• the National Education Goals
• the National Curriculum Statements
• the National Administration Guidelines

The National Education Goals

These are the Government’s goals for the New Zealand state education system, expressed as statements of desirable achievements for schools to work towards. They:

• emphasise the significance of a broad and balanced curriculum in student achievement and development
• recognise the importance of equal educational opportunities for all
• acknowledge the vital role of parents as children’s first teachers
• stress the significance of establishing clear objectives for students’ learning and of using appropriate assessment procedures
• require particular consideration of those with special needs
• reinforce the place of an internationally acknowledged qualification system
• encourage respect for the ethnic diversity of New Zealand
• contain specific references to Maori students and Maori initiatives.

The ten goals are:

1. The highest standards of achievement, through programmes which enable all students to realise their full potential as individuals, and to develop the values needed to become full members of New Zealand society.
2. Equality of education opportunity for all New Zealanders, by identifying and removing barriers to achievement.
3. Development of the knowledge, understanding and skills needed by New Zealanders to compete successfully in the modern, ever-changing world.
4. A sound foundation in the early years for future learning and achievement through programmes which included support for parents in their vital role as their children’s first teachers.
5. A broad education through a balanced curriculum covering essential learning areas with high levels of competence in basic literacy and numeracy, science and technology.
6. Excellence achieved through the establishment of clear learning objectives, monitoring student performance against those objectives, and programmes to meet individual need.
7. Success in their learning for those with special needs by ensuring that they are identified and receive appropriate support.
8. Access for students to a nationally and internationally recognised qualifications system to encourage a high level of participation in post-school education in New Zealand.
9. Increased participation and success by Maori through the achievement of Maori education initiatives, including education in Te Reo Maori, consistent with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
10. Respect for the diverse ethnic and cultural heritage of New Zealand people, with acknowledgement of the unique place of Maori, and New Zealand’s role in the Pacific and as a member of the international community of nations.

National Curriculum Statements

National curriculum statements are based on The New Zealand Curriculum Framework which was published in 1993. This document states the principles that give direction to all teaching and learning, identifies essential learning areas and essential skills for all students and indicates the place of attitudes and values in the school curriculum. There are seven essential learning areas:

• Language and Languages
• Mathematics
• Science
• Technology
• Social Sciences
• The Arts
• Health and Physical Well-being.

It is intended that there will be one national curriculum statement for each essential learning area. A parallel series of national curriculum statements is being developed for students who learn through the medium of the Maori language.

National curriculum statements are statements of the desirable levels of knowledge, understanding, and skills that all students must have the opportunity to achieve. They specify achievement objectives for eight levels, and they also include suggested learning and assessment examples that could be included in school programmes.

As at January 1997, the following statements have been prepared:

• Mathematics in the New Zealand Curriculum (1992)
• Science in the New Zealand Curriculum (1993)
• English in the New Zealand Curriculum (1994)
• Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum (1995)
• Social Studies in the New Zealand Curriculum (draft 1996)

Parallel statements for students who learn in Maori:

• Pangarau i roto i te Marautanga o Aotearoa (1996)
• Putaiao i roto i te Marautanga o Aotearoa (1996)
• Te Reo Maori i roto i te Marautanga o Aotearoa (1996)
• Tikanga-a-iwi i roto i te Marautanga o Aotearoa (draft 1997)

National Administration Guidelines

The National Administration Guidelines are addressed to boards of trustees and they list requirements that are fundamentally for the benefit of students. They support learning and assist schools to work towards the National Education Goals by encouraging boards and principals to follow sound governance and management principles.

The National Administration Guidelines provide direction in six areas of school operations:

• curriculum requirements
• employer responsibilities
• financial and property management
• documentation and self-review
• health and safety
• administration

Further details on the National Administration Guidelines are found in the relevant legislation, appropriate contracts of employment, property occupancy documents and, from time to time, guidelines promulgated by the Secretary for Education. The following guidelines were published in the New Zealand Gazette no. 58, 1993.

1. Boards of Trustees must foster student achievement by providing a balanced curriculum in accordance with the National Curriculum Statements. In order to provide a balanced programme, each Board, through the Principal and staff, will be required to:
   1. implement learning programmes based upon the underlying principles, the stated essential learning areas and skills, and the national achievement objectives; and
   2. monitor student progress against the national achievement objectives; and
   3. analyse barriers to learning and achievement; and
   4. develop and implement strategies which address identified learning needs in order to overcome barriers to students’ learning; and
   5. assess student achievement, maintain individual records and report on student progress; and
   6. provide appropriate career information and guidance for all students, with a particular emphasis on specific career guidance for those students who, nearing the end of their schooling, are at risk of becoming unemployed.

