title of the report - education review office six dimensions of a successful school ... school...

Framework for School Reviews

2014

Page | 1 Education Review Office - Framework for School Reviews

Contents ERO’s Framework for School Reviews ..................................................................................... 3

What is in the framework? .................................................................................................. 3

Why ERO reviews ..................................................................................................................... 4

Purpose of the review ......................................................................................................... 4

Accountability and improvement ........................................................................................ 4

What ERO reviews ................................................................................................................... 5

What the review considers .................................................................................................. 5

ERO’s major evaluative question ......................................................................................... 5

The six dimensions of a successful school ........................................................................... 5

National evaluation topics ................................................................................................... 5

Legal requirements .............................................................................................................. 6

ERO reviews – a complementary process ................................................................................ 7

Fair and transparent process ............................................................................................... 7

Preparing for the review .......................................................................................................... 8

Gathering information ......................................................................................................... 8

Scoping the review .............................................................................................................. 8

Relationships and conduct during reviews .............................................................................. 9

The ERO visit .......................................................................................................................... 12

Areas for development and review ................................................................................... 12

Consultation with the board of trustees ........................................................................... 12

ERO’s Report .......................................................................................................................... 13

Likely nature and timing of your school’s next review ...................................................... 13

Recommendations to other agencies: Interventions ........................................................ 13

ERO’s review principles .......................................................................................................... 14

Equity of Educational Opportunities and Outcomes ..................................................... 14

Enquiry-Focused............................................................................................................. 14

Responsive ..................................................................................................................... 14

Transparent .................................................................................................................... 14

Collaborative and Participatory ..................................................................................... 14

Informed by Evidence .................................................................................................... 15

Building Evaluation Capacity .......................................................................................... 15


The School’s Curriculum ........................................................................................................ 16

The New Zealand Curriculum ............................................................................................ 17

School curriculum design and review ................................................................................ 18

Teaching as Inquiry Cycle .................................................................................................. 18

Building evaluation capability ................................................................................................ 21

Self review: a continuum of understanding and practice ................................................. 22

Different types and cycles of self review ........................................................................... 23

Self-review processes ........................................................................................................ 24

Highly effective self review .................................................................................................... 25

In this section ..................................................................................................................... 27

Six Dimensions of a Successful School ........................................................................... 28

Diagram 5: The Six Dimensions of a Successful School ................................................. 28

ERO’s Key Evaluative Questions ........................................................................................ 29

Criteria for Review Timing Decisions ..................................................................................... 30

Next ERO review over the course of one-to-two years ..................................................... 31

Next ERO review in three years ......................................................................................... 32

Next ERO review in four-to-five years ............................................................................... 32

Table 2: Overall Evaluation Framework ............................................................................ 34


ERO’s Framework for School Reviews

The Framework for School Reviews is about the process the Education Review Office (ERO)

uses for reviews of state schools and kura that do not operate in accordance with the

principles of Te Aho Matua.

The Framework is a resource that both ERO and schools and kura can use during reviews. It

reflects ERO’s current review methodology and is a complementary document to ERO’s

Evaluation Indicators for School Reviews.

What is in the framework?

There are two parts to this framework. The first part focuses on the essential information

about the review and the school’s involvement.

Why ERO reviews

What ERO reviews

ERO reviews – a complementary process

Preparing for the review

Report and return times

The second part includes more detail about how ERO reviews and the thinking behind our

processes.

ERO’s review principles

The School’s Curriculum

Complementary evaluation and school self review/evaluation

Conceptual framework – the Six Dimensions of a Successful School

Criteria for Review Timing Decisions

Overall Evaluation Framework

Note: ERO’s reviews for private schools are different to reviews of state and

state-integrated schools, and for kura. ERO also has separate review procedures for

Te Aho Matua kura kaupapa Māori.


Why ERO reviews

Purpose of the review

An ERO review supports a school to strengthen its capacity to promote students’ learning

and achievement. The review process also aims to sustain ongoing development and

improvement through effective self review.

ERO is a government department providing independent external evaluation of schools and

early childhood services

Through its reviews ERO is able to provide assurance to the Government, parents and

communities about the quality of schools and early childhood services and the effective use

of public funds.

