Koru School

Education institution number:
1336
School type:
Full Primary
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
424
Telephone:
Address:

71 Robertson Road, Mangere, Auckland

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Koru School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 6 months of the Education Review Office and Koru School working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz

Context 

Koru School is located in Māngere, Auckland City and caters for Years 0 – 8 ākonga. The school’s vision is to develop critical thinkers; to encourage ākonga to be ambitious, creative, and curious; to promote collaboration and to foster a culture of respect, inclusiveness and belonging.

Koru School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • Accelerated Learning

  • Māori and Pacific Learners

  • Special Needs

  • Self-review

  • Teacher development.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Koru School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school, in partnership with whānau, meet the learning outcomes and holistic needs of all ākonga to achieve equity and excellence.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to extend:

  • the school’s commitment to learner wellbeing and inclusivity

  • teachers and leaders having a shared belief that every child at Koru can succeed and through teasing out data determining individual needs  

  • cultural richness and ākonga diversity celebrated in the curriculum

  • a continuous drive to include whānau and community in the direction of the school.

The school expects to see:

  • ākonga agency explicitly evidenced in their learning

  • attendance and, as a result of that, learning engagement maintained as a schoolwide focus

  • teachers and leaders using data to inform explicitly, learning progress and achievement

  • full effect given to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

  • teachers given further opportunities through professional learning and coaching to fully develop their capabilities, knowledge and capacity to provide leadership and excellent learning outcomes.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate the equity and excellence of learning and holistic outcomes for all ākonga:

  • Ākonga experience belonging through an open and inclusive school culture.  

  • Culturally empowered ākonga are given multiple opportunities to be successful in who they are.

  • Collaboration is the essence of how the school works, to include ākonga, staff, whānau and community.

  • Leadership is a team endeavour focussed on learners and their needs.

  • Rich community engagement ensures whānau aspirations are valued.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • developing an holistic evaluation plan where analysed data guides the school wide internal evaluation of equity and excellence

  • gathering and tracking data around the impact of school attendance and engagement on ākonga wellbeing

  • reviewing opportunities to develop, enhance and sustain ākonga success in who they are - their culture, language and identity and the prior knowledge they bring to learning

  • evaluating key transition points and school wide progressions in literacy and numeracy to enable teachers to further collaborate and personalise ākonga learning pathways

  • Continuing to develop the school’s understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi supported by the Aotearoa, New Zealand Histories curriculum.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

12 October 2023 

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.  educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Koru School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2023 to 2026

As of April 2023, the Koru School Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Further Information

For further information please contact Koru School, School Board.

The next School Board assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.

Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

12 October 2023 

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Koru School - 14/06/2018

School Context

Koru Schoolcaters for children in Years 1 to 8. Of the approximately 520 students, 14 percent are Māori and 82 percent have Pacific heritage, the main groups being Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori and Niuean. Other ethnicities represent four percent of the roll.

Since the 2015 ERO evaluation, newly built, open space buildings have replaced single classrooms. Students and staff shifted to these Innovative Learning Environments (ILEs) during the latter part of 2017. Supporting the adoption of new ways of teaching and learning has been, and remains, a priority for school leaders, trustees and other key members of the school community.

The school’s vision is to develop critical thinkers who persevere and drive their own learning, and to encourage them to be ambitious, creative, and curious. The vision is seen as a means to promote positive collaboration for learning and teaching, and foster a culture of respect, inclusiveness and belonging. School values that support this vision are anchored by the principles:Ko au – I am an active learner; Ko mātou – we learn together; Ko tātou – we value community.

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

  • achievement and progress in reading, writing and mathematics

  • engagement and wellbeing

  • different learning areas of theschool’s curriculum.

Key school goals for improved student outcomes focus on supporting children who require acceleration in their learning to meet curriculum expectations for reading, writing and mathematics. The target for 2018 is that 75 percent of these students make sufficient progress to achieve at and above curriculum expectation. The school views that, for some learners, more than one year is required to make necessary progress.

The school is part of the Whakatipu Akoranga Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako (CoL).

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 has had a positive impact on outcomes for its students over time.Year 8 achievement is noticeably higher than other year levels, indicating the positive difference the school makes for learners who stay at the school for at least four years.

The school’s overall achievement information for 2015 to 2017 shows that over half of children achieve at expected levels in relation to The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) in reading, writing and mathematics. There is disparity of achievement between Māori students, boys and other groups of learners. In contrast, Pacific girls achieve at significantly higher levels than other groups of students with the majority achieving very well in relation to curriculum levels.

Students achieve very well in relation to other school valued outcomes. Most students:

  • are actively involved in their learning and contribute to the life of the school

  • have a strong sense of belonging and connection to others in the school community

  • use school values to support their positive interactions with others.

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

The school is continuing to work towards parity in achievement for Māori and boys. The school accelerates the learning for some of these learners.

