some of these issues, there are opportunities in partnership with classroom teachers to deliver content (for example, te reo Māori or science modules) which to date have proved major challenges for schools.

Parent partnerships 

For many teachers, the lockdown period saw a much closer working relationship with parents in support of student learning. Using online channels, including YouTube, many teachers and principals worked to share lesson materials and learning intentions with parents, provide advice and guidance about lesson content and follow up on parents’ questions and challenges.

Parents also came to better understand the challenges that teachers face through this experience. Given what we know about the importance of parent and whānau partnerships, maintaining and building on this partnership in learning will be an important consideration for schools and teachers as we come out of this COVID-19 period, and work to address the challenges to learning which I have described here.

Learning from home positive overall, but challenges remain for older students

Students and teachers were positive about learning from home under Alert Levels 3 and 4, but practical challenges have made the experience more difficult, according to two studies undertaken by the Education Review Office. The complete report is available here: COVID-19 - Learning in Lockdown

For students, the concern was particularly felt by older students, most noticeably those in years 11-13 who are working through NCEA in 2020. Three-quarters of these students felt they were not able to cope as well with the workload and expectations while learning from home, and that the support they required was not readily available.

Fewer obstacles existed at primary level, with far more primary students receiving good support at home to help them learn.

Both groups recognised access to technology and online learning as an obstacle, with some students having to share devices with others in their bubble. Sharing devices was more common among students within schools serving the most disadvantaged communities, but the survey also showed that more of this group tuned into Home Learning TV. There was also agreement that a lack of support from parents was a problem. For many older students this was due to not having a parent that could support their learning at the level they needed.

For teachers, there were concerns that students were not positively engaging with their learning, and that this affected their ability to track learning and progress. Only a third of teachers felt they could effectively monitor student progress.

There were also concerns about the ability to tailor learning for each individual when teaching from a distance. This is reflected by the student survey, which found over half of students felt they had not received adequate feedback from teachers.

Both studies asked questions about overall wellbeing. The feeling from teachers and students was that they felt well supported and connected to their school and that these concerns had been prioritised through the time in lock down.

ERO found many students also felt emotionally well supported at home. Having an adult they could talk to, and good ongoing connections with friends had kept spirits up, and students reported they felt safe from COVID-19 in their homes.

ERO Chief Review Officer Nicholas Pole believes this work can help the education sector build resilience for the future.

“The study has shown that while most students were positive about being able to learn from home, some students struggled. The challenges included supporting students studying for their NCEA qualifications, as well as not all students being able to access devices to learn when needed.”

“We have never had our sector tested like this. In many ways it has stood up well to the challenge, but there is room to grow, and students will need additional support to catch up.”

ERO surveyed 10,000 year 4 to year 13 students across 67 primary and secondary schools, and 694 teachers from 67 schools, over the first few weeks of term 2, 2020.

Indicators of Quality for Early Childhood

In April, ERO published the updated Te Ara Poutama | Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most.

ERO will start using these indicators in a new approach to evaluating quality – Akarangi | Quality Evaluation – later in 2020. We are taking a phased approach to implementation by initially inviting some centre-based services already scheduled for an Education Review to participate in a Quality Evaluation using the indicators and associated resources. ERO will expect to see the indicators imbedded into ongoing evaluation and planning activity when visiting centre-based services. Services will in turn be expected to use the indicators to evaluate and report on the quality of provision for children. Over the next three years, all ERO evaluations in centre-based services will use the indicators to evaluate and report on the quality of provision for children.

We published a draft version of the indicators on ERO’s website in September 2019 and sought feedback through an online survey. Three-quarters of the respondents to the survey told us they thought the indicators were useful or very useful. Two-thirds of respondents did not see any gaps in the indicators and a third made suggestions for addressing perceived gaps. We also received a number of submissions from ECE organisations. We have considered and responded to the feedback in preparing the final version of the indicators.

The indicators are part of a wider work programme which includes the development of Ngā Ara Whai Hua: Quality Framework for Evaluation and Improvement in Centre-based Early Childhood Services. This framework shows how ERO is differentiating its approach to review and evaluation in centre-based early childhood services.

ERO is currently developing resources that will support services to use the indicators as part of their internal evaluation processes. A resource to help parents and whānau understand the indicators and what quality early childhood education looks like is also in development.

Belonging can change how bullying impacts students

On this page:

Background

In May 2019, ERO conducted a survey of 11,000 students across years 4 to 13, to hear their thoughts and experiences of bullying in New Zealand. This resulted in the Bullying Prevention and Response: Student Voice report.

