Despite results, new charter school backed by All Blacks legend Michael Jones praised

The charter school is backed by All Blacks legend Michael Jones. Photo: Jason Oxenham

A charter school backed by All Blacks legend Michael Jones recorded some of the lowest achievement results among the new model of schools.

However, education officials who recently reviewed Pacific Advance School in Otahuhu praised its progress with students, many of whom had previously been out of school for long periods.

The school only enrolled Year 11 students last year, its first of operation, and 36 were awarded Level 1 NCEA - 57 per cent of students, and below the performance target set by the Ministry of Education.

Student numbers have increased from about 60 last year, to 105. There are now Year 11 and Year 12 students, and the school received recent praise from the Education Review Office.

"Many students start at the school well below achievement expectations for their age level. Working to get students confident and able to complete Level 1 NCEA qualification has been a significant success for the school," an ERO report published in April stated.

Most of the students who did not gain NCEA last year had been out of school for at least half a year before starting at the school.

"Student attendance rates are high. Most students average more than 90 per cent attendance ... challenges include the significant impact of transience on the school roll, and catering for students who have not been well engaged in previous schooling."

Pacific Advance School's advisory board includes Michael Jones.

Charter or "partnership" schools had to publish their 2015 reports by the end of May.

Vanguard Military Academy in Albany and Terenga Paraoa in Whangarei had NCEA pass rates as high as 100 per cent last year.

However, Vanguard did not meet the contracted standard in regards to disciplinary action, having had six suspensions and six expulsions or exclusions.

Middle School West Auckland also exceeded the performance standards for discipline, with 11 stand-downs, four suspensions and two exclusions.

"This is a credit to the MSWA commitment to all children, and a zero attrition model in managing student behaviour," the school's annual report states.

Budget 2016 included funding for up to seven new charter schools, adding to the eight that are currently open.

Charter schools were introduced as part of Act's confidence and supply agreement with National. Officially called "partnership" schools, they are privately run and publicly funded and set their own curriculum, school hours, holidays and pay rates.

They are strongly opposed by opposition political parties and teaching unions.