This keynote presentation by Nicholas Pole, CEO and Chief Review Officer of the Education Review Office, delves into the multifaceted role of assessment in New Zealand schools. It emphasises its critical importance in strategic planning and school improvement. Drawing on recent experiences and findings from the Education Review Office (ERO), the presentation provides valuable insights into how assessment is currently being utilised to inform decision-making at every level within schools. It explores the extent to which assessment is used to identify student learning needs and support intervention decisions, inform teaching practices, and guide resourcing decisions and priority setting by school boards.
Over the past eight years, Nicholas has significantly shaped how ERO collaborates with schools and early learning services. His leadership has ensured a deeper, evidence-based approach to school reviews, with a central focus on school improvement and enhancing learner outcomes. During his tenure, Nicholas has overseen numerous inquiries into aspects of the education system. This includes developing a series of reports on effective teaching strategies and exploring assessment practices and their use in schools. Recently, ERO completed a review of the implementation of changes to NCEA Level 1. During the COVID-19 lockdowns Nick established and oversaw the delivery of Papa Kainga TV / The Home learning Television, which had a daily following of around 300,000 households.
