Consultation With St Stephen's School
Consultation On Government’s Integration Agreement With St Stephens School
Education Minister Trevor Mallard today announced a new move towards determining the future of the troubled St Stephen’s School in Auckland.
A consultation will be held with the St Stephen’s Trust Board with a view to reaching agreement with the board to cancel the existing integration agreement covering the school.
Trevor Mallard said it was not an easy decision to have to make, but he had no other option in the interests of the health and safety and the education of the students at the school.
If the integration agreement is cancelled, St Stephen’s will revert to being a private school, and any decision on its future will be in the hands of the Trust Board.
Trevor Mallard said it was a sad day in the history of one of the country’s proudest schools.
“The educational viability of the school has been the subject of seven unsatisfactory reports by the Education Review Office during the past decade.
“The low level of the quality of teaching and
learning has been a consistent theme at this school.
Despite high levels of intervention, the review office has
continued to identify significant problems across the
spectrum of planning, assessment, teaching, behavioural
management, subject knowledge and standards of
achievement.
“The ERO reports of 1995, 1996 and 1998
noted high levels of violence in the school. While
improvements in student welfare and pastoral care were noted
earlier this year, the changes were considered ‘fragile and
vulnerable’.
“Two serious incidents of assault have been
reported to the police this year and, in May, ERO officials
met the principal to discuss issues including student
safety. The report of that meeting states that the
arrangements for the protection and safety of boarders were
‘extremely unsatisfactory’.
“It was further noted that
there was no evidence that the decrease in reported
incidents of bullying and other misconduct noted early in
the year had been sustained.
“In June, the ERO said a
climate of negativity prevailed at the school, and that the
use of praise and reinforcement of positive behaviour was
almost completely lacking.
“With respect to the
management of student behaviour in the boarding
house/hostel, the ERO said the main strategy to manage
student behaviour was fear. It described the climate in the
hostel as largely hostile and joyless. Ministerial
correspondence and the previous reports of the ERO strongly
suggest a pattern of ongoing aggression and
hostility.”
Trevor Mallard said that following the most
recent ERO report, he took it upon himself as Minister to
visit St Stephen’s School on two separate occasions. The
first was to deliver and explain the report, the second was
to hear the response from the Trust Board, board of
trustees, staff and some parents and students.
“Now that I have initiated discussion about the future of St Stephen’s School, I have instructed my officials at the Ministry of Education to support the Trust Board through the coming consultation process and to keep me fully informed of developments.
“Our first priority is the safety and wellbeing of the students,” Trevor Mallard said
Ends