This report revealed a range of important findings, some of which we explored further. We wanted to use this issue of Insights (and more to come over 2020) to highlight some of the interesting and surprising findings from this survey.

In this issue, we discuss students’ ability to retain a sense of belonging despite having been bullied. This sense of belonging might have influenced students’ attitudes towards bullies and bullying at their schools. We also touched on what could have contributed to this, specifically exploring the effect a school’s response to bullying can have.

We found that confidence in schools’ bullying prevention methods could help maintain a stronger sense of belonging among students, particularly those who experienced bullying. These findings give schools some possible areas to focus on when it comes to bullying solutions.

This paper is not a comprehensive or decisive study of these topics, but gives some interesting viewpoints on a subject of utmost importance in our school system.

Students still feel they belong in a school despite being bullied

In May this year ERO published Bullying Prevention and Response: Student Voice, following a survey of approximately 11,000 students across Years 4 to 13. One in four (25 percent) of the students who reported they had experienced bullying still indicated they had a strong sense of belonging in their school. By contrast fewer than one in twenty (less than 5 percent) reported a strong sense of not belonging. This was not what we expected, nor what other researchers had found (Cunningham, 2007; OECD, 2017; Jang-Jones & McGregor, 2019). We know students’ sense of belonging is important as it is linked to wellbeing (ERO, 2015), and can be directly influenced by school strategies (ERO, 2016). Wellbeing in turn has a strong influence on positive student outcomes including academic success (ACU, 2008). We wanted to further explore the link between belonging and being bullied and how this influenced what students wanted their school to do about bullying.

Students who felt they belonged had more positive solutions to deal with bullying in their school

We compared the group who felt strongly that they belonged at their school, with the group who felt strongly that they didn’t belong. We found that the types of responses students gave tended to differ depending on their sense of belonging. The exception to this was that about one fifth of both groups suggested they would make the bullying stop, without detailing how.

For those who felt they belonged, almost a third suggested people needed to be made kinder and more accepting. For example:

“I would make people’s hearts bigger so they don't be mean.”

Students who felt they belonged most commonly located the issue with the bully’s lack of positive traits such as empathy and kindness. Some students went as far as identifying a deeper reason behind why some students bully, suggesting things such as:

“Help the bully become emotionally stable because usually when someone is being mean to someone there is something going on whether it's at home or they are being bullied themselves or any other various reasons.”

In contrast, there was a notable tendency for those who felt they did not belong to suggest harsher punishments and for teachers to respond more visibly to bullying. For example:

“If I could do anything I would get the bullies suspended or expelled.”

Or they wanted:

“Different teachers, ones who care about all students and not just excelling ones even when they’re the bullies.”

Students, who did not feel they belonged at school, tended to identify an issue beyond the bullies themselves, pointing rather to a lack of justice. They often indicated the bully should be isolated or excluded.

What could contribute to these differences?

Several factors could be contributing to the different reactions to bullying. It may be that those who felt they belonged wanted the bullies to experience a similar feeling of inclusion. They may regard the bully as an outsider and want them to feel a connection to the school community and its values. They think this would reduce the bullying behaviour.

Another possibility could be the differences arise from the confidence students have in their school to deal with bullying incidents. A Canadian study, investigating student belonging (Ma, 2003), found that the perception of fairness was an important aspect contributing to students building a sense of belonging in school. Ma (2003) also found that a sense of belonging was linked to overall improved outcomes.

Students’ understanding and confidence in their school’s response to bullying is important.

If students’ lack of belonging is associated with having little faith in their school’s systems and teachers’ attitudes towards bullying, then this aspect should be an area for schools to focus on. Making responses to bullying more visible and promoting faithful implementation of the school system might improve the sense of belonging in more students, even after they have been bullied.

The OECD (2017) comments that one essential element to tackling bullying is having teachers explicitly communicate to students that bullying is not tolerated in any way. A good system is not enough. Students need to have confidence the system is well-functioning, applied fairly to all students, and visible to victims. The system also needs to support students to recognise that the problem is not theirs but located with the bully.

The evidence suggests that if a student has a greater sense of belonging they are likely to have more empathy towards others, taking a more positive attitude towards bullies. Another positive could be that if bullies feel they belong their wellbeing could increase, and they might be less inclined to bully.

Further research would be needed to more thoroughly identify what characterises students’ feelings of belonging in a New Zealand context, and how this might link to bullying.