Children and young people are central to ERO’s approach. This is reflected in ERO’s

whakataukī and is the foundation for ERO’s vision and mission statement.

Accountability and improvement

ERO’s evaluation in schools has two purposes – accountability and educational

improvement.

Evaluation for accountability purposes involves reporting on goals and standards (including

checking on compliance matters), while an improvement focus involves assisting schools to

develop and improve through their self review.

ERO’s approach is to work with schools to identify both their strengths and areas for

development and review.


What ERO reviews

What the review considers

ERO’s review considers:

the school curriculum

school self review

national evaluation topics

the Board Assurance Statement

student health and safety

ERO’s major evaluative question

Reviews take the most useful aspects from external review and a school’s self review,

together with information about the school’s context, to build an overall picture of the

school. This helps ERO to answer the major evaluation question for reviews:

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote student learning - engagement,

progress and achievement?

In relation to ERO’s major evaluation question, ERO’s review framework is designed

to make it easier for schools to see:

what they are doing well

where they need to develop and review

implications for future action.

The six dimensions of a successful school

The review focuses on the quality of education provided by the school. This involves

evaluating the impact of governance and management, professional leadership and

teaching on your students’ learning and achievement. This is set out in the diagram the Six

Dimensions of a Successful School – this is a useful tool for ERO and schools.

National evaluation topics

During reviews in individual schools, ERO collects information on national evaluation topics.

This information is brought together and analysed so it can be published in a national

report. The findings from these reviews influence national debate and support the

Government in the development and implementation of education policy and practice.


ERO’s national evaluation programme reflects current education issues. Some topics are

ongoing, such as Success for Māori Students, while others are investigated for a short

period of time. Current national evaluation topics are on ERO’s website.

Legal requirements

Providing a safe and healthy learning and working environment and complying with

statutory legislation and legal requirements are important responsibilities of schools. For

this reason ERO evaluates the school's provision of a safe and healthy learning and working

environment and the board's compliance with statutory legislation and legal requirements.

ERO's Board Assurance Statement (BAS) and Self-Audit Checklist, completed before the

review, provides an opportunity for the school systematically review these aspects of

school performance and to provide assurance that all reasonable steps have been taken to

meet legal and health and safety requirements.

ERO checks the board's compliance as attested in the BAS. If this indicates any significant

problems, ERO may decide to investigate further. ERO's main interest in compliance is to do

with the quality of the school's self review. Any non-compliance not identified by the board

and discovered by ERO may be included in the ERO report and, if significant, may result in a

further review. ERO decides on a case-by-case basis whether or not to report non-

compliance issues identified by the board.

ERO also checks six key areas to do with student safety. These are:

emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)

physical safety of students teacher registration processes for appointing staff stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions attendance


ERO reviews – a complementary process

ERO’s review process is a differentiated and complementary evaluation approach. It

provides external evaluation that responds to a school’s context and uses and builds on

each school’s capacity for self review.

Differentiated reviews build responsive, professional and productive relationships between

ERO and schools. Differentiated reviews aim to build on school strengths and self review

capacity and capability and ensure that ERO’s review findings are useful and used.

At the school level the differentiated review approach is:

o centred on learners

o responsive to school context and self review

o development and improvement focused

At the education system level the differentiated approach is:

o responsive to government education priorities

o focussed on learners, specifically Māori and Pacific learners, and students with

special learning needs

o promotes sustainability through building capacity in self review

Fair and transparent process

ERO education reviews are fair and transparent. ERO reviewers are professional evaluators

with many years of experience in education, and specific training in evaluation. All reviews

are underpinned by seven key principles and are carried out in accordance with:

Standard of Integrity and Conduct (State Services Commission)

Expectations of Review Officers (ERO Code of Conduct)

It is important that ERO and schools have a common understanding of relationships and

conduct during reviews. ERO’s Information Exchange table has more information about

these relationships and ERO’s expectations of schools.


Preparing for the review

The starting point for ERO’s evaluation will be what the school knows about its students’

learning and progress and how they have used that information to design and develop a

curriculum that is responsive to students’ diverse educational strengths and needs.

ERO will also evaluate how well positioned the school is to sustain developments and

continue to improve outcomes for all students.

