Forum looking at next steps for national standards

The Ministerial Cross-Sector Forum on Raising Achievement last week discussed the importance of quality data in raising achievement, and improving teaching practice with a focus on priority learners.

Education Minister and Forum chair, Hekia Parata, says a sub group tasked with looking at how National Standards data might be used to support student achievement outcomes reported back to the Forum with the principles of a recommended approach.

The broader Forum agreed that: the purpose of the data is to raise achievement for learners; that the reporting will be rich and contextual; that the information will be equally informative for parents as it is for the education system; that as the quality of information improves over time it will be increasingly useful; and that data will help inform where training and support is best provided to schools.

“National Standards information is public information but it needs to be presented in a meaningful and useful way that does not damage schools, and is focused on how student achievement can be raised,’’ says Ms Parata.

“This means coherent, rich and helpful National Standards data, together with contextual information, that will enable parents to know how well their child is doing, how well their school is doing, and for the Government how well the system as a whole is doing.’’

In addition to the National Standards discussion, Chief Education Review Officer Graham Stoop presented the latest Education Review Office findings on how to raise the quality of practice in New Zealand Schools.

His remarks focused on three dimensions: assessment for learning; student centred learning and responsive school level curriculum.

“The Forum will continue to discuss ideas around how we can achieve quality teaching practice, with a focus on priority learners,” says Ms Parata.

The Forum aims to provide collaborative cross-sector leadership and advice to the Minister on a quality achievement programme for education that will help meet the Government’s Better Public Service Targets of 98 per cent of new school entrants having participated in quality early childhood education and 85 per cent of 18 year-olds having achieved NCEA Level 2 or an equivalent qualification over five years.

The Forum, which includes representatives from primary and secondary schools, early learning and tertiary education sectors, unions, business, academics, iwi and educational experts, will meet monthly for the rest of the year.

Forum Membership
Patrick Walsh, President SPANZ
Gary Sweeney, President NZAIMS
Ian Leckie, National President NZEI
Para Meha, President Te Akatea – Maori Principals Associations
Pat Lynch, Chief Executive NZ Catholic Education Office & Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools
Paul Drummond, President New Zealand Principals Federation
Toni Waho, Tumuaki Te Runanganui o Nga Kura Kaupapa Maori
John Garner, President New Zealand Area Schools Association
Lorraine Kerr, President NZSTA
Robin Duff, President PPTA
Stuart Middleton, Director of External Relations Manukau Institute of Technology
Barbara Ala’alatoa, Representative Pacific Principals Association
David Langford, Principal Awapuni School
Anne Meade, Independent Consultant
Elizabeth McKinley, Director Starpath, University of Auckland – Starpath
Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, Trustee, Te Kohanga Reo National Trust
Iva Ropati, Principal Howick College
Nancy Bell, Chief Executive, Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/NZ Childcare Association
Graeme Daniel, President, Special Education Principals Association
Derek Wenmoth, Director of e-Learning, CORE Education Ltd
Barbara Cavanagh, Principal Albany Senior High School
Trevor McIntyre, Headmaster Christchurch Boys High School
Prof Gary Hawke, Victoria University
Carol Stovold, President New Zealand Home-based Early Childhood Association
Nadine Wishnowsky, New Zealand Playcentre Federation
Pem Bird, President Ngā Kura A Iwi
Deborah James, Chief Executive, Independent Schools
Phil O’Reilly, Chief Executive, Business New Zealand
Haami Piripi, Representative, Iwi Leaders Forum
John Langley, Chief Executive Cognition