Bibliography

ACU. (2008). Scoping study into approaches to student wellbeing. ACU and Erebus International.

Cunningham, N. J. (2007). Level of bonding to school and perception of the school environment by bullies. victims, and bully victims.

ERO. (2015). Wellbeing for childrens success at Primary school. Education Review Office.

ERO. (2016). Wellbeing for success: A resource for schools. Education Review Office.

Jang-Jones, A., & McGregor, A. (2019). PISA 2018 New Zealand Students' Wellbeing school climate and mindsets of 15-year-olds.

Ma, X. (2003). Sense of Belonging to School: Can Schools Make a Difference. The Journal of Education Research, 340-349.

OECD. (2017). PISA 2015 Results (Volume III) Students' Well-being. Paris: OECD Publishing .

Te Tāmata Huaroa

Waerea te whenua, tāmatahia te māra, marotiritiria ngā kākano, kia huaroa te tipu.

There is enthusiasm for te reo Māori and a desire to revitalise the language through education in many English Medium schools, but practical obstacles need to be overcome to allow this according to new report Te Tāmata Huaroa published by the Education Review Office (ERO).

The report was carried out to create a snapshot of te reo Māori teaching across English Medium schools and aims in part to reflect the role education has to play in the Government’s Maihi Karauna strategy for language revitalisation.

The majority of schools ERO spoke to have a positive view of te reo Māori teaching in their classrooms and want to increase their provision, with many going as far as including this in their strategic goals. Many respondents said they felt an ethical responsibility to the language and to its revitalisation.

The report found that despite this enthusiasm, there was little evidence of complex learning and explicit language teaching such as grammatical forms, speaking, reading and writing. Instead te reo Māori was included in simpler forms such as waiata or karakia.

Respondents indicated the key obstacles are a lack of te reo Māori knowledge across the teaching workforce, coupled with low levels of knowledge and expertise in general second language learning.

However, there is awareness of these obstacles, and many schools are taking steps to overcome them, such as skill specific recruiting and targeted PLD.

ERO Deputy Chief Executive Evaluation and Review Māori Lynda Pura-Watson feels strongly that this work will have real world meaning for New Zealand education.

“This is an exciting exploration of the landscape of te reo Māori teaching on a real practical level but also puts education firmly in the centre of wider revitalisation of the language and the long-term goals of the Government.”

She went on to say that ERO wants to use this report as a springboard.

“We can take the findings from this report and others in the pipe line and use them to start real conversations about further development and improvement.”

Following the publication of this report ERO plans to host sector and government leaders for a discussion surrounding the next steps for English Medium schools, based on the findings of this report. This will be an opportunity to fully explore the findings and for the sector to engage with ERO, the government and each other on the way forward.

This report was completed by ERO as part of an ongoing work programme focused on the provision of te reo Māori in English medium schools.

ERO spoke to teachers and school leaders in 102 primary and secondary schools across Aotearoa to inform this report.

Social Workers in Schools

Social Workers in Schools (SWiS) are seen as “awesome, nice, cool, fun, great” by children who use the service, according to a case study report conducted by ERO for Oranga Tamariki. This report, released in early April, is part of a wider research by Oranga Tamariki to assess the benefits of early intervention services including SWiS, a government-funded service provided in most decile 1-3 primary and intermediate schools.

There was agreement across those interviewed, that students who engaged with SWiS saw an improvement in their experience in and out of the classroom, and that this led to improved relationships with their whānau and friends, as well as teachers and other school staff.

SWiS typically used a holistic approach which was effective because of the engagement with a child’s wider circle and community. By focusing on the strengths in a child’s situation and creating a non-judgemental environment, benefits were felt by all involved and there was a noticeable increase in resilience in children who were part of the programme. SWiS workers help tamariki through multiple tools and techniques, such as talk, art therapy, special games and anger management techniques.

Results of the study highlighted the benefits were not just practical but that children felt more hopeful about the future and that parents felt positive about the future of their relationship with their child.

This report is based on visits to six schools with SWiS, who worked with children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and who had a variety of problems at school and at home.

Also recently released

Overseas Trained Teachers focuses on the experiences of teachers who have trained outside New Zealand and the schools where they have been employed. It shows that hiring-principals and the teachers are positive about their experience of teaching in New Zealand but that there are things that could be done to make the transition easier.

