Sutton Park School

Education institution number:

1520

School type:

Full Primary

School gender:

Co-Educational

Definition:

Not Applicable

Total roll:

511

Website:

http://www.suttonpark.school.nz/

Telephone:

09 276 4560

Address:

89 Vine Street, Mangere East, Auckland

View on map

Sutton Park School - 26/06/2018

26 Jun 2018

School Context

Sutton Park School caters for learners from Years 1 to 8 and is located in Mangere East, Auckland. The school roll of approximately 520 students draws from the wider Auckland area. Families choose to travel so that their children have opportunities to learn through the different languages that the school offers.

The number of bilingual units has increased significantly over time. Sia Ua, the Tongan bilingual unit has eight classrooms. Masina Va’aia, the Samoan bilingual unit, has four classrooms. Whaia te Matauranga, the Māori immersion unit, has two classrooms. English medium is the language of learning in 13 classrooms.

The school’s vision is “cast the net wide, set it deep to nourish learners for life.” Valued outcomes for students are for them to achieve at and above levels outlined in The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), to be fluent speakers of at least two languages, and take pride in their identity and culture. Students are expected to demonstrate the school’s values of perseverance, respect, identity, diversity and excellence (PRIDE).

The school’s strategic goals are to:

improve student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
support Māori learners to be successful as Māori
assist teachers to be reflective, adaptable, culturally responsive and to enable students as independent learners

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

achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
those children learning in the Samoan and Tongan bilingual units
progress and achievement of students with additional learning needs
analysed information gathered from consultation with parents, students and staff.

Since the 2015 ERO review trustees have participated in training to support them in their stewardship role. Two deputy principals have been appointed. New appointments have been made to middle leadership and teaching teams. Teachers have undertaken professional learning and development (PLD) in leadership and teaching practices to lift and sustain effective practices. The school has joined the Whakatipu Akoranga 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 pursues excellence to achieve equitable outcomes for all its students. Overall in the last three years student achievement data indicates that a large majority of learners achieve at expected curriculum levels in mathematics, reading and writing. Parity of achievement has been addressed for Māori and Pacific students in mathematics and reading. Recent school information shows that achievement in writing for Pacific learners has lifted.

Students’ bilingual capabilities are enhanced and developed. They are assessed in their heritage languages as well as in English.

Achievement data for boys and girls achievement is similar in mathematics. Data indicates a significant disparity for boys in reading and writing.

The progress of those children with additional learning needs is carefully monitored.

Students achieve very well in relation to other valued outcomes including:

having a strong sense of belonging
honouring the cultural knowledge and skills they bring to their learning
benefiting from whakawhanaungatanga in their interactions with each other
having confidence and a connection to their learning.

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

The school has developed good systems and teaching practices to accelerate learning for Māori, and other students who need this.

Trustees, leaders and teachers prioritise the achievement of Māori succeeding as Māori. They have appropriate strategic and annual targets to lift achievement.

There is good provision made for children with additional learning needs. Systems and processes ensure that their identified learning needs are met. Effective working relationships with external agencies, parents and whānau help support children with additional learning needs to have equitable access to learning.

Leaders and teachers use achievement data appropriately for a range of purposes such as improving teaching and learning, curriculum design and strategic planning. Those students at risk of not achieving are quickly identified so that appropriate and tailored support is provided. Useful processes are in place for close monitoring and tracking of student progress and achievement.

Teachers have improved the reliability of achievement data so that it is more trustworthy. Teachers and leaders engage in collaborative discussions and share teaching strategies to help accelerate students’ progress.

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’s very strong culture is underpinned by the enactment of its values of PRIDE. Students, teachers, leaders and trustees demonstrate these values with particular emphasis on identity, language and culture. High visibility, shared understandings and frequent sharing of these values promotes the school’s expected behaviours and outcomes. Key competencies as outlined in the New Zealand curriculum are well integrated in the school curriculum and culture.

Leaders have a deliberate and unique focus on equity and excellence through learning languages and enhancing student identity and culture. The provision of bilingual and total immersion opportunities to learning using evidence based methodologies is contributing to students gaining greater ownership of their learning.

