Rukuhia School

School Context

Rukuhia School is located on the outskirts of Hamilton and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s current roll of 103 includes 10 Māori students and a small number of students from a range of other cultural backgrounds.

The school’s vision encourages students ‘to develop independence through learning’. The mission aims to ‘provide quality education that produces and prepares confident, connected actively involved lifelong learners.’ School values focus on keeping it ‘REAL’ by demonstrating respect, excellence, attitude and leadership.

The school’s strategic goals focus on:

• student learning and achievement

• developing a quality learning community

• school organisation and structure.

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

• reading, writing and mathematics.

Since the February 2017 ERO report there have been some changes to the teaching team and trustees. The principal and senior leaders have remained in their roles. Leaders and teachers have undertaken professional learning and development in oral language, writing and wellbeing.

The school is a member of the Rural and Roses cluster.

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 equitable and excellent outcomes for almost all students.

The school’s data from 2018 shows very high levels of achievement in reading and mathematics and high achievement in writing. This pattern of high levels of achievement has been sustained over time. Mid-year data from 2019 shows that Māori students are achieving as well as or better than their Pākehā peers. Girls are achieving at very high levels in all areas in comparison to boys.

Students with additional learning needs are well supported and make appropriate progress in relation to their individual goals.

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

The school is effectively accelerating learning for some Māori and other students who need it.

Leaders can show acceleration for priority learners in reading, writing and mathematics as a result of school targeted interventions and learning support.

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?

A rich and inclusive curriculum promotes high levels of student engagement and achievement. Strong school values and rural traditions promote a sense of community and belonging for students and their families. The school’s graduate profile has been developed in consultation with students and parents and is well aligned to bicultural principles. Tuakana teina relationships contribute to positive student interactions and collaborative learning. A wide variety of learning experiences caters for the different way’s students learn. Students have opportunities to be challenged and excel in a range of authentic learning contexts.

Teaching is highly responsive to the needs of the students. A strong focus on wellbeing addresses the holistic needs of individual students and contributes to calm and settled environments for learning. Students at risk of not achieving are clearly identified and support programmes are in place to accelerate their progress. Effective liaison with outside agencies supports learning and behaviour for students with additional needs. Respectful interactions and deliberate teaching strategies promote successful learning outcomes.

Effective strategies enhance positive partnerships for learning. Parents are well informed about their children’s progress and achievement through a variety of ways. Parents are encouraged to support their children’s learning at home and their views and aspirations are collected and valued. Positive relationships and open, clear communication contribute to meeting the individual needs of learners.

Leaders enable many high-quality processes and practices for continuous school improvement. Data is used effectively to track and monitor individual progress and the acceleration of at-risk students. Regular and robust moderation practices ensure the reliability of assessment information. Clear expectations for high-quality teaching and learning guide consistency of practices across the school. Professional learning and development support teachers to build their capability. Trustees make appropriate resourcing decisions to enable equitable opportunities to learn. Trusting relationships and effective collaboration at all levels promote a shared approach to school decision making and high expectations for student achievement.

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

Extending charter targets is an agreed focus for school leaders. Priority should be given to:

• accelerating the learning of all students at risk in literacy and mathematics

• regularly reporting to the board on rates and sufficiency of progress over time to better inform targeted action and internal evaluation.

There is a need to strengthen the consistency of formative assessment practices across the school. Leaders and teachers should consider ways to improve feedback and feed forward to students that is closely linked to their learning goals. This should enable greater student ownership and agency of their learning.

Stronger implementation of the school’s bicultural curriculum is a next step for the school. Leaders and teachers should continue to enrich meaningful and culturally relevant learning for all students.

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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Rukuhia School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• leadership for learning that is focused on improving outcomes for all students
• a positive culture for learning that is responsive to students’ individual needs and enhances wellbeing
• a caring and inclusive learning community that enables students to learn and succeed.

Next steps

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

• targeted action to accelerate the learning of all students who need this
• consistency of teaching practice to empower students to lead their own learning.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

30 October 2019

About the school

Findings

Rukuhia School has made good progress in addressing the areas for development identified in the 2014 ERO report. Children experience a curriculum that is increasingly responsive to their interests and learning needs. Leadership for learning has been strengthened with a focus on building teacher capability to accelerate achievement. Children enjoy learning in a family-like atmosphere.  

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?