Recent ERO National Evaluation Reports and Publications for ELS

ERO researches and produces a range of national evaluation reports and publications each year for teachers, parents, schools, and early learning services. To help you find the most relevant information, ERO’s Evaluation and Policy team prepared two tables – one for schools and one for early learning services – that give a brief description and link to our most recent publications. We’ll update these tables regularly to keep you up-to-date on our work.

A PDF is available here: Recent National Evaluation Reports for ELS [PDF, 370 KB]

 

Te Ara Poutama: Piki Ake, Kake Ake – for those who aspire to seek excellence

Published: April 2020

 This document revises and updates the indicators in He Pou Tātaki: How ERO reviews early childhood services (2013). The revised indicators draw on recent New Zealand and international research and evaluation evidence relating to practice that promotes valued learning outcomes for children from birth to the start of school (0–6 years). They are designed to focus on the things that matter most in contributing to children developing knowledge, skills, attitudes, dispositions and working theories that support lifelong learning.

 

Te Whāriki (2017): Awareness towards implementation

Published: December 2019

ERO’s final report in the Te Whāriki series summarises the findings of previous reports and includes the last two focus areas for the curriculum – how services decide ‘what learning matters here’ and how well they were developing learning-focused partnerships with parents and whānau. The main findings of the evaluation are that in half of the services surveyed, leaders and kaiako were not yet focused on deciding ‘what learning matters here’ and in most of the services, leaders and kaiako had positive relationships with parents and whānau, but these were not always learning-focused partnerships.

 

Preparedness to implement Te Whāriki (2017)

Published: June 2019

This forms part of a series of evaluations on the implementation of Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa. This report examines how prepared services are to implement Te Whāriki, including their engagement with professional learning and development, and determining 'what matters here' and next steps. ERO found that over half of the services were not prepared to implement Te Whāriki and most services were not well prepared to review and design a local curriculum based on priorities for children’s learning.

 

Collaboration in practice: Insights into implementation

Published: April 2019

This case study report features experiences of three Kāhui Ako and includes the strategies and approaches used to create, build, and strengthen collaboration between schools and early learning services to improve outcomes for learners.

 

Pacific Strategy 2019-2022

Published: March 2019

This outlines ERO’s five goals and aligned strategies to deliver success for Pacific learners in early learning and school settings. It describes how it will support improvement to the education system in Aotearoa and the contribution ERO can make to strengthen the education systems of our Pacific regional neighbours.

 

Engaging with Te Whāriki (2017)

Published: November 2018

This forms part of a series of evaluations on the implementation of Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa. ERO gathered information from 167 early learning services and six governing organisations. Findings gave an early indication of some of the challenges for leaders and kaiako in engaging with Te Whāriki. They highlight the need for more in-depth engagement with Te Whāriki to increase understanding of the expectation to ‘weave’ a local curriculum based on ‘what really matters’ in their service for their children.

 

Awareness and confidence to work with Te Whāriki (2017)

Published: July 2018

In this evaluation, ERO wanted to find out how aware and confident leaders and kaiako in early learning services were as they began to work with the updated curriculum, Te Whāriki (2017). Leaders and kaiako reported a high degree of awareness of, and growing confidence to begin to work with, Te Whāriki. Uptake of PLD was high. Confidence to work with Te Whāriki to support Māori children to enjoy educational success as Māori was not high

 

Responding to language diversity in Auckland

Published: April 2018

This evaluation focused on culturally and linguistically diverse learners who speak one or more languages other than English, and are learning the English language. ERO found that there is an overall need for early learning services and schools to improve their response to these learners, and to support their acquisition of the English language. Key features of responsiveness were identified. 

 

Newly graduated teachers: Preparation and confidence to teach

Published: December 2017

In this evaluation, ERO met with newly graduated teachers and leaders in early learning services and schools to find out how confident and prepared they were as a result of their Initial Teacher Education programme.

 

Hauhaketia ngā taonga tuku iho kia puāwai ai: Unearth our ancestral treasures so that we may prosper

Published: November 2017

Evaluation insights by ERO, alongside contributions from the Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust and kōhanga reo whānau inform the findings of this report. It highlights effective practice in kōhanga reo, specifically the support children need to grow and thrive through a quality immersion pathway.

 

He Pou Tātaki: How ERO reviews hospital-based education and care services

Published: June 2017

This document is the result of a collaborative effort between ERO and representatives from hospital-based education and care services. It is to support improved service performance and accountability, and focuses on how well placed hospital-based services are to contribute to children’s learning, and promote their wellbeing.

