Our research

Ā Mātou Rangahau

In this section of our website you'll find our education system evaluations, effective practice reports, resources and guides. These are produced by Te Ihuwaka | Education Evaluation Centre and Te Pou Mataaho | Evaluation and Research Māori.

Read more about Te Ihuwaka | Education Evaluation Centre.

Read more about Te Pou Mataaho | Evaluation and Research Māori.

Read about the questions we are asking.

There are 65 research articles.
  • Topics: Early learning, Evaluation, Parents, Resourcing, Teaching
  • Published: 31 Oct 2016

    Early Learning Curriculum

    This retrospective study synthesises findings from 17 national reports about curriculum implementation in early learning services, published over the last 10 years.

  • Published: 25 Aug 2016

    Partners in Learning

    Strong connections between schools and parents and whānau are essential to accelerating the achievement of our kids, particularly those at risk of underachieving. This booklet helps parents, families and whānau to form effective relationships and educationally powerful connections. 

  • Published: 15 Jun 2016

    The Early Learning Years

    This booklet is for all parents and caregivers who have infants and toddlers in an early childhood education service, or who are thinking about enrolling their child in an early childhood service. It gives you an idea of what you can expect from high quality early childhood education and the questions you can ask a service about the education and care of your child. 

  • Published: 03 Mar 2016

    Tuia te here tangata: Making meaningful connections

    In Term 3, 2014, ERO undertook a cluster review of five Puna Whakatupu as part of scheduled education reviews. During the course of these reviews, we identified a range of good practice that was investigated further and has become Tuia te here tangata: Making meaningful connections.

  • Published: 12 Feb 2016

    Effective Internal Evaluation for Improvement

    This booklet is useful for any organisation interested in internal evaluation for improvement. This overview of the processes and reasoning involved in effective internal evaluation for improvement draws on a previously published resource Effective School Evaluation – How to do and use internal evaluation for improvement (2015).

  • Published: 19 Nov 2015

    Internal evaluation: good practice

    This good practice report showcases 13 schools and how they've used internal evaluation to change their practice to support students to achieve. The findings from this report have informed the joint Ministry of Education and ERO resource Effective School Evaluation: How to do and use internal evaluation for improvement.

  • Published: 09 Nov 2015

    Educationally powerful connections with parents and whānau

    In this report, the Education Review Office (ERO) evaluated how well 256 schools worked with parents and whanau to respond to students at risk of underachievement. We looked for examples where schools had specifically worked with parents and whānau to accelerate and support progress and improve achievement.

  • Published: 14 Mar 2014

    Your child's education

    These booklets have been written for everyone who parents a child - those who have care and responsibility for children attending a school. The booklets include questions you can ask, as well as general information that you may find useful. Click on the booklet to read and download.

    Your child's education is an overview of education in New Zealand, from early childhood education through to secondary school. The information and questions are a useful insight into what education looks like in New Zealand and the opportunities available to your child.

  • Published: 30 Apr 2013

    How is my child doing?

    ERO guides for parents have been written for everyone who parents a child - those who have care and responsibility for children attending a school. The booklets include questions you can ask, as well as general information that you may find useful. Click on the booklet to read and download.

    How is my child doing? suggests questions parents can ask teachers in primary and secondary schools about their child's learning and wellbeing at school, and what to expect. It also looks at what makes a successful school.

  • Published: 11 Sep 2012

    Reporting to Parents: National Standards Years 4 to 8

    This ERO report is part of a series of reports being published over three years about aspects of the implementation of the National Standards in English-medium schools, with students in Years 1 to 8. The report focuses on schools’ progress with reporting to parents in relation to the National Standards.

  • Published: 12 Aug 2012

    Evaluation at a Glance: Priority Learners in New Zealand Schools

    This report is the second in our Evaluation at a Glance series. It is a synthesis of material from 15 national evaluations and reports of good practice published in the last four years that, taken together, reveal three key issues facing New Zealand’s education system. 

  • Published: 02 Aug 2012

    Ako Panuku: An evaluation of the programme’s effectiveness

    This evaluation looks at the Ako Panuku programme, which is funded by the Ministry of Education for Māori secondary/kura teachers. ERO conducted an online survey of all teachers involved in the programme and also visited a number of schools and kura. Our findings show that a high proportion of teachers found the programme to be highly effective or effective for them. Ako Panuku has had positive outcomes for participants and their students.

  • Published: 19 Jul 2012

    Teaching as Inquiry: Responding to Learners

    This is ERO’s second national evaluation report on the extent to which schools have processes in place to support teaching as inquiry. It also looks at the specific inquiry approaches teachers use in classrooms.