School leadership is characterised by coherence of decision making, collaboration and exemplifies a high trust model. As a result, systems and processes are established that focus on improving teaching practices to accelerate student achievement. A cultural shift has been achieved that is now focused on learning and developing the whole child.

The school’s curriculum promotes a wide variety of learning opportunities for students to be independent and connected, inquiry learners. The curriculum celebrates students’ diversity and enhances pride in who they are and supports the development of their interests and talents. Senior students have good opportunities for leadership. The NZC’s key competencies are well integrated and reflected in programmes and authentic learning contexts. A graduate profile has been developed to guide teaching and learning programmes and practices that have students’ successful learning and wellbeing centremost.

Teachers are becoming increasingly reflective about their teaching practice. Culturally responsive professional learning and development supports teachers and responds to their learning needs. Teachers and leaders engage in talanoa that promotes respectful, warm and honest critique focused on growing teachers as adaptive practitioners to continuously meet the learning needs of students.

Reciprocal and educationally powerful connections with family and whanau are very evident. Parent and whānau have various opportunities to participate in their children’s learning. Their aspirations are sought and contribute to curriculum design through such events as whānau hui and fono. Parents are able to learn about the curriculum the school delivers so that they can support their child’s learning at home.

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

Leaders and kaiako identify the need to develop a curriculum design based on Te Marautanga o Aotearoa for the tamariki in Whaia te Matauranga. Kaiako recognise that professional learning and development would help them increase their knowledge about aromatawai, assessment in te reo Māori, assessment processes and use of achievement information that support tamariki Māori learning through Te Marautanga.

Leaders identify further analysis of achievement data is required to show accelerated progress and trends and patterns over time. Looking at data to show what is happening for different groups of students such as boys, girls and the achievement of students in the bilingual units in comparison with students in English medium settings, will help leaders and teachers have a deeper understanding of trends and patterns. Reporting this information to the board will allow trustees to scrutinise data to continue to help them with resourcing decisions.

The school are developing good internal evaluation processes. They consult whānau as part of this process and use information for direction setting. Leaders acknowledge that extending internal evaluation to more regularly evaluate learning support programmes will provide the board with useful information about the effectiveness of these initiatives.

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 leaders, teachers, students and whanau to engage in responsive learning partnerships
unique focus on diversity and learning through languages that promotes in students a strong sense of identity and culture and values what they bring to their learning
coherent and collaborative approaches to accelerating student achievement through building teacher capability and responsive curriculum design.

Next steps

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

improving the evaluation and analysis of achievement data to show what is happening for different groups of students in the school in order to reduce disparity particularly for boys.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Julie Foley

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

26 June 2018

About the school

Location	Mangere East, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1520
School type	Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)
School roll	528
Gender composition	Girls 54% Boys 46%
Ethnic composition	Māori Tongan Samoan Cook Islands Māori Niuean other	12% 47% 30% 3% 3% 2%
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)	No
Provision of Māori medium education	Yes
Number of Māori medium classes	2
Total number of students in Māori medium (MME)	22
Total number of students in Māori language in English medium (MLE)	Nil
Number of students in Level 1 MME	22
Special Features	8 Tongan bilingual classes 4 Samoan bilingual classes
Review team on site	May 2018
Date of this report	26 June 2018
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review		June 2015 March 2012 September 2008

Sutton Park School - 23/06/2015

23 Jun 2015

Findings

Sutton Park School’s large roll includes a large number of Pacific students who use their first language to learn. Students’ wellbeing is fostered through a learning environment that promotes a strong sense of belonging. The school sets high expectations for students succeeding and learning through their language, culture and identity.

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

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Sutton Park School in Mangere East is a large school that serves Year 1 to 8 students from its local, multicultural community. The largest groups of students are of Māori, Tongan, Samoan, Cook Island Māori and Niue descent. Year 7 and 8 students benefit from the school’s commitment to catering for early adolescence by setting high expectations for these students, developing their responsibility, and promoting their leadership in the school.