 

Food, nutrition and physical activity in NZ schools and early learning services

Published: April 2017

ERO visited 202 early learning services, 46 primary schools and 29 secondary schools and to evaluate how well positive attitudes to physical activity, food and nutrition were being promoted. ERO found that most schools and services were doing a good job of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to make healthy choices around food, nutrition and physical activity.

 

Extending their language - expanding their world: Children’s oral language (birth-8 years)

Published: February 2017

This evaluation investigated how effectively young children’s oral language learning and development were supported in their early years of education. ERO asked early learning services and schools what they are doing in response to children’s oral language learning and development, including concerns about and needs of particular children. The findings are based on the analysis of data gathered from 167 early learning services and 104 schools.

 

Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako in action

Published: January 2017

An additional resource to Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: Collaboration to Improve Learner Outcomes. This resource is designed to support CoL | Kāhui Ako as they work towards effective collaborative practice. It is framed around key questions in each of the seven effective practice areas and is able to be used both as evidence-based progressions and as a useful internal evaluation tool.

 

Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: Collaboration to improve learner outcomes

Published: January 2017

This publication is designed to support Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako by bringing together research findings about effective collaboration in education communities. It is supported by the publication Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: working towards collaborative practice.

 

Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: Working towards collaborative practice

Published: January 2017

This is the first of a series of iterative reports which draw together what ERO knows about CoL | Kāhui Ako, as they move from establishment to implementation. This report is based on information collected from schools in CoL | Kāhui Ako during their regular ERO evaluations; information gained from workshops with CoL | Kāhui Ako and from in-depth work ERO undertook alongside one CoL | Kāhui Ako

 

Recent ERO National Evaluation Reports and Publications for Schools

ERO researches and produces a range of national evaluation reports and publications each year for teachers, parents, schools, and early learning services. To help you find the most relevant information, ERO’s Evaluation and Policy team prepared two tables – one for schools and one for early learning services – that give a brief description and link to our most recent publications. We’ll update these tables regularly to keep you up-to-date on our work.

A PDF is available here: Recent ERO National Evaluation Reports and Publications for Schools [PDF, 566 KB]

 

Te Tāmata Huaroa
Published: June 2020

This report captures a snapshot of te reo Māori education in English medium schools and aims in part to reflect the role education has to play in the Government’s Maihi Karauna strategy for language revitalisation. The report found there is widespread enthusiasm to improve the provision of te reo Māori teaching in English medium schools, driven by positive feelings towards the language and a strong sense of moral duty to its revitalisation, but the ability to do so is limited in many schools.

 

COVID-19 Learning in Lockdown
Published: June 2020

ERO is undertaking a programme of work to learn the lessons from the COVID-19 lockdown and to support the education system, schools and early childhood centres to respond to the disruption. As a first stage of this work, ERO surveyed a sample of students and teachers in primary and secondary schools. This report sets out what we found about their wellbeing and experiences of learning and teaching during the lockdown.

 

Overseas Trained Teachers
Published: June 2020

This report serves to shine some light on the experiences of teachers who have come from overseas to teach in New Zealand. It is based on data collected from a voluntary survey of teachers and principals of the school where they are employed.

 

Social Workers in Schools
Published: April 2020

This qualitative case study report was undertaken on behalf of Oranga Tamariki. It captures the voices of children and their whanau who were recipients of the Social Workers in Schools (SWiS) service. ERO found children who were involved with a social worker in their school overwhelmingly benefited from the extra support. When social workers used a holistic approach, involving the child’s whānau and friends, as well as teachers and other school staff, the service was effective for all involved.

 

On Your Marks...Get Set...Go! A Tale of Six Schools and the Digital Technologies Curriculum Content
Published: January 2020

ERO conducted case studies of six schools’ implementation of the digital technologies curriculum content in Term 1, 2019. Schools that had successfully integrated the curriculum had leaders who promoted a growth mindset for teachers and looked to integrate digital technologies into the existing curriculum.

 

Professional Learning and Development in Schools

Published: December 2019

ERO spoke with school leaders responsible for planning Professional Learning and Development (PLD) and looked at a variety of documents in 242 state or state-integrated schools (excluding kura) reviewed in Terms 3 and 4, 2018. ERO made an overall judgment about how well school leaders were determining PLD priorities and evaluating the impact of PLD. Leaders in nearly half of the schools determined PLD priorities well and considered the impact for teachers. Rural schools were less likely to be doing well.

