Hunua Road, Papakura
View on mapEdmund Hillary School, Papakura, caters for students in Years 1 to 8. The school has a growing roll of just over 200 children. The roll includes 41 percent who are Māori, 42 percent with Pacific heritage, and small numbers from other diverse backgrounds.
The school’s mission is for their tamariki to be lifelong learners who are “determined and aim high”. The school values of excellence, diversity, equity, community participation, ecological sustainability and integrity underpin the vision.
The board’s strategic goals for 2018 focus on:
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
Edmund Hillary School is part of Kootuitui Papakura, a charitable organisation comprising a collective of community representatives including mana whenua, providing services for a cluster of six schools in Papakura. The purpose of the cluster is to support whānau and schools to enable better life outcomes for tamariki through the three strands of education, health and healthy homes.
The school is very successful at achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for its students.
The majority of students, and most of those who attend the school for two or more years, achieve at or above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. The school roll shows levels of transience as high as 40 percent.
The school is maintaining overall levels of achievement in reading and writing. In 2018 the priority was to lift achievement in mathematics. The school has successfully addressed in-school disparity in educational outcomes for different groups of students.
Children are very well supported to achieve other valued outcomes identified in the school charter. Students are:
The school responds very well to all students whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.
Student achievement data are used very well to:
School leaders and teachers look closely at students’ progress over the year at each class level. Data show good levels of progress and acceleration at each year level. The rates of acceleration increase as students move through the year levels at the school.
Students benefit from a very effective intervention programme to accelerate progress in reading. This programme is also having a positive impact on student writing outcomes.
The school’s focus on the teaching of mathematics is lifting teachers’ awareness of, and helping them to be more responsive to, students whose learning needs acceleration in this area. Junior school data for the end of 2018 show accelerated learning for all students in mathematics.
Through the Māori concept of hauora, the school has a wraparound approach focused on the wellbeing of all tamariki. This is inclusive of children’s learning, health, social, emotional and cultural needs. This approach is key to how the school is achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for its students.
Learning support for children with additional needs is well coordinated. A shared sense of responsibility for positive outcomes supports these children to participate fully in meaningful learning.
The board provides very effective school governance. The board’s practices enact the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Trustees provide high levels of expertise to ensure school accountabilities are met. They seek and value the powerful partnerships that help them to gain access to a greater range of resources and opportunities to support equity and excellence for all learners. Their protection and partnership principles enable high levels of participation for children, their whānau and the wider community. The board has a deep understanding of, and commitment to, the community they serve.
School leadership is highly effective, and is strongly influenced by a Māori world view. The principal is instrumental in maintaining high expectations and levels of accountability for staff, students and whānau. School leadership is well-informed and responsive to current and relevant educational research. A professional culture is nurtured by school leaders and as a result, teachers deliver the curriculum well.
The school builds strong, educationally powerful relationships. The Kootuitui Papakura cluster has a home strand that promotes a ‘by whānau for whānau’ model. As a result, two whānau members who are trained as facilitators, are leading workshops in financial literacy and digital devices to encourage whānau interaction in their children’s learning. Families of new entrants have opportunities to gain knowledge and skills to support their children’s learning early in their schooling, through the LEAP (learning, engaging, achieving, and partnership) programme.
The school’s curriculum is very relevant and emphasises the attributes for lifelong learning and wellbeing. The education strand of Kootuitui Papakura is prominent in the school curriculum using Manaiakalani teaching approaches. The teaching approach of ‘Learn, create, share’ puts students at the centre of learning. Learners have ready access to digital tools that allow them to engage across all curriculum areas, and to ‘practice, produce, present and publish’. As a result, learning is visible and ever present for both teachers and students.
Māori perspectives are reflected in class programmes, the environment and everyday school life. The school builds on expertise within the school and from the community. The acknowledgement and celebration of cultural diversity is also significant, enriching learning opportunities for all students. School leaders value students’ languages and cultures and what each child brings to the learning process.
Children benefit from vigilant systems to ensure their wellbeing. The school has well-embedded programmes that ensure all children have healthy food each day, and their physical health is monitored and maintained. School leaders take a strong stance to provide a peaceful, neutral space for learning.
The three Kootuitui Papakura strands of Education, Health, and Healthy Homes are very effectively implemented at Edmund Hillary School. There is scope for growing these approaches further to support children’s educational pathways. Trustees and school leaders could consider ways to extend collaboration with early learning services and other Papakura schools.
The principal makes strategic decisions about the placement of staff in order to support the best outcomes for students. However, meeting full staffing numbers is a regular challenge for the board. To help with the challenge of continually raising levels of achievement, the board and principal will need to continue to be inventive about ways of attracting and retaining good quality teaching staff.
Before the review, the board 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 the following:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in four-to-five years.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
18 February 2019
|
Location |
Papakura, Auckland |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
1267 |
|
School type |
Full Primary (Year 1-8) |
|
School roll |
201 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 52% |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 42% |
|
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) |
No |
|
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
|
Review team on site |
December 2018 |
|
Date of this report |
18 February 2019 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review November 2015 |
Edmund Hillary School provides good quality education. Students in Years 4 to 8 achieve well. The settled and inclusive tone of the school supports student learning and wellbeing. Students enjoy a wide range of learning opportunities through a broad-based curriculum. The school is well placed to sustain current good practices and continue improving outcomes for students.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Edmund Hillary School in Papakura provides education for children in Years 1 – 8. Over half of the students are Māori and 44 percent are of Pacific heritage. Providing the best possible opportunities for student’s learning is central to school operations and decision making.