2. According to the legislation on employment and personnel matters, each Board of Trustees is required in particular to:
   1. develop and implement personnel and industrial policies, within policy and procedural frameworks set by the Government from time to time, which promotes high levels of staff performance, use the educational resources effectively and recognise the needs of students;
   2. be a good employer as defined in the State Sector Act 1988 and comply with the conditions contained in employment contracts applying to teaching and non-teaching staff.
3. According to legislation on financial and property matter, each Board of Trustees is also required in particular to:
   1. allocate funds to reflect the school’s priorities as stated in the Charter;
   2. monitor and control school expenditure, and ensure that annual accounts are prepared and audited as required by the Public Finance Act 1989 and the Education Act 1989;
   3. comply with the negotiated conditions of any current asset management agreement, and implement a maintenance programme to ensure that the school’s building and facilities provide a safe, healthy learning environment for students.

4. Each Board of Trustees is also required to:
   1. document how the National Education Guidelines are being implements;
   2. maintain an ongoing programme of self-review.

5. Each Board of Trustees is also required to:
   1. provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students;
   2. comply in full with any legislation currently in force or that may be developed to ensure the safety of students and employed.

6. Each Board of Trustees is also expected to comply with all general legislation concerning requirements such as attendance, the length of the school day, and the length of the school year.

SOURCES

The ‘Handbook of Contractual Obligations and Undertakings - Schools’ comprises, to date, requirements stated in the following Acts, Regulations and other specified sources.

• Education Act 1964
• Education Act 1989
• Education (School Attendance) Regulations 1951
• Education (Secondary Instruction) Regulations 1975
• Education Staffing Orders
• Code of Ethical Conduct for the Care and Use of Animals in School Programmes
• Collective Employment Agreements for all staff
• Health and Safety Code of Practice for State Primary, Composite and Secondary Schools
• Memorandum of Agreement - Teacher Salaries Grant, Direct Resourcing of Teachers Salaries
• National Education Guidelines 1993
• New Zealand Gazette, Issue 190
• Syllabuses for New Zealand Schools
• Animal Protection Act 1960
• Animals Protection (Code of Ethical Conduct) Regulations 1987
• Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989
• Civil Defence Act 1983
• Disabled Persons Community Welfare Act 1975
• Employment Contracts Act 1991
• Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987
• Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations 1987
• Food and Hygiene Regulations 1974
• Health Act 1956
• Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
• Human Rights Act 1993
• Local Authorities (Members’ Interests) Act 1968
• Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
• New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990
• Privacy Act 1993
• Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975
• Public Finance Act 1989
• Residential Tenancies Act 1986
• Resource Management Act 1991
• Smoke-free Environment Act 1990
• State Sector Act 1988

Requirements in legislation not specifically related to the education sector cover all schools.

The Handbook also lists obligations and undertakings related solely to specific types of schools - integrated schools (Section I), private schools (Section J) kura kaupapa Maori (Section K), holders of certificate of exemption (Section L) and correspondence schools (Section M).

An assurance audit is a process which examines and reports on the extent to which a governing/managing body meets its obligations and undertakings to the Crown. These obligations and undertakings are contained in legislation and regulations and include any specific undertakings entered into through a licence, charter, or other agreements.

Assurance audits are undertaken in all state schools and privately owned schools and in all licensed or chartered state and privately owned early childhood services.

Purpose of Assurance Audit Reports

Assurance Audits are undertaken in order to:

• assure the Minister responsible for the Education Review Office about the performance of governing and managing bodies in fulfilling their obligations and undertakings
• inform the governing/managing bodies about their performance in fulfilling their obligations and undertakings
• inform policy development and decision making by governing/managing bodies and of government; and
• provide information for the public.

Conducting an Assurance Audit

It is undertaken in a way which demonstrates the belief that governing/managing bodies have the intention to comply. Both primary and corroborative evidence of compliance are rigorously sought, analysed, interpreted and documented. Audit judgements are supported by sufficient documented evidence to justify them.

