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.

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There are 14 research articles.
  • Topics: Engagement, Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT), Stand Children's Services Tu Maia Whanau, Teen Parent Units, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa
  • Published: 19 Jan 2021

    Learning in a Covid-19 World: Supporting Secondary School Engagement

    This report explains strategies for supporting secondary students’ engagement during the Covid19 pandemic. These strategies include re-engaging students who present with wellbeing concerns or show signs of disengagement. The report also includes some innovative actions schools used to promote student engagement after the first lockdown in 2020.

  • Published: 12 Dec 2019

    Te Whāriki (2017): Awareness Towards Implementation

    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.

  • 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: 29 Nov 2018

    Keeping children engaged and achieving through rich curriculum inquiries

    This Education Review Office (ERO) report is one of a series of reports on teaching strategies that work. It features strategies and approaches that we observed in 40 primary schools selected from across New Zealand. These schools came from a database of 129 schools, all with rolls of 200 or more, in which the proportion of students in the upper primary years (Years 5 to 8) achieving at or above the expected standard had increased. In each case, achievement levels were also above average for the decile.

  • Published: 05 Jul 2018

    Teen Parent Units

    The Education Review Office (ERO) reviews Teen Parent Units (TPUs) on a three‑year cycle. During March and April, 2017 ERO investigated the quality of education provided by TPUs and the extent to which they supported positive outcomes for TPU students and their children.

  • Published: 14 May 2018

    Teaching strategies that work - Reading

    The Education Review Office (ERO) has released the latest in its Teaching Strategies that Work series. “Keeping children engaged and achieving in reading” is a description of strategies used by primary schools which have significantly improved their students’ achievement in reading.

  • Published: 20 Feb 2018

    Teaching strategies that work - Mathematics

    This Education Review Office (ERO) report is one of a series of reports on teaching strategies that work. It features strategies and approaches that we observed in 40 primary schools selected from across New Zealand. These schools came from a database of 129 schools, all with rolls of 200 or more, in which the proportion of students in the upper primary years (Years 5 to 8) achieving at or above the national standard had increased. In each case achievement levels were also above average for the decile.

  • Published: 01 Sep 2016

    An evaluation of Stand Children's Services: Children's Villages

    Until recently children with behavioural and social needs were referred to and attended one of six health camps situated across New Zealand. Each of the six health camps had an associated school attached. In 2008 ERO evaluated the quality of provisions for children at the health camps and identified significant areas that needed to improve. ERO recommended that the Ministry of Education examine the role of health camps and their schools within the wider network provision of services for students with moderate to severe behaviour difficulties. 

  • Published: 31 Oct 2014

    Evaluation of Teen Parent Units

    This report documents the findings of ERO's 2013 evaluation of Teen Parent Units. ERO found that most of the Units were operating well.

  • Published: 28 Aug 2013

    Schools’ Provision for International Students

    This national report is ERO’s seventh report about international students. This evaluation included 95 schools (both primary and secondary) and focused on five aspects in relation to international students – integration, progress and achievement, education programme, pastoral care, overall approach and self review.

  • 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: 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: 01 Sep 2008

    Partners in Learning: Good Practice

    This report complements ERO’s major evaluation, Partners in Learning: Schools’ Engagement with Parents, Whānau and Communities, published in May 2008. It presents case studies of eight schools, identified during ERO reviews, that were successful in engaging with their parents, whānau and the wider community. The report also discusses key factors that contribute to the success of this engagement.