The Education Review Office plays a key role in our education system by providing independent, expert evaluations that help to improve the quality of education and care for learners of all ages. In New Zealand, there’s a noticeable stigma in some educational settings stemming from perceived pressure and negative impacts that ERO reports can have on reputation and morale. Reflecting on my experience as an ECE teacher, I know that ERO reviews can cause significant stress and disruption to centre operations, even in the most efficiently run early learning services. Occasionally, ECC receive calls from members who have had a tough experience with ERO. ECC were eager to learn more about the review experience from a provider perspective to develop a deeper understanding and inform future engagement with ERO. We ran a survey, delivered in September 2024, and received a total of 131 responses from ECC members, 56% of whom had undergone an ERO review within the past 12 months. Many respondents reported positive interactions with ERO officials, who overall displayed a high level of respect towards staff, children and families. Several commented on the professionalism and courtesy of officials, with some describing their review as the most collaborative or constructive they had experienced. At the same time, feedback also highlighted opportunities for improvement. ECC ERO Survey: 2024 Findings By Ingrid Crispin, Member Benefits Advisor, Early Childhood Council Some respondents noted variability in communication, a desire for clearer guidance on non-compliance, and inconsistent flexibility around scheduling. Safety in interactions was largely reported positively, with 38% feeling very safe, though a minority noted the emotional toll the ERO review process can bring. We do need to be open to feedback from ERO, but interactions with public servants should be respectful and attention to accuracy from reviewers is reasonable. A finding from the survey I found surprising was that 54% of the sample did not know that ERO is required to correct errors they made even if they print errors in a final report; more needs to be done to ensure that providers understand to always ask for corrections to be made to fix errors or inaccuracies by ERO. Survey data will help ECC to raise issues with ERO and work together to develop improvements that benefit the full sector. ERO has thus far remained open to feedback and appear eager to do the best for ECEs. ECC thanks everyone who participated for sharing their insights on ERO; the full survey report will be made available on the member portal in the near future. Our survey was repeated in July 2025 to monitor progress and trends, with over 100 responses collected within the first two days of opening. July 2025 { 33 }
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