School targets focus on accelerating the progress of all learners who are at risk of not achieving, including Māori and Pacific learners. Progress towards these targets is monitored by school leaders and the board. School data show accelerated achievement for individual students in reading, writing and mathematics. Unfortunately, overall achievement information for 2015 to 2017 does not reflect these positive shifts for individuals.

The school is successful in raising achievement for Pacific girls. School leaders, trustees and staff could explore what works well for these learners to adapt strategies to suit other learners, particularly Māori students and boys. The school’s drive to increase student voice in their learning might be working well for children, particularly Pacific girls, who are already confident in their language and identity.

Very good quality provision for children with additional needs helps them to make progress in their learning and wellbeing. Focused teaching approaches successfully respond to these students’ specific learning requirements. They are helped by learning assistants mostly in the classroom environment. As a result, children with additional needs are able to develop their literacy and mathematical skills and knowledge in the broader curriculum, alongside their peers.

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?

Very good school leadership is collaborative and forms connections. This impacts positively onchildren’s sense of belonging and wellbeing, and active engagement in their learning.

Students are enthusiastic about their new environment. They appreciate opportunities they have to interact with others in their learning and the ready access they have to digital resources to support their work. Children respectfully offer their ideas and opinions and actively support others’ learning.

Teachers use their extensive knowledge of children, their families and whānau to support children’s overall learning and development.They provide good quality feedback to students about their achievement and progress. Increasingly, they support students to identify and work towards their next learning steps.

The school’s broad and increasingly responsive curriculum helps teachers cater for children’s diverse capabilities and interests. Younger students have had opportunities to contribute to community initiatives that focus on achieving ecological sustainability. Older students also explore themes that are relevant to their lives and experiences. As part of termly review, students are asked for feedback about how well their learning requirements are met, and themes they would like to explore in the future.

Visits to Papatuanuku and other local marae support children’s understandings about the nature of Aotearoa New Zealand’s bicultural society. More deliberate ways of foregrounding the contribution of Māori children at such visits and events would complement other school initiatives that are designed to improve outcomes for Māori learners.

Schoolwide professional learning and development (PLD) initiatives have focused on increasing staff capability to support students in purposeful, self-directed learning.The school’s ongoing involvement in a project for improving student mathematics learning has supported teacher inquiry about strategies to cognitively engage Pacific children. Staff have discussed and adapted some of these practices for literacy and other areas of the curriculum. School leaders and trustees agree with ERO that shared inquiry about how best to cater for the requirements of different groups of learners who are at risk of not achieving would give impetus to this work.

The board shows very good stewardship by reinforcing connections with the community. Trustees are very helpful to school leaders and staff in this and other dimensions of school operations. The board reflects on the effectiveness of its work. The school builds positive relationships with external support agencies, parents and community groups.

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

ERO and the school agree that deepening evaluative practice will help trustees, school leaders and teachers to identify and implement effective practices that are focused on improving learning outcomes for children at risk of not achieving. The board could enhance its evaluation processes by discussing student achievement and wellbeing information in order to inform school priorities.

Strengthening ways of reporting to parents/whānau about their children’s learning and wellbeing is a constant focus. School leaders recognise the importance of this development in order to build on successful initiatives such as students discussing with parents/whānau about their learning. This school development will help parents better know how their children are progressing and ways they can assist them at home.

Consultation with all families about changes in the school is significant and informs school direction. This positive aspect of school operations could be extended to include hui/fono with Whānau Māori and Pacific families to enhance school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning. Sharing of school goals and targets for different groups of learners will help parents/whānau understand ways the school reviews its practices and processes to raise achievement for their children.

The local CoL’s PLD priorities for raising Māori and boys’ achievement will contribute to the school’s inquiry about making a positive difference for these learners. School leaders are open to new ideas and possibilities and see great benefit in belonging to and contributing to this network of leaders, trustees and teachers.

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.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • a learner-focused school culture that promotes children’s sense of worth and belonging

  • collaborative leadership that is focused on equity and excellence for all learners

  • an increasingly responsive curriculum.

Next steps

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

  • ways teachers inquire into, and adapt their practice to cater for children who are at risk of not achieving

  • enhancing evaluation processes to focus on improving learning and wellbeing outcomes for all learners

  • implementing the school’s targeted planning to accelerate learning for Māori students and boys.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Julie Foley

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

14 June 2018

About the school

Location

Mangere, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1336

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

522

Gender composition

Boys      53%
Girls       47%

Ethnic composition

Māori   
Samoan               
Tongan
Cook Islands Māori
Niuean 
other Pacific
other

 14%
 36%
 21%
 17%
   7%
   1%
   4%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

May 2018

Date of this report

14 June 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

 June 2015
 March 2012
 November 2008

Koru School - 25/06/2015

Findings

Koru School is increasing students’ involvement in meaningful learning. Students are keen and willing learners. They have good opportunities to engage in active and relevant learning, and enjoy positive social interactions. Teachers are committed to promoting students’ wellbeing and success, and the school is beginning to promote educational success for Māori, as Māori.