The Information Exchange table is a useful guide as to what ERO will do and what ERO

expects from schools before, during and after the process.

Gathering information

In preparation for a review, a school needs to consider its self-review information and how

to present it to the ERO team.

In addition to school self-review data, the School’s Charter and targets for students and the

completed Board Assurance Statement and Self Audit Checklist will be useful information

for the ERO review team. ERO will also send a pre-review questionnaire for the school to

complete before the review.

ERO gathers information from other sources including interviews with school staff,

students, parents and whānau, documentation and observation. Schools are expected to

seek the views of students and parents as part of their ongoing community consultation

and self review.

Scoping the review

The review coordinator and team will work with the school’s board and leadership team to

establish a shared commitment to the review process. This is vital for the school to gain the

maximum benefit from the review.

The school’s board and leadership could consider who they would like to be involved in the

review process. This may include someone from outside the school who has good

knowledge of the school’s self-review processes and context and can contribute to the

school’s self review both during and after the review.


Relationships and conduct during reviews

It is important for ERO and schools to have a common understanding of relationships and conduct in reviews. The following table summarises how ERO

manages relationships and processes in reviews, and sets out ERO’s expectations of schools.

Table 1: Information Exchange

ERO will:

make information about the review process and the review criteria available to each school and will provide the pre-review questionnaire, Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists and Evaluation Indicators

ask the school to complete a questionnaire. This gives ERO contextual background and information about student engagement, progress and achievement

use the results of the school’s self review and analysis of student achievement as the starting point for the design of the review

give the school opportunities to ask questions about the review process

invite school staff including the board to discuss the school’s progress and curriculum in relation to ERO’s major evaluation question and the Government’s education priorities. This usually takes place shortly before or at the beginning of the onsite stage.

ERO expects the school to:

make all relevant information available to ERO including self-review results and the school’s analysis of student achievement

complete the Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists

complete and return the Pre-review questionnaire and other information about the school

work constructively with the review team to give access to information on site

facilitate discussions with members of the board, school management, staff and students.

Before going to a school ERO will:

conduct the initial scoping for the review using the school’s and publicly available information about student achievement and self review.


notify the school community that a review is scheduled to take place


Designing the Review

ERO will:

discuss the design of the review with the school and take into account its suggestions

keep the school informed about the evolving design of the review.


discuss the aspects of its policies, practices and plans that are having a high impact on teaching and learning and student achievement, and the material they have gathered from self-review information

share information about the school’s process/approach to self review.

The Review

ERO will:

carry out the on-site stage of the review with a focus on student achievement and curriculum

discuss emerging findings

reach judgements based on evidence

outline its findings to the school

outline the evidential basis for key findings

in consultation with the school, decide on ways to effect improvement in student achievement.


participate in the review by presenting self-review material and explanations to help review officers understand the context of the school

be involved in discussions about emerging findings

work constructively with review teams to identify the implications for action, areas for development and review and to develop any recommendations or actions for compliance based on ERO’s findings.

Reporting


ERO will:

report areas of strength, areas for development and review, implications for action and any recommendation/s

write an unconfirmed report that answers ERO’s major evaluation question

give schools an opportunity to consider the unconfirmed report

confirm the report and send it to the board of trustees

release its report publicly two weeks after confirmation and publish it on ERO’s website.


have the board of trustees and principal consider the unconfirmed report and respond to any errors of fact

make the confirmed report available to the school community

address the areas for development and review, and recommendations in the report.


The ERO visit

The length of ERO’s visit will vary. Review officers will want to gather all relevant

information and discuss their findings with the school as these emerge during the review.

Review officers will visit some classrooms as part of the review.

Areas for development and review

Where appropriate, ERO will identify and discuss with the school areas for development

and review. These areas are identified to support improvement where it is likely to have a

direct and positive impact on student achievement.

In some cases a single, specific course of action might not be the most useful response to a

particular problem. In these cases ERO and the board may consider a range of options or

ideas and through discussion choose the most appropriate strategy or strategies.

Consultation with the board of trustees

Considering possible courses of action and /or developing recommendations is a key

outcome of the review process. ERO and the board work together to consider options and

ideas that are practical and achievable. The review team may still make recommendations

even if the discussions with the board are not successful in reaching agreement about the

areas for development and review.


