Moanataiari School

Education institution number:
1829
School type:
Full Primary
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
153
Telephone:
Address:

101 Kuranui Street, Moanataiari, Thames

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Moanataiari School - 24/09/2019

Findings

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Moanataiari School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Moanataiari School, located in Thames, provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s roll of 198 includes 65 Māori students.

The July 2018 ERO review identified the need for the school to strengthen key aspects of school operation in relation to strengthening the use of student achievement information, consulting with the Māori community and reviewing the school’s policy framework.

Since the previous ERO review, school leadership has remained the same and there have been some changes to the teaching team. Two new trustees were elected in the 2019 board elections. Teachers have undertaken professional learning and development in mathematics, the Incredible Years programme, te reo Māori and literacy. Trustees continue to access training to support their understanding of school governance.

Moanataiari School is a member of the Kauearanga Kāhui Ako.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

The 2018 ERO report identified a need to:

  • strengthen the management and use of achievement information by trustees, leaders and teachers

  • further develop teachers’ use of assessment information to inform planning and programme delivery

  • strengthen relationships with the Māori community

  • undertake regular review of policies and procedures.

Progress

The school has made good progress in addressing the areas for development identified in the 2018 ERO review.

School leaders have developed and implemented an effective system to monitor and track the progress and achievement of at-risk students. This system enables leaders and teachers to track the progress of all students achieving below expected levels over time in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers make very good use of this information to share and reflect on strategies that are likely to support students to make accelerated progress. The principal also makes good use of this information to regularly report student achievement to the board of trustees and to make referrals for support to external agencies. The board of trustees effectively uses achievement information to set specific goals focused on the number of students whose learning requires acceleration.

Comprehensive expectations and guidelines have been developed to guide teacher planning for reading, writing and mathematics. These expectations include teachers making ongoing use of achievement information to support the delivery of targeted teaching. School leaders provide teachers with regular feedback about the implementation of these expectations. ERO observed most teachers fully implementing the school’s expectations.

The school is continuing to build partnerships with the Māori community. Ongoing consultation has been undertaken with Māori whānau to identify their aspirations. Teachers in the junior school have participated in externally provided professional development to support the incorporation of te reo Māori into class programmes. School leaders have made meaningful connection with local kaumatua.

The principal and trustees have undertaken a comprehensive review of school policies and procedures. An on-line system has been accessed that ensures that all policies reflect current legislative requirements.

Information collected by the school shows that student wellbeing is effectively promoted. The school’s achievement shows that approximately two thirds of students achieved at or above expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. It also shows that Māori students achieved proportionally at lower levels than their Pākeha peers at the school. Accelerating the achievement of at-risk Māori and other students is an important priority for school leaders and trustees.

Key next step

The key next step for the school is to further develop and document its local curriculum. This should include a strategic approach to:

  • refining expectations for teaching and learning

  • implementing systems that support students to have an increased understanding of their learning goals linked to the learning progressions

  • developing coherent pathways in each learning area

  • incorporating a school-wide approach to the teaching of te reo Māori and integration of local Māori history and places of significance.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school is developing useful processes to sustain and improve performance.

These include:

  • implementing a useful policy framework to guide school operation

  • establishing comprehensive systems to track and monitor the progress of at-risk students

  • making more effective use of student achievement information at classroom level

  • further engaging with the school’s Māori community.

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
  • school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.

4 Recommendations

ERO recommends that the board of trustees access support for leaders of learning in the school, to enable them to lead the development and implementation of local curriculum that reflects community aspirations and the principles of The New Zealand Curriculum.

Conclusion

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Moanataiari School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

24 September 2019

About the School

Location

Thames

Ministry of Education profile number

1829

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

198

Gender composition

Female 52% Male 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other ethnic groups

33%
46%
21%

Review team on site

August 2019

Date of this report

24 September 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

July 2018
May 2015
August 2012

Moanataiari School - 20/07/2018

School Context

Moanataiari School, located in Thames, provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s roll of 212 includes 56 Māori students. There is increasing cultural diversity in the student population.

Since the previous ERO review in 2015 the school has experienced significant roll growth. A new deputy principal was appointed at the beginning of 2017. In 2017, the school experienced many changes to the teaching team. School leaders identified that these changes impacted significantly on many aspects of the school. Staffing in 2018 is more consistent. Teachers have undertaken school-wide professional learning and development in literacy. There is a recently appointed chairperson, and a newly co-opted trustee on the board.