The school is proud of its historical links and its long standing and inter-generational connections with parents and whānau. Community volunteers support the breakfast club and healthy lunches are prepared by staff and students.
The over-riding tone of the school is one of manaaki. Students are proud of their school and enjoy learning and playing together. Staff work with all families to enable every student to experience success. The learning environment is settled and positive. Staff have a shared focus on raising student achievement through improving the quality of teaching and learning.
Since ERO’s 2013 report, there have been changes to the board of trustees including a new chairperson. Trustees have worked strategically with students, teachers, parents, whānau and local community members to develop a shared understanding of the schools’ vision and values. This provides a strong foundation for the school’s future direction and the educational success of children.
The board, school leaders and teachers use data very well to inform teaching and learning. Teachers use student achievement information well to evaluate their teaching and make changes to their practice to improve outcomes for students.
Students are supported to read and write from the day they enrol. Children are individually tracked, and planned initiatives and strategies are used to accelerate their learning. The school has established a school/whānau learning partnership to maximise support for student learning. Parents told ERO they enjoy reading at home with their children because children are keen to learn. They receive good reports on their child’s learning, progress, achievement and next steps. Students with learning difficulties are identified and successfully supported by teachers, teacher aides and additional programmes.
Students are enthusiastic about their learning and they participate actively in classroom programmes. They see themselves as capable learners and value frequent opportunities to learn together with their peers. Relationships with teachers are respectful and sincere. There is a major emphasis in the school on care for students, and their families, and its impact on learning. A comprehensive pastoral care system supports students to be engaged in their learning.
Most students make significant progress during their time at school. There is accelerated progress in literacy and numeracy with very good achievement against the National Standards for students in Years 4 – 8.
Students are engaged in their learning. They respond well to the teacher’s high expectations to manage their own behaviour and produce high quality work. They are confident communicators and active participants in learning. Teachers value and respect children and their work. They celebrate students’ successes and provide opportunities for ongoing learning and reflection.
The board of trustees receives useful reports about student achievement in mathematics, reading and writing. The data indicates that students who remain till Year 8 achieve very well in National Standards. School leaders agree they need to extend their achievement focus to include all areas of the curriculum and to continue to make budget allocation to ensure appropriate resourcing is available. This should include careers education for older children.
Students benefit from a curriculum that has a strong focus on literacy and numeracy. Teachers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their teaching. They create environments that reflect their high expectations and support students to become responsible engaged learners.
Other significant elements of the school’s effective, deliberate and purposeful curriculum design include:
School leaders are reviewing aspects of the curriculum to make the school values more visible. Pacific students' home languages are celebrated and they are proud of their heritage. Leaders and teachers should consider how they might include the uniqueness of each student’s language, culture and identity into planning for a more integrated curriculum.
Teachers are well supported with professional learning and development and are given opportunities for leadership. They work collaboratively to plan programmes, evaluate outcomes and critically reflect on their own practices. Systems for teacher appraisal have improved since the previous ERO review. School leaders should continue to review these practices to ensure they are robust and consistent and could investigate opportunities for using an external appraiser for their own appraisal.
The principal has recently begun to coordinate the Papakura Kotuitui initiative, a community of schools established to examine digital learning opportunities. Teachers are part of focussed professional development to support students to become technologically capable. The Kotuitui initiative will be introduced to students in 2016.
The principal leads the visibility and integration of te reo Māori, with karakia to start each day. Six of the teachers have Māori whakapapa. Regular informal engagement with whānau, and student participation is increasing knowledge and ownership of te reo me ōna tikanga in the school. Māori student attendance has improved. Leaders are well placed to formalise consultation with whānau and tamariki and to analyse their responses to inform the school’s strategic planning.
Māori students achieve well. Whanaungatanga and manaakitanga are strong features of the school and all students are identified by their pepeha. A deeper understanding of the tikanga behind each student’s identity could support teacher practice and help them to further develop the concept of ako.
The school is well placed to sustain and build on significant progress and development over the past three years. The boards’ strategic plan is focused on making positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement.
The principal has a strong focus on helping teachers to develop as professionals. She has played a central role in promoting the ongoing improvement that is a feature of the school. The board makes deliberate decisions that make a difference for every student.
The board is supported through external business partnerships that provide additional expertise. There is a high level of collective commitment from trustees. They are keen to increase their understanding of their roles and responsibilities. This could be achieved with targeted board training around self-identified areas for improvement.
To strengthen charter goals the board should:
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
Edmund Hillary School provides good quality education. Students in Years 4 to 8 achieve well. The settled and inclusive tone of the school supports student learning and wellbeing. Students enjoy a wide range of learning opportunities through a broad-based curriculum. The school is well placed to sustain current good practices and continue improving outcomes for students.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
19 November 2015
|
Location |
Papakura, Auckland |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
1267 |
|
|
School type |
Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
|
|
School roll |
136 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 64 Boys 72 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
54% |
|
Review team on site |
September 2015 |
|
|
Date of this report |
19 November 2015 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
January 2013 |