Cognition Education Trust On Alternative Schooling Models

Release from: the Cognition Education Trust and the Cognition Education Trust

11 January 2012

Statement From The Cognition Education Trust And Cognition Education Limited On Alternative Schooling Models

Cognition views the recent government announcement to establish charter schools with interest. We do so because we are open to exploring alternative ways to improve the achievement and well-being of all of our children and young people.

At this point in history most of New Zealand’s students do well and New Zealand is recognised internationally for its world class education system.

However, Cognition recognises that there is always room for further improvement so that all our students experience success as learners. We simply cannot call on the same solutions in the hope that they will produce a different outcome in supporting those students who are not experiencing this success.

Therefore Cognition has an open mind about alternative options to schooling. We acknowledge that that in some cases alternative models both within the public and private sectors have been shown to work well in improving achievement. In other cases less so.

So rather than become embroiled in ideological debates around this issue our organisation has established a working group to examine possibilities around charter schools in order to determine the variables that seem to impact on the success of such schools and the models that drive them. That group will conclude its work early in 2012. We will be calling on a range of experts, from New Zealand and internationally, to provide objective and research informed feedback on the charter schools initiative.

The focus of Cognition is on one thing, as it has been for the last 22 years wherever we have worked in both New Zealand and internationally when considering new initiatives. This is ‘What is the impact on the achievement and well-being of students and how can that be improved?’

ENDS