Foreword

The government is committed to supporting an education system that will help every young New Zealander stay in school, achieve the highest level of qualification relevant to their needs and abilities, and continue in education until at least the age of 18 years. This is the Schools Plus goal, which aligns with other key strategies, including Ka Hikitia – Managing for Success, an overarching strategy that sharpens the focus on improving the presence, engagement and achievement of Māori students in education, the Pasifika Education Plan and Better Outcomes for Children.

Achieving this goal is vital for New Zealand. We want our young people to have the skills, attributes, qualifications and further education and training opportunities they need to succeed. We also want to ensure New Zealand benefits in the future from a highly skilled workforce that can support ongoing economic and social prosperity.

New Zealand Schools: Ngā Kura o Aotearoa 2007 evaluates the latest research data, helping us identify where we are doing well, and where we need to do more to achieve the best results for all New Zealand students.

New Zealand student achievement levels continue to compare favourably internationally. The different type of assessment and resulting flexibility offered by the National Certificate of Educational Achievement appears to be bringing benefits, although we need to do more and better to improve achievement across all groups. Literacy and reading levels have improved and support is increasingly in place for students who are struggling in this area.

Student movements are more easily tracked now, and there has been substantial progress made in reducing the number of early leavers. Initiatives to engage families and communities are working well and there are strategies in development to tackle issues relating to behaviour and disengagement.

New Zealand schools offer quality schooling – through strong leadership and governance – with support from increased government investment in education. A recent Education Review Office report confirmed that our schools are well run and have a clear strategic focus on improving student learning and achievement. They are also in good health financially.

Continuing professional development is essential for effective teaching. The emphasis in all professional development projects is on effective teaching leading to improved student achievement. There is evidence from a number of these projects of a significant impact on student achievement. The release of The New Zealand Curriculum was a key event in 2007 and provides a clear statement of what our young people will need to learn in order to prepare them well for the future.

This report shows a New Zealand schooling system that is performing well and is focused on addressing areas of key challenge. I am pleased to present to Parliament New Zealand Schools: Ngā Kura o Aotearoa 2007.

Hon. Chris Carter
Minister of Education