Morrinsville Intermediate

School Context

Morrinsville Intermediate is a co-educational intermediate school located in the Waikato township of Morrinsville. It caters for 296 students in Years 7 and 8, including 64 Māori students.

The school’s vision statement is ‘Empowering learners to succeed’ and the motto is ‘Kia ū ki te pai - whatever you do, let it be your best’. The focus in 2018 is on ‘Growing from good to great’ with an emphasis on embedding the school’s values and supporting all learners to achieve personal excellence.

There is a school-wide aim to improve the achievement of all students in writing and mathematics, with targets set to accelerate the learning of identified students. Strategic aims for 2018 include growing teachers as learners and strengthening learning-focused partnerships.

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

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

• outcomes for students in relation to the New Zealand Curriculum Key Competencies

• students receiving targeted support through the Literacy Centre.

Since the previous ERO review in 2015, there have been significant staffing changes. A new principal and a new deputy principal have been appointed. There have also been a number of changes to the teaching staff. The board has a mix of experienced and new trustees.

The school is a member of the Morrinsville 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 is achieving excellent outcomes for some students, however, disparity for Māori students and boys remains. The majority of students are achieving at expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Girls are significantly outperforming boys in reading and writing, and to a lesser degree in mathematics. Pākehā students are outperforming Māori in reading and writing, and also at a significant level in mathematics. However, this disparity has been reducing over time. The school has achieved improved outcomes for most students with additional needs.

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

The school is accelerating the learning of some Māori and other at-risk students. The school’s data shows that the majority of students, including Māori students, who have been targeted through teacher inquiries and the Literacy Centre programme have made accelerated progress. The school is yet to analyse data to show the rates of progress for all students whose learning requires acceleration to reach expected curriculum levels. However, school leaders have recently developed systems to enable this analysis.

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?

School governance and leadership successfully create conditions that support the school’s strategic vision. The board is comprised of experienced trustees and there is a strong culture of collaboration and professional trust between the board, leaders and teachers. Leaders strategically undertake appropriate professional development to build their leadership skills. In addition, they provide relevant and targeted professional development opportunities to support teachers to grow their capability. School leadership use a range of evidence to inform strategic decision-making. This is focused on improving outcomes for students, and effectively promotes meaningful integration of the school’s vision and values at all operational levels.

Positive and reciprocal relationships with parents, whānau, iwi and the community have been established. Authentic connections with the local community and iwi support the language, culture and identity of students, in particular Māori students. Parents feel welcome and able to be involved in the school. Effective communication strategies are used to inform, engage and consult with parents. The school has effective processes to support parents as their children transition into the school.

The school’s broad and rich curriculum offers extensive learning opportunities for students. The vision and values of the school are woven naturally into the design and delivery of a cohesive local curriculum, and the New Zealand Curriculum Key Competencies are a strong feature of students’ learning. Opportunities are provided for students to learn about local history and connect with local iwi. Te ao Māori is integrated authentically through a range of activities outside the classroom.

Positive relationships between students and teachers contribute to settled classrooms where students are engaged and learning-focused. An inclusive programme provides for students with additional learning needs, and offers extension and enrichment opportunities for all students. There is a range of leadership opportunities for students, and the school has developed a number of ways to seek student input into school operations.

Leaders and teachers have worked collaboratively to develop and embed a robust teacher appraisal process. This process is aligned to the school’s strategic goals and aimed at growing teacher capability to improve and accelerate learning outcomes for students.

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

The strategies and approaches used for targeted learners needs to be refined and extended to include all priority learners. In addition, school-wide strategic achievement targets need to be inclusive of all at-risk students. Leaders and teachers need to analyse achievement data regularly to identify the rates of progress of all students whose learning is at risk.

Teaching practice focused on increasing student agency needs strengthening. Formative assessment practice, including the use of the school’s learning progressions framework, needs to be embedded to effectively support students’ understanding of their learning and next steps.

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 established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• collaborative leadership that sets high expectations focused on improving student outcomes

• productive partnerships with parents, whānau, iwi and the community that foster a strong sense of belonging

• a rich curriculum that provides a range of opportunities for students to achieve success.

Next steps

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

• extending targeted planning and action to accelerate the progress of all students whose learning is at risk

• intentional teaching strategies to develop student ownership of learning.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

10 July 2018

About the school

Findings

Morrinsville Intermediate School explicitly promotes its vision, values and strategic goals. Raising student achievement within meaningful learning contexts is a continual focus. Students have many opportunities to experience leadership and success. Classes are settled and purposeful. The school is well placed to sustain its performance.

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

1 Background and Context

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

Morrinsville Intermediate School caters for students in Years 7 and 8 who come from contributing schools in the Waikato town of Morrisville and its surrounding districts. Many students transition to nearby Morrinsville College at the end of Year 8. Twenty-two percent of students identify as Māori. The school continues to provide tuition for all students in Māori language and culture. In addition, some students choose to engage in extension te reo Māori classes.

In June 2013, ERO finalised a two-year longitudinal review of Morrinsville Intermediate. This review was undertaken during a time of many developments and changes. These included extensive board training, focussed literacy professional development for teachers, the resignations of the previous principal and other senior leaders, and the election of a new board. At the time of the 2013 ERO report, an acting principal and deputy principal were providing professional school leadership. The report noted that there had been significant progress in the areas of governance, strategic planning, self review, principal and staff appraisal, curriculum development, teaching practice, and assessment in relation to National Standards.

