School comparison tables likely in future

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School comparison tables likely in future

3News NZ

Sose Annandale says lower decile schools will suffer as a result (file pic)

Sose Annandale says lower decile schools will suffer as a result (file pic)

By Tova O’Brien

Parents will soon be able to go online and compare the performance of their child's school against every other school in the country.

The Government is avoiding the term "league tables" as it prepares to release national standards data next month, but is not ruling them out entirely.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has also admitted that the data about to be released is unreliable.

“The data that we have for this year is the first year of data so it is variable,” she says.

However Ms Parata insists it will get better over time.

Schools submit their own results under the programme, and they are expected to do so honestly and accurately.

Prime Minister John Key says there could be consequences for school boards who do not follow the rules.

“There's always a chance a board could be sacked if they don't comply,” says Mr Key.

Sose Annandale is the principal at Russell School in Cannons Creek, and says decile one schools such as hers will suffer as a result.

“If you replace the board with a statutory manager you are taking away the voice of the parents,” she says.  “It is the parents who vote the board.

“It's going to have an impact on our self-esteem for our children, and their parents, and for our teachers here who are doing the best job that they can to lift that achievement.”

Each school's performance will be published on the Government's existing 'Education Counts' website. From there it could develop into full-blown league tables, with John Key hinting at what is to come.

“Over time I think it would make sense for parents to have a bit of a sense of relativity,” he says.

The Prime Minister is fond of the idea of league tables, meaning that comparisons between schools are likely to be made easier in the future.

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Comments

12/08/2012 4:12:36 p.m.

hard enough wrote:

how happy does Parata look at the decile 10 school? all kids at school, dressed warm and food in their tummies ready to learn. Parents at home cooking afternoon tea or at work earning money. Far comparision to some schools where children struggle to get to school, often getting themselves out the the door themselves and hopefully in time for breakfast club, where teachers are waiting tofeed them so they can also be ready to learn. Fingers crossed its not raining because warm clothes are a luxery. What the heck do these tables do for all kids learning?? Absolutley nothing, meanwhile key and parata can go home to a warm home and dinner on the table....get ya head out of the clouds people and do what is best for childrens learning, realise that not everything is equal for crying out loud!!!

10/08/2012 2:27:28 p.m.

S wrote:

Great idea! Parents have a right to know all information about the school their children are attending and their childs progress - being open and transparent is the way to go!

9/08/2012 10:58:22 a.m.

Gary wrote:

This will have a negative affect on many schools. It does nothing for children's education only gives government more power to intervene and regulate. It will also affect house prices in areas on top and bottom of the league tables, but I guess we live in a world where money rules. It is something that is kind of known anyway now by parents, they know which schools get the best results, usually you can just go by the house prices in that area. I would be in favour of tables for each school to show where your child sits with respect to the other students in their school. It will be like the football league, the club with the most money comes 1st. At least people will know where to buy a house and be prepared to pay way over the valuation for it due to the school? It may allow them to increase their "donation" based on their result with people willing to pay without question. Also you could get top schools filling up and able to start selecting students based on results so they maintain their status. It does create a drive and competition but only for schools in affluent areas, it is definitly unfair to many schools but then National are about promoting wealthy areas not poor. Next they will want to stop poor low educated people from breeding - oh forgot, they already tried that one(lol)!!