Glen Oroua School

School Context

Glen Oroua School is located in rural Manawatu and caters for 66 students in Years 1 to 8.

The strategic goals of learning, relationships, and life-long learners and citizens, are part of the school’s improvement plan. School values encompass respect, honesty, caring, effort and pride.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• achievement in relation to reading, writing and mathematics

• progress and achievement of students identified in school targets

• valued outcomes in co-curricular activities.

Staffing has remained stable. The board is made up of experienced and newly elected members. There have been substantial building improvements over the past three years.

The school is part of the Palmerston North City and Rural Schools Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.

Evaluation Findings

1 Equity and excellence – valued outcomes for students

1.1 How well is the school achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students?

The school reports that in 2016, almost all students achieve well in reading and writing, with most students achieving well in mathematics.

There was an improvement in writing achievement in 2016 that has resulted in equitable outcomes for boys and girls. There is a growing disparity between outcomes for boys and girls in mathematics, with girls achieving lower results than boys.

1.2 How effectively does this school respond to those students whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school is strengthening teaching practices to respond to those students whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

School data for mid-2017, indicates for expected end of year achievement, likely acceleration of learning of some targeted students in reading, writing and mathematics.

Shared expectations of effective practice, improved use of data and regular tracking of target students are having a positive impact on achievement in writing.

2 School conditions for equity and excellence

2.1 What school processes and practices are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

Leaders seek and value the views of students, families and the wider community. These are well considered when making decisions about curriculum and improvement. There is strong support from families and high levels of community involvement in the life of the school. Parents and families contribute to the success of a range of school activities.

Parents are well informed about their child’s progress and achievement through the way teachers report on and share student’s success.

Children experience a broad curriculum that effectively enacts the school’s vision, values and priorities. It reflects the local context, while endeavouring to broaden students’ understanding of the wider world through providing children with regular experiences outside the classroom.

Students at risk of not achieving are suitably tracked and monitored and their progress is reported to the board. Students requiring additional learning support are well catered for in class programmes. The board provides extra resourcing and external support is accessed when necessary.

2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence?

School leaders recognise the value of evidence to inform decision making for improvement. They are reflective and improvement focused. A key next step is to develop a shared understanding of internal evaluation to build knowledge of what is working and what requires further improvement to raise student achievement.

The development of a collaborative and cohesive approach to appraisal is needed to align teachers’ goals to school targets, teacher inquiry, and professional learning for improvement.

An important priority is to improve teachers’ knowledge of te ao Māori and integrate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori through the curriculum. Teachers have begun to seek ways to do this.

The principal and trustees are committed to positive achievement outcomes for all students. To improve its effectiveness, trustees should strengthen processes to more clearly identify school needs and set priorities for building teacher and leadership capability.

3 Board assurance on legal requirements

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:

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

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

• emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
• physical safety of students
• teacher registration and certification
• processes for appointing staff
• stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students
• attendance
• school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

Actions for compliance

ERO raised health and safety concerns with the board and principal about the condition of the playground equipment. ERO has referred the board and the principal to Ministry of Education guidelines and the New Zealand Playground Safety Standard requirements.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

• ensure all playground equipment meets current health and safety legislation
• regularly test, and record the results of, water quality in the school pool
• ensure in-committee meetings minutes are properly kept.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

• partnerships between staff, parents and the community that supports learning and promotes positive student outcomes

• shared understanding of effective practice, use of data, and regular tracking of student achievement that informs teaching practice

• a localised curriculum that effectively promotes the school’s valued outcomes.

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, development priorities are in:

• improving teachers’ knowledge of te ao Māori and integrating te reo me ngā tikanga Māori to respond better to students’ identity, culture and language

• aligning teacher inquiry, appraisal and teacher professional development to identified school priorities

• using internal evaluation to determine the impact of strategies to raise achievement and support ongoing improvement.

[ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop for trustees and senior leaders]

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

21 December 2017

About the school