Akina School/ Activity Centre

Education institution number:
6119
School type:
Activity Centre
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
0
Telephone:
Address:

414 Karamu Road South, Hastings

View on map

Akina Activity Centre - 20/11/2017

Background

Introduction

Akina Activity Centre is one of 14 Activity Centres in New Zealand that cater for secondary school students (Years 9-13) who are at risk of disengaging from mainstream schooling and at risk of low educational, social and vocational outcomes.

Activity Centres provide a specialised learning programme that will lead to increased attendance, engagement and achievement at school, social outcomes and successful transition rates. Registered teachers support students to increase their achievement and engagement in education guided by an Individual Learning Programme (ILP) that is responsive to the needs of each student. The ILP details the student’s learning goals and is developed in partnership with the student, teacher, parents/whānau and enrolling school.

A key component of the programme for activity centre students is to successfully transition back into the enrolling school, or move on to further education or employment.

Terms of Reference

This review is based on an evaluation of the performance of Akina Activity Centre,in relation to the terms of reference developed with the Ministry of Education. The terms of reference are:

  • management and governance practices including planning, internal evaluation and professional capacity building
  • the use of information to plan and implement individual programmes for, and with, students, and to monitor their progress
  • support for students to achieve improved social and educational outcomes
  • educational and social outcomes for students, including the extent to which students’ learning has been accelerated
  • students’ experience of interagency support for them and their families
  • transitions in and out of the Activity Centre.

The key evaluative question is:

How effective is this Activity Centre at achieving positive outcomes for students?

Context

Akina Activity Centre provides education for up to twenty students, who require a specialised learning programme that will lead to increased attendance, engagement and achievement at school. Support continues until they, their families and whānau, centre staff and their enrolling school decide that they are sufficiently well equipped to return to mainstream schooling, or move on to further education and training.

Hastings Boys’ High School is the managing school for this activity centre and receives funding to resource the centre. The school Board of Trustees holds governance responsibility and for providing high quality educational service, in a physically and emotionally safe learning environment.

Currently there are five local enrolled schools, including Hastings Intermediate, and four of which have at least one student attending.

Students are supported by the head teacher, a newly appointed teacher and a teacher aide. Staff are guided by a committee that comprises of deputy principals from each enrolling school.

Most students are Years 9 and 10. The roll numbers vary throughout the year, usually fewer at the beginning of the year when schools are identifying the needs of their students. At the time of the review there were 15 students on the roll, ten male and five female. Six of these students were Māori, six Pākehā and three of Pacific heritage.

The morning programme focuses on literacy and numeracy and the afternoon programme consists of health, physical education, art and technology.

Findings

How effective is the Activity Centre at achieving positive outcomes for students?

The activity centre achieves good outcomes for most students. Attendance is usually improved. Most students make academic progress at the centre, in particular in mathematics and literacy. Some Year 11 students study and gain credits towards National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualifications. The. The students are monitored and supported by the teacher aide.These lessons use resources fromTe Aho o Te Kura Pounamu -Correspondence School

The centre should record and report more analysed student achievement information. This should celebrate progress and identify more specific areas for development of teaching and learning.

What is the quality of governance and leadership of the Activity Centre?

Leaders establish clear and consistent expectations for students’ behaviour and academic success.

The Hastings Boys’ High School headmaster professionally engages with the head teacher. Contact is regular and the headmaster has oversight of performance management, using a process that is consistent with the managing school. Teachers meet the Practising Teaching Criteria. Documenting how they inquire into their own practice is an area to improve. Appraisal and professional development helps build teachers’ professional capability to meet the students’ needs.

The managing school resources the centre appropriately. Students access the school facilities such as the gymnasium on a regular basis.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the activity centre and each enrolling school outlines the criteria for enrolled schools and the responsibilities of the centre, the enrolled school and the student. The criteria clearly state that the centre caters for students in Years 9 to 11 who are at risk of disengaging from mainstream schooling. With consent from the Ministry of Education (MoE), a student in Year 8, from a local intermediate school, is enrolled. In relation to the written memorandum, this arrangement needs some clarity.

The board of trustees receive regular, general reports on student progress. There is no formal internal evaluation to scrutinise and report the degree to which the centre is meeting the obligations of the MoU.

The head teacher has made progress in resolving issues identified in the January 2013 ERO report. Whānau involvement and transition planning are now evident. Areas that remain to be strengthened include data that clearly shows academic progress and career education.

How effective are the selection and transition processes?

Through a well-established selection process, students who are enrolled are most likely to succeed and transition smoothly back to the referring school. The headmaster of the managing school meets with the student, parents, head teacher and a representative of the enrolling school. Expectations are set and agreed to at this interview. Almost every student who has attended this interview has been accepted.

