Te Whai Hiringa

Te Whai Hiringa

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report 

Background

This Profile Report was written within 24 months of the Education Review Office and Te Whai Hiringa working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz

Context 

Te Whai Hiringa is located in Pāharakeke (Flaxmere), Hastings in the rohe of Ngāti Kahungunu. The school has ākonga in Years 1 to 8. The name Te Whai Hiringa originates from the whakatauki: whakarongo mai, e tama. Kotahi tonu te hiringa i kake ai Tane ki Tikitiki-o-rangi; ko te hiringa i te mahara.
The school pepeha:  Ko Māramatanga te maunga, Ko Manaakitanga te moana, Ko Whānaungatanga te waka underpins the school’s curriculum, aligned to the Ngāti Kahungunu Mātauranga Refresh Strategy.  

The school’s kete values are - māramatanga: aspirations as a firm foundation; manaakitanga: an ocean that touches the shorelines of all cultures; whānaungatanga: the journey of connections.

Te Whai Hiringa’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • developing and implementing an indigenised framework for tākaro (play) that is underpinned by Kahungunutanga
  • develop an indigenised, local curriculum that is underpinned by the Ngāti Kahungunu Mātauranga Refresh Strategy
  • develop an environment where ākonga are empowered by their identity.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Te Whai Hiringa’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which culturally sustaining teaching practices promote improved progress and achievement for excellent and equitable outcomes for all ākonga.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • continue to improve equity and excellence in learning outcomes for all ākonga
  • embed effective teaching through relational and culturally sustained practice to support learning and wellbeing.

The school expects to see:

  • positive wellbeing and improved learning outcomes for all ākonga, with Māori achieving success as Māori
  • continuous improvement in effective teaching practice embedded within an inclusive learning climate.

Strengths 

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal for culturally sustaining teaching practices for improved and equitable and excellent outcomes:

  • leadership prioritises and plans for continuous improvement to promote equitable and excellent outcomes
  • established reciprocal partnerships with mana whenua, iwi, whānau and community, including the Pacific community, to support positive learner outcomes
  • an inclusive learning climate that develops and supports ākonga in their language, culture and identity through indigenising learning experiences and empowering them.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • strengthening school conditions and practices that continue to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
  • strengthening culturally sustaining practices that build consistency in effective teacher practice to improve outcomes for ākonga
  • building capacity and capability to strengthen and refine the indigenised localised curriculum
  • critically reflecting on a range of assessments and data use, to best inform teaching and learning to support ākonga agency and promote achievement.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years. 

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

12 December 2023 

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.  educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Te Whai Hiringa

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025 

As of March 2022, the Te Whai Hiringa, Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Further Information

For further information please contact Te Whai Hiringa, School Board.

The next School Board assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.

Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

12 December 2023 

About the School 

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Peterhead School - 18/07/2017

Summary

Peterhead School caters for approximately 500 children from the Flaxmere community in Hastings. The majority of children are Māori and there are high numbers of Pacific learners, mainly of Samoan or Cook Island heritage.

There has been significant staff change since June 2014 ERO review, including several changes to leadership. The long serving principal and deputy principal provide stable senior leadership. Staffing includes a number of beginning teachers.

The values of maramatanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga are strongly represented in the three kete ‘I think, I care, I belong’, that continue to underpin all aspects of the school culture. Sustained participation in the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) project supports consistent schoolwide practices. Teachers have engaged in ongoing professional learning and development in writing.

The school is a member of the Flaxmere Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?

The school is aligning actions, systems and practices to develop collective responsibility for accelerating learning of children at risk of poor educational outcomes.

A well-constructed, localised curriculum provides a cohesive framework for teaching and learning. The cultural identities of children and their families are celebrated and promoted.

There has been an appropriate focus on maintaining systems that promote improvement and sound school operation. Leaders clearly focus on promoting excellence and improvement and providing equitable conditions for learning.

At the time of this ERO review, many children are achieving well, and there has been a substantial increase in writing achievement. However, there are significant numbers of children, who are not achieving in relation to the National Standards. Next steps for achieving equity and excellence should include:

  • continuing to raise achievement for those learners not achieving at standard

  • deeper inquiry into data to enable more specific target-setting and evaluation of actions to address disparity, especially for Pacific learners and boys

  • further building understanding of inquiry and internal evaluation for improvement and for determining the effectiveness of actions. 

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.

The school has requested that ERO provide them with an internal evaluation workshop.

