Summary
Opaheke School in Papakura caters for children from Years 1 to 8. At the time of this review, the school roll was 593, with 31 percent of the children being Māori and mainly of Ngāpuhi descent. Indian children make up seven percent of the roll and Pacific children, five percent. Many parents make the deliberate choice for their children to attend this school.
The board is largely unchanged since the 2014 ERO review. Trustees are experienced and bring expertise to their governance role. During the last three years, teachers have participated in professional learning and development (PLD) about making learning visible for students, and the use of digital technologies. New deputy and associate principals contribute specialised knowledge to the senior leadership team. These appointments, along with the PLD, have been strategically focussed to support the school’s direction. The school is a Microsoft Showcase school. It hosts many visitors from education and business fields, who want to learn more about the use of internet based tools for collaboration.
The 2014 ERO report identified partnerships with parents, particularly Māori and Pacific, and the use of digital technologies to enhance learning as areas for development. Since then the school has provided opportunities for the mutual sharing of information with parents. These events have been well attended. Trustees, school leaders, teachers and students make good use of digital technologies to collaborate, record and present their learning and work.
Achievement in relation to National Standards has remained consistently good over the past four years. However, some disparity remains between the achievement of Māori and Pākehā children.
How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?
The school is responding more effectively to children’s learning needs. New systems have been developed to support Māori children who need to make accelerated progress.
The school has processes that are effective in enabling the achievement of equity and excellence. This is especially evident in the school’s achievement target groups, and in the board’s commitment to ensuring that all students in Years 5 to 8 have access to digital devices.
Senior leaders have identified a priority to extend the practices that have resulted in acceleration for particular target students, to a wider group of children. The established systems for monitoring children’s progress provide a good foundation for teachers to transfer the positive impact to more students.
To help them achieve greater equity and excellence for all children, the board and school leaders should review the delivery of the school’s curriculum, reduce disparity of achievement for Māori children, and further promote bicultural practices.
The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for Māori and/or other children remains.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Equity and excellence
How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?
The school has responded effectively to Māori children who need to make accelerated progress. This priority is identified in the school’s charter achievement targets.
In 2016 approximately 73 percent of learners achieved the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, some gender and ethnic disparity remains evident. Between 2014 and 2017, the school’s data show similar levels of achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. Pacific children’s achievement is similar to that of Pākehā.
Achievement is higher for all groups when compared with other local schools, and Pacific achievement is significantly higher. Similarly, Māori and boys achieve much better in writing, and boys in mathematics.
Teachers use appropriate assessment tools to gather information about children’s learning and achievement. Teachers compare the judgements they make about children’s work within their teaching teams. This moderation process has helped to ensure consistency of achievement judgements, particularly in writing.
The school has defined its valued outcomes for students as striving for excellence, teamwork, respect and achieving personal best. Dispositions for learning are encouraged through the curriculum focus on children being self-regulators, thinkers, collaborators, innovators and challenge takers. Children and teachers have developed processes to evaluate achievement in these areas. Over time, this data could show the impact of programmes in promoting the school’s valued outcomes for children.
School conditions supporting equity and excellence
What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?
The school has some processes that are effective in enabling the achievement of equity and excellence.
Effective processes are especially evident for children who are in the school’s achievement target groups and in the board’s commitment to ensuring that all children in Years 5 to 8 have access to digital devices. Purpose-built, flexible learning spaces are being used for new entrants and for some Year 7 and 8 children.
Senior leaders have complementary skills and knowledge that are well matched to the vision for the school. They have good capacity to initiate and embed change. Leadership is well distributed to team and curriculum leaders. Leaders and teachers have participated in considerable PLD to support the implementation of expected teaching and learning practices.
Trustees are knowledgeable about governance. They are proud of the sound educational foundation that the school has developed over time. Trustees think strategically and make decisions that support school priorities that are well aligned with their vision for the school.
Digital platforms provide very good opportunities for information sharing and collaboration between trustees, leaders, teachers and children. In Years 5 to 8, all children have digital devices for their own use that are provided either by homes or the school. Teachers and children use these devices to organise their teaching and learning. They are increasingly engaging with the new educational possibilities these devices present.
Students are becoming more aware of their own learning and achievement. Older children reflect deeply on their completed assessment tasks and identify areas of strength and gaps in their learning.
Senior leaders are reviewing the school curriculum. This work is timely to better align the documentation with current school practice, and to formalise the relationship between the various components. It will also be helpful to clarify the expectations of teachers in embedding aspects of the school’s strategic direction.
The school community is proud of, and loyal to the school. Settled and purposeful classes reflect the positive school culture. Children have many opportunities for leadership in the school. They are able to develop and pursue their interests through a wide variety of groups and clubs.
Sustainable development for equity and excellence
What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?
Extending effective processes to support a wider group of children will help to reduce disparity for Māori children, and build on the good foundation for teaching and learning in the school. Next steps for the school also include continuing to:
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review the curriculum so it aligns with current school practice and provides clear expectations for teachers
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use internal evaluation to determine the effectiveness of initiatives and programmes in delivering outcomes for children
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build teacher capability to promote the cultural identity of Māori children and bicultural practice for all children.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
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emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
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physical safety of students
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teacher registration and certification
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processes for appointing staff
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stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students
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attendance
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school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
Going forward
How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?
The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for Māori and/or other children remains.
Leaders and teachers:
- know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
- need to build teacher capability to accelerate children’s learning and achievement.
The school agrees to:
- develop more targeted planning to accelerate learning for children
- monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and children’s progress
- discuss the school’s progress with ERO.
ERO will provide feedback and resources to support the development of more targeted planning.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Violet Tu’uga Stevenson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
26 June 2017
About the school
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Location
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Papakura, Auckland
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Ministry of Education profile number
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1401
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School type
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Full primary (Years 1 to 8)
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School roll
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593
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Gender composition
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Girls 51% Boys 49%
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Ethnic composition
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Pākehā
Māori
Indian
Samoan
Tongan
other
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44%
31%
7%
3%
2%
13%
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Provision of Māori medium education
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No
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Review team on site
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May 2017
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Date of this report
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26 June 2017
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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June 2014
June 2011
May 2008
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