The school has a strong commitment to empowering Pacific and Māori learners’ use of their first language for learning. It supports students to gain a second language using bilingual and immersion approaches in Tongan, Samoan and Māori. Since the last review a new Rumaki Reo full immersion class has been re-established. Learning in French and Spanish is also an option for students for one day a week.

A new principal began in term 4, 2014. He is using his significant leadership expertise to build school leadership capability, develop culturally responsive approaches, and include whānau and parents in children’s learning. A deliberate focus on developing shared school values, vision, mission and strategic direction has had strong whānau and community support.

Since the 2012 ERO report, there have been a number of other staff changes. Some staff members are long serving and know families and the community well. Teachers speak families’ home languages and promote positive relationships with families and students through effective communication.

The board of trustees is committed to the school’s vision and values. It has managed the pace of change and the appointment of the new principal well. Many of the positive features identified in the 2012 report continue to be evident and have been strengthened through the new focus on students learning through their language, culture and identity.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

The school is developing its capacity to assess students and use achievement information to improve student learning. This is despite the fact that assessing student learning is more complex in the school’s bilingual, immersion and mainstream contexts.

Teachers are improving their use of student achievement information to meet student learning needs. Students are grouped for more targeted and relevant teaching using assessment information. In mainstream classes, students and teachers could benefit from greater access to English learning strategies and resources.

Leaders and teachers are using achievement information in positive ways to have learning conversations with students. Teachers are well placed to increase the quality of these conversations with students, in order to extend students’ understanding of their learning. This could help promote a closer focus on, and a greater sense of urgency about accelerating students’ progress.

Students have good opportunities to talk about their learning with whānau. There are also many valuable opportunities for whānau and teachers to talk about supporting student learning. Developing respectful and reciprocal learning partnership with whānau remains a high strategic priority for school staff and trustees. Improving the clarity and quality of information to whānau could further enhance outcomes for students.

Current school information shows that many students are yet to reach the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori students appear to achieve at similar levels to other groups in the school. Currently, it is unclear how well groups of students with additional learning needs progress and achieve. Leaders and teachers are working closely with external advisers to assist teachers to make more robust and reliable judgements about students’ achievement of National Standards in writing.

To ensure students are well placed to transition to secondary school, trustees could set more specific and relevant achievement targets aimed at accelerating students’ learning. School leaders could develop robust systems to evaluate the rates of student progress and achievement in the bilingual, immersion and mainstream classes. ERO recommends that senior leaders seek relevant external support to develop high quality student achievement tracking and reporting processes.

ERO also recommends the Ministry of Education provides support for school leaders and teachers to develop and consolidate their use of relevant bilingual and immersion assessment tools. School leaders have clearly identified bilingual and immersion assessment as a key area for further development. They are working on a proposal to work together on this with other schools.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The school’s responsive curriculum reflects and acknowledges students' language, culture and identity. It is increasingly effective in promoting and supporting student learning.

The curriculum focus on using first languages to increase student engagement in learning is very evident and most effective in the Tongan and Samoan bilingual classes. In these classes, students enjoy and are empowered to be confident and capable learners who learn through their cultural identity and strengths.

School-wide expectations clearly guide effective teaching and learning. Leading and learning together through positive relationships and student engagement are highly valued. The newly reviewed school curriculum provides relevant concepts that engage students in meaningful learning opportunities.

Students benefit from the culturally relevant contexts that teachers select to engage and support students to learn. Students have good opportunities to explore science, social studies, and technology. Māori and Pacific perspectives are skilfully woven into learning experiences and this encourages students to be highly engaged.

Students have increased opportunities to develop leadership skills. Tuakana teina relationships are evident in classrooms and around the school as students support and learn from each other. Many senior students can articulate their ideas in conversations and in more formal settings. Students are well supported to lead and show confidence through cultural performances and events.

Acknowledging the place of Māori as tangata whenua in Aotearoa is a priority for the board and staff. The re-establishment of the Rumaki Reo gives Māori students the opportunity to succeed and learn as Māori through total immersion in te reo Māori. The school has strengthened the way that these classes work together and plans to continue reviewing the school’s bilingual approach to learning.

