Summary
Karori West Normal School in Wellington has a roll of 509 students from Year 1 to Year 8, with 10% of students identifying as Māori. A number of students with Pacific and Asian heritage are enrolled. Three international students attend the school. There is a strong commitment to embedding high quality practices that provide an inclusive environment for all students.
The school has responded well to the next steps identified in the April 2014 ERO report. Since then the school has continued to focus on improving achievement in reading, writing and mathematics and the wider curriculum. It has also focused on developing understanding of te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. Leaders and teachers have participated in ongoing professional learning and development (PLD) to support these priorities.
How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?
The school is deliberate in its response to children whose learning and achievement need acceleration and is well-placed to improve and sustain equitable outcomes for all learners.
In 2016, the school reported that most students achieved at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the school has yet to achieve equitable outcomes for some Māori students and school leaders acknowledge that this remains a challenge.
The school’s vision is underpinned by the well-defined and understood values of ‘Excellence: I give my best to whatever I do’ and ‘Belonging: this is my place. I feel safe and happy here.’ These are highly evident across the school and enacted by students and staff.
The school’s whakatauki is: ‘Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi, engari he toa takatini. Success is not the work of one but the work of many’. This underpins a collective responsibility for and strong focus on learning and wellbeing. Relationships are warm and respectful. Students experience a broad curriculum.
The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for some Māori remains.
Leaders and teachers:
- know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
- need to further develop and implement approaches that effectively meet the needs of each child.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Equity and excellence
How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?
Many Māori students achieve at or above the Nationals Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The school has yet to achieve equitable outcomes for Māori students and school leaders acknowledge that this disparity remains a challenge that needs to be resolved.
School leaders and teachers look closely at achievement information to identify progress and achievement of Māori and other students. They respond through deliberate action and interventions in classrooms and by curriculum leaders.
Māori staff and whānau ably guide te reo Māori me ōna tikanga implementation across the school. Staff and children strongly uphold these values and practices. Māori students demonstrate confidence and pride in their language, culture and identity. They enact a sense of belonging and connection to the school.
Well-considered and established processes and practices guide teachers to make and moderate judgements about achievement and progress. Teachers and leaders work together, using a range of strategies and tools that support dependable judgements. Staff worked with other schools in the local cluster to moderate writing.
School conditions supporting equity and excellence
What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?
School leaders are committed to providing conditions to support equitable outcomes for all students. They:
- establish clear links across systems and structures that support the school’s goals and priorities
- promote a collaborative culture of shared responsibility for improvement
- foster professional practice and actively support teachers through role modelling and mentoring and participation in teacher learning and development
- build a shared understanding of the importance and use of data
- support students’ equitable access to learning opportunities.
Leaders and teachers:
- closely monitor progress and achievement of all learners at risk and discuss learning needs
- are highly reflective and inquire into data to build a shared understanding of what is happening for individual students and to identify areas for improvement
- use teachers’ inquiries and sharing of practice to implement purposeful strategies that promote the engagement, participation and achievement of identified students
- know students and their families well and communicate high expectations for children’s success.
The board regularly receives and discusses school wide achievement information with the principal and leadership team. Student achievement is well scrutinised to identify successes and guide decision-making for improvement across all levels of the school.
The curriculum document shows clarity and focus, including clear statements about the Treaty of Waitangi, equity and the priority of literacy and mathematics. It is very useful in guiding teaching and learning and in promoting consistent, effective practice across the school.
Students work collaboratively and independently in a positive environment. They are supported to be socially competent and self-managing. Relationships are warm and respectful. Students have opportunities to learn in authentic contexts.
The voice and involvement of families and community is valued and pursued. Parents and whānau receive information that enables them to assist in their children’s learning. The school works alongside whānau Māori to develop teachers’ understanding of te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. Leaders and teachers are working to enhance partnerships to better support students’ learning.
Sustainable development for equity and excellence
What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?
The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance to achieve equity and excellence.
In order to address the school’s identified challenge to reduce disparity of achievement between Māori and their peers, consideration should be given to developing targets and actions that focus specifically on acceleration of groups of students who are underachieving.
School leaders, trustees and teachers should use the substantial information about student achievement and progress, along with other relevant information to:
- evaluate the effectiveness of practice, curriculum, interventions and initiatives on student outcomes
- further build their knowledge of practices and strategies that work best to promote and sustain improvement and equitable outcomes for students.
School leaders have identified, and ERO agrees, that as they review the curriculum it is important to continue to develop it to better reflect the school’s expectations of:
- cultural responsiveness
- place based teaching
- parent partnerships for learning
- learning to learn.
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
- 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.
Appraisal audit
Improvements in the appraisal process is a focus for the school. ERO and school leaders have identified that their next step is to more clearly show how well evidence is linking to growing teacher practice and meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Provision for international students
The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.
At the time of this ERO review, there were three international students attending the school. The school’s internal evaluation process is providing reliable information about students’ wellbeing, academic success and integration. A quality pastoral care approach incorporates orientation, learning support and monitoring systems. Students are achieving success in their learning in mathematics and literacy.
Going forward
How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?
The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for some Māori remains.
Leaders and teachers:
- know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
- need to further develop and implement approaches that effectively meet the needs of each child.
The school agrees to:
- refine targeted planning to accelerate learning for children
- refine the monitoring of targeted planning, improved teaching, and children’s progress
- discuss the school’s progress with ERO.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
23 May 2017
About the school
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Location
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Wellington
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Ministry of Education profile number
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2875
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School type
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Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)
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School roll
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509
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Gender composition
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Male 55%, Female 45%
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Ethnic composition
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Māori 10%
Pākehā 67%
Asian 16%
Pacific 3%
Other ethnic groups 4%
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Provision of Māori medium education
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No
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Review team on site
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March 2017
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Date of this report
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23 May 2017
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review April 2014
Education Review November 2010
Education Review July 2007
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