Education Review Office Report

Ministry of Education Media Release

17 September 2009

Education Review Office Report

A new Education Review Office report shows that most primary and secondary schools are progressing well in preparing to implement the New Zealand Curriculum next year.

“The report shows that in Terms 1 and 2 this year, 63 percent of secondary and 56 percent of primary schools were either well underway or ready to implement the curriculum in 2010,” Secretary of Education Karen Sewell said today.

“This is good progress from ERO’s findings in January this year, when the figures were 39 percent of primary schools and 44 percent of secondary schools,” she said.

Karen Sewell said that the Ministry expected schools to be at different stages of preparation, rather than all at the same stage at the same time.

“The Ministry will continue to assist with the framework for teaching and learning, but give schools the flexibility to work with their communities to develop their own programmes,” she said.

“It’s very encouraging to see that schools are consulting with their communities, developing their understanding of the curriculum’s key competencies, and making sure their assessment and reporting will fit well with the new curriculum,” she said.

Karen Sewell urged schools and communities to examine the full ERO report. “The latest report includes a summary of schools’ progress, case studies of schools successfully preparing for implementation, and a checklist of things for schools to consider from here,” she said.

She noted that one out of 31 secondary schools and two out of 256 primary schools reviewed had not yet started preparing for the curriculum. “These figures, while very low, are of concern to the Ministry, and will need more focused support before the end of this year,” she said.

Key findings of the ERO report include:
• 98 percent of schools reviewed in Terms 1 and 2 2009 had started preparing for implementation
• 63 percent of secondary and 56 percent of primary schools were either well underway or ready, compared to 44 and 39 percent in the previous review
• Schools are focusing on consultation with their communities, curriculum-related professional development, and developing their understanding and use of the key competencies
• All 31 secondary schools are offering the students to learn a second language
• School leadership, professional development, sound consultation with the community and self- review are key factors in successful preparation.

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