Principal slams ERO report

Media Release
- For immediate release -

Principal slams ERO report
- Hora Hora Primary School -

Whangarei principal Pat Newman has slammed the latest ERO report, which says hundreds of schools have no idea how well their students are achieving.

Newman, a former president of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation, believes the report shows more about the ERO’s obsession with paperwork and forms, than the reality in schools.

“ERO should know that, for the age range they have damned, most reports to parents rely heavily upon face to face discussion and explanation. That process is backed up by records and examples of children’s work. To say that kind of information is not useful is utterly wrong.”

Newman says this kind of report is indicative of the ERO. “Over the years, schools have had to put up with ERO reports that refuse to accept evidence unless it is on paper - even when they could actually see things happening. That is why they have criticised so many schools in this latest report, and that’s unfair.”

Newman points out that our students rate extremely well in internatinal studies. “If, as the ERO states, our schools are not using data effectively to plan change and cover children’s needs, how is it that New Zealand schools rank in the top six of all OECD countries for overall education? This ranking is despite more and more social responsibilities being foisted on schools by ‘do gooder office wallahs’ and politicians.”

Newman goes on to say, “I place more value on what my community says about the information we give them, than what some government agency tells me. Perhaps if ERO officers actually had more current and principalship experience, they would have the ability to think outside of their rather narrow focus, and be of some use to schools.”

“It is no wonder that many schools now look at ERO visits as unnecessary intrusions by people whom we often don’t have a lot of confidence in.”

ENDS

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