Colville School

Colville School - 27/02/2020

Findings

Colville School has responded well to the areas for review and development identified in the 2018 ERO report.  Students now benefit from a caring, collaborative, inclusive learning environment and a curriculum based on relevant and authentic local contexts. Most students are achieving at or above expectations. A majority of at-risk students have made accelerated progress.

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Colville School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Colville School is located in the small rural village of Colville at the northern end of the Coromandel Peninsula. It caters for students in Years 1 to 8. The current roll of 37 includes a small number of Māori and Pacific students.

Leadership, staffing and governance has been stable since the time of the 2018 ERO review.

They have undertaken a significant programme of professional development and internal review related to the areas for improvement identified in the 2018 ERO report.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

The areas for review and development identified in the 2018 report were:

  • develop, document and implement the school’s curriculum
  • implement reliable assessment systems
  • develop processes to inform teacher planning, including targets for individuals and groups of students at risk of not achieving
  • identify and implement quality teaching practices for all teaching staff
  • ensure effective performance management systems and processes are in place for the principal and all staff
  • improve partnerships for learning with families and whānau
  • implement systems and processes for effective internal evaluation.
Progress
Curriculum

In consultation with the local community a new vision and set of school values have been developed. The new values of effort, service and manners are now well embedded and articulated by both teachers and students and promote a positive school culture. Topics of study reflect local priorities. The school has developed many learning focused relationships with outside environment organisations. These networks effectively support community aspirations around environmental sustainability education. A monitoring tool is in place to ensure that all areas of the New Zealand Curriculum are appropriately covered. The school’s curriculum achievement plans document expectations for teaching and learning.

Assessment

School leaders have developed comprehensive expectations for assessment in literacy and mathematics. There is an appropriate range of assessment tools used to make robust overall teacher judgements about student progress and achievement. In-school moderation processes, particularly in writing, promote consistency.

Targeted Planning

Teachers and leaders have developed effective tracking systems for individual students in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers use these systems to identify students at risk of not achieving and monitor their rates of progress. The use of learning progressions as a basis for identifying and responding to student learning needs is increasingly evident. The principal reports regularly to the board on student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics and on student progress in reading. The board uses this information to make well-considered resourcing decisions.

Teaching Practice

School progress and achievement data indicates that teachers are responding well to the learning needs of students. There are high levels of overall student achievement and effective rates of acceleration for at-risk learners.

Students benefit from relationships with teachers that are firm, fair and caring. Teachers take a calm and positive approach to behaviour management which contributes to a settled, learning-focussed school tone. Teachers model respectful interactions.

Reading, writing and mathematics teaching reflects many aspects of current theory and best practice.

Features include:

  • the use of authentic and relevant contexts for writing and reading, and the integration of literacy with other learning areas such as social studies and science. These strategies promote greater motivation and greater engagement of students in their learning
  • inquiry learning in the senior class and the following of emerging interests in the junior class which gives students opportunities to follow their own interests in learning
  • the integration of local contexts for learning which promotes student’s sense of belonging and identity.

Ongoing professional development in digital technology, play-based learning and reading are building teacher capability.

Tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori are visible in the school curriculum. Leaders are actively involved in researching local iwi history and stories. The development of a meaningful programme for students in this area should enhance their identity as citizens of a bicultural society. There is a well-considered approach to the teaching of te reo Māori. Teachers follow a sequential programme which means students have the opportunity to develop a level of functional fluency.

Teachers have developed a number of useful frameworks that empower students to take more responsibility for their own learning.

Performance Management

The teacher and principal appraisal process clearly aligns with the recommendations and requirements of the Teaching Council of New Zealand and this is supporting building teacher capability.

Partnerships with families and whānau.

Teachers know their students’ pastoral needs well. They have worked effectively with the parents and whānau of many at-risk students to ensure that these pastoral needs do not become barriers to learning. Digital technologies that enhance home/school communication have also been used effectively by teachers. At the twice-yearly student/teacher/parent meetings, student’s next steps in learning are shared with parents and goals are set. Parents and whānau are advised of ways they can help at home to achieve these goals.

