Kohimarama School

Kohimarama School - 08/11/2018

School Context

Kohimarama School in Auckland caters for children in Years 1 to 8. There are currently 510 children enrolled, with Māori making up two percent of the roll. A small number of children have Pacific heritage. The roll also includes five percent Chinese, five percent other European, four percent Australian and smaller groups from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds.

The school’s aim is ‘to produce empowered, connected learners committed to our future’ and this supports the school vision, mission, values and motto. In addition, the school wants to instil in learners a passion for life-long learning and contributing positively to society. The current strategic direction and priorities support the school to achieve these high quality outcomes for learners.

Leaders and teachers focus on building children’s ability to make choices in their learning and to be self-organising, proactive, self-reflective and assessment capable. The 2018 schoolwide focus has been on ‘student-led learning’ and a digital learning tool has been adopted to support this focus.

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

  • curriculum and extra curriculum areas that align to the school strategic goals

  • collated information about achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

  • achievement data that compares cohorts of learners

  • progress and achievement in relation to school targets

  • wellbeing and success for learners

  • progress for learners with additional learning needs

  • teaching and learning strategies relating to professional learning and development (PLD).

Since the last 2014 ERO review, the board has successfully managed the appointment of a new principal and deputy principal. Staff have also participated in PLD that aligns to the school’s strategic direction.

The school is part of the Te Roopu Pourewa Kāhui Ako | Community of Learning (CoL) which is currently exploring ways to strengthen student-led learning and agency.

Evaluation Findings

1 Equity and excellence – achievement of valued outcomes for students

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

The school is highly effective at achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all of its learners.

School data show that overall achievement has been persistently high since 2014. Almost all children achieve at the appropriate New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) levels in reading and mathematics. Māori and Pacific learners, and boys and girls, are achieving at similar levels in reading and mathematics.

Over the last four years most students have achieved at the expected NZC levels in writing. School leaders have effectively addressed some disparity in writing achievement evident between boys and girls in 2018.

Children achieve very well in relation to other valued outcomes. Most learners:

  • can demonstrate and talk about the school’s values and dispositions known as the ‘Kohimarama Way’
  • are independent and highly engaged
  • are confident to talk about their learning
  • are respectful of themselves and others
  • have a strong sense of pride in the school.

1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?

The school is extremely effective in accelerating learning for those learners who need this.

The board, leaders and teachers are highly responsive to learners who would benefit from having their progress accelerated. The board ensures that the resources are available, and leaders and teachers provide individualised strategies to support learner development.

Leaders and teachers very effectively monitor and track learner progress and use this information for decision making to support accelerated development. Children benefit from extensive interventions and programmes designed to help them access the curriculum and accelerate their progress. This includes support for those who are learning English as an additional language.

2 School conditions for equity and excellence – processes and practices

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

The board positively contributes to creating school conditions to achieve equity and excellence. The board’s stewardship encompasses both accountability and improvement functions. Trustees work strategically and collaboratively with school leaders and together they use internal evaluation very well to support ongoing school improvement.

Effective school leadership purposefully aligns resourcing and strategies to achieve improvement goals. Leaders are systematic and coherent in their approaches to developing and pursuing school goals, vision and targets for equity and excellence. They lead a strong commitment to ongoing improvement through reflection and review.

Leaders and teachers access relevant internal and external expertise to build their capability for ongoing improvement and innovation. Teachers inquire into the effectiveness of their own practice, set high expectations for learners and use novel approaches to promote favourable learning outcomes for all students.

The school’s organisational culture promotes purposeful and focused inquiry, knowledge building and evaluation. Leaders and teachers value the voice and perspectives of children and the community, and incorporate these into school priorities for inquiry. Effective communication across the school supports the sharing of new knowledge in ways that promote improvement and innovation.

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

ERO affirms the school’s development priorities to promote equity and excellence by sustaining and building on existing good practices.

Leaders and teachers plan to further embed student-led learning across the curriculum. They are exploring innovative teaching and learning strategies designed to enhance children’s understanding about how they learn so that they can shape and develop their own programmes.

