Our Leadership Partners programme is currently full. We will update this page when applications open again.
[Stephen Soutar – Principal, Awapuni School, Palmerston North] I’m a principal in a five-teacher school and I can just get isolated in my own world and not even find the time to get out and discuss things with other principals. And you really need to be able to do that in this job.
[Adam Campbell – Principal, Postgate School] I spent three days up in Whanganui working with other principals learning how to be a Review Officer. I came back and then did school reviews back down here in Wellington, with Review Officers.
[Fiona Gibson – ERO, Manager Review and Improvement Services] So to be in another school and to see how another school principal or other leadership team is operating, what systems and processes they’ve got in place, how they look at the data, it’s valuable learning in every school you go into.
[Adam Campbell] For school principals going in and working for ERO, I don’t think there’s any better professional learning that they can do. Going into a school, seeing what’s happening in the school, comparing it to their school. It may be that they’re going to learn a lot from that particular school, which is great. Or they might learn about what’s ineffective practice as well.
[Hamish Ruawai – Principal, Palmerston North Intermediate School] Some of the best time I found were at dinner with other reviewers and you’re critiquing teaching and learning, talking: “What did you see today?”, “Yeah, but did you really think that was effective questioning or was it deep questioning?” Those informal conversations really get you thinking around teaching and learning, so it raises the bar as a principal to think: “I wonder what that’s happening like at my school. And how do I know?”
[Stephen Soutar] I think it’s improved me as a principal. Doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the job. Education system changes all the time so you have to keep developing and I think it’s a really good avenue.
[Marieke Whitwell – ERO Review Officer] We’ve had so much change in education. And we’ve had teachers and leaders taking on board new pedagogies, digital technologies. Seeing those things in action is exciting.
[Hamish Ruawai] ERO teaches you to ask the question that needs to be asked. “Is the pedagogy right for this child? How do you know you’re making a difference?” It’s certainly taught me to be more rigorous and challenging around assessment data, accelerating achievement. Those are conversations that I was probably not so tight…Now, pretty straight in that area.
[Adam Campbell] I learnt about internal evaluation: about how schools use it, or see it, or don’t see it. I learnt that as a country we all have the same curriculum, we all have the same training. We all say that children are the most important thing to us, but we do things oh so differently. We are all so different in what we do at schools.
[Marieke Whitwell] I’ve had the opportunity to work with two principals who have worked alongside me in a team. And that’s great because they bring with them the immediacy of what is reality on the ground.
[Hamish Ruawai] It made me a lot more aware of the uniqueness of our kids in New Zealand. So, a lot more thoughtful in terms of the needs of teachers. I used to really focus a lot, and I still do, on students, but actually teaching and learning’s the core business. And so how can I be more effective in developing great teachers and educators? So now I’m in that space of: what can I do to get the best out of these educators so kids get the best deal
About Leadership Partners
Our Leadership Partners programme provides school leaders with the opportunity to work alongside ERO Evaluation Partners in our external school evaluation process. The programme enables school leaders to develop skills and understanding of evaluation for improvement and provides the opportunity to learn from others when reflecting on a school’s improvement journey. As such, it is a unique professional development experience that also enhances ERO’s work in the sector.
Leadership Partners engage in a three-day national induction workshop in evaluation and school improvement, including our methodology for school evaluation. They then join an ERO Evaluation Partner for up to ten days evaluation work each term, for four terms.
If you are interested in becoming a Leadership Partner, please email [email protected]. Please provide information outlining why you are interested in the programme and about your current and previous roles, strengths and experience that would enable you to add value to our work.
Information for Programme Applicants
What is the level of time commitment I need to make to the programme?
Leadership Partners must be able to commit to a three-day induction workshop and then up to ten days’ evaluation work with an Evaluation Partner each term, for four terms.
What criteria are being used to choose the Leadership Partners?
To maintain trust and credibility in the programme, the criteria below will be used to help support the selection process. These criteria are not exclusive and will be used on a case-by-case basis.
- Leadership Partners will be experienced school principals or senior leaders. It is recommended that Leadership Partners have at least five years in a principal/senior leadership role.
- Previous ERO reports for the schools that Leadership Partners are drawn from will have indicated a history of continuous school improvement and a strong commitment to equitable and excellent outcomes for learners.
- Leadership Partners will have a willingness to commit to up to ten days a term, for four terms, to the programme.
Can I choose the weeks I want to review?
We will negotiate the timing for evaluation work with you to accommodate the needs of our evaluators, the schools they are currently involved with, and your circumstances.
What is involved in the support and induction programme?
The Leadership Partners Induction programme will involve up to three days in an ERO office. The content of the programme will cover:
- ERO as an organisation and our role and mandate in the Education and Training Act
- The roles and responsibilities of a public servant
- ERO’s Code of Conduct
- Tiriti o Waitangi commitment
- Culturally and contextually responsive evaluation
- Evaluation in the Aotearoa New Zealand education context
- Te Ara Huarau Evaluation Methodology
- Evaluator Capabilities and Principles of Practice
- Practical evaluation activities, and use of the School Improvement Framework and Teaching Observation Framework
- Skills and strengths you bring to ERO and the contribution you see yourself making.