Internal Evaluation

Aspects of internal evaluation have been strengthened since the 2018 ERO report. The strategic plan for 2019 – 2020 contains measurable strategic goals. The principal reports on progress towards meeting these goals at each board meeting. Parents and students are regularly surveyed to ensure that their aspirations and perspectives are taken into account when school systems and process are being reviewed. Leaders reflect regularly on current theory and best practice, and on new learnings from professional development. They use these reflections to inform review and improvement. Trustees follow a cycle for policy review to ensure the policy framework that guides school operations is current and up to date. Student achievement and acceleration data is used to evaluate the effectiveness of resourcing decisions.

Key next steps

Trustees and leaders agree that it would be useful to:

  • continue to consolidate and document the local curriculum
  • review principal reports to the board and board targets to reflect a greater focus on acceleration for all students at risk of not achieving, particularly in writing and mathematics
  • continue to strengthen and embed strategies to empower students to take more responsibility for their own learning.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance?

The school is well placed to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance. It has:

  • developed its capacity to reflect and plan using evidence which includes student achievement information
  • developed a sustainable cycle of improvement and self-review
  • built the capability to sustain and continue to improve student achievement
  • developed the capacity to respond effectively to any current or emergent issues
  • established a foundation of values, tone, climate and relationships likely to sustain and improve student learning.

Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board of trustees and principal of the school completed the ERO Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to:

  • board administration
  • curriculum
  • management of health, safety and welfare
  • personnel management
  • financial management
  • asset management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:

  • emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
  • physical safety of students
  • teacher registration
  • processes for appointing staff
  • stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
  • attendance
  • school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.

Conclusion

Colville School has responded well to the areas for review and development identified in the 2018 ERO report. Students now benefit from a caring, collaborative, inclusive learning environment and a curriculum based on relevant and authentic local contexts. Most students are achieving at or above expectations. A majority of at-risk students have made accelerated progress.

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Colville School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success is available on ERO’s website.

Darcy Te Hau

Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

27 February 2020

About the School

Location

Colville, Coromandel Peninsula

Ministry of Education profile number

1706

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

37

Gender composition

Female 21 Male 16

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā
Other ethnic groups

30
7

Review team on site

November 2019

Date of this report

27 February 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Supplementary Review
Education Review

January 2018
December 2014
June 2013

Colville School - 19/01/2018

Findings

While the board of trustees and principal have made good progress in addressing areas for development in the 2014 ERO report, there remains a need to fully embed these initiatives. The board of trustees continues to benefit from the support of the specialist adviser. Trustees are in the process of strategically implementing the documented action plan. The appointment of a permanent principal and teaching staff should bring greater consistency of leadership and learning for students. Priority should be given to the provision of an appropriate and sustainable learning programme for children.

ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Colville School is a full primary school catering for students in Years 1 to 8 on the Coromandel Peninsula. At the time of the ERO review the school roll was 28, including 3 Māori children. Since the 2014 ERO report the school has continued to experience many changes of principals, teachers and staff. In June 2017 a new permanent principal took up her position. She has previous primary school leadership experience and is participating in the Beginning Principal’s Programme. A long term reliever is currently teaching the senior class. A new permanent teacher has been appointed to start in 2018. A Ministry of Education (MoE) specialist advisor has continued to provide assistance to trustees and the principal. Trustees continue in their governance roles and have participated in ongoing training and support with School Trustees Association and the specialist advisor.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

Priorities identified in the 2014 ERO report were to improve:

  • governance, including the development of systems and processes to support self review and strategic planning
  • school management, including the professional management of the school by the principal
  • personnel management
  • school-wide curriculum development and implementation
  • the management and use of assessment data to enhance student learning outcomes
  • systems and processes to ensure the school is compliant with all legislative requirements.
Progress

Since the 2014 ERO review the school has received ongoing support from the MoE and specialist adviser.

Trustees are committed to their roles as school governors. They continue to benefit from the support of the specialist advisor. Ongoing training is building their knowledge and confidence of their stewardship responsibilities. They have established positive and open relationships with the new principal.

