'Vibrant, positive' school gets thumbs up from reviewers

A Northland school once put under a commissioner has had a major turnaround, the Education Review Office (ERO) says.

The recent ERO report into Ngunguru School, 22km northeast of Whangarei, said it had previously suffered from "difficult personnel management issues".

Now, however, the board of trustees and principal had made an "outstanding start" to attaining excellence, ERO said.

The principal and board of the decile-seven school were "firmly focused" on teachers, children's learning and achievement.

Principal Rick Sayer said the school was under a Ministry of Education-appointed commissioner when he started 18 months ago.

Together with the board -- elected in December 2001 -- Mr Sayer undertook a "complete review of all areas of the school".

"I'm thrilled that the staff and community can now celebrate. We are very happy," he said.

ERO praised Mr Sayer's leadership which, combined with the efforts of an effective board, had significantly raised the level of the school's performance and re-established its credibility.


- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)