 

Developing Key Competencies in Students Years 1-8
Published: November 2019

This report describes what a sample of New Zealand schools with Years 1 to 8 students were doing to integrate and support the development of key competencies in their students. The report also explored how they were promoting the understanding of key competencies among parents, whānau and trustees. ERO found all schools in the sample had not yet fully implemented the key competencies as outlined in The New Zealand Curriculum and the teaching of key competencies was not evident in more than a quarter of the schools.

 

Current Provision of Pacific Bilingual Education
Publication: August 2019

Based on surveys and interviews of 25 schools, this report describes the current state of Pacific bilingual units in New Zealand: their philosophy, curriculum, teaching, assessment and transition practices, tracking of learners’ pathways and outcomes, and the support they receive. ERO found that Pacific bilingual education programmes were somewhat idiosyncratic, tended to be developed locally and were resourced out of schools’ baseline funding.

 

It's Early Days for the New Digital Technologies Curriculum Content
Published: July 2019

ERO examined the barriers and enablers that have influenced schools’ preparation for implementation of the new Digital Technologies and Hangarau Maihiko curriculum. Progress was slower than expected and ERO felt it likely that, on the current trajectory, many schools would not be meeting their obligations to implement the curriculum content as required. The report alerts school leaders to the need to engage with the curriculum content with the urgency required to meet the deadline for implementation.

 

NCEA Observational Studies
Published: July 2019

The Ministry of Education partnered with ERO to carry out research on the use of NCEA as an assessment and qualification tool and how its use impacted on five particular aspects: curriculum design, pedagogy, assessment strategies, resourcing and student wellbeing. ERO noted that no one of the five aspects plays a more important part than any other and that courageous leadership makes a difference. The research highlighted innovative practices and challenges as they relate to secondary schools and tertiary education organisations.

 

Keeping children engaged and achieving in writing
Published: June 2019

This report shares some of the strategies and approaches used by schools who had focused on improving achievement in writing. ERO found that in schools where most children were progressing well, teachers were clear about the purpose of writing. They understood all the different writing demands of the curriculum the child would encounter and were deliberate in their approach to supporting the children to meet those demands.

 

Bullying Prevention and Response in New Zealand Schools

Published: May 2019

In this evaluation, ERO looked at the extent to which schools were effectively working towards an environment in which students feel safe and free from bullying. ERO gathered data from 136 primary and secondary schools as part of their regular ERO review in Terms 1 and 2, 2018. Most schools were working towards a bullying free environment and most students had learned some bullying prevention and response strategies. However, analysis of student responses indicate that bullying remains a problem in New Zealand schools. Student responses were explored in further detail in ERO’s companion report: Bullying Prevention and Response: Student Voice May 2019.

 

Bullying Prevention and Response: Student Voice

Published: May 2019

This is a companion report to Bullying Prevention and Response in New Zealand Schools May 2019. It focuses on Years 4 to 13 students’ experience of bullying prevention and response in schools. The information was collected via 11,085 student responses to a voluntary online survey in 136 New Zealand schools during Terms 1 and 2, 2018. ERO concluded that bullying is part of life for too many students. Findings showed that while a large proportion have the knowledge they need, fewer have the confidence to act, fewer still take action, and not everything was effective in stopping bullying.

 

Collaboration in practice: insights into implementation

Published: April 2019

This case study report features experiences of three Kāhui Ako and includes the strategies and approaches used to create, build, and strengthen collaboration between schools and early learning services to improve outcomes for learners. ERO found that: each of the three Kāhui Ako maintained a central focus on improving outcomes for learners; leaders took different approaches to establishing models of practice. They were responsive to the community context and looked for relevant and appropriate ways to establish outcomes, collaboration, and inclusive structures and practices.

 

Keeping children engaged and achieving through rich curriculum inquiries
Published: November 2018

This report is one of a series of reports on teaching strategies that work. It features strategies and approaches ERO observed in 40 primary schools selected from across New Zealand. It shares some strategies and approaches that had focused on improving achievement through rich curriculum inquiries. Some inquiries had positively contributed to raising achievement in literacy and/or mathematics.

 

Provision for students in activity centres

Published: September 2018

ERO reviewed all 14 New Zealand activity centres to determine how effective they were in promoting positive outcomes for their students, deemed to be at risk of not achieving educational success. This report summarises the national picture, highlights effective practice and provides some recommendations for improvement. ERO found the majority of activity centres were promoting positive outcomes for their students. The best models had strong links between the managing school, their centre, and support networks in the community. An area for development was to improve their evaluation of overall effectiveness, especially in evaluating long-term outcomes for students.

