A precedent in NZ Education that may be HUGE

This week the NZ Herald reported that Mangere College was put under statutory management.

While appointing a limited statutory manager for a school in NZ is not highly unusual – this is the first time I can recall that academic achievement is cited so highly as the reason.

Here is why it is an interesting precedent. There are a lot of schools who see their students perform worse the Mangere College.

There are approximately 460 high schools in NZ.

School Leavers results is the data-set that has the highest credibility. I process that data set each August – when the raw data becomes available (I am happy to provide on request). The most recent set is for 2024 school leavers.

– For Level 2 NCEA  69% of Mangere College’s 2024 Leavers had that qualification. 111 high schools did worse than that.

– For Level 3 NCEA 48% of Mangere College’s 2024 Leavers had that qualification. 175 high schools did worse than that.

– For University Entrance 7% of Mangere College’s 2024 Leavers had that qualification (not flash!). 30 high schools did worse than that.

– In terms of retaining students until 17yo … Mangere College has 77% of their students stay until then. That is better than 175 other high schools – some of them high profile as “good schools”.

– In terms of progression to degree level study … Mangere College has 15% of their students move on to that level. That is better than 129 other high schools.

– The Equity Index Number for Mangere College is 525. There are only 40 high schools whose children are deemed to be worse off. It could be argued that many of the results for Mangere College are above expectations.

High schools do not have to set achievement goals – either for outcomes our improvements. It is major weakness of our system and could have been fixed by a stroke of the Minister’s pen. I work with a number of schools on a 5 year improvement plan and it is making a difference.

Here is the key question: Given that Mangere College is under statutory management due to their students’ results – will the many schools that are doing worse, or only marginally better, also face that situation? Why or why not?

Have “acceptable” levels of achievement been communicated to schools?

Alwyn.poole@gmail.com

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