Upbeat schools report 'totally inaccurate'

Minister of Education Anne Tolley. Photo / Christine Cornege

A report on National Standards has shown 90 per cent of schools are either well prepared or are preparing to work with them, but critics say the findings are "totally inaccurate".

The controversial standards are benchmarks in reading, writing and maths to clearly show students' progress or problems.

But teacher unions oppose the standards and some schools don't want to use them.

Education Minister Anne Tolley said the Education Review Office report was "extremely encouraging" and showed primary and intermediate schools were making great progress.

"This ERO report, which gathered data from 237 schools in terms three and four in 2010, shows marked improvements from the previous two terms," she said. "Overall, 90 per cent of schools were either well prepared or had preparation under way to work with National Standards, up from 80 per cent in the report covering terms one and two."

Mrs Tolley said leadership capability and lack of assessment processes were factors in the schools which were not prepared.

Auckland Primary Principals Association president Iain Taylor said the number of schools found to be taking to the standards was high because they were aware they were being reviewed.

"The schools were either doing it properly or were pretending to because they were fearful because they were being ERO-ed. It was basically a compliance issue.

"I wouldn't believe that number is accurate across all schools whatsoever."

Mr Taylor doubted any report would achieve accurate findings into how schools were adapting to the standards because principals were "scared" to rebel against them.

Perry Rush, spokesman for the Boards Taking Action Coalition - which opposes National Standards - said the report was a 10 per cent sample of New Zealand schools. "It's only reported on 237 out of 2200 schools."

Mr Rush said it was important to note that 63 per cent of schools had limited preparation or no preparation for the standards, which was embarrassing for the Government.

However, the National Standards Sector Advisory Group said the report showed a substantially different picture to the rhetoric from the vocal minority opposed to the standards.