Nga Iwi School

Education institution number:

1393

School type:

Contributing

School gender:

Co-Educational

Definition:

Not Applicable

Total roll:

311

Website:

http://www.ngaiwi.school.nz

Telephone:

09 275 4921

Address:

60 Mascot Avenue, Mangere, Auckland

View on map

Nga Iwi School - 06/04/2018

06 Apr 2018

School Context

Nga Iwi School is located in Mangere South Auckland. Māori children make up 24 percent of the roll and 73 percent are of Pacific heritage.

The school’s vision is to grow ‘learning-empowered and empathic’ children. In 2017 after consultation with local mana whenua, the school’s original whakatauki, ‘Ngā iwi o te motu, kia kotahi ai: People of the land be one’, was returned to the school. This is now represented in the new school logo, I CarE Manaakitanga. The school values of integrity/ngākaunui, curiosity/pakirehua, and excellence/hiranga, underpin the school vision.

The school’s bilingual unit, Tū Pakari has two classrooms at Māori medium level 3. Children learn through Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

The school is a member of the Mangere Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako (CoL).

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

achievement and accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics
progress and achievement in relation to the school’s strategic goals
outcomes related to community engagement
other valued outcomes in relation to Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

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?

Nga Iwi School is highly effective in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for children. In the past three years there has been a deliberate and strategic approach to lifting achievement.

The majority of children are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels. Since ERO’s 2015 review, writing achievement has lifted significantly. Achievement data indicate that over time children have made accelerated progress in writing and in reading. Over 70 percent of children are now achieving at expectation in reading and mathematics. Improved assessment and moderation systems and practices have contributed to this very good progress.

A small disparity exists in literacy and mathematics for some groups of students. However, school data show that parity is increasing for these students. Over the past three years many Māori and Pacific learners have made accelerated progress in reading and writing.

Children are well supported to become confident, resilient learners who flourish in a culturally responsive learning environment. Their wellbeing is strongly evident at all levels of the school. Children proudly express their language, culture and identity and are optimistic about their futures.

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

The school is very effective in accelerating the learning of Māori students. School leaders’ strategic approach to targeted professional development for teachers has impacted positively on raising achievement for Māori students.

The school has a strong bicultural identity. Te reo Māori me ōna tikanga is embedded in the life of the school. Improved outcomes for students, particularly for Māori learners, is attributed to this nurturing environment.

School leaders and teachers scrutinise achievement information to identify children who need to make accelerated progress. Specific learning support programmes successfully support these children to lift their achievement.

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 school is very well placed to sustain its current effective practices and to promote equity and excellence for children.

School leaders lead the school with integrity. They create a culture of professional inquiry to build teachers’ capability and capacity. High relational trust and collaboration are evident across the school.

Children experience authentic learning opportunities that engage and challenge them. Increasingly children are having a greater role in leading their learning and critical thinking. They have suitable access to digital learning to develop their independent and collaborative skills.

The school has strong partnerships with parents, whānau and the community. These connections enhance student achievement and wellbeing. Families’ home languages are actively encouraged.

Effective stewardship contributes successfully to improve outcomes for students. Children’s wellbeing, and optimal learning opportunities for staff and students are core priorities of the board. Relevant resourcing decisions and strong internal evaluation processes support the school to achieve its valued student outcomes.

Over the last three years the board has developed a high quality physical environment that is culturally reflective of the schools’ contributing community. This sends a powerful message to children and the community that they are valued and able to achieve well. The learning environment is thoughtfully designed to affirm and celebrate children’s interests and identity, and to extend their learning experiences.

Strong internal reporting and evaluation practices support the school’s goals for raising achievement for all students. The community, board, leaders, teachers and students contribute to the school’s internal evaluation processes. Evaluation is systematic and coherent, underpinning school improvement at every level. Internal and external expertise is used astutely to build capability for ongoing improvement, supporting the school’s culture of evaluation, inquiry and knowledge building.

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

Ongoing developments to achieve equity and excellence include:

continuing to grow capability and capacity to accelerate the progress of those Māori students not yet achieving parity
strengthening transitions through the school to better support positive outcomes for in-school equity and excellence.

