Waitaki Boys' High School will come under the scrutiny of the Education Review Office in mid-August in a scheduled visit not prompted by recent comments and complaints about the school.
That is despite further complaints and comments, along with statements of support, received recently by the Ministry for Education.
The Education Review Office's national manager review services, southern, Graham Randell, told the Otago Daily Times yesterday the visit was not earlier than planned and was part of the normal schedule of reviews.
The last review was published in April 2010 and it was so good that, instead of the normal three-yearly review, the school was put on a four to five-year cycle.
The office, better known as ERO, is responsible for evaluating and reporting on the education and care of pupils in schools and early childhood services.
It looks at all aspects of a school, including management and administration and the relationships, including with the wider community.
Reports, made public, are used by parents, teachers, early childhood education managers, school principals and trustees, and by government policy makers.
ERO's final report on Waitaki Boys' would be out six to eight weeks after its visit.
The reports can recommend intervention under the Education Act, which can include a number of actions going as far as dismissing the board of trustees and putting a commissioner in place.
Mr Randell emphasised the Ministry of Education made any final decisions on intervention and could also intervene without any recommendation from ERO.
As part of the review process, ERO can talk to school leaders, the board, staff and the community, including parents.
''This [Waitaki Boys'] review has not been scoped yet, so no decisions have yet been made about who ERO will meet. These decisions often occur once ERO is on site.
''We ask schools to let the parents know when we will be visiting the school,'' he said.
ERO had no directly received comments or complaints about the school but, as part of the process, reviewed processes for managing those.
It had none forwarded to it by the ministry, which had received complaints or comments from 17 people which had been sent to Waitaki Boys' board of trustees.
The ministry's group manager, sector enablement and support, Jill Bond, said it had received some further complaints along similar lines to earlier complaints. It had also received expressions of support for the school.
''Complaints have been received from a wide range of people, including some staff. Some of the complainants have contacted us before.
The complaints relate to a range of matters including the school culture,'' she said.
The ministry and New Zealand School Trustees' Association were keen to see a positive resolution as quickly as possible. The association was working with the board to support the school and manage the issues.
''We also continue to support the school,'' she said.