 

Promoting wellbeing through sexuality education

Published: September 2018

This report provides findings from ERO's evaluation of how well schools were promoting and supporting student wellbeing through sexuality education. ERO found that, overall, curriculum coverage remains inconsistent and many schools have significant gaps. While biological aspects of sexuality and puberty were well covered, more in-depth coverage is needed for aspects like consent, digital technologies and relationships. The report includes examples of good practice and recommendations for schools and policy audiences. It is accompanied by a series of short publications for whānau, students, and trustees.

 

Building genuine learning partnerships with parents 

Published: July 2018

This report shares strategies and approaches from schools that had contributed to improving achievement by developing genuine learning partnerships with parents. ERO found that most schools had built good relationships with parents but had not fully developed genuine learning partnerships. All schools reported to parents and had interviews or three-way conferences and other communication with parents. However, not all had fully given prominence to the culturally responsive concepts of manaakitanga, whānaungatanga and mahi tahi. The report includes some simple strategies a few of the schools used to involve parents more in supporting the things children were learning at school.

 

Teen Parent Units

Published: May 2018

In 2017 ERO investigated the quality of education provided by Teen Parent Units (TPUs) and the extent to which they supported positive outcomes for students and their children. ERO found a number of challenges across the 24 TPUs that require a system level response. Strong leadership was key to the overall effectiveness of the highly or mostly effective TPUs.

 

What drives learning in the senior secondary school?

Published: May 2018

This evaluation studies effective practice in schools’ senior curriculum. It contributes to the review being undertaken by the Ministry of Education of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). It focuses on the implementation of NCEA as the national assessment system for the senior years of secondary schooling. ERO found that while the schools were working towards a clear vision for a coherent senior curriculum, only a minority achieved it. These few schools showed it was possible to plan and implement senior learning pathways based on the principles, vision, values and competencies outlined in the NZC.

 

Case Studies - Aotea College: Improving Māori student wellbeing and achievement

Published: May 2018

Improvement in Action brings to life ERO’s School Evaluation Indicators and illustrates what works to achieve successful outcomes for all children and young people in the education system. This school’s journey illustrates the weaving together of evaluation processes and thinking over time as they developed a culturally responsive, learner-centred curriculum that provides opportunity to learn for every student. Student outcomes improved significantly.

 

Teaching strategies that work – Reading

Published: May 2018

This report is one of a series on teaching strategies that work. It describes strategies used by primary schools which significantly improved their students’ achievement in reading. Schools with considerable improvements in reading achievement in Years 5 and 6: undertook carefully considered whole-school or whole-syndicate review and development; completed assessments that identified challenges for children and teachers; and accessed professional learning and development (PLD) that focused specifically on the teaching that needed to improve. 

 

Responding to Language Diversity in Auckland

Published: April 2018

This evaluation focused on culturally and linguistically diverse learners who speak one or more languages other than English, and are learning the English language. ERO found that there is an overall need for early learning services and schools to improve their response to these learners, and to support their acquisition of the English language. Key features of responsiveness were identified. 

 

Evaluation at a glance: A decade of assessment in New Zealand Primary Schools - Practice and trends

Published: April 2018

This report is a synthesis of findings about assessment from ERO’s evaluations of primary schools carried out over the past decade. ERO identified patterns and recurring themes in assessment practices. It provides a basis for discussions among primary school trustees, principals, assessment leaders and teachers about the effectiveness and utility of their own assessment practices.

 

Resource Teachers: Learning and behaviour governing and managing RTLB clusters

Published: April 2018

This evaluation was undertaken following a substantive transformation of the Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) service, to evaluate the impact of these changes. It included all 40 RTLB clusters. The evaluation highlights improvements to the quality and consistency of the RTLB service, especially in overall governance and management.

 

Leading Innovative Learning in New Zealand Schools

Published: April 2018

ERO visited 12 schools to see how they were preparing their students as 21st century learners. Leaders were innovative, rethinking and transforming teaching and learning to equip students with the knowledge, skills and qualifications required for their future. ERO found there were many different approaches to successfully implementing change and that school leaders were the key to successful innovation in teaching and learning. The evaluation identified common elements and challenges faced by these schools and includes advice from school leaders for other schools.