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 is aligning actions, systems and practices to develop collective responsibility for accelerating learning of children at risk of poor educational outcomes.

National Standard data over time shows a steady improvement for achievement in writing and reading. Māori are generally the group with the highest proportion of children achieving at and above the standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, many children achieve below in all three learning areas. Significant disparity for boys in literacy continues. Nearly half of Pacific children need accelerated progress to achieve in relation to National Standards. Mathematics is an area for further improvement.

Teachers identify all children who require additional support. They plan actions to promote their learning and progress. Children and whānau are well informed and supported to participate in promoting their child’s learning progress.

Following a schoolwide focus in 2016, there has been significant acceleration for all groups of children in writing. Sustained, comprehensive review and development of the writing programme occurred. This resulted in clear expectations and processes for collaborative, integrated and consistent teaching practice, with a deliberate focus on learners requiring targeted support. Teachers regularly discuss these children’s achievement and progress.

An important next step in promoting equity is to more deeply analyse and inquire into achievement data. This should help identify specific groups for targeting and assist evaluation of the effectiveness of actions taken for accelerating learning.

Appropriate guidelines and school-developed matrices promote consistent teacher judgments for assessment in relation to National Standards. Senior leaders monitor and guide teachers’ achievement judgments, especially for targeted children. Regular moderation with other schools, along with continued, extended use of the Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT), should further support dependability of teacher judgments about achievement. 

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

The three kete are strongly promoted and well understood by children and the school community. Teachers have high expectations for children’s success and participation. They are well supported to develop leadership through a wide range of opportunities and practices. They show confidence, respect and a sense of responsibility for themselves and others.

A well-constructed, localised curriculum provides a cohesive framework for teaching and learning. It enables children to work towards achieving the school community’s well-developed holistic vision for learning. The principles of the New Zealand Curriculum are highly evident.Further developing children’s understanding and ownership of their learning is a focus for teachers.

School practices, learning opportunities and the environment give value to, celebrate and promote the cultural identities of children and their families. This supports children’s strong sense of belonging and pride in the school and their cultural heritage. Teachers continue to build their competence to be culturally responsive in their teaching practice.

Leaders are clearly focused on promoting excellence and improvement and providing equitable conditions for learning. There is an appropriate focus on ensuring systems and practices are well used and sustainable. Senior leaders work effectively to grow the capability of teachers and new leaders. They have a strategic, collaborative approach to development and promote a positive, affirming school culture based on relational trust.

Appraisal supports teacher reflection and development. A clear process, appropriately aligned to school priorities and Education Council requirements, is well implemented. A teacher inquiry process supports their professional learning and reflective practice. Further development of this process is required to enable teachers to more closely examine the effectiveness of specific teacher practice in relation to student outcomes.

A good platform has been built for effective internal evaluation. The importance of evidence for decision-making is understood. Development-focused review is well considered, comprehensive and consultative. A next step is to further build understanding of inquiry and internal evaluation. Developing a clear process, which supports in-depth inquiry and investigation aligned to clear indicators and evidence, should ensure rigour and useful findings for improvement.

Trustees are strongly representative of and committed to working effectively with the community. Some are long-serving members. There is evidence of good communication and meaningful consultation for decision-making. Trustees’ understanding of their stewardship role and a strategic approach are developing. 

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

There has been an appropriate focus on maintaining systems for promoting improvement and sound school operation. A respectful, supportive and development-focused approach is evident. Next steps for achieving equity and excellence should include:

  • continuing to raise achievement for those children not achieving in relation to National Standards

  • deeper inquiry into data to enable more specific target-setting and evaluation of actions to address disparity

  • further building understanding of inquiry and internal evaluation for improvement and for determining the effectiveness of actions.

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
  • 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 children (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
  • physical safety of children
  • teacher registration and certification
  • processes for appointing staff
  • stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of children
  • attendance
  • 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 improve the school conditions that support the acceleration of children’s learning and achievement.
  • 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.

The school has requested that ERO provide them with an internal evaluation workshop.

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

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

18 July 2017

About the school 

Location

Hastings

Ministry of Education profile number

2644

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

517

Gender composition

Female 54%, Male 46%

Ethnic composition

Māori 68%
Samoan 13%
Cook Island 10%
Pākehā 7%
Other ethnic groups 2%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

May 2017

Date of this report

18 July 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, June 2014
Education Review, March 2011
Education Review, February 2008