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This report presents the findings of three online surveys about the current provision of guidance and counselling in schools with students in Years 9 to 13. This is the first phase of work being undertaken by ERO as part of the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project.

The Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project aims to improve the mental health of young people aged 12 to 19 years. One initiative of this project is a national evaluation of the current provision of guidance and counselling in schools.

The Education Review Office (ERO) evaluated how well 44 schools and five wharekura provided guidance and counselling for students.

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 existing curriculum. Timely professional development for teachers and positive community connections also enhanced schools’ ability to integrate the digital technologies curriculum.

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.

ERO examined what barriers and enablers have influenced schools’ preparation for implementation of the new Digital Technologies and Hangarau Maihiko curriculum. The report also alerts school leaders to the need to engage with the curriculum content with the urgency required to meet the January 2020 deadline for implementation.

In this evaluation, ERO met with newly graduated teachers (NGTs) and leaders in early learning services and schools to find out how confident and prepared NGTs were as a result of their ITE programme.