ERO’s Report

ERO’s report sets out the findings of the review. The report is intended primarily for the

parent and whānau audience and will be clear and succinct. The report will reflect ERO’s

focus on the learner.

The report addresses ERO’s major evaluative question and the Government’s national

education priorities to do with Māori and Pacific students.

The report will discuss:

how effectively the school’s curriculum promotes and supports student

learning engagement, progress and achievement

how well placed the school is to sustain, improve and develop its performance

through effective self review

how well the school promotes Māori student success as Māori

the important features of the school that have an impact on student learning.

The report will include what is working well and any areas for development and review,

ERO’s decision regarding the timing of future reviews of the school and any

recommendations to other agencies.

Likely nature and timing of your school’s next review

The review team formulates judgements about the school’s performance and capacity to

maintain a sustainable cycle of self review and improvement. These judgements, in

conjunction with ERO’s criteria, form the basis of ERO’s decisions regarding the likely nature

and timing of your school’s future reviews.

The review team makes decisions about the timing of future reviews in consultation with a

manager. Where a one-to-two year return time is being recommended, the review

coordinator may discuss the timing of the next review with the board before the

unconfirmed ERO report has been sent to the school.

Recommendations to other agencies: Interventions

Probably the most frequent recommendation by ERO to other agencies will be a

recommendation to the Ministry of Education related to an intervention.

The Education Act 1989 provides for a range of statutory interventions to help the Ministry

of Education identify and respond to difficulties in schools, especially where student

welfare or learning is at risk. The interventions allow the Ministry to step in at an early

stage to support schools where needed. The Ministry can, on its own initiative, decide to

intervene or the board of trustees can ask for Ministry help.


Where the intervention is being recommended by ERO the expectation is that the Ministry

will discuss the nature of the intervention with the board of trustees. The interventions are

set out in Part 7A of the Education Act 1989. More than one intervention can be used at

the same time, or one can follow another.

ERO’s review principles

All of ERO’s Education Reviews are underpinned by the following principles. Although the

review principles are discussed separately below they interact and overlap in the course of

a review.

Equity of Educational Opportunities and Outcomes

A first principle of Education Reviews is to promote equity of educational opportunities and

outcomes for all students, with particular reference to Māori and Pacific students and

students with special needs. This principle will be emphasised in each school review

through discussion about how and to what extent the school has improved equity of

educational opportunity and outcomes for particular groups of students.

Enquiry-Focused

Education Reviews embody the principle that enquiry, through action and reflection, should

underpin the progressive development of a school’s self-improving cycle. This supports the

school’s ongoing efforts to sustain its development initiatives and to raise student

achievement. The starting point for all reviews will be an evaluation of the school’s own

enquiry focuses and processes.

Responsive

ERO takes account of each school’s unique context, situation and circumstances and of the

diverse perspectives of stakeholders. The review process is continuously responsive to

emerging findings and developments. ERO’s principle of responsiveness involves

responding in the first instance to the school’s own account of its context for learning and

teaching, and its capability and capacity for self review.

Transparent

At all stages of its reviews ERO makes its evaluation processes, analyses, interpretations,

decisions and conclusions transparent. This transparency supports fairness of process and

builds trust and confidence in review processes and outcomes and contributes to building

capacity in self review.

Collaborative and Participatory

Collaborative and constructive relationships are critical in establishing the trust necessary

for effective formative evaluation to be undertaken. A collaborative, participatory

approach encourages the participation of stakeholders and helps to ensure that the review

generates new insights for the school and strengthens its capacity for ongoing development

and improvement. In addition, stakeholders take greater ownership of the evaluation

processes, and the outcomes of the review are more likely to be useful and used.


Informed by Evidence

ERO’s judgements about school performance are always appropriately informed by

evidence gathered through the review process. Evidence is defined as the material or

information that is used to support a finding, fact or judgement. Evidence positions

material or information within the context of a theory or hypothesis.

Because the starting point for ERO reviews is the school’s own information and evidence

generated through self review, ERO’s evaluation focuses on evaluating the breadth of the

school’s evidence and the extent to which the school’s self-review processes are

systematic, trustworthy and credible.

