Consultant to run Marfell school

Marfell's primary school has a government-appointed manager after failing to meet the conditions of its eduction review.

The decile one school in western New Plymouth will be under the eye of Taranaki education consultant Raewyn Rooney until she deems it ready to operate alone.

Mrs Rooney was asked to help out after education officers decided during the school's August review that it had not improved enough on last year's results and was not likely without external support.

Normally schools are reviewed once every three years, but Marfell was allocated a one-year update to check it was meeting reviewer's expectations.

Although the review found many of the children had improved behaviour-wise thanks to a new values teaching programme, most were still underachieving, a factor the review said needed "urgent attention".

For example, most scored in the lowest achievement bands according to six-year-net results.

The report noted a lack of unity in the school's management and the tendency of some teachers to focus heavily on promoting good behaviour rather than achievement.

There were also patterns of poor attendance.

More worryingly, trustee absences from the board were impacting on the effectiveness of school governance, with only three parent representatives on the body.

To bring about improvement, the review suggested "intervention" by the Ministry of Education, a proposal the school board agreed to.

Mrs Rooney began work on October 9 and said yesterday the school is progressing well.

Despite their disappointment with the review, staff and board had responded well and were determined to get the school moving forward, she said.

"From the day I set foot in that school I met a board and school who were committed to meeting the report's outcomes."

Recent elections meant the school now had a full board, Mrs Rooney said.

In her role as limited statutory manager she held the board's function as an employer, as a communicator between school and community and as a curriculum manager.

She did not have the power to override school management.

Marfell Community school has 114 pupils, in years one to six. Its roll is 60 percent Maori.

- © Fairfax NZ News