Leaders and teachers also plan to enhance the integration and linking of all curriculum areas schoolwide. This includes enhancing children’s access to an engaging curriculum that continues to extend and enrich their thinking and problem solving capabilities.

Leaders have identified the need to interweave deeper cultural understanding and engagement across the school community. This would complement school practices that are currently in place.

As part of promoting a culture of trust, creativity and innovation teachers are exploring ways to further embed innovative learning environments.

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.

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 review there were no exchange students, but there were two international students attending the school.

International students experience an inclusive school culture and opportunities to participate in a broad school curriculum.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • high academic achievement in reading, writing and mathematics that is sustained over time

  • leadership that fosters and promotes a professional learning community

  • a school culture of collaboration and high expectations among leaders, teachers and parents/whānau that promotes challenge and innovation.

Next steps

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

  • strengthening and embedding bicultural practice to better acknowledge the dual heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand

  • continuing to build children’s understanding of their own learning to help them make decisions and plan for their next learning steps

  • continuing to use a variety of evaluation approaches that gather the diverse voices of the learning community and connect this to the school’s strategic direction.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in four-to-five years.

Violet Tu’uga Stevenson

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

8 November 2018

About the school

Location

Kohimarama, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1334

School type

Full Primary (Years 1-8)

School roll

509

Gender composition

Boys 53% Girls 47%

Ethnic composition

Māori 2%
Pākehā 70%
Chinese 5%
Australian 4%
other European 5%
other ethnic groups 14%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

September 2018

Date of this report

8 November 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review August 2014
Education Review May 2011
Education Review February 2008

Kohimarama School - 08/08/2014

Findings

Kohimarama School provides high quality education for all students. The school’s inclusive culture and the respectful relationships modelled by staff support student learning and wellbeing. Students achieve very well and participate in a broad curriculum that offers them many choices. Parental support for the school is strong.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Kohimarama School serves children very well. The Year 1 to 8 school has a long history of providing education for families from Kohimarama. Students and families are proud of the school and some families have long-standing, inter-generational connections with it. Parents provide strong support for the school.

The values outlined in the Kohi Way underpin the school’s inclusive culture. The respectful relationships modelled by staff support student learning and wellbeing. Students from a diverse range of cultures attend the school, including a small number who are Māori (5%) and Pacific (1%).

The board and school leaders are highly responsive to external support and evaluation. ERO’s 2011 review identified strengths in leadership, governance and management that focused on a collective responsibility for meeting school goals. These practices have been sustained and further developed.

Since the 2011 ERO review, important school initiatives have been introduced and developed. Teachers participate in ongoing and relevant professional learning. Significant resourcing and growth has improved student access to information communication technologies (ICT). Learning environments have improved and a major property upgrade is currently underway.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

Kohimarama School makes highly effective use of student achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement.

Achievement data is used very well by the board to set achievement targets, monitor the progress of groups of students and inform strategic decisions. Targets and goals are set to outline expectations for the progress and achievement of students who are high achievers, for those achieving below expected levels, and for learners with high learning needs.

The school is very well placed to meet Ministry of Education educational achievement targets for 2017. Students achieve at a very high level in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to the National Standards. School leaders analyse achievement information, report patterns and trends in the data and keep comprehensive records of individual students, including priority learners who participate in learning support and extension programmes. Leaders acknowledge the need to further strengthen the evaluation of these programmes to support future resourcing decisions.

Teachers are well supported within a professional learning community. Carefully selected professional development is improving teachers’ ability to use assessment information to inform the teaching programme. This work is ongoing.

Classroom environments reflect children’s learning. Teachers use a range of effective teaching strategies to engage students as active learners. Students are involved in decisions about their next steps for learning. Students with special educational needs are fully included in class programmes. Assessments specify very clearly the progress they are making.

A recent initiative has focused on helping students to develop key dispositions linked to 21st Century learners. These dispositions which include collaboration, curiosity and effective communication, are promoting greater student engagement in learning. A current focus is on developing students as self-motivated learners.