Building Evaluation Capacity

ERO is the external partner in a complementary process that combines the generative

power of external review and school self review. The aim of all reviews is to build the

school’s capacity for self review.

Through the Education Review process ERO and the school can determine the

school’s existing capacity and capability for self review. This is the basis for further

development of the school’s evaluation capacity and promotes ongoing

development.


The School’s Curriculum

ERO’s evaluation places the school’s curriculum and the student at the heart of ERO’s reviews:

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote student learning - engagement, progress

and achievement?

ERO defines the term curriculum broadly to encompass all the learning experiences that a student

encounters in the school environment.

The starting point for ERO’s evaluation is what the school knows about students’ learning and how it

has used that information to design and develop a curriculum that is responsive to students’ diverse

educational strengths and needs. ERO also evaluates how well-positioned each school is to continue

improving all students’ learning so that they can become “confident, connected, actively involved,

lifelong learners”


The New Zealand Curriculum

The New Zealand Curriculum sets the direction for student learning. It provides guidance for

each school to design its own curriculum based on The New Zealand Curriculum. Schools

tailor their own curriculum to suit their particular context and to promote the learning and

achievement of their students.

The New Zealand Curriculum is underpinned by principles. These principles are the

foundation of curriculum decision-making in New Zealand schools and “put students at the

centre of teaching and learning, asserting that they should experience a curriculum that

engages and challenges them, is forward looking and inclusive and affirms New Zealand’s

unique identity” (The New Zealand Curriculum p 9).

The New Zealand Curriculum sets out the values, key competencies, learning areas and

effective pedagogies that are the basis for teaching and learning in New Zealand’s schools.

Each school’s curriculum is expected to encompass the vision, principles, and values, key

competencies, learning areas, effective pedagogy and achievement objectives of The New

Zealand Curriculum.


School curriculum design and review

ERO’s evaluation considers how schools use ‘the scope, flexibility and authority’ of The New Zealand

Curriculum to design and shape a curriculum that is meaningful and that effectively promotes

student learning - engagement, progress and achievement.

ERO’s Evaluation Indicators clarify the basis on which ERO evaluates student learning – engagement,

progress and achievement (Evaluation Indicators for School Reviews pp15-19).

Diagram 1 outlines a process schools can use in

developing and reviewing curriculum. It shows that the

primary function of the curriculum is to improve student

learning and that each phase of the cycle provides the

information, resources and basis for the next stage.

Diagram 1: Curriculum Development Cycle

ERO’s discussion about a school’s curriculum can start at any point in the process and can work

forwards or backwards. Most importantly, this cycle of development does not stop. When one cycle

has been completed a school will already find it has reviewed and embarked on the next cycle. The

changes made as a result of the first cycle will produce new information about the strengths and

needs of students, and so the process begins again.

The school’s self-review information about the impact its curriculum is having on promoting and

improving student learning is central to curriculum review and to ERO’s review. Curriculum design

and review is a major component of all schools’ self-review/evaluation processes.

Teaching as Inquiry Cycle

The curriculum development and review cycle is closely aligned to the Teaching as Inquiry cycle. The

purpose of the Teaching as Inquiry cycle is to improve outcomes for students. It is a process that

enables teachers to learn from their practice and build their knowledge. You can find more

information about Teaching as Inquiry by clicking on the link above.


Self review

Self review in schools plays an important role in promoting achievement, and in school improvement

and development. A school’s self-review information is a critical part of a review and informs ERO’s

overall judgement about the school.

This section gives information about the different stages and types of self review, self-review

processes and what highly effective self review looks like.

Building evaluation capability

Self review: a continuum of understanding and practice

Self review in schools

Different types and cycles of self review

Self-review processes

Highly effective self review


Building evaluation capability

ERO uses its external evaluation process to support school development and build the capacity and

capability of schools to undertake ongoing internal evaluation (self review) for both improvement

and accountability.