Rukuhia School, located on the outskirts of Hamilton city, provides education for children in Years 1 to 8. The school’s roll of 105, include 21 Māori children. Since the 2014 ERO review the school’s leadership and teaching teams have remained the same. At the 2016 board elections three new trustees were elected. The school continues to benefit from high levels of parent support including an active parent teacher association.

The previous ERO report identified the need to strengthen key aspects of school operations related to professional leadership, curriculum development, promoting children’s wellbeing and self review.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

The 2014 ERO review identified the need to:

• strengthen leadership of learning including implementing a more robust teacher appraisal process
• further develop the school’s curriculum
• increase the provision of a Māori dimension in the school’s curriculum
• implement systems that support children’s wellbeing
• strengthen school governance
• implement meaningful self-review processes.

Progress

Trustees, leaders and teachers have made very good progress in responding to the areas for development identified in the 2014 ERO report.

Leadership of learning has been significantly strengthened. School leaders have undertaken specific professional development to support them to undertake their leadership roles. They work in a more collaborative manner in order to maximise expertise within the leadership team. Leaders have a strong focus on further building teacher capability. They access useful external professional development opportunities for teachers. A robust teacher appraisal process has been developed and implemented that provides teachers with regular feedback about the effectiveness of their teaching. Productive partnerships have been established with local schools that enable leaders and teachers to share best practice. A more collaborative approach to school leadership is maximising internal expertise focused on building teacher capability and raising children’s achievement.

Leaders and teachers are developing and implementing a more responsive curriculum. They are currently reviewing curriculum documentation to better reflect parent and community aspirations.

Ongoing development of the curriculum include:

• an appropriate priority on literacy and mathematics learning
• use of real-life experiences that engage children in meaningful learning
• regular trips and camps into the local and wider community
• opportunities for children to experience success in cultural and sporting activities.

Children’s learning is supported by a curriculum that is increasingly responsive to their interests and learning needs.

Leaders are developing useful processes that support children to be aware of their achievement and next learning steps. An important priority for leaders is to implement these practices throughout the school.

Te reo and tikanga Māori are more evident in the school curriculum. Children participate in pōwhiri at the local secondary school’s marae, and as part of the school’s camping programme senior children experience noho marae. Te reo Māori is naturally integrated into each classes’ daily programme. Whānau are increasingly involved in sharing their knowledge and expertise with teachers and children. An increased presence of te ao Māori supports Māori children’s sense of identity and belonging in the school.

Trustees provide effective school stewardship. They are supportive of school leaders and have undertaken extensive training to support them to effectively undertake their roles and responsibilities. The board is well led by a knowledgeable and experienced chairperson. A feature of the board’s operation is the regular consultation with the school community. Trustees set useful charter targets focused on the number of children whose learning needs accelerating. Effective stewardship is contributing to a cohesive approach to school development.

Sound self-review practices are well embedded at all levels of the school. A useful framework has been implemented to guide self review. Trustees have a planned approach to policy review. A feature of the school’s self-review practices is the regular consultation with parents and children. Teachers implement an effective process that supports them to reflect on the effectiveness of their teaching practices in accelerating the progress of children achieving below expected levels. Self review is contributing to ongoing school development and improvement.

Student safety and wellbeing are effectively promoted in the school. Surveys from senior children and parents indicate that students feel safe at school and parents are confident that their children’s wellbeing is supported. Tuakana/teina relationships are strongly evident and reflect the school’s family-like atmosphere. ERO observed positive relationships between teachers and children. Children enjoy learning and playing in a settled and calm environment where their wellbeing is supported.

Key next steps

To further develop the school’s curriculum, leaders and teachers should develop and document agreed expectations for effective teaching practice at Rukuhia School. These expectations should initially focus on the teaching of literacy and mathematics.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance?

Rukuhia School is well placed to continue to improve its performance because:

• trustees provide effective stewardship
• leadership for learning has been strengthened
• there are high levels of staff collegiality that supports sharing of professional practice
• children continue to experience a broad curriculum that is responsive to their interests and learning needs
• there are high levels of community support
• sound self-review practices are in place.

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.

4 Recommendation

Recommendations, including any to other agencies for ongoing or additional support.

School leaders access external professional development for the teaching team to address the key next step addressed in this report.

Conclusion

Rukuhia School has made good progress in addressing the areas for development identified in the 2014 ERO report. Children experience a curriculum that is increasingly responsive to their interests and learning needs. Leadership for learning has been strengthened with a focus on building teacher capability to accelerate achievement. Children enjoy learning in a family-like atmosphere.

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

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

15 February 2017

About the School