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:

leadership that enables and sustains collaborative learning and decision making that is conducive to student learning and wellbeing
coherent, strategic approaches that builds professional capability and collective capacity to promote equitable and excellent valued outcomes for students
educational partnerships with parents, whānau and community that are strengths based and affirm children’s, identity, language and culture.

Next steps

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

increase the use of school information about children of concern, to work towards parity of achievement outcomes for Māori students
use the school’s coaching model to further grow leadership and teaching capability across the school.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

6 April 2018

About the school

Location	Mangere, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1393
School type	Contributing
School roll	414
Gender composition	Boys 50% Girls 50%
Ethnic composition	Māori 24% Samoan 29% Tongan 23% Cook Island Māori 16% Niuean 2% other Pacific Peoples 2% other 4%
Provision of Māori medium education	Yes
Number of Māori medium classes	1
Total number of students in Māori language in English medium (MLE)	0
Number of students in Level 2 MME	28
Review team on site	February 2018
Date of this report	6 April 2018
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	May 2015 February 2014 November 2010

Nga Iwi School - 08/05/2015

08 May 2015

Findings

The school has made significant progress since 2014. Together with the board, the new principal is providing strong school leadership. The high quality charter and strategic plan provide clear goals and frameworks for self review and sustainable practice. Trustees, school leaders and staff have shared enthusiasm and capacity for sustaining progress.

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?

In November 2013, ERO’s education review of Nga Iwi School identified significant concerns with aspects of school and board leadership. In addition, the ERO report noted the need to strengthen bicultural practices in the school and ensure that Māori students achieve educational success as Māori.

In February 2014 ERO decided to review the school over the course of one-to-two years, to evaluate progress in relation to development areas identified in the 2013 report.

The school responded quickly to address the areas of concern. The board sought Ministry of Education (MoE) support and guidance. It also engaged an external consultant to assist trustees and school leaders to develop the capacity to implement changes. The MoE Student Achievement Practitioner (SAF) and an external educational consultant assisted the school with their priorities for development.

During the first two terms of 2014 the principal and board made good progress. They used external support well. Initial progress included developing:

a model and guidelines for self-review
an appropriate three year review schedule for the board
a board code of conduct
aspects of school-wide communication
clearer definitions for leadership roles and responsibilities.

In addition, the board engaged a liaison person for the school’s bilingual unit –Tu Pakiri.

In Term 3 2014, the long serving principal retired. The board, with the external consultant, carried out a rigorous process to appoint a new principal. In Term 4 the new principal transitioned successfully into her new role.

Since that time the new principal, board chair and trustees have worked cooperatively and successfully with staff, students and the community, to implement changes. Together they have developed systems to sustain progress and continue school improvement.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

develop shared leadership practices to enact the school’s vision and ensure school-wide coherence
bring biculturalism to life within the school to ensure that Māori students achieve educational success as Māori
build trustees’ understanding of their roles and responsibilities to help them to govern effectively and focus on positive educational outcomes for students.

Progress

Significant progress has been made to develop shared leadership practices to enact the school’s vision and ensure school-wide coherence. The new principal has had an immediate and positive impact on the school. As a result the school and peoples’ strengths have been affirmed, systems to ensure school-wide coherence established, and the direction for the school clarified.

The principal has focused on growing leadership capability within the school. She has ensured that the school’s leadership structure supports the strategic direction. The principal and senior leaders work collaboratively. They are inclusive in their leadership approach and are improvement focused. Leadership responsibilities are clearly defined and are aligned to school goals, leadership action plans and professional learning. New leadership opportunities, both formal and informal, are now maximising staff strengths and potential.

The 2015 - 2017 charter developed in consultation with staff, students and the community clearly communicates the school’s vision, values and strategic direction. Clear, manageable and meaningful action plans have been developed to support improvement in priority development areas.

Curriculum leadership and development are now more strategically focused. The whole-school approach to identifying curriculum goals and achievement targets is a feature of the school’s progress. Student, parent and staff perspectives are resulting in more creative approaches to curriculum design.

The school has a shared set of core values that appropriately reflect the values and principles of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). The new school values: Integrity, Curiosity and Excellence, are based around manaakitanga and positive relationships. These values are well understood by students and staff, increasingly guiding school practices, and are becoming more familiar to parents and whānau.