ERO helps build schools’ evaluation capability through:

making its own external review processes transparent

modelling evaluation practice

encouraging participation in ERO’s evaluation process

evaluating the school’s self review processes

the participation of school leaders in evaluation design, analysis and synthesis processes

providing tools (e.g. examples of evaluation questions and indicators) and discussing

resources that schools can use in their self review


Self review: a continuum of understanding and practice

The following diagram represents self-evaluation/ review as a developmental continuum moving

from the early stages of development to a more effective and capacity building form.

Diagram 2: Self review: a continuum of understanding and practice


Different types and cycles of self review

Just as there are a number of different and overlapping purposes for school self review there are

also a number of different types and cycles of self review that interact and overlap.

Diagram 3 describes the connection between the different cycles of strategic, regular and

spontaneous self review.

Diagram 3: Types of self review

Strategic self review is long term an overarching form of self review, which focuses on evaluating

how well a school is achieving its mission, vision and strategic goals and can support decisions about

school direction and priorities.

Regular (or planned) self reviews are about ‘business as usual’ reviews. They are smaller, focused

and ongoing. This kind of self review feeds information into strategic self review.

Emergent (or spontaneous) self reviews are in response to unplanned events or issues as they arise.

They are one-off spontaneous reviews but should fit with the school’s overall goals and feed into

other reviews.


It needs to be noted that the different types and cycles of self review/evaluation described here will

be enacted in different ways depending on the school’s unique situation and context.

Self-review processes

Self review involves deciding on a focus, gathering and collecting data/ information to find out what

is happening, analysing and synthesising the data and deciding what was worthwhile, what has been

learnt and where to next.

At its simplest self review/evaluation can be simply described as the following set of linked questions

and processes. Although depicted and discussed as a sequence these processes are not necessarily

discrete and can and do overlap and interact.

What is so? So what? Now what?

Data Analysis Decisions

Data: The school gathers raw or aggregated data - hard (quantitative/numerical) and soft

(qualitative/narrative). This shows “what is” or “what is happening.”

Analysis: Data are turned into information which is analysed to give meaning to the raw data

allowing schools to make statements or comparisons.

Decisions: The information is used to support judgements (how well/to what extent), to make

decisions (if this is so, then we need to …) and to determine priorities (the most compelling need is

…).

A school’s self review will involve all three processes to establish a continuous cycle of school and

curriculum development and improvement.


Diagram 4: From data to decisions

Highly effective self review

Between 2008 and 2010 ERO undertook consultation and evaluation focused on the understanding

and implementation of self review in schools and early childhood services.

ERO found that high quality self review:

was strongly focused on improvement and with well-established procedures to guide

practice

served both improvement and accountability purposes

was characterised by shared understandings about self review

was embedded in practice and an integral and ongoing process

had a clear focus

was both planned and spontaneous

included scheduled policy reviews and more in-depth reviews of specific areas of practice

included spontaneous reviews which were responsive to emerging issues.

The factors that support high quality self review are:

strong leadership to promote self review

professional development to support self review

stable and collaborative staff

sound, sustainable systems for self review

use of relevant resources and support systems.

The school gatheris raw or aggregated data.

Some of the data will be quantitative/numerical and

some will be qualitative/narrative. The

data describes “what is” or what is happening.

The school turns the data into information.

It explains what this means.

The school uses this information as evidence to support judgements (how

well/to what extent),

and to draw implications for action and decide priorities.


For further information about effective school self review ERO’s Evaluation Indicators for Schools.


ERO’s Conceptual Framework for School Reviews

ERO’s conceptual framework for school reviews is based on analysis of ERO’s national evaluations,

synthesis of New Zealand research (in particular the Best Evidence Syntheses) and international

research and current evaluation theory and practice.

The framework is based on six dimensions of good schooling practice. ERO’s Evaluation Indicators for

Schools provide further in depth information including the evaluative questions, prompts and

indicators for each of the six dimensions. The conceptual framework together with ERO’s Evaluation

Indicators for Schools can:

assist schools in self review

assist ERO and schools to identify and discuss how the different dimensions of the school

work together to promote student learning and achievement.

In this section

Six Dimensions of a Successful School

ERO’s Key Evaluative Questions


Six Dimensions of a Successful School

The Six Dimensions of a Successful School (Diagram 4) shows how student achievement connects to

effective governance, professional leadership, high quality teaching, school culture and engagement

with parents, whānau and communities. All of the six dimensions directly or indirectly contribute to

creating the conditions that promote student learning and achievement.

