Other schools raised review issues

Throwing out an ERO report was extremely rare and amounted to an admission that it was "dodgy", said Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis. Photo / File

At least two more Northland schools were concerned about an ERO reviewer whose report on Opua School was scrapped after a flurry of complaints.

It was revealed yesterday that the Education Review Office had abandoned a review of Opua School based on a December 2014 ERO visit. A new review started from scratch with a four-day visit to the school last week.

The original review sparked a flurry of complaints by staff, board members and parents. At least two other schools - Kaeo and Te Kopuru - are understood to have had similar concerns about the same reviewer. They have not, however, laid complaints with the ERO.

The reviewer involved in the initial Opua ERO report could not be contacted yesterday.

Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis, a former principal, said in Opua's case it appeared the reviewer had spoken to a "disgruntled" former board member and gone to the school with preconceived ideas. She had then sought out evidence to back up those ideas while ignoring contrary evidence at the school.

Throwing out an ERO report was extremely rare and amounted to an admission that it was "dodgy", Mr Davis said.

Instead of being offered professional development, it appeared the reviewer was being sent to other schools where similar scenarios were occurring.

"If a school is underperforming they should be told in no uncertain terms. But I've known Opua School from way back and it's always been high-performing - and now it's been turned on its head due to a reviewer who's not gone in with an open mind," Mr Davis said.

"So who reviews the reviewer? And where is the natural justice? It's just unfair, " he said.

The ERO's chief review officer, Iona Holsted, said the organisation completed more than 2100 reviews a year. Only a handful of reviews were paused because of a complaint.

In Opua's case a complaint was received about the way the review was being handled. ERO paused the review, investigated and took appropriate action. It also agreed to reschedule the review for Term 3, 2015.

Opua School released a statement yesterday on behalf of principal Simon McGowan and board chairman Malcolm Shaft. They said: "Opua School was reviewed in December 2014.

"There were complaints immediately made about the quality of that review process. ERO conducted an internal review and, as a result of that review, set aside the December 2014 review. Since making that decision, ERO has worked with Opua School in organising a valid review."

A draft report is due to be presented to the school board in about three weeks' time.

Mr Davis was at a Maori principals conference yesterday where he was talking to school leaders to see if there was a "pattern of weird behaviour" relating to ERO reviews.

ERO reports are prepared every one to four years. A review teams visits for several days, talks to staff and the community, analyses evidence, and prepares a report.