In order to establish and maintain a time of stability for staff and students, the new board decided to delay the appointment of a principal until the end of 2013. ERO, therefore, decided to continue the longitudinal review process until school improvements could be evaluated under permanent leadership.

A new principal took up his position at the beginning 2014 and the deputy principal’s position was made permanent at the end of term 1. During 2014, school buildings have been re-roofed and repainted and the school has enhanced its capacity to use computers as tools for learning. Large shade sails have been installed to provide playground sun protection and students have participated in painting large colourful murals depicting local Māori contexts.

During term 1 2014, the board engaged in community consultation to further define its values, which are based on the motto Kia u ki te pai (Be the best you can be). The values of rangatiratanga (self awareness), manaakitanga (service to others), whakawhanaungatanga (community participation), kaitiakitanga (caring for the environment) are now prominently displayed and well integrated into class programmes. A new school logo has also been consultatively introduced. Since the beginning of term 4, students have been encouraged to provide their own digital devices to assist their learning. This initiative supports the board’s strategic goal to provide 21st century environments and opportunities that enhance students’ learning.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

Further curriculum review and development

Student achievement, including the progress and achievement of Māori students

Sustainability following the appointments of a new principal and deputy principal

Progress

The curriculum effectively promotes and supports students’ learning. It has been developed to include:

• expectations for promoting the school’s agreed vision and values
• clear guidelines for teaching reading, writing and mathematics
• expected coverage of required learning areas
• guidelines for effective teaching and assessment practices.

Senior leaders regularly monitor teachers’ planning, assessment and teaching practices, providing feedback to affirm and improve performance.

Effective teaching practices observed by ERO include maintaining positive relationships with students in settled, purposeful classes, effectively using resources and activities to promote independent learning and celebrating student success in attractive, educationally stimulating classrooms. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are used as tools for learning across the curriculum. Specialist teachers provide interesting technology, art, music and science programmes with many opportunities for hands-on learning experiences.

The curriculum is reviewed according to a strategic schedule. Every year reading, writing and mathematics are reviewed using analysed achievement information and comments from staff, students and the community. Recommendations from reviews are actioned in further planning.

Student achievement and the achievement of Māori students

The school is well placed to sustain progress in continuing to raise student achievement.

Raising student achievement, and in particular, raising the achievement of Māori students are explicitly promoted strategic priorities. Trustees, senior leaders and teachers closely monitor achievement and progress through the year for each class and for Māori students. This year’s mid-year survey indicates that many students are making very good progress towards meeting National Standards for their year levels.

Teachers use assessment information to:

• guide planning and teaching
• identify groups of students who need extra learning support or challenges
• assist students to understand their personal progress and achievement
• determine and moderate overall teacher judgements about achievement in relation to National Standards
• report to parents through conferences and written reports about progress and achievement in relation to National Standards.

Some students who require learning assistance benefit from specialist reading tuition at the school’s Literacy Centre. Assessment results for these students show that many make accelerated progress.

Māori students have many opportunities to experience success and to be proud of their culture, language and identity. These are increasingly promoted in board planning, school displays and protocols, and in classroom programmes.

As the result of reflection and review, senior leaders and ERO identified that the school’s priorities for further progress are to:

• continue to develop the school’s local curriculum with ongoing support from an external adviser
• ensure that targeted students who are at risk of not achieving year level expectations are the focus for teachers’ inquiry about their teaching practice. Goals for accelerating the progress of these students should become a focus of teacher appraisal
• strengthen the consistency and usefulness of teachers’ written feedback to students about their work
• provide students with more specific strategies for self and peer assessment so that they can take further responsibility for their personal progress and achievement
• review and refine expectations and procedures for reporting to parents.

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 now well placed to sustain and improve its performance because of the following factors:

• The new principal demonstrates enthusiastic and effective professional leadership and has initiated a number of positive changes.
• The principal is well supported by the board and senior leaders.
• The board continues to demonstrate the positive impact of recent training. Trustees are committed to raising overall student achievement and accelerating progress for targeted students.
• The school’s strategic priorities and values are well promoted throughout the school by trustees, senior leaders, staff and students.
• The school’s new direction, along with significant upgrades to property, equipment and resources, is strongly influencing a positive school tone.
• Staff work collaboratively and professionally to improve outcomes for students.
• Consultation and communication with the community has become more frequent through the increased use of technology. This is resulting in purposeful engagement with parents and the community.
• There is a momentum for continuous improvement based on critical reflection and continual self review.
• Trustees and senior leaders have begun networking with other schools from the community. This is likely to better facilitate transition to and from the intermediate.

Agreed further priorities for the board and senior leaders are to:

• refine annual targets to focus more specifically on accelerating progress for identified groups who are at risk of underachieving
• maintain the momentum of improvement through continual robust self review and related professional training and development.

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.

In order to improve current practice, the board should receive regular reports about the trends and patterns of student attendance.

Conclusion

Morrinsville Intermediate School explicitly promotes its vision, values and strategic goals. Raising student achievement within meaningful learning contexts is a continual focus. Students have many opportunities to experience leadership and success. Classes are settled and purposeful. The school is well placed to sustain its performance.

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

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern 

5 March 2015

About the School