NZCER began regular surveys of primary schools in 1989, focusing on the impact of the educational reforms that began then. Over the years the surveys have given us a picture of what is happening in our education services and enabled us to see changes over time. In 2003 secondary schools and a one-time survey of early childhood education services were added to the series.
The first phase of this project in 2011 collected information about the school culture and journeys of school improvement undertaken at 10 primary schools, with a second phase underway revisiting the same schools to focus on their journeys since that time.
This project involves the development of the Wellbeing@School website and is a contract for the Ministry of Education. This website will support schools to engage in a whole school self-review process, as they work on further building a caring and safe school climate.
Research outputs for: School governance and management
NZCER & Stout Centre, Victoria University of Wellington
Research report
Professional collaboration within schools, supporting ongoing adult learning, is one of the most promising ways to improve student performance. This paper charts teacher experiences of a range of collaborative activities in New Zealand schools. Although these schools enjoy considerable flexibility that should support such collaboration, national survey data shows that it varies widely and is not widespread at the high school level.
This report tracks principal vacancies advertised in the Education Gazette in 2009 and 2010. A survey was also sent to the boards of trustees of schools advertising vacancies, asking about the applicants, the appointment and the destination of the departing principal. The report makes some comparison with data from the NZCER 2008 report, and includes related material on principal career paths from the NZCER national survey series.
NZCER and Health Outcomes International for the Ministry of Health
Research report
This final overview report summarises the main findings from Healthy Futures. Healthy Futures is the evaluation of the Ministry of Health’s Fruit in Schools (FiS) initiative. This evaluation was conducted by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research and Health Outcomes International.
In addition to this overview report, a separate document (Boyd & Moss, 2009), summarises the findings from the 2008 case studies, and presents the stories of six FiS schools. A technical report (Dingle et al., 2009), provides more details about the survey analysis and data.
Rachel Dingle, Edith Hodgen, Sally Boyd, Jacob Shapleski, Julian King and Michelle Moss
2009
NZCER and Health Outcomes International for the Ministry of Health
Research report
This technical report is one component of the final Healthy Futures 2009 evaluation report. Healthy Futures is the evaluation of the Ministry of Health’s Fruit in Schools (FiS) initiative. The final evaluation report is in three parts. The changing face of Fruit in Schools: 2009 overview report (Boyd, Dingle, Hodgen, King, and Moss, 2009), brings together the main findings from the evaluation. A separate case study report (Boyd and Moss, 2009), summarises the findings from the case study component of Healthy Futures and contains six school case studies completed in 2008.
NZCER and Health Outcomes International for the Ministry of Health
Research report
This case study report is one component of the final report from the Healthy Futures study. Healthy Futures is the evaluation of the Ministry of Health’s Fruit in Schools (FiS) initiative. This evaluation was conducted by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research and Health Outcomes International. This case study report summarises the findings from the 2008 case studies, and presents the stories from six FiS schools.
This companion article to “Enabling students to lead the way” explores the rationale for using a whole-school approach to health and wellbeing, and the connection between this approach and the revised curriculum. Some possible changes that could occur to school actions in regard to health and wellbeing are discussed. The article also explores some of the benefits and challenges of whole-school approaches.
Rosemary Hipkins, with Lynda Shanks and Michal Denny
2008
NZCER Press
Journal article
This companion article reports initial findings of a case study of longer learning periods in one school. It examines whether teachers perceive longer lessons to make a difference to teaching practice and whether students perceive them to improve learning opportunities
A review of school self-management across several research surveys and sources of data leads Cathy Wylie to recommend five measures to help support school boards of trustees.
Journal article on how schools are implementing the new "Planning and reporting" (PAR) requirement, and how it is impacting on student learning.
The PAR study explores principals' and teachers' views on how understanding and attitudes towards data gathering and use have shifted considerably in schools in the last three years.
The full journal article published in: New Zealand Principal, 22 (2), 2007. p. 11-12
What are the challenges for schools in creating effective change, and what are the factors that support its success? This is a description of how four secondary schools and a school cluster implemented locally-designed curriculum innovations.
Traditionally, the beginning of the school year sees a flurry of assessment activity. In many schools this includes the use of standardised tests such as the Progressive Achievement Tests (PATs), the Essential Skills Assessment: Information Skills (ESA:IS), and the Supplementary Tests of Achievement in Reading (STAR).
This paper uses the assessment and qualification reforms in the senior secondary school as a case study of change. To provide the context of the paper the first section presents an overview of the New Zealand secondary school sector and the educational reforms of the 1990s. This is followed by a brief outline of the ideas that led to the development of the National Qualifications Framework NQF; a description of NQF; and a review of the associated development of assessment regimes for senior secondary school qualifications.
This is a report on a study exploring changes in the role of the primary principal since the New Zealand education reforms began in 1989. It looked at principals' own perceptions of their role, in the context of their schools, their work with boards, their experience of the Ministry of Education and the Education Review Office, their own professional development and support, and their workloads.
