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

Trends in feminisation of the teaching profession in OECD countries 1980-1995 Research publication 2000
Is the land of the flightless bird the home of the voucherless voucher? Research publication 1999
Education vouchers: The research evidence Journal article 1999
Ten years on: How schools view educational reform Research publication 1999
Eight years old and competent: The third stage of the Competent Children project - a summary of the main findings Research publication 1999
Competent children at 8: Families, early education, and schools Research publication 1999
Educational vouchers: The research evidence Research publication 1998
Can vouchers deliver better education? A review of the literature, with special reference to New Zealand Research publication 1998
Competent children at 6: Families, early education, and schools Research publication 1998
Six years old and competent Research publication 1998
Primary principals' experiences of ERO reviews, 1995-1996 Research publication 1997
Self-managing schools seven years on: What have we learnt? Research publication 1997
Role of New Zealand school boards in 1997: Report to the New Zealand School Trustees' Association Research publication 1997
At the centre of the web: The role of the New Zealand primary school principal within a decentralized education system Research publication 1997
Self-Managing schools seven years on - What have we learnt? 1997 Research publication 1997
Competent children at 5: Families and early education Research publication 1996
Five years old and competent Research publication 1996
Competent children and their teachers: Learning about trajectories and other schemas Research publication 1995
Self-managing schools in New Zealand: The fifth year - 1994 Research publication 1994
Self-managing schools in New Zealand: The fifth year Research publication 1994