BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OVERVIEW

All of New Zealand’s state and state-integrated schools have a board of trustees. The board of trustees is the Crown entity responsible for the governance and the control of the management of the school. The board is the employer of all staff in the school, is responsible for setting the school’s strategic direction in consultation with parents, staff and students, and ensuring that its school provides a safe environment and quality education for all its students. Boards are also responsible for overseeing the management of personnel, curriculum, property, finance and administration.

The annual report is one of two key accountability documents that boards of trustees are required to use to inform and report to stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, Members of Parliament and, most importantly, parents and the wider school community.

The annual report contains the audited annual financial statements that show how the board has applied its financial resources to achieve its charter goals.

The annual report also contains an analysis of any variance between the planned aims, objectives, directions, priorities, or targets (as set out in the school charter) and what the school has actually achieved during the year. The analysis of variance describes how the school has addressed the board’s priorities for improving student achievement, and how succussful the school’s approach has been. The analysis of variance should also provide the basis for plans for the coming year.