Cathy Wylie

Kaihautū Rangahau Tāoki | Emeritus Chief Researcher

PhD from Victoria University of Wellington.

Cathy joined NZCER in 1987. Her main research expertise is education policy and how it impacts learning, teaching, school leadership and more equal learning opportunities.

She led NZCER’s national school surveys from 1989 until recently. She has a leading role in the new research-based tool for schools focused on effective teaching and school practices, and school leadership: the Teaching and School Practices survey tool.

Cathy’s 2012 book, Vital Connections, makes a cogent case for system change to strengthen all our schools and counter uneven educational opportunities. 

Her longitudinal study ‘Competent Learners’ provides important understanding about different trajectories of engagement and achievement in learning from early childhood education into early adulthood, and provides strong evidence of the importance of developing the national curriculum’s key competencies. 

In 2014 Cathy was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education.

She was a member of the Government’s Independent Taskforce to Review Tomorrow’s Schools, which published this report in December 2018. 

Cathy Wylie profile
Email
cathy.wylie@nzcer.org.nz

Publications

Competent children at 12 Research publication 2004
Key facts summary of Competent Children at 12 report, 2004 Research publication 2004
Twelve Years Old and Competent Research publication 2004
Whaia te iti Kahurangi: NZCER evaluation: 2004 Research publication 2004
Long-term contribution of early childhood education to children's performance - evidence from New Zealand Research publication 2003
Status of educational research in New Zealand: New Zealand country report Research publication 2003
Sustaining school development in a decentralised system: Lessons from New Zealand Research publication 2003
Beating the odds: Factors which can make a difference for New Zealand children in low-income homes Research publication 2003
Sustaining school improvement: ten primary schools' journeys: A summary Research publication 2002
Meeting individual educational needs: Legal identification, or systemic support? Journal article 2002
Meeting individual educational needs: Legal identification, or systemic support? Research publication 2002
NZPF 2001 transience survey: NZCER analysis check Research publication 2002
Sustaining school improvement : Ten primary schools' journeys Research publication 2002
Competent children at 10: Families, early education, and schools Research publication 2001
Competent children: Findings and issues from the first 7 years Research publication 2001
Ten years old and competent: The fourth stage of the Competent Children project - a summary of the main findings Research publication 2001
Making sense: relations between literacy, television and computer use Research publication 2001
Effects for Māori of bulk funding, a literature review Research publication 2001
Early childhood education: an enduring legacy Journal article 2001
Picking up the pieces - review of special education 2000 Research publication 2000