Teams of teachers work collaboratively across the school in bilingual and mainstream settings. Whānau and syndicate teams share their practice to benefit students and support teachers to plan effectively for their students.

The impact of recent professional learning has helped teachers make better use of student achievement information to plan appropriately for improving students’ learning. Teachers are able to make good professional decisions and build on students’ learning interests, strengths and input.

The appraisal process promotes teacher professionalism and supports teachers to reflect on and adapt their practice. School-wide professional development now needs to align to the school’s strategic targets to do with meeting students’ learning needs. Incorporating Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers for Māori Learners should help improve all teachers’ bicultural practice.

Senior leaders agree that the next steps for curriculum development include continuing to:

develop teachers’ deeper inquiry
review the school’s approach to learning languages.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

The school has prioritised success for and as Māori acknowledging the mana whenua of the rōhe. The Treaty of Waitangi is an important underpinning of school operations and the kawa of the school is Tainui. A Māori trustee leads and works collaboratively with the board to make effective decisions for the success of Māori students and whānau.

The school currently offers Māori students in Years 1 to 3 the opportunity to learn through te reo immersion. The Rumaki Reo has a clear purpose to support Māori to succeed as Māori. A newly appointed Māori staff member teaches and leads the Rumaki Reo. She is supported by external expertise. Syndicate teams and leaders also provide support for the Rumaki Reo.

The school’s environment reflects and validates Māori. Tikanga Māori is strongly evident in school pōwhiri where Rumaki Reo leads the rest of the school.

Senior leaders agree that next steps for Māori success are to:

establish a team to build the school’s capacity to improve success for Māori
strengthen the school’s capability to engage Māori whānau and their students
increase staff capacity to respond to the needs of all Māori students in all classes across the school.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

Sutton Park School is well placed to improve and sustain its performance.

The school is well led by the principal. School leaders are actively involved in developing their leadership skills and building collaborative working relationships with whānau and team leaders. Clear, school-wide expectations underpin the decision making of leaders and teachers.

The positive school culture is underpinned by its strong shared vision and values. Trustees, who are leaders within the community, are representative of the community’s Pacific and Māori cultural heritage. Relationships between the board and principal are founded on high levels of trust and high expectations for improving student achievement.

Regular and appropriate fono use ‘kanohi ki te kanohi’ (face to face discussion) and ‘talanoa’ (deep listening) to engage the school’s parent community. This good practice is enhancing meaningful dialogue and building parent partnerships with the school.

The board is very supportive of the principal. Trustees have made improvements in strategic planning.

In order to strengthen current practice the board and school leaders should consider:

exploring training opportunities to support the board’s governance role
building stronger learning partnerships with parents
setting more specific student achievement targets that can be clearly tracked and reported on over time
receiving more regular reports on student achievement.

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 of trustees should ensure that all non-registered staff are police vetted and that the mandatory reporting requirements to the Teachers Council are met. (Education Act 1989).

In addition, the board of trustees should:

discuss relevant personnel matters during the in-committee parts of their meetings and record these parts of the meeting appropriately
sign off when they have approved planning for overnight camps and trips.

Recommendations to other agencies

ERO recommends the Ministry of Education provide support for school leaders to:

strengthen self-review practices
implement school-wide processes to collate, monitor, evaluate and report on patterns and trends of student achievement
develop and consolidate the use of relevant bilingual and immersion assessment tools.

Conclusion

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

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

23 June 2015

About the School

Location	Mangere East, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1520
School type	Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)
School roll	500
Gender composition	Boys 50% Girls 50%
Ethnic composition	Māori Pākehā Tongan Samoan Cook Island Māori Niue Indian Cambodian Fijian other Pacific Island other SE Asian	9% 1% 49% 26% 5% 4% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1%
Special Features	7 Tongan bilingual classes 3 Samoan bilingual classes 1 Rumaki Reo
Review team on site	May 2015
Date of this report	23 June 2015
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	March 2012 September 2008 October 2005