Parents receive helpful information about children’s progress and achievement. School leaders continue to explore ways of sharing children’s learning effectively with parents.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The Kohimarama School curriculum effectively promotes and supports student learning. Students participate in a broad curriculum that provides many choices and leadership opportunities. The curriculum has a strong focus on literacy and mathematics, and includes a wide range of co-curricular activities. The programme for students in Years 7 and 8 includes specialist taught subjects, such as second language learning, as well as te reo Māori, careers guidance and technology.

School leaders provide strong curriculum leadership. Curriculum design is underpinned by current educational research on effective practice and is well aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). They use the SOLO (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes) Taxonomy to provide a framework of curriculum support that fosters greater student ownership of learning and promotes students to think more deeply about their learning.

An ongoing focus has been improving the ICT infrastructure to allow purposeful use of on-line learning tools in all classes. Teachers and students are gaining confidence in their use of interactive technology to explore new ways of learning. The board has also resourced six e-learning classes to trial various ICT tools aimed at supporting the learning process.

As next steps in curriculum development, school leaders acknowledge the importance of:

  • continuing to use ongoing review to inform decisions
  • keeping parents involved and informed about curriculum design
  • keeping an appropriate focus on the principles that underpin the NZC.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

The school has 28 students who identify as Māori. The school provides good opportunities for these students to achieve educational success as Māori.

The board is strategic in its planning for Māori success. Whānau views and perspectives are sought by the board and school leaders. Teachers receive good support to develop skills and knowledge to foster the learning, progress and achievement of Māori students.

Māori students actively engage in the life of the school and perform well in a range of areas. They experience high levels of academic success, and the school’s 2013 National Standards achievement data shows that Māori students as a group achieve at levels slightly higher than overall school-wide levels.

All students at Kohimarama School benefit from learning te reo Māori and participating in kapa haka. Some Māori students also receive extra tuition in learning te reo. School leaders agree that developing a school-wide sequential progression of te reo Māori should further extend students’ learning and help build teacher confidence and deeper knowledge of the language and culture.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Educational leadership and processes for managing change are well considered and deliberate to ensure shared ownership for and enactment of strategic goals.

The board is united in its vision for the school. Trustees have a range of skills and make very good use of training individually and collectively. They are well informed about student progress and achievement and use this information well to support resourcing decisions. The board’s strategic plan articulates the future direction of the school and school operations are clearly aligned to it. Trustees promote purposeful self review that has resulted in a high degree of coherence in schoolwide processes and systems.

School leaders work well together. Their roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. Management structures and processes foster shared understandings amongst staff and consistency in practice. Leaders are focused on recognising teacher strengths and building leadership capability. Teachers value the many leadership opportunities available to extend their talents and to lead innovation. Well considered professional learning and development, induction programmes and robust performance management processes enhance teaching practice. A strong culture of reflection and professional inquiry into practice underpins ongoing school improvement.

The school is responsive to its community. Trustees use a variety of strategies to gather and consider community views and aspirations. Parents actively participate in and contribute to the life of the school in many significant ways.

The board and school leaders are committed to promoting educational success for Māori, as Māori. They agree they should continue to strengthen initiatives that support Māori students to succeed as Māori. They also wish to further develop their partnership with local iwi.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review. School leaders regularly review processes to ensure they are up to date as signatory’s to the Code.

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.

Conclusion

Kohimarama School provides high quality education for all students. The school’s inclusive culture and the respectful relationships modelled by staff support student learning and wellbeing. Students achieve very well and participate in a broad curriculum that offers them many choices. Parental support for the school is strong.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

8 August 2014

About the School

Location

Kohimarama, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1334

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

506

Number of international students

0

Gender composition

Boys 53% Girls 47%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Australian

British/Irish

Chinese

Indian

Pacific

other Asian

other European

other

5%

69%

6%

4%

3%

3%

1%

4%

3%

2%

Review team on site

June 2014

Date of this report

8 August 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

May 2011

February 2008

February 2005