ERO School Reviews and the National Standards - Questions and Answers

Date: 14/09/2011

August 2011

Question 1: When did ERO start reporting that schools had been found, during a review, not to be complying with the National Standards?
Answer: We’ve been reporting this since Term 2, 2011 – in individual ERO reports.

Question 2: Will ERO change the schedule of reviews so that it will go earlier to schools deemed not to be complying with the National Standards?
Answer: We will review schools according to our schedule. We could also be asked by the Ministry of Education or others to undertake a special review in a school.

Question 3: What return review timing will ERO give schools that are not implementing the National Standards?
Answer: ERO’s return timing is decided on a risk assessment process, taking all aspects into account. If we find, or are given, sound information that the school is not obeying the law that would feed into this process and may influence the timing of the next review. The student is always the focal point of an ERO review, and ERO will make decisions on the basis of what is best for students.

Note: Schools that would not meet the criteria for a 4-5 year review return are those:

• that do not comply with the National Standards
• whose process charter target was mandated by the Secretary for Education, or
• that are not reporting Mathematics, Reading and Writing achievement in relation to the National Standards to parents and whānau of Years 1-8 students.

In these cases, ERO would have concerns about aspects of the six dimensions of good practice ERO uses to indicate an effective school. National Standards are part of the National Administration Guideline 2 and therefore part of the law. Four-to-five year returns are given to schools with exemplary practice, and by definition a school that either chooses not to comply, or is not able to, could not be exemplary.

Question 4: At what point during a review would ERO refer a non-compliant school to the Ministry of Education?

Answer: Confirmed ERO reports go to the Ministry of Education, and that is when the Ministry would find out that ERO has deemed a school to be not complying. The Ministry will, of course, have information on schools other than that in ERO reports.

Question 5: What about schools that are not yet able or ready to comply with the Standards?
Answer: The Standards are being phased in over three years. This gives all teachers and school leaders time to develop and implement the Standards. ERO will investigate and report progress on the implementation and integration of the National Standards in each school. Where extra help is needed, ERO will say so in its report.

Review return timing criteria is on ERO’s website.