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 16 research articles.
  • Topics: Activity Centres, Inclusive practices, Ngā puna kōhungahunga, Playgroups, Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L), Writing
  • Published: 06 May 2021

    Te Muka Here Tangata – The strand that binds people

    This case study explores the impact of the 2020 Covid-19 events on Māori learners in English-medium schools, and the response of leaders, schools and communities in the Bay of Plenty and East Coast regions.

  • Published: 11 Jun 2019

    Keeping children engaged and achieving in writing

    This report shares some of the strategies and approaches used by schools who had focused on improving achievement in writing. It also shares some simple strategies used in classrooms where achievement in writing had been accelerated.

  • Published: 13 May 2019

    Bullying Prevention and Response in New Zealand Schools May 2019

    New Zealand schools have one of the highest rates of bullying among OECD member countries. 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.

    A companion report to this one, Bullying Prevention and Response: Student Voice focuses on ERO’s survey of students on their experience and understandings of bullying and effective bullying prevention and response.

  • Published: 25 Sep 2018

    Provision for Students in Activity Centres

    There are 14 activity centres in New Zealand that cater for secondary school students (Years 9 ‑ 13) who are at risk of disengaging from mainstream schooling and at risk of low educational, social and vocational outcomes. Activity centres are established by agreement of the Minister of Education. Priority is given to those students whose behaviour is likely to impede their own learning and the learning of others, and who are most likely to benefit from the programme.

  • Published: 21 Mar 2016

    Wellbeing for success: effective practice

    In 2014, the Education Review Office (ERO) undertook an evaluation of the extent to which schools were promoting and responding to student wellbeing in primary and secondary schools. This 2016 effective practice report provides further detail about practices in selected schools that promote wellbeing for all students, and describes how these schools respond when concerns, issues or events require more targeted support.

  • Published: 05 Mar 2015

    Inclusive practices for students with special education needs in schools

    This report examines how well students with special education needs are included in New Zealand schools. The report provides an update on progress towards meeting the Government target that, by the end of 2014, 80 percent of New Zealand schools will be doing a good job and none should be doing a poor job of including and supporting students with disabilities.

  • 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: 10 Jul 2013

    Including Students with High Needs Primary Schools

    This ERO evaluation reports on primary schools' progress in relation to the Government's Success for All policy. Success for All is about getting all schools to demonstrate inclusive practice for students with special needs.

  • Published: 09 Sep 2012

    Including Students with High Needs: School Questionnaire Responses (2)

    All children deserve the right to an education including those with special education needs. Through its Success for All policy, the Government expects all schools to demonstrate inclusive practice for children with special education needs by the end of 2014. This report presents the findings of a questionnaire where schools assess their own provisions for students with special education needs. It follows on from a similar report produced in early 2012.

  • Published: 01 Apr 2012

    Including Students with Special Needs: School Questionnaire Responses

    This report, Including Students with Special Needs: school questionnaire responses presents the findings from a questionnaire completed by schools reviewed in the first two terms of 2011. It is based on schools’ own views of how well they include children with special needs.

  • Published: 01 Nov 2011

    Literacy in Early Childhood Services: Good Practice

    The intent of the evaluation was to gain an insight and understanding of literacy teaching and learning in early childhood education. This report complements the ERO national evaluation report, Literacy in Early Childhood: Teaching and Learning, February 2011. It presents examples of good practice from 13 early childhood services, identified during their ERO reviews, which had high quality literacy teaching and learning. ERO revisited these services in Term 4, 2010.

  • Published: 30 Jun 2010

    Including Students with High Needs

    ERO evaluated how well schools included students with high needs. Approximately three percent of the student population have significant physical, sensory, neurological, psychiatric, behavioural or intellectual impairment. ERO’s evaluation showed that approximately half of the schools in the study demonstrated inclusive practice, while 30 percent had ‘pockets of inclusive practice’ and 20 percent had few inclusive practices.

  • Published: 02 Dec 2009

    Reading and Writing in Years 1 and 2

    This Education Review Office (ERO) evaluation focused on how effectively reading and writing was taught in the first two years of schooling, and on how well teachers used assessment information to plan and evaluate their teaching.

  • Published: 01 Jun 2007

    Early Childhood Education: A Guide for Parents

    This 2007 ERO report is to help parents make an informed decision about selecting an early childhood service to suit them and their children. It identifies types of early childhood services and ways in which parents can help their child settle into a service.