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

1 Context

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

Koru School is a large, suburban school located in Mangere. It caters for students from Years 1 to 8. The current roll is mainly Pacific and 15 percent Māori.

The long serving principal and the senior leadership team have worked collaboratively with teachers to build on many of the school’s strengths identified by ERO in 2012. Leadership structures have been rationalised to develop more coherence in curriculum management.

The long serving board chair is supported by both new and experienced trustees who bring a range of skills and experiences to their role. The school is embarking on a major property development project. This will involve rebuilding the whole school and providing modern learning environments.

ERO’s 2012 report identified the development of a responsive curriculum as an area for review and development. The school has made good progress in addressing this.

2 Learning

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

Koru School is improving its use of achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement.

Many students including Māori students progress and achieve in reading, writing and mathematics. School targets appropriately focus on students at risk of not achieving. These targets are monitored and addressed by teachers.

Teachers are continuing to improve assessment processes to ensure they produce consistent and reliable results. Students use achievement information to set broad goals. They are keen and focussed learners.

Teachers monitor students’ progress and achievement well. Students with additional learning needs receive support to help them succeed. Trustees provide suitable resources to provide learning support for students.

Students collaborate with teachers to report to their parents about their progress and achievement.

To improve outcomes for students, the school agrees it would be useful to continue developing:

  • students’ awareness of achievement and goals in learning
  • reporting in plain language for all learning areas.

3 Curriculum

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

The curriculum is broad and is aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). It focuses on literacy, numeracy and inquiry learning. Professional development programmes are effectively focussed on developing teacher practice to promote student learning. Students are engaged in a range of activities and co-curricular experiences such as sport and environmental studies. There is an increasing focus on science, which is promoting good opportunities for higher order thinking and integrated literacy.

Students benefit from an increasingly engaging curriculum that offers them more choice in their learning. Students’ participation and contributions are valued. They receive an innovative curriculum that is:

  • culturally responsive
  • practical, interactive and collaborative
  • focused on promoting their oracy and challenges their critical thinking.
  • The curriculum links with and extends students’ learning experiences.

Students show good levels of social and emotional competence through positive interactions and a focus on self management. They learn cooperatively in mixed groups. Values education is integrated in their learning to promote positive thinking and responsibility. Students are confident, express themselves well and enjoy their learning.

Students participate in programmes to develop leadership and support learning. Students’ learning in Year 7 and 8 is also enhanced by good opportunities for careers education and languages. There is good support for students who are new speakers of English.

The curriculum could now be enhanced by school leaders and teachers:

  • using the NZC principles as a focus for curriculum review
  • increasing opportunities to integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) into programmes
  • continuing to promote challenging, relevant and creative learning opportunities in all learning areas.

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

The school is beginning to promote success for Māori students as Māori.

The school has taken steps towards developing a more bicultural curriculum. Teachers should continue to integrate te ao Māori perspectives in their programme planning. School leaders have identified further priorities for promoting educational success for Māori students. These include:

  • integrating local learning contexts into the curriculum
  • implementing a sequential te reo Māori programme
  • developing meaningful ways to consult with whānau and responding to their aspirations for their children.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

Koru School is well placed to sustain and improve its performance.

Teachers are committed to developing their teaching practices. They are collaborative and reflective in developing a student-centred approach to teaching. The school is well led by experienced senior leaders who work strategically to promote positive learning outcomes for students. The school would benefit from using the teachers’ appraisal process more purposefully to embed effective teaching practices.

The school makes use of self review to inform its future direction. Incorporating indicators of effective practice into self-review and documenting self-review outcomes should help increase the depth of evaluation and help to measure ongoing progress.

Trustees are representative of the local community and supportive of the school’s strategic goals. They are informed about overall student achievement and are committed to supporting teachers’ professional learning. They have held meetings at a range of local venues to strengthen community links. Trustees have a positive working relationship with school leaders.

Key next steps to strengthen governance include:

  • accessing training to clarify trustees’ roles and responsibilities
  • developing self-review processes at the board level
  • ensuring achievement reports evaluate the effectiveness of specific school initiatives.

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

Koru School is increasing students’ involvement in meaningful learning. Students are keen and willing learners. They have good opportunities to engage in active and relevant learning, and enjoy positive social interactions. Teachers are committed to promoting students’ wellbeing and success, and the school is beginning to promote educational success for Māori, as Māori.

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

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

25 June 2015

About the School

Location

Mangere, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1336

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

555

Gender composition

Boys 55%

Girls 45%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Samoan

Tongan

Cook Island Māori

Niue

other

15%

28%

23%

20%

4%

10%

Special Features

Social Worker in School (SWIS)

Review team on site

May 2015

Date of this report

25 June 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

March 2012

November 2008

August 2005