Useful frameworks have been developed and documented. These are:

  • up to date school policies and a policy review schedule
  • a governance manual to support trustees in their roles and responsibilities
  • expectations for the performance management of staff which are aligned to current expectations of the Education Council
  • policies and procedures for managing health and safety systems and processes, including the physical and emotional safety of children.

The principal is focused on building a positive culture for learning with children and their families. She reports that children are demonstrating a more settled approach to their learning. Teachers need to continue to incorporate strategies for managing children’s behaviour positively.

Consultation with the community was held in early 2017. This resulted in identifying priorities for the school’s curriculum. The principal has some useful frameworks to guide curriculum development and integrate these priorities into meaningful contexts for learners.

Staff are in the early stages of gathering evidence to contribute to the appraisal process. Trustees have arranged for the principal’s appraisal to be undertaken by an external person.

ERO and the principal agree that there is uncertainty about the reliability of the 2016 student achievement data. In response to this, the principal has established a useful schedule to guide school-wide assessment practices. Some initial assessment has been undertaken to identify children’s levels of progress and achievement, and to support teachers to make more reliable overall teacher judgements in relation to National Standards.

There are a number of compliance issues to address.

Key next steps

There continues to be a need for children to experience consistency and continuity in their learning. Therefore priority should be given to curriculum development and implementation, including agreed expectations for teaching and learning. The school also needs to implement the learning languages curriculum.

Improving the use of student assessment data to inform planning for specific groups and individual children continues to be a priority. Teachers need to make use of the learning progressions to:

  • inform teaching, including providing feedback and feed forward to children
  • build children’s knowledge of their learning and next steps
  • inform overall teacher judgements.

Fully implementing the assessment schedule to support the reliability of the overall teacher judgement process is an important next step.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance?

The specialist adviser and trustees have documented a useful action plan to guide ongoing development of:

  • curriculum design and implementation
  • assessment against National Standards, including targets for individuals and groups of students at risk of not achieving
  • quality teaching practices for all teaching staff
  • implementing robust recruitment practices
  • performance management of the principal and all staff
  • partnerships for learning with families and whānau
  • systems and processes for internal evaluation.

The many changes to leadership and teaching staff have resulted in the need for ongoing support and guidance to fully implement this plan and to build and embed a sustainable culture for learning for children.

Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board of trustees and principal of the school completed the ERO Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to:

  • board administration
  • curriculum
  • management of health, safety and welfare
  • personnel management
  • financial management
  • asset management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:

  • emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
  • physical safety of students
  • teacher registration
  • processes for appointing staff
  • stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
  • attendance.

During the course of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance. In order to improve current practise, the board of trustees must ensure that:

  1. The requirement to adopt a statement on the delivery of the health curriculum, at least once in every two years, after consultation with the school community is met.
    [Section 60B Education Act 1989]
  2. In consultation with the school’s Māori community, it develops and makes known policies and/or procedures, plans and targets for improving the achievement of Māori students.
    [National Administration Guideline 1(5)]

4 Recommendations

Recommendations, including any to other agencies for ongoing or additional support.

ERO recommends that the MoE continues to provide support to assist the school to:

  • develop, document and implement the school’s curriculum
  • implement reliable assessment systems and processes to inform teacher planning, including targets for individuals and groups of students at risk of not achieving
  • identify and implement quality teaching practices for all teaching staff
  • ensure effective performance management systems and processes are in place for the principal and all staff
  • improve partnerships for learning with families and whānau
  • implement systems and processes for effective internal evaluation.

Conclusion

While the board of trustees and principal have made good progress in addressing areas for development in the 2014 ERO report, there remains a need to fully embed these initiatives. The board of trustees continues to benefit from the support of the specialist adviser. Trustees are in the process of strategically implementing the documented action plan. The appointment of a permanent principal and teaching staff should bring greater consistency of leadership and learning for students. Priority should be given to the provision of an appropriate and sustainable learning programme for children.

ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

19 January 2018

About the School

Location

Coromandel Peninsula

Ministry of Education profile number

1706

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

28

Gender composition

Girls 15 Boys 13

Ethnic composition

Pākehā
Māori
Cook Island Māori

25
2
1

Review team on site

October 2017

Date of this report

19 January 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Supplementary Review
Education Review
Education Review

December 2014
June 2013
June 2010