Sources of Obligations and Undertakings

There are two sources of obligations and undertakings of governing/managing bodies to the Crown which are included in all assurance audits. The first source is the set of obligations and undertakings to the Crown which are managed by the secretary for Education as the Crown’s agent. These provide most of the parameters within which governing and managing bodies are required to perform. These obligations and undertakings are stated in a number of separate statutes and regulations and in specific agreements, including:

• education specific legislation;
• licences;
• registration; and
• charters

The second source is the set of obligations and undertakings to the Crown which are set out in general legislation and regulations, including:

• state sector legislation;
• employment legislation; and
• local authority legislation and regulations. (A list of specific requirements appears in Appendix 6.)

Other Specific Agreements

These include property occupancy agreements, early childhood services’ leases of Crown land, and various types of discretionary funding. At present these agreements are not included in an Assurance Audit unless they are included in an institution’s charter.

The Integration Agreement between the Crown and the proprietor of an integrated school is not included in the assurance audit. Agreements that are held with other Crown agencies such as the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (accreditation) or the Department of Social Welfare (child subsidies) are only reviewed if a specific and formal arrangement exists with that agency to do so.

Charters - Schools

These are the signed agreements between the governing/managing bodies and the Crown. Individual school charters comprise undertakings directly from the Education Act 1989, the 1993 National Education Guidelines and the schools own local objectives.

All explicit undertakings listed in a school’s charter form part of the total contractual relationship between the board of trustees and the Crown and are included in an assurance audit.

Charters - National Education Guidelines

Under the Education Act 1989 Section 60A the Minister may publish in the New Zealand Gazette, National Education Guidelines. These are made up of National Education Goals, National Administration Guidelines and the New Zealand Curriculum Framework which embraces the national curriculum statements.

The National Education Guidelines form part of all school charters. Every charter is deemed to contain the aim of achieving, meeting and following the National Education Guidelines. In the course of an assurance audit of a school reviewers seek assurance that boards of trustees have taken all reasonable steps to achieve, meet and follow the National Education Guidelines.

Charters - Early Childhood Services

Under sections 312 and 313 of the Education Act 1989, every early childhood service charter has the effect of a set of undertakings by the managing body to the Minister to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the service is managed, organised, conducted and administered in accordance with the objectives contained in the Charter.

The objectives and practices set out in the Early Childhood Education Charter Guidelines (A Statements of Desirable Objectives and Practices) gazetted on the 6 December 1990 are considered to be the core of each Charter document. A revised statement of DOPs is due to be implemented on 1 August 1988.

In the course of an assurance audit of an early childhood service, reviewers will seek assurance that managing bodies have taken all reasonable steps to manage, organise, conduct and administer in accordance with the Charter.

Assurance Audit Approach

There are three broad conceptual phases to be worked through in order to reach each judgement of compliance or non compliance during an assurance audit.

Phase 1 Compliance Intentions
The intention of the governing/managing body to meet the requirements is ascertained from documentation held at the district office, from information supplied by the institution and from interviews held with appropriate personnel.

Phase 2 Preliminary Compliance Conclusions
These are drawn as to whether or not the planning and intentions of the governing/managing body are likely to result in the requirements being met.

Phase 3 Compliance Verification
This is sought to confirm that the plans and intentions which the school/centre has to meet the requirements are in fact being put in to action.

Assurance Audit Report

The report is objective, clear and concise. The tone is positive. The actions required for compliance are clearly sourced and written in ways which make it clear to governing /managing bodies what is required of them. Suggested developments are stated and should lead to improved practices.

Findings for State and Integrated Schools

Where appropriate, findings are reported under each of the following sub-headings:

• Board Administration
• Curriculum Management
• Student Support
• Provision of Education for Senior Students
• Management of Maori Education
• Personnel Management
• Financial Management
• Asset Management
• Attached Units/Teachers

Findings for Private Schools

The following sub-headings are used:

• Administration
• Curriculum Management
• Personnel Management
• Asset Management

Findings for Early Childhood Services

The following sub-headings are used:

• Partnership and Consultation
• Curriculum
• Personnel Management
• Health, Safety and Environment
• Administration

Actions Required to Meet Legal Obligations and Undertakings

Appropriate actions that the governing/managing body needs to undertake in order to meet their legal obligations and undertakings are stated in specific terms along with suggestions for further development that would add value over and above the standard requirements.

