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The Education Review Office (ERO), in partnership with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and the Office for Disability Issues (ODI), looked at how well the education system is supporting disabled learners in schools. We found that we need to improve education for disabled learners so they can thrive. This report describes what we found and what is needed to significantly improve education for these priority learners.

This ERO qualitative case study report undertaken on behalf of Oranga Tamariki captures the voices of children and their whanau who were recipients of the Social Workers in Schools (SWiS) service. SWiS is a government funded, community social work service provided in most English and Māori medium, decile 1-3 primary and intermediate schools.

Disabled learners have the right to enrol and receive a quality, inclusive education at their local school. When disabled learners receive a quality, inclusive education they are more likely to achieve better outcomes, are more likely to complete secondary schooling and to go on to further study and employment. This study looked at how well the education system is supporting disabled learners. It found we need to improve education for disabled learners so they can thrive.

There are a small number of schools in New Zealand that are failing to provide students with equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Students within these schools are not achieving expected academic outcomes.

Despite longitudinal reviews by the Education Review Office (ERO) and support from the Ministry of Education (The Ministry), some of these schools continue to make limited progress or may experience further decline.  The ERO and the Ministry identified the need for a different approach.

We wanted to find out what the biggest drivers for primary learners not attending are, and what works well to motivate them to turn up to class. In this guide, we share findings from our research, as well as some key actions that primary school teachers and leaders can take to support better attendance. 

We wanted to find out what the biggest drivers for secondary learners not attending are, and what works well to motivate them to turn up to class. In this guide we share findings from our research, as well as some key actions that secondary school teachers and leaders can take to support better attendance. 

ERO looked at how well the education system is supporting disabled learners in schools. This guide provides practical advice and real-life examples of good practice that will be useful for principals, senior leadership, and learning support leaders.

While there are a range of factors that impact on attendance, our research shows that some are more important than others. This report sets out the drivers of attendance that have the biggest impact on whether learners go to school regularly. These include parents’ attitudes, learners’ attitudes, and how learners experience school.  

This guide is for school leaders who have, or are considering referring learners to Alternative Education.

Going to school is critical for our children’s futures. The evidence is clear that every day of school matters, missing school leads to lower achievement.  In New Zealand, learners are expected to attend school every day the school is open. And yet many don’t. New Zealand has lower attendance than other countries and alarmingly attendance is falling.

ERO looked at how well the education system is supporting disabled learners in schools. This guide provides practical advice and real-life examples of good practice for teachers to support the inclusion and learning success of disabled learners at your school.

Since 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to schools, their staff, learners, and whānau. Three years on from the start of the pandemic, this report has found significant and concerning ongoing impacts on learners’ progress, particularly for learners in poorer communities, and on teachers and principals.

This article originally appeared in ERO Insights - Term 1, 2018 and explores how the ethnic diversity of the primary and secondary school roll has changed in New Zealand since 2009, and whether these changes are leading to more diverse or more segregated schools.