The diagram is not a ‘logic model’ showing detailed causal relationships, but a tool to assist schools

and ERO to determine how the different dimensions connect in a particular school. It should be

possible to trace a relationship between each dimension and student achievement.

A useful exercise for schools is to consider the key dimensions and the specific ways in which each

can influence the others. The process of ERO and the school working together in tracing the links

may be useful not only in deciding what to include and what to exclude, but also to clarify what is

material to the ERO review.

It may also help schools and ERO to identify sources of information and aspects of school life that

ERO needs to view in order to make sound evaluation judgements.

Diagram 5: The Six Dimensions of a Successful School


ERO’s Key Evaluative Questions

ERO’s major evaluation question focuses on the central dimension of the framework:

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote student learning - engagement, progress and

achievement?

Schools and ERO will want to look at the key evaluative questions and criteria that apply to the

dimensions and decide how they link together to contribute to student learning - engagement,

progress and achievement in each school context. To decide if a school has the capacity to sustain

and continue improving learning for students ERO considers information from across the six

dimensions using the school’s self review and findings from ERO’s inquiries.

Diagram 6: Key Evaluative Questions


Criteria for Review Timing Decisions

ERO decides the timing of the next review based on the outcome of its Education Review of a

school/kura. Subsequent changes in circumstances may lead to a review taking place earlier than

indicated.

There are three options for the timing of the next ERO Education Review:

over the course of one-to-two years – Education Review: Arotake Paetawhiti

in three years – Education Review: Arotake Paerewa

in four-to-five years – Education Review: Arotake Paehiranga.


ERO's decisions about the timing of reviews are based on the criteria below. The criteria are

designed to facilitate national consistency. The criteria do not apply to private schools.

ERO expects to review most schools again in three years.

The decision about the timing of the next review is made in consultation between each review team

and an ERO Review Services Manager and/or National Manager Review Services. The return timing is

stated in the unconfirmed report.

Where an Arotake Paetawhiti is being recommended, the review coordinator may discuss the timing

of the next review with the board chairperson, board of trustees and principal before the

unconfirmed report is sent to the school.

Next ERO review over the course of one-to-two years

Education Review: Arotake Paetawhiti

ERO will decide to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years where there is

evidence that gives ERO cause for concern about the education and safety of students with regard to

one or more of the following:

Student engagement, progress and achievement

Māori student engagement, progress and achievement

Provision of effective teaching

Leadership and management

Governance

The provision of a safe and inclusive school culture

Engagement of parents, whānau and communities.

In addition, ERO will return over the course of one-to-two years where, in ERO’s view, the board

needs external intervention at either a statutory or lower level to bring about the desired

improvement.

If a Limited Statutory Manager (LSM) or commissioner or other Ministry of Education intervention

was in place at the time of the review or is being recommended, the timing of the review is decided

case-by-case in consultation with a National Manager Review Services.

Factors that may influence the duration of an Arotake Paetawhiti will include the extent to which the

school has:

useful or appropriate documented plans for improvement

a likelihood of stable governance and management over the next two years

a board focus on improvement

evidence of self-review practices that are helping to lift student achievement and are

likely to support school improvement.


Next ERO review in three years

Education Review : Arotake Paerewa

The majority of schools will come into this category.

With reference to ERO’s Framework for School Reviews - The Six Dimensions of a Successful School

and Evaluation Indicators for School Reviews, ERO will next review the school in three years where it

finds that the school’s curriculum is effective in promoting student learning, engagement, progress

and achievement.

Good performance, with aspects of high quality performance, will be evident and ERO will have no

material concerns about the education and safety of students.

Overall, the school will demonstrate that:

learners experience a well-designed curriculum that provides them with choices and

pathways and supports their successful transition through schooling and on to further

education and training

learners, including priority groups of learners, are actively engaged in their learning and

are progressing and achieving well

Māori learners are actively engaged in their learning, progressing and achieving well and

succeeding as Māori

there is a culture of high expectations for students and staff

critical reflection and established processes for conducting and using self review support

improvement

leadership is effective in promoting student learning and achievement

teaching demonstrates good quality practices, makes good use of student achievement

information and is consistently effective in promoting outcomes for students

the school has taken all reasonable steps to provide a safe and inclusive environment

governance uses good processes for self review, direction setting and decision-making,

and to ensure school accountabilities are met

the school effectively engages the community in the life of the school.