Following the selection and interview process, the students and whānau meet with the head teacher and an ILP is established. This programme forms the basis of assessing the student’s progress over his or her time in the centre. These plans include personal information, agreed priority focus areas and a set of key competencies. Progress is monitored and recorded on these sheets. The plans would be more useful if those attending the meetings are listed and a wellbeing focus is more evident. Some priority goals are generic and should be more personalised for each student’s needs.

Reports on progress are sent home three times a term and the managing school receives regular, generic information on student outcomes. More specific information on progress and next steps would make the reports more useful and contribute to ongoing improvement.

Transitions are well managed. Students settle well and quickly adjust to established routines and centre culture. They are positive about their education at the centre and describe their interrelationships in terms of whanaungatanga. Students tend to stay about ten weeks, but this is flexible and their return is well considered. The return involves discussions with whānau and enrolling school before a formal process begins. Over a two to three week period, the student returns for a day or two a week, before returning full time. Most enrolling schools report very positive transitions back.

A feature of the centre is that all students retain their school uniform while at the centre. This physically demonstrates they are still part of the enrolling school and will transition back.

How well does the Activity Centre identify the social, emotional and academic needs of each student?

All students’ needs are well understood as a result of the careful referral and enrolment processes. Documentation from enrolling schools is variable and social, emotional and academic needs are not well recorded in the ILPs. The head teacher recognises this is an area for development.

Students spoken to are confident and state that their needs and those of their peers are well met at the centre. They are learning social skills, particularly at formal meal times. Students demonstrate respect for each other and the staff.

Some of the students have been referred to the centre because of truancy. This continues to be an issue, despite the efforts of teachers and external support.

The enrolled school has a role in supporting their students. An agreement in the MoU is that the enrolled school will “have a contact person who will make regular contact with the Activity Centre to provide support for the student.” This does not always happen.

The social and emotional wellbeing of some girls are insufficiently catered for. The committee acknowledges this and will put processes in place to better support girls.

How well do the specialised learning programmes meet the needs of each student?

Some students have very low levels of literacy and numeracy, usually the consequence of poor school attendance. Teacher support in helping these students gain basic foundations is a focus. Most students’ literacy and numeracy skills are improved. Most transition back to school, go on to further education or employment. Students gain from studying health and wellbeing units such as time management, communication skills and how to overcome anger.

The managing school headmaster and the head teacher are considering offering Year 10 students opportunities to gain credits towards NCEA qualifications. They are exploring appropriate subjects to add to the centre curriculum.

How effectively are students prepared for their future pathways?

The centre effectively prepares students to return to their enrolling school. Most students return to their schools with a renewed sense of purpose. The committee members endorse the positive outcomes for students who attend the centre.

Career topics are introduced, but not in a structured manner. The centre should develop a career education programme to help students establish long-term goals.

Recommendations

ERO recommends that the board of trustees of the managing school:

  • complies with the MoU, or seeks a revision of this document, in relation to the attendance of the Year 8 student

  • reviews and improves the provision of support for the wellbeing of girls at the centre.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

20 November 2017

About the Activity Centre

Location

Hastings

Ministry of Education profile number

6119

Activity Centre roll

15

Gender composition

Male 10, Female 5

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific

6
6
3

Review team on site

August 2017

Date of this report

20 November 2017

Most recent ERO reports

Special Review
Special Review
Special Review

January 2013
December 2009
June 2005

Akina Activity Centre - 16/01/2013

1 Background

Introduction

Akina Activity Centre is one of 14 activity centres in New Zealand that provide alternative schooling for students in Years 9 to 11.  Students are referred by their enrolling schools to activity centres because they are likely to benefit from a specialist programme that will meet their social and educational needs. 

Once accepted at an activity centre, students remain on the roll of the enrolling school, and attend the centre for periods that vary in length depending on students’ readiness for a successful return to schooling.

The programme of learning for students at an activity centre should improve:

  • the attendance of students
  • students’ academic achievement
  • students’ personal and social skills, through a programme that is based on the core competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum or the graduate profile in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

A key component of the programme is the successful and planned transition back into enrolling school or on to further education for activity centre students. 

The host school’s Board of Trustees is responsible for the governance of this activity centre.

Terms of Reference

This review is based on an evaluation of the performance of Akina Activity Centre in relation to the terms of reference for this review.  The terms of reference are:

  • educational and social outcomes for students, including the extent to which students’ learning has been accelerated
  • the use of information to plan and implement individual programmes for, and with, students, and to monitor their progress
  • management and governance practices including planning, self review and professional capacity-building
  • support for students to achieve improved outcomes
  • students’ experience of interagency support for them and their families
  • transitions in and out of the activity centre. 

