This is a thematic report from our national survey series and covers issues such as school funding, staffing, culture and connections between schools and with educational agencies. It draws on NZCER’s 2006 national survey of secondary schools and the 2007 survey of primary schools.
Methodology
NZCER’s national surveys are carried out at periodic intervals. There are four different surveys in any one set—for principals, teachers, trustees and parents. Each set of surveys is tailored to either early childhood, primary or secondary education. Use of at least some repeat questions allows changes over time to be identified. Similarly, where relevant, the same item may be used to compare responses at different stages of education, for example, primary compared to secondary.
In the 2006/7 surveys, principals (primary and secondary) answered a series of questions on the following themes (inter alia):
- resources and staffing
- school-wide learning and leadership
- relationships
- the BOT
- their own work as principal.
Similar questions were answered by teachers from their own perspective (some questions were organised under different headings on the primary teacher questionnaire). Responses to these questions, and related questions asked of trustees and parents, provide the main content for this report. Responses to questions from other themes are included as appropriate.