Next ERO review in four-to-five years

Education Review: Arotake Paehiranga

With reference to ERO’s Framework for School Reviews - The Six Dimensions of a Successful School

and Evaluation Indicators for School Reviews, ERO will next review the school in four-to-five years

where it finds that the school’s curriculum is consistently effective in promoting student learning –

engagement, progress and achievement.


High quality performance will be evident and ERO will have no material concerns about the

education and safety of students.

Overall, the school will convincingly demonstrate that:

learners experience a coherent and rich curriculum that provides them with relevant choices

and pathways and supports their successful transition through schooling and on to further

education and training

learners are actively engaged in their learning, and are progressing and achieving well; and

the progress of priority groups of learners is being accelerated

Māori learners are actively engaged in their learning, progressing and achieving well and

succeeding as Māori

there is a well-sustained culture of high expectations for students and staff

a school-wide culture of rigorous critical reflection and self review contributes effectively to

sustaining the school’s positive performance and continuous improvement

leadership is highly effective and strategic, and is consistently improving student learning

and achievement

teaching consistently demonstrates high quality practices, makes very good use of student

achievement information, and is highly effective in promoting outcomes for learners

the school has taken all reasonable steps to provide a safe and inclusive environment

governance is highly effective in self review, direction setting, decision-making and ensuring

school accountabilities are met

the school is highly effective in engaging the community in partnerships for learning and in

the life of the school.


Table 2: Overall Evaluation Framework

ERO’s overarching evaluation question can be teased out into three broad investigative strands (See Table 2). These strands focus on evaluating the school’s capability to build and sustain improvement and design, enact and review a curriculum that effectively promotes student learning, progress and achievement. The questions under each of the investigative strands are useful for your school to consider.

The questions under each of the strands in Table 2 are indicative only. Reviewers and schools may devise different questions to suit the context of the review. ERO’s Evaluation Indicators provide a resource for generating evaluative questions.

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote student learning - engagement,


Curriculum design,

enactment and review

Student progress

and achievement

Capability

and sustainability

How effectively is the school’s

curriculum designed, enacted and

reviewed to respond to the strengths

and needs of all students and promote

their progress and achievement?

How well are students engaged in learning?

How well are students achieving?

How well are students progressing?

How robust is the information the school

gathers and uses for making judgements

about student achievement?

How well do students, teachers, school

leaders, trustees and parents use

achievement information?

To what extent is the school using its

teaching, leadership and governance

capability to sustain ongoing

improvement and promote progress and

achievement for all students?

What are the school’s processes, findings and outcomes of self review?

Areas for investigation include:

How have the school’s curriculum

priorities (including content and

context) been determined?

How well is the school giving effect to

its curriculum?

What are the links between The New

Zealand Curriculum and the school

curriculum?

What learning opportunities, activities

and experiences does the school

provide to promote the learning of all


What do students know about their

achievement and what they need to do to

improve?

How well do teachers use achievement

information to provide focused teaching and

make judgements about student

achievement and rates of progress?

How well is information used to report to

parents in plain language about their child’s


What information do parents receive about


How does the school determine its

strategic priorities?

How well are resources used to support

the curriculum and teaching and

learning?

What do teachers, school leaders and

trustees know about:

their school community and context;

their roles and responsibilities;

the areas the board and school need to improve; and

assessment practices and


students?

How well is assessment information

being used as a basis for ongoing

curriculum development and review?

how to support their child’s learning?

What are the specific outcomes in terms of

students’ engagement progress and

achievement?

What information do trustees receive about

student achievement?

How well do trustees and school leaders use

student achievement information to identify

priorities, establish strategic direction, build

capability and sustain improvement?

student achievement?

How well does the school use this

information to sustain and promote

ongoing improvement?

Success for Māori students Success for Pacific students International students

Using assessment information to promote student progress and achievement

and any other national evaluation topics

title of the report - education review office six dimensions of a successful school ... school...

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