2  Context

Akina Activity Centre provides education for up to twenty students who have behaviour and learning challenges that are impeding their educational progress. The centre is attached to Karamu High School. Students receive academic, social and personal support, guidance and mentoring. Support continues until they, their families and whānau, centre staff and their enrolling school decide that they are sufficiently well equipped to return to mainstream schooling or move on to further education and training.

Each Activity Centre is attached to a secondary school (the host school) that is responsible for the governance and management of the centre. The host school for Akina Activity Centre is to change to Hastings Boys' High School in 2013. A recently appointed acting head teacher has developed clear policies and procedures and clear information in the charter. These documents will support the new host school.

The morning programme focuses on literacy and numeracy and is delivered through Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu-The Correspondence School (Te Kura).  The afternoon programme consists of health, physical education, art and technology. 

3 Findings

Learning is valued by staff and students. Challenging, high expectations are set for behaviour and achievement. Students are given responsibility and are positive about the progress they are making. Recently developed behaviour and learning goals and indicators support student engagement and progress.

Learning plans to cater for strengths and interests are developed for each student. Staff should consider using these plans to strengthen individual planning in the afternoon session. The head teacher has identified the need to provide good quality and timely information to students and the management committee about student achievement and progress. The next step is to collect baseline data in order to show the academic progress students make.

Routines are well established and known by students. They learn in orderly, calm and secure surroundings where staff take all reasonable steps to provide a safe environment. Relationships are positive and affirming. Current students who spoke with ERO said that they felt well supported by centre staff and had made good progress in their learning and behaviour.

The head teacher has identified the need to develop and strengthen transition planning to:

  • include the support students need to receive for ongoing development in their enrolling school
  • clearly identify the roles and responsibilities for each person who has a responsibility to the centre
  • ensure the process is more inclusive of whānau, students, the enrolling school and head teacher.  

The next step is to monitor students after they leave the activity centre as part of ongoing self review. This should inform future transitions, programme planning and provision of pastoral care. 

Students enjoy a broad curriculum that is strongly needs-based. The programme is authentic and relevant to students. Resources are appropriate and accessible. High quality planning for the afternoon session is clearly linked to The New Zealand Curriculum. Te ao Māori is naturally woven throughout the day. Students have opportunities to explore their interests and strengths especially through the visual arts programme.

High priority is given to literacy and numeracy. Planning meets the specific requirements of each student. Good opportunities for literacy and numeracy are provided in other subject areas. Career education is in the initial stages of implementation. Staff are working towards strengthening this.

Opportunities to talk about the programme and some review of curriculum areas is occurring. Students reflect on their progress and development. Teachers and leaders have sought and used the student’s point of view to determine what supports their learning.

Staff demonstrate the importance of social and pastoral care to support the achievement of students. There are clear goals and expectations for classroom activity and student work. The centre draws on a range of external agencies to support student success. There is a warm, nurturing and safe atmosphere in the activity centre. Students express a sense of security and comfort with the environment.

Staff understand and affirm, through their practices and protocols, the cultural backgrounds of the students. Kaupapa Māori is recognised through daily karakia mō te kai. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori is highly reflected in the centre environment. Staff actively promote effective relationships with whānau.

The centre is developing its capacity to sustain and improve its performance.

School leaders ensure that the curriculum is well designed and that teachers are implementing high quality teaching strategies and interventions for students. A comprehensive operations manual has recently been developed detailing the programme, referral process, student entry process and aspects of safety. This promotes unity of purpose, consistency of expectation and clear lines of communication.

The management committee actively supports the head teacher. A useful strategic plan that describes the targets for the centre for the year has recently been developed and provides useful guidance.

Increased rigour of the performance management system has improved the support teachers receive. The management committee focus on building teacher capability through targeted professional learning and development.

Limited contact with the centre from enrolling schools is evident, apart from some members of management committee regularly visiting. Strengthening relationships to focus on collaborative planning and ongoing review of students’ progress and achievement would be beneficial.

The head teacher has re-established relationships with important community members. Good communication with families and regular home contact supports student success. ERO encourages centre staff to find ways to strengthen whānau involvement. 

4 Future Action

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years. 

Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services
Central Region (Acting)

16 January 2013

About the Activity Centre 

Location

Hastings

Ministry of Education profile number

6119

Activity Centre roll

11

Gender composition

Male 7, Female 4

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Asian

9
1
1

Review team on site

November 2012

Date of this report

16 January 2013

Most recent ERO reports

Special Review

Special Review

Accountability Review

December 2009

June 2005

April 2001