Research & evaluation

In this case study, Newlands College deputy principal John Murdoch reflects on his school’s experience in setting up a whānau advisory group. The group began in response to data showing the college’s year 9 Māori students were struggling.

This case study explores how Te Kopuru School’s principal Lee Anderson has spent the past 8 years changing the culture of her small Northland school to improve the education, social, and cultural outcomes of the school’s Māori learners.

This case study (available in te reo Māori and English) looks at how two early childhood education services in the Waikato region are supporting vulnerable whānau to develop their knowledge and skills and get hooked into the education system early.

In this sabbatical report Rex Allott, Principal Omanu School, investigates programmes and practices that enhance the relationship between families, communities, and schools - in particular those that improve the achievement of Māori children and their whānau.

This report by Dr Ruth Gorinski provides a summary of Benita Tahuri’s (2007) literature review on the effective engagement of families, whānau, and communities in mainstream education and the building of partnerships. The literature examined included reports, Ministry of Education publications, journals, texts, and conference papers sourced from a range of data bases.

In this sabbatical leave report from Bruce Pagan, Principal, Kaikoura Primary School; Bruce investigates the effects/benefits that the pursuit of culturally significant events can have on Māori student achievement, with particular reference to those families/students that engage regularly in hui, muttonbirding, and carving.

This working paper written by Ally Bull for NZCER, discusses the relationship between schools and their communities. It explores the purpose of different school-community initiatives and discusses the case for a wider public engagement in education for the purpose of rethinking how schools meet the needs of all learners in the 21st century.

In this article from Research Information for Teachers, Dr Helen Timperley and Associate Professor Viviane Robinson examine what is meant by the term ‘partnership’ when applied in an education context.

The extent to which schools engage with everyone in their community, not just those already involved and engaged, is the focus of this study by the Education Review Office (ERO).

This report complements another report entitled Partners in Learning: schools’ engagement with parents, whānau and communities.