Sustaining school development in a decentralised system: Lessons from New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the few countries which have made the individual school the major locus of educational administration. This paper looks at some of the findings of a four-year NZCER qualitative study of ten 'ordinary' primary schools which have gained a reputation for the improvements they have made in recent years. Wylie and Mitchell try to show school development as a journey rather than a checklist of factors.

Paper presented at the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, Sydney, 5-8 January 2003.