Govt using ERO report as leverage - union

Anne Tolley says the ERO's report into basic teaching skills is a wake-up call. Photo / Supplied

The head of the primary teachers union has accused Education Minister Anne Tolley of manufacturing a crisis for political gain over a damning report into basic teaching skills.

The Education Review Office report found that 30 per cent of teachers at Years 1 and 2 had little or no sense of how important it was for children to develop confidence and independence in early reading and writing.

It also raised concerns that only about a quarter of school leaders (principals and senior managers) set expectations that strongly promoted high levels of reading and writing achievement for children in their first two years and nearly two-thirds of schools used limited or poor processes to monitor their progress and achievement.

Mrs Tolley described the report as "alarming" and a wake-up call.

"That is why it is vitally important that National Standards are introduced in primary schools next year. The standards, or benchmarks, will allow us to identify those children that need extra help, and will provide a valuable tool for improving teaching."

Parents would be concerned by the findings, which showed many principals had no way of assessing if young children were falling behind.

However, some in the teaching sector say the report should not be used as a political tool for the controversial introduction of the National Standards, which come into force at the beginning of next academic year.

Frances Nelson, president of the union, the NZ Educational Institute, said the report was not as alarming as the Government claimed.

It showed teachers used a range of tools to assess children's reading and writing - "rather than a narrow one-size-fits-all approach".

Ms Nelson said a lot of the information in the report came as no surprise.

For example, many schools placed beginning teachers into their Year 1 and 2 classrooms.

"Ideally, teachers in these levels should be the most experienced. This is a well-documented problem."

She said the report acknowledged New Zealand children achieve very well by international standards.

"There was actually a lot of positive information in the report. It should not be used to manufacture a crisis for political gain."

The president of the Auckland Primary Principals Association, Marilyn Gwilliam, said the report showed teachers and schools were doing a great job of teaching reading and writing overall.

"The majority of schools in the sample are doing well and resourcing, interventions, support and guidance should be targeted at those requiring it," Ms Gwilliam said.

She said the report was of little real value unless action was taken to improve the processes and practices of schools that were not up to standard.

"Our association would support resources going to these schools, not a targeted blanket approach where we all get named, blamed and shamed."

* Strong language

Reading and writing at Years 1 and 2

What the report says: 30 per cent of teachers have "minimal understanding of effective reading and writing teaching".

What Education Minister Anne Tolley says: "This ERO report shows that we need to do better. National Standards will enable us to lift achievement levels."

Frances Nelson, NZEI said: "It [the report] should not be used to manufacture a crisis for political gain."