To the Parents and Community of Reignier Catholic School
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Reignier Catholic School.
Reignier Catholic School, situated in Taradale, Napier, caters for students from Years 1 to 6. The Catholic character is highly evident in the daily life of the school and there is a strong focus on inclusiveness and pastoral care. Students are confident and respectful and state that they feel safe and supported in their learning. At the time of this review in June 2010, the school has a roll of 257 students. The administration area and staffroom have recently been rebuilt and provide modern work spaces.
Trustees take an active interest in students’ achievement and provide the appropriate resourcing to support improvements to learning. Senior leaders articulate high expectations for students’ achievement and high quality teaching. The principal leads the planning of educational developments within the school and ensures staff work towards the school’s vision and goals.
Most students are achieving at or above a typical level for their age in reading and mathematics. Those students achieving below expected levels have been identified and specific teaching strategies and initiatives put into place to effectively support their learning. Māori students are achieving at similar levels or better than their peers.
The principal and teachers use student achievement information well to inform teaching and learning. Teachers work together collegially to plan class and school‑wide programmes and use a range of strategies to promote student engagement. They know their students well. Parents are kept well informed about student progress and achievement and teachers use a variety of ways to share this information.
Students are actively involved in their learning in a range of ways, including setting learning goals and self and peer assessment. They have access to a wide range of well-organised, relevant resources, including information and communication technologies (ICT). In classrooms, a respectful, productive atmosphere prevails.
The principal and board have identified, and ERO agrees, that strengthening aspects of evidence-based self review is an area for further development. In addition, increasing the use of specific feedback and extending opportunities for students to make choices is likely to further increase involvement in their learning.
Future Action
ERO is likely to carry out the next review within three years.
Review Coverage
This report provides an evaluation of how effectively the school’s curriculum promotes student learning - engagement, progress and achievement. ERO’s evaluation takes account of the school’s previous reporting history and is based on:
ERO also gathers information during the review to contribute to its national reports. The national reports are published on ERO’s website.
If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the school or see the ERO website, www.ero.govt.nz.
Kathleen Atkins
National Manager Review Services
Central Region
About ERO
ERO is an independent, external evaluation agency that undertakes reviews of schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.
About ERO Reviews
ERO follows a set of standard procedures to conduct reviews. The purpose of each review is to:
Reviews are intended to focus on student achievement and build on each school’s self review.
Review Focus
ERO’s framework for reviewing and reporting integrates the following:
ERO’s review is responsive to the school’s context. When ERO reviews a school, it takes into account the characteristics of the community from which it draws its students, its aspirations for its young people, and other relevant local factors.
ERO also builds on the school’s own self-review information. ERO is interested in how a school monitors the progress of its students and aspects of school life and culture, and how it uses this information to improve student learning.
This helps ERO to answer the major evaluation question for reviews:
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote student learning - engagement, progress and achievement?
Areas for Development and Review
ERO reports include areas for development and review to support on-going improvement by identifying priorities. Often the school will have identified these matters through its own self review and already plans further development in those areas.
| Disclaimer Individual ERO school and early childhood centre reports are public information and may be copied or sent electronically. However, the Education Review Office can guarantee only the authenticity of original documents which have been obtained in hard copy directly from either the local ERO office or ERO Corporate Office in Wellington. Please consult your telephone book, or see the ERO web page, http://www.ero.govt.nz, for ERO office addresses. |