Senior management and communication at the only secondary school in Queenstown have been given a clean bill of health by the Education Review Office (Ero), two years after a damning report triggered an external inquiry and the departure of its principal.
The Education Review Report for Wakatipu High School, released to the school late last month, homed in on the ''significant issues that were negatively impacting on the smooth operation of the school and had the potential to adversely affect the wellbeing of staff and educational outcomes for students'', which were raised in its report released in February 2011.
Those areas of concern were in consultation and communication, change-management practices, leadership and senior management, reporting and analysing pupil progress and achievement, programmes for gifted and talented pupils, and self review of changes and practices.
Since the 2011 review, the board of trustees had the services of limited statutory manager Peter MacDonald for employment, the new report said.
Principal Lyn Cooper resigned and was replaced by Paul O'Connor, an experienced principal, in an acting capacity.
Steve Hall began his tenure as the new permanent principal in September 2012, followed by the appointment of Oded Nathan as the new deputy principal. Ero inspectors visited Wakatipu High School and interviewed Mr Hall, senior management team members, heads of learning and deans, as well as the staff representative on the board of trustees, a guidance counsellor, board trustees and the chairman, Alistair Nicholson, over three days in early December last year.
The inspectors left a summary and the written report was sent to the school in February for staff to give feedback.
Mr Hall said on Monday the feedback amounted to minor amendments for accuracy. Otherwise the report was expected to be released into the public domain via the Ero website, as scheduled.
The latest report said all teachers and trustees spoken to by Ero indicated confidence in the new principal and the direction the school was taking. Ero said the processes to consult and communicate with parents, pupils and staff were now ''well developed'' and the principal-initiated school-wide survey ''was most effective in encouraging the school community to express ideas''.
''The very quick turnaround in analysing the responses and feeding back key findings via YouTube has been welcomed by all ... the way the curriculum and timetable have been restructured is greatly appreciated by parents, students and most teachers.''
Ero said teachers valued the ''consultative and considered approach'' taken by Mr Hall and new senior management in proposing developments and making changes.
Teachers spoke of examples where clear professional expectations brought about improvements, for example, in punctuality at meetings and the quality of written comments to parents in school reports.
Asked to comment on the new verdict from the review office, Mr Hall said: ''They're supportive of how and where we're going.
''Those in senior positions spoke of their confidence in the overall style of leadership.''
Mr Hall said he and senior managers met on Monday morning and all voiced their enthusiasm for a ''great start to the year'', especially in attendance and independent learning.
However, Ero inspectors said they remained concerned about how gifted and talented pupils were identified and the programme to address their needs.
The restructuring of the curriculum and the loss of years 7 and 8 pupils from the school might have impacted on opportunities for gifted and talented pupils, the report said.
Mr Hall said it was the second time the criticism had been levelled against Wakatipu High, ''but I definitely won't be told a third time''.
The principal, a board trustee and an external adviser will form a sub-committee to review the gifted and talented situation and recommend changes, with a timetable for implementation, to the board of trustees next month.
Ero will return to its usual timetable of a full review of Wakatipu High School in February 2014.