An effectiveness review is an evaluation of student achievement and the impact of the teaching services and management practices within a school on that achievement. It is concerned with determining the extent to which the school knows about student achievement and uses that information to impact positively on students’ learning.

Purpose

Effectiveness reviews are undertaken to :

• inform the Minister about the impact a school is making to the educational performance of students and the merits of continued public investment;
• inform the decision making of the board of trustees, management, staff of a school about the school’s ability to impact positively on the educational achievement of all students;
• analyse and report on the conditions and factors in a school which impact on student achievement;
• inform parents, caregivers, other interested parties and the general public about a school’s impact on student achievement;
• provide information which can be analysed by the office to inform policy development and decision making by government, and for reporting on aspects of the national education system.

Objectives

Effectiveness reviews therefore:

• evaluate the schools expectations of student achievement;
• verify the difference demonstrated in student achievement;
• evaluate the impact of the school on student achievement during the time the students have been enrolled at the school;
• evaluate the progress made by students against the achievement objectives of the New Zealand curriculum and local objectives
• evaluate the competence of the school in monitoring, assessing and analysing information to improve student achievement;
• identify and evaluate a range of factors present within the school which impact on student achievement.

Review Officers skills will be deployed as a national resource and targeted for greatest effect. Key areas for investigation and analysis will be based on performance information provided through several new sources:

• an annual board performance declaration;
• schools’ and centres’ self review;
• statistics held by ERO, MoE and NZQA.

This information is in addition to the information from previous ERO reviews.

Accountability review reports will address in specific terms, both consumer (parent) interest and government purchase and ownership interest. The reports will cover:

• quality of education received by students; and
• the performance of governing/managing bodies in:
  - managing their employees, assets and resources;
  - monitoring the quality of their educational services and
  - communicating with and responding to their communities.

Changing Focus

There will be greater reliance on institution generated data which includes an annual board declaration and documentation from the self review processes undertaken. The frequency will remain the same i.e. 3-4 yearly and more frequent when required.

Performance Comparison

Accountability Reviews will allow examination of a school’s or centre’s performance and progress over time as well as comparisons with other providers.

Note

Further details will be available prior to accountability review processes being put in place in 1988.

Purpose of Performance Indicators

To provide a standard (i.e. a baseline) or criterion (i.e. a topic) against which progress and accomplishment can be determined.

Areas for Use of Indicators

• Curriculum provision
• Financial management
• Human resource management
• Pastoral care
• Information management
• Community involvement

Nature of Indicators

Quantitative Indicators - usually countable or measurable (eg achievement rates, cash investments, time allocations); normally collected without great difficulty; and able to be used for cross-comparisons.

Qualitative Indicators - usually more descriptive and sometimes in the form of comments (eg reasons for choices, comments on student performance, lists of activities); often more difficult to collect with reliability.

Indicators might be concerned with inputs - which enable the system to operate (eg resources - money, space, time, people), processes - which determine what is done during activities such as teaching, learning and managing (eg choices available to students, activities in specific programmes), outputs - which indicate the results of activities (eg achievement rates, skills acquired, resources used) or outcomes - which indicate the impact or implications of activities (eg. social development, proceeding to further education, staff promotion).

Principles for Constructing Indicators

• As few as necessary to achieve their purpose,
• Related to overall aims and objectives,
• Acceptable to users,
• Reliable, useful, standardised, able to be used over time and
• Capable of identifying signs or trends and conveying messages.

Sample Indicator Topics

• Attendance patterns
• Student subject choices
• Time spent on teaching
• Reasons for guidance referrals
• Incidence of vandalism and graffiti
• Funding from external sources
• Achievement levels in tests and examinations
• Rates of suspensions and expulsions
• Provision of student social facilities
• Types of staff professional development activities
• Opportunities for leadership by staff
• Teacher involvement in professional activities
• Types of parental involvement
• Communication methods
• Estimates of attitude change
• Student aspirations
• Entry-exit levels of student performance
• Staff and student movement rates
• Range of extra-curricular activities
• Work activities of key staff
• Use of rewards and sanctions
• Staff qualifications and levels of experience
• Costs/investments per student - library, equipment, technology, professional development, etc.

Development of Indicators

Schools and centres should develop indicators across a broad range of areas to ensure coverage of the National Administration Guidelines. An indicator, typically, should relate to a clear objective for which a target is specified in addition to a way of determining the extent to which the target has been achieved. Indicators might include probable costs.