Te Moehau Road, Moawhango
View on mapThe school has made sufficient progress in relation to priorities identified in this report and will transition into ERO’s Evaluation for Improvement process.
Moawhango School, in the central North Island, caters for thirteen students in Years 1 to 8, eleven of whom identify as Māori.
Most children whakapapa to iwi that constitutes Nga iwi o Mokai Patea. The school continues to deliver Level 2 Te Reo across the curriculum. The school values: whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga, rangatiratanga and manaakitanga underpin all decisions at Moawhango School and align with the Mokai Patea Matauranga Strategy.
The April 2018 ERO report identified significant areas for improvement. Over the past three years the school has participated in an ERO evaluation process to support improvement. During this time trustees and staff accessed appropriate external professional learning and development (PLD) to support them in their roles and practice.
The school is part of the recently established Ōtaihape Kāhui Ako.
This ERO report evaluates the progress made and how well placed the school now is to sustain continuous improvement.
The overall goal was to improve governance, school practice and operation to promote
positive learning outcomes and accelerate progress of all students. Areas of focus to support this have included:
The 2019 midpoint report noted that progress and development was evident in relation to the following:
School leadership continues to implement processes that contribute to positive change and improvement in the school.
School reported data at the end of 2020 indicates that most students are achieving at or above expectation in reading, writing and mathematics and that student capability in the understanding and use of te reo Māori continues to increase. The 2021 student achievement targets appropriately focus on accelerating the learning for those few students identified as achieving below expectation and the continued improvement for all students.
Positive relationships with personnel from local marae, iwi, community and a range of contexts, support student learning. Consultation with whānau has been used to identify skills, dispositions and expectations for learning.
The recently developed localised curriculum framework is guided and informed by iwi. It includes and acknowledges matauranga Māori of the rohē along with the histories and cultural backgrounds of all who are part of the Moawhango community.
Staff know students well and are collectively responsible for all learners. They use a range of effective strategies to support students to be engaged in their learning. Respectful, reciprocal relationships across the school promote a sense of wairua, belonging and wellbeing. Students are supported to make choices in their learning.
The board is well informed about student learning, curriculum development and learning focuses. Trustees discuss and question information that they receive. They use this information to inform their decision-making.
The school has moved to an online platform to support the management and review of policies and procedures that guide school practice and operation.
School leaders and ERO agree the next step is to use the recently developed curriculum framework to continue to further progress and embed the localised, culturally responsive curriculum.
The school has improved its capacity to sustain, improve and review its performance. The principal and the board have worked in a focused way to address areas identified in the previous ERO report and are working well together to lead the school forward. They are focused on continuing to improve student achievement.
As the curriculum and new initiatives are embedded it is appropriate to use internal evaluation practices to evaluate the effectiveness and impacts on outcomes for students.
A next step is to further develop understanding and use of internal evaluation to determine the effectiveness of programmes and innovations. This should support leaders to know what impact these have on student learning and inform further changes for improvement.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
The school has made sufficient progress in relation to priorities identified in this report and will transition into ERO’s Evaluation for Improvement process.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
21 July 2021
The principal, appointed since ERO’s 2015 review, has been well supported to develop sustainable practice and procedures. The curriculum is more appropriate, student achievement has improved and trustees are meeting their stewardship responsibilities appropriately.
ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.
Moawhango School is a small rural school located in the Taihape district. Some students are transported to the school from Taihape in board-funded buses. Most children whakapapa to the local iwi Ngati Whitikaupeka, one of four iwi that constitutes Nga iwi o Mokai Patea.
ERO’s July 2015 report identified the following areas for development to:
These have formed the terms of reference for this review. Since the July 2015 review, ERO carried out an ongoing process of evaluation to ascertain evidence of growth in meeting the identified issues.
At the time of this evaluation the principal had resigned and an acting principal had been appointed.
Considerable progress has been made in most of the areas for development identified in the July 2015 review. The principal and teacher have been well supported by New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA), a Ministry of Education Student Achievement Function (SAF) practitioner and an external professional learning development (PLD) facilitator.
The acting principal has been the classroom teacher, so there has been little disruption to practice.
The previous curriculum planning in 2015 had been externally developed and was not sufficiently relevant to the school's context. Since then, the school has taken a creative approach to designing a curriculum with a strong local flavour. With the appointment of a permanent principal, it will be timely to review the school’s vision and values as part of ongoing curriculum review.
There are now strong iwi connections. A set of cultural standards has been developed in collaboration with the local iwi. Children have developed a better understanding of te ao Māori after the rebuilding of relationships with the local marae. Consultation has enabled the curriculum to be aligned to Te Mokai Patea Education Plan. A graduate profile, waiata and karakia, are also enhancing the cultural responsiveness of the curriculum.
The new principal conducted a full assessment of children's achievement to establish baseline data. A student management system has been introduced to allow data to be electronically recorded. This facilitates sustainability.
Teachers are using a suitable range of assessment tasks to gather baseline data. Assessment of writing is externally moderated to assure the board that achievement information is dependable. Since 2015, there is clear evidence of improved student achievement. Almost all children reach the school expectations.
Improved assessment procedures have enabled teachers to identify elements constraining children's learning and provide individual programmes to meet their needs. Children at risk of underachieving have made progress and some have made accelerated progress. The next step is to accelerate progress to achieve above the expected standard.
As a result of external support, a suitable appraisal system has been developed. This has provided a strong framework for teachers to inquire into the effectiveness of their own practice and identify strategies to promote accelerated learning. A rigorous external appraisal has recorded evidence of high quality teaching by both teachers. The next step is to document this process as a school procedure.
Towards the end of 2017, a new chair person was elected. She has provided a good direction and vision and has facilitated a well-functioning board.
The board:
Since 2015 the board’s policies and procedures have been reviewed. They are now current, meet legislative requirements and facilitate assurance that all reasonable steps are taken to provide a safe physical and emotional environment. The board recognises that further documentation and review of policies and procedures is required.
With NZSTA support, trustees have begun to review their own performance. They have developed a useful self review approach. The next step is to build internal evaluation capability.
As part of its ongoing development the board should:
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
The principal, appointed since ERO’s 2015 review, has been well supported to develop sustainable practice and procedures. The curriculum is more appropriate, student achievement has improved and trustees are meeting their stewardship responsibilities appropriately.
ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
30 April 2018
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Location |
Taihape |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
2401 |
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School type |
Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
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School roll |
21 |
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Gender composition |
Male 14, Female 7 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
17 |
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Review team on site |
March 2018 |
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Date of this report |
30 April 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2015 |