Wairarapa standards feud goes digital | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

A Wairarapa Times-Age story about National Standards has taken a long-running feud over the education benchmark into our digital realms.

Dalefield School principal Kevin Jephson went public in the Wairarapa Times-Age last week with an abysmal assessment of his pupils from 2011 as measured against National Standards.

He branded the system unworkable and invalid.

School trustee Nikki King posted a hefty defence, saying their 60 pupils outperform "other kids within the area at local competitions. When they get to college they also are well prepared and ready to grasp learning and often excel."

Ms King said Mr Jephson's teaching style and ethos dovetails with the school community and aims.

"I suspect that the Government will use National Standards as a way to make cuts to education by merging or closing 'failing schools' as they see fit."

Myra Mckay posted that National Standards would fare better if all schools operated from an "equal platform" and all children were "fed and nourished for optimum performance".

Glanville Johansen commented: "Nothing governmental will outdo the local knowledge compiled throughout the year, by people who are there everyday - Teaching - Encouraging - Disciplining and setting Boundaries."

Millst posted a comment backing National Standards and the ministry: "Rubbish. if it wasn't for national standards, how would anyone know this school has a serious problem. Now the school is getting the attention and focus it deserves to try and resolve the problem."

Millst also noted that "the principle (sic) should not necessarily take the result as a reflection on himself".

Sam French kept his opinion short though less than sweet, posting that "something is rotten in the school of Dalefield".