 

Teaching strategies that work – Mathematics

Published: February 2018

This report is one of a series on teaching strategies that work. It describes strategies used by primary schools which significantly improved their students’ achievement in mathematics. It features strategies and approaches that were observed in 40 primary schools selected from across New Zealand. Schools that successfully accelerated achievement employed two complementary approaches: initial short-term interventions, focused on identified children, and longer-term PLD. When introducing new strategies teachers worked closely, or communicated regularly, with parents and whānau.

 

Newly Graduated Teachers: Preparation and Confidence to Teach

Published: December 2017

In this evaluation, ERO met with newly graduated teachers and leaders in early learning services and schools to find out how confident and prepared they were as a result of their Initial Teacher Education programme. ERO’s findings point to a need for better integration of theory and practice both pre-service and for beginning teachers.

 

Teaching approaches and strategies that work

Published: November 2017

This report is one of a series on teaching strategies that work. This evaluation looks at teaching approaches and strategies used in schools where there was a significant increase in the number of students at or above National Standards in the upper primary school years (Years 5 to 8). We looked at any short-term interventions or long-term strategies that may have been influential in bringing about these positive achievement trajectories.

 

Year 9 Plus 2016 – the first year (Year 9)

Published: July 2017

This report, completed at the end of students’ first year at secondary school, identifies what worked well for one cohort of participating students in the trial of the Year 9 Plus educational concept, developed by the Ministry of Education to improve students’ chances of educational success. It considered the processes developed to support these students’ transitions between contributing and secondary school, and their subsequent participation, engagement and progress during the year. The key aspect working well was the strong support many students received from their champions and their school. The champions found the nature of some aspects of their work unrelenting. Issues of attendance and behaviour still prevail for some students.

 

Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity in NZ Schools and Early Learning Services

Published: April 2017

ERO visited 46 primary schools, 29 secondary schools and 202 early learning services to evaluate how well positive attitudes to physical activity, food and nutrition were being promoted. ERO found that most schools and services were doing a good job of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to make healthy choices around food, nutrition and physical activity.

 

School trustees booklet: helping you ask the right questions

Published: February 2017

ERO has written this booklet for boards of trustees. It focuses on student achievement and wellbeing, and the role the board plays in these two areas. The booklet includes questions and information to guide trustees’ discussions with school leaders.

 

Extending their language - expanding their world: Children’s oral language (birth-8 years)

Published: February 2017

This evaluation investigated how effectively young children’s oral language learning and development were supported in their early years of education. Findings are based on data gathered from 167 early learning services and 104 schools. In both settings, improvements were needed to support oral learning and development. Professional and pedagogical leadership was critical in building the capability and capacity of teachers to promote and support children’s oral language learning and development. 

 

Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako in action
Published: January 2017

An additional resource to Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: Collaboration to Improve Learner Outcomes. This resource is designed to support CoL | Kāhui Ako as they work towards effective collaborative practice. It is framed around key questions in each of the seven effective practice areas and can be used both as evidence-based progressions and as a useful internal evaluation tool.

 

Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: Collaboration to Improve Learner Outcomes

Published: January 2017

This publication is designed to support Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako by bringing together research findings about effective collaboration in education communities. It is supported by the publication Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: working towards collaborative practice.

 

Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: Working towards collaborative practice

Published: January 2017

This is the first of a series of iterative reports which draw together what ERO knows about CoL | Kāhui Ako, as they move from establishment to implementation. This report is based on information collected from schools in CoL | Kāhui Ako during their regular ERO evaluations; information gained from workshops with CoL | Kāhui Ako and from in-depth work ERO undertook alongside one CoL | Kāhui Ako

 

Introducing Ruth Shinoda, Deputy Chief Executive, Evaluation and Policy

In April, Ruth Shinoda joined ERO as the Deputy Chief Executive, Evaluation and Policy. She brings a wealth of experience in the education sector in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Immediately prior to joining ERO, she was acting Deputy Secretary Strategy, Engagement and Performance and Chief Operating Officer at the Treasury on secondment from the Ministry for Primary industries, where she was Director Skills, Science and Food Policy. From 2014 to 2016, she served as Associate Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Education, covering early years education policy, Māori education strategy, Treaty settlements and building the Ministry’s policy capability. During that time, she helped lead the development of the Māori Education Strategy and the evidence base to underpin it.

Beyond work, Ruth is currently chair of the Government’s Women’s Network and, in her own words, is particularly passionate about building inclusive teams and has “a track record of supporting women to thrive and of championing stronger inclusion of Māori perspectives”. She also keeps busy hiking up the Wellington hills, watching art-house movies, playing Taiko drums, and keeping up with her teenage daughters.