The school’s vision is to learn and grow together within the community, whānau and family. Promoting values of ako, tino pai rawa, manawaroa, whakaute, manaakitanga and whakawhanaungatanga are stated priorities of the school.

The 2018 charter identifies priority areas for improving student achievement with a focus on writing, teaching as inquiry, teacher planning and moderation.

The school is a member of the Thames – Kauaeranga Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako

Leaders and teachers report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

  • reading, writing and mathematics

  • wellbeing.

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 working towards achieving equity for all its students.

The school’s achievement information from 2015-2017 shows that the majority of students achieved national expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. This data shows that girls achieved at significantly higher levels than boys in literacy and that this disparity has remained consistent over the last three years. Girls and boys have achieved similarly in mathematics over this time. There continues to be disparity in achievement for Māori in comparison to other groups in reading and mathematics and declining achievement in writing.

Data from a 2018 wellbeing survey for students in Years 4 to 8 indicates that the school has a positive culture for learning.

Students with special learning needs have individual education plans and are making progress against their personal learning and development goals

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

The school responds well to some of the Māori and other students whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

Leaders collated achievement information during the ERO review that showed Māori and other students have made accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is yet to develop systems and processes to regularly track and monitor rates of acceleration for all at-risk learners.

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?

Leaders have open and trusting relationships. There is a focus on building teacher capability underpinned by current research and theory. This supports the provision of opportunities for students to be extended across curriculum areas including technology and languages. There is a range of appropriate programmes to support children with additional learning needs. The recently appointed deputy principal who is also the special needs coordinator is reviewing the programmes and systems to identify and more closely monitor students with diverse learning and behaviour needs.

The board is providing good-quality governance. Trustees undertake consultation, are representative of the school community, and have accessed training to strengthen their effectiveness. Along with school leaders, they are committed to ongoing school improvement. Resourcing decisions are based on information received from leaders about students whose achievement needs accelerating. There are open and positive relationships between trustees, leaders and teachers. Trustees are supportive of initiatives that improve progress for students, including those whose learning is at risk.

Teachers have respectful relationships with students. They are positive and affirming in their interactions and provide cooperative learning opportunities for students. Classroom environments have a strong focus on reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers are reflective practitioners who use a range of effective strategies that include scaffolding learning, feedback to students, teacher modelling, small group work and time to revisit concepts taught. They integrate culturally responsive practices into learning and teaching including the use of te reo Māori and aspects of tikanga. The well-embedded school values support this practice and are highly visible for students, teachers, parents and support staff. Students learn in orderly and supportive classrooms which contribute to high levels of student engagement.

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

In order to achieve excellence and equity further development is needed to strengthen internal evaluation and leadership of learning.

Leaders need to improve the way achievement information is managed and used at all levels of the school. Particular attention should be given to:

  • collating and analysing student achievement data to evaluate the effectiveness of classroom teaching, programmes of learning and interventions

  • reviewing school-wide targets to include all at-risk learners and report regularly to the board on the progress of these students, including rates of acceleration

  • teachers making better diagnostic use of classroom assessment information to plan specifically to meet the needs of at-risk learners and support students to understand their progress and specific next learning steps

  • developing leaders capability to manage, implement and evaluate action plans within agreed timeframes

  • ensuring a consistent approach to teacher planning and assessment for students whose learning needs acceleration

  • strengthening relationships with the Māori community.

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 identified non-compliance in relation to consultation with the school’s Māori community.

In order to address this, the board of trustees must:

  1. in consultation with the Māori community, develop and make known to the school’s community, policies, plans and targets for improving the progress and achievement of Māori students.
    [National Administration Guidelines 1 (e)]

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

  • maintain the regular review of policies and procedures that guide school operations.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • learning opportunities that support student engagement

  • an inclusive culture for learning and wellbeing.

Next steps

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

  • targeted planning to accelerate learning [ERO will monitor and discuss progress with the school.]

  • internal evaluation processes and practices.
    [ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop for trustees and senior leaders.]

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

ERO intends to carry out a process of ongoing external evaluation to support development over the course of one-to-two years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

20 July 2018

About the school

Location

Thames

Ministry of Education profile number

1829

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

212

Gender composition

Boys 54% Girls 46%

Ethnic composition

Māori 26%
Pākehā 54%
Indian 6%
South East Asian 5%
Other 9%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

May 2018

Date of this report

20 July 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review June 2015
Education Review August 2012