Teachers are supported to reflect on their own practice. Professional learning is purposeful and focused on agreed targets and goals. Teachers’ performance appraisal and coaching processes are successfully promoting the professional growth of staff. The school is the base school for a cluster of local schools participating in professional learning to develop teaching and learning in writing. A literacy action plan with a focus on writing has been developed with staff.

To promote further school progress, the principal and senior leaders identified priorities that include:

strengthening leadership throughout the school to sustain improvements
engaging with the Māori and Pacific communities and setting targets for Māori and Pacific student achievement
reviewing the school curriculum to reflect the local community and student perspectives
accessing current educational theories and research to inform teaching and learning.

ERO agrees with these next steps and commends the self review and consultation processes used to arrive at these and other meaningful goals.

Biculturalism

The board and school leaders have taken steps to promote biculturalism in the school. The charter states how the school values diversity and aims to reflect an inclusive school culture. Partnership is recognised in the charter through the original Nga Iwi School whakatauki: People of the land be one: Nga iwi o te motu kia kotahi.

Biculturalism has become more visible in school values. The charter, planning documents and actions acknowledge the unique place of Māori, as tangata whenua, in the school. Māori student success is identified in varied contexts including academic, leadership, sporting and cultural.

The appointment of the head of the bilingual unit to a formal leadership position has had a positive impact on the profile of the unit and te Ao Māori in the school. This role now has documented responsibilities and the Tu Pakari leader is working with the principal to develop a vision to progress Māori success.

Bicultural partnerships in the school are being strengthened through:

the ongoing relationship between the school and the local Wananga
collaborative planning
clear guidelines and frameworks for action planning, meetings, and professional learning
developing a school overview plan for te reo ōna tikanga Māori.

In 2015 the board is continuing the employment of a kaiarahi to support systems development, and evaluation of te reo and tikanga Māori in mainstream classes. The kaiarahi also provides extension programmes in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. This year a Ministry of Education contract is providing teachers inTu Pakari with professional learning in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga.

Board governance

Trustees work cohesively as a team. They have established a positive, cooperative working relationship with the principal that is forward looking and improvement focused. Trustees bring good experience and backgrounds to their roles and they now have a clear sense of their governance responsibilities. The board has responded well to useful training facilitated by an external adviser.

There are new members to the board since 2013, including a new board chairperson. She has participated in board chair training and in New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) workshops.

A governance handbook now guides board practices. The board of trustees’ self-review schedule uses the six dimensions of a successful school as a framework. These clear frameworks provide useful structures for board critique and accountability.

The board receives regular reports of progress against the ERO review priorities and of annual planning goals. Learner achievement is now a regular focus of board reporting and review. A recent review of the school’s financial position has assisted the board’s stock-take of its resource investments. An outcome of this review has been the recent upgrade of the school environment that includes improvements to gardens, and new furniture in the school library and staffroom.

ERO affirms the board’s intentions to access ongoing training opportunities through NZSTA workshops. This good practice would help the board continue to grow its strength in governance.

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 well placed to sustain and continue to review and improve its performance. The new principal is providing strong school leadership. Together with the board and senior leaders she is providing clarity, structure, opportunities and vision for the school. There is evident shared enthusiasm and optimism for school improvement.

Self review has become more integral to school decision-making. It is a priority at class, team, leadership, board and community levels. Clear frameworks and guidelines for self-review have been developed. School leaders are clear about the role and purpose of self-review. The principal has clear expectations for school leaders to use action plans, and to review and report on progress in their areas of responsibility.

ERO agrees with next steps identified by the board and senior leaders to:

continue to evaluate key areas of school focus, including the school vision, values and bicultural practices
maintain and strengthen community engagement, including partnerships with parents and whānau to support their children with their learning.

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

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

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

8 May 2015

About the School

Location	Mangere, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1393
School type	Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
School roll	389
Gender composition	Boys 51% Girls 49%
Ethnic composition	Māori Samoan Cook Island Māori Tongan Niue other Asian other Pacific other	24% 30% 20% 18% 4% 1% 1% 2%
Review team on site	March 2015
Date of this report	8 May 2015
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	February 2014 November 2010 November 2007