The Leadership Partner Induction programme is followed by learning and development on review. This involves the Leadership Partner working alongside their Evaluation Partner and fully participating in evaluations over the course of the year.
What does it mean to be designated as a Review Officer?
Leadership Partners will be designated Review Officers for the period of time that they are involved in the programme.
Review Officers are statutory officers designated under the Education and Training Act 2020, and exercise powers of entry, inspection / inquiry and reporting through various sections of the Act. To be designated and to exercise those powers, the Chief Review Officer must be satisfied that Leadership Partners are both suitably qualified and fit to carry out the work required of a Review Officer and to exercise those powers. This includes understanding that each Leadership Partner must abide by ERO’s Code of Conduct and expectations for professional integrity, fairness and confidentiality. Discussion about how Leadership Partners apply the Code of Conduct will form part of the induction programme.
Leadership Partners will be initially designated for a year following their induction programme. Re-designation will be possible after this time with agreement from ERO and the Leadership Partner.
Who pays for this professional development opportunity?
While undertaking this professional learning opportunity, Leadership Partners will work with ERO based on a written agreement with the Leadership Partner. Leadership Partners are required to provide assurance to ERO that they have their school board’s permission to participate in the programme.
Leadership Partners remain in the employment of their school board while on review with ERO, and as such, their salary continues to be paid by their employer.
ERO will cover costs associated with attending the Leadership Partner Induction programme and travel, accommodation, and actual and reasonable costs incurred during the weeks you review with ERO.
What are the practical arrangements for me while on review?
Travel and accommodation arrangements will be made for Leadership Partners by an Evaluation Partner and ERO support staff.
While on review, Leadership Partners meet with and travel with their Evaluation Partner to the school (where practical). If staying away overnight, accommodation is organised by ERO at a motel/hotel on ERO’s approved list. Where applicable, Leadership Partners use their own car to travel to the nearest office, airport, or school and be reimbursed accordingly.
Leadership Partners are expected to work alongside ERO for the full time out on review. There may be opportunities to return to your school and/or work remotely when the onsite phase is over, depending on review timing, school location and evaluation tasks.
What happens if I need to leave during a review because I am urgently needed back at my school?
Should an emergency arise, please notify the Manager Review and Improvement Services responsible for the evaluation. ERO acknowledges a Leadership Partner’s primary responsibility is to their employing school.
What resources are provided by ERO?
Leadership Partners have access to necessary ERO resources – hard copy resources and stationery and electronic note-taking sheets are supplied during induction. Leadership Partners are not ERO employees and are not eligible for ERO credit cards, computers, phones or email addresses while working alongside their Evaluation Partner. Communication will be through secure personal email addresses. This may be a school email address, but one that can only be accessed by the Leadership Partner.
Will I be working out of my region or away from my home?
Evaluators often work away from home and sometimes outside their region. Please let us know if this will be a problem.
Do I get a choice of where I review and what I do on review?
Leadership Partners work alongside an Evaluation Partner. They will evaluate within the sector that they are most familiar with. They will be included in reviews where they accompany their ERO Evaluation Partner.
During selection and induction, Leadership Partners will be asked about the particular strengths, interests and expertise they could contribute to ERO’s evaluations. This is taken into consideration when a Leadership Partner is placed with Evaluation Partners and on reviews.
The Leadership Partners programme may be a first step for leaders who wish to work for ERO on a longer term or more regular basis. If a Leadership Partner does decide to continue working with ERO on a temporary basis, working relationships will be in accordance with secondment arrangements, and may involve secondees coordinating reviews. Leadership Partners may seek to join ERO on a permanent basis as well.
How does ERO manage any conflicts of interest I might have?
Leadership Partners, while not employees of ERO, will be designated Review Officers.
In joining ERO, and thereby becoming a public servant, Review Officers undertake to abide by ERO’s Code of Conduct and Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission’s Standards of Integrity and Conduct. Both these codes discuss integrity and avoidance of conflicts of interest.
The ERO Code of Conduct states that Review Officers:
“We are a public sector agency, so our core values are those set out in the Public Service Code of Conduct. At all times we must be:
- Tika — Fair
- Tōkeke — Impartial
- Takohanga — Responsible
- Matatika — Trustworthy
We are also part of the Crown and a party to the Treaty of Waitangi, and we are committed to honouring our obligations of partnership, participation and protection under the Treaty of Waitangi. Real or perceived conflicts of interest do arise. During the induction process and prior to placement on any reviews, there will be opportunities to discuss how to recognise and avoid a conflict of interest and how Review Officers deal with a range of situations. ERO will avoid placing Leadership Partners in situations where there is a real or perceived conflict of interest.