Findings
Waitara East is an inclusive school where te ao Māori is highly valued. Students have a distinctive curriculum enriched by cultural and performing arts. School values underpin student learning and participation. Staff have positive partnerships with whānau and the community to support students' learning. The school is well placed to address areas identified for improvement.
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?
Waitara East School caters for students from Years 1 to 6. It has a roll of 279 students and most are Māori. The school has experienced considerable roll growth. This has resulted in the need for two additional classrooms, due on site for the 2015 school year.
Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori strongly define the school's culture and character. The values of manaakitanga, achieving, ngā kaunui and aroha (MANA) guide the way students and staff relate to each other and how the school operates. Students are confident and express a sense of belonging.
Affirming and responsive relationships between teachers, students and parents are evident in daily interactions. Classroom environments reflect and value students and their learning. School personnel work collaboratively to successfully promote positive inclusion in learning. Students' success is acknowledged and celebrated.
Strong partnerships with Te Atiawa and the wider community support school involvement in the local area.
A principal and new leadership group, appointed early 2014, have established themselves as a team and identified priorities for school development.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
Teachers make some use of student achievement information to inform their planning. Senior leaders have identified that overall use of this information should be improved. ERO’s evaluation supports this development.
The school reports that in reading, approximately two thirds of students achieve at or above, in relation to the National Standards. Just over half achieve at this level in mathematics, and less than half are at or above in writing.
Progress has been made in lifting achievement in reading, with significant increases seen from entry to Year 6. A similar impact has yet to be achieved in writing. The principal has identified inconsistencies in forming teacher judgements against National Standards and has planned appropriate actions to address this.
Senior leaders use student achievement information to set schoolwide and class targets, and to identify areas for teacher professional development. They also use this information to show shifts in progress, achievement and behaviour and as a basis for reporting to trustees. They have introduced a deliberate focus on raising student achievement and growing leadership.
Use of achievement information to inform teacher planning is variable. However, examples of good use are evident. Teachers use assessment results to identify students’ overall levels of achievement and learning needs. Leaders have set higher expectations for teacher use of achievement information in planning programmes. It is important for school leaders to continue to support teachers and staff in the use of assessment information, including from Ngā Whanaketanga, for programme planning.
Trustees receive clear, regular reports in relation to National Standards. This information is used to identify students in need of support and to provide resourcing for support programmes within classrooms. The board is well informed about the impact of these interventions.
The special education needs team has a clear understanding of the role of teacher aides and provides ongoing mentoring for them. There is focused funding from trustees for the training and support of programmes, including reading recovery in te reo Māori.
Student achievement is acknowledged and celebrated with whānau and the community. This happens in weekly and end-of-term MANA assemblies.
Reporting to parents is regular. In the junior school, additional reporting for new entrants after six weeks and six months at school has been introduced.
The school has begun to plan for improved use of student achievement information. ERO and the school agree that next steps are for:
- leaders to improve the quality of analysis of information and reporting of key trends and issues in order to more clearly present the information to the board
- trustees to clearly define targets to enable more focused interventions and resourcing
- teachers to more critically reflect on their practice to identify areas that require development, share successful strategies and to focus their teaching on areas of need.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning and promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
A rich, localised school curriculum effectively promotes student engagement and pride in their culture and heritage.
The principles and priorities of The New Zealand Curriculum, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success 2013 – 2017 and current best practice for leaders and teachers continue to inform ongoing curriculum review and development. The school’s values have been reaffirmed by staff and whānau and these are an integral part of learners’ educational experience. Students clearly understand the concepts of MANA and contribute well to their own self management.
School programmes and direction are aligned to the aspirations of Māori whānau, local iwi and the community. This includes developing a sense of belonging for students and bonds with the local landscape, history and iwi. High whānau attendance at the school's charter consultation hui and the growth in roll are indications of the confidence the school community has in school direction and operation.
Māori students are provided with many different opportunities for learning and celebrating their language, culture and identity. Te Kahui o Ngā Mātā Raukura, the bilingual Māori classes, provide high levels of te reo Māori language learning, particularly for students entering the school with Māori as a first language. Whānau appreciate the opportunity to have their children educated in either English medium or bilingual education.
Te Marautanga ā Kura (the school's curriculum) has a clear focus on providing students with a broad range of learning opportunities. Students’ holistic wellbeing is nurtured by staff, whānau and the community. This collective responsibility provides an appropriate platform for all learners to develop a sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Teachers provide cultural contexts for learning that builds students' sense of self and their knowledge, skills and confidence in te ao Māori. The integrated curriculum is enhanced by its underpinning of Te Atiawatanga, te mita o te reo o Taranaki and authentic learning contexts of high relevance to learners.
Student performance in kapa haka is highly accomplished. Whānau continue to support and promote kapa haka as an important avenue to build cultural literacy. Māori culture, language and identity are celebrated through learning and sharing the waiata and kaupapa associated with this rohe.
A valuable connection between the school and marae encourages student leadership and promotes authentic experiences that promote the acquisition of students' cultural literacy.
Well-considered practices are in place to support students moving to the next stage of schooling. The needs of children coming into the school are thought through in consultation with parents and early childhood services. Transition of students with special needs, into and out of the school, is carefully considered and supported.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The school is well placed to move forward with identified development and improvements.
With the change in school leadership, the school is re-establishing processes for ongoing school improvement. There is a timely and appropriate focus on building schoolwide leadership capability.
This includes the development of:
- a better understanding of leadership roles and building a team culture
- tools and ways to measure and show shifts in student progress, achievement and behaviour and to report trends to the board
- identification of professional learning needs of teachers.
Continued provision of leadership professional development should support this process.
Senior leaders recognise the need to develop teaching practices and to ensure consistency of delivery. They should continue to build their capacity to support teachers. Staff are more open to developing common understanding about practices and are beginning to request personal feedback.
Trustees have taken part in training and grown their understanding of governance. The chairperson has a good understanding of the role. Trustees support staff and make decisions to appropriately resource initiatives.
The school consults regularly with tangata whenua and links are well established. Students are consulted on school issues and their responses influence proposed changes and improvements.
Regular review contributes to ongoing improvement. Since the December 2011 ERO report, school inquiry has included a focus on literacy teaching and learning. End-of-2013 achievement data informed professional development decisions for leaders and identified opportunities to improve systems and processes at a leadership level. Leaders continue to grow these practices.
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
Waitara East is an inclusive school where te ao Māori is highly valued. Students have a distinctive curriculum enriched by cultural and performing arts. School values underpin student learning and participation. Staff have positive partnerships with whānau and the community to support students' learning. The school is well placed to address areas identified for improvement.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central Select Region
21 January 2015
About the School
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Location
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Waitara, Taranaki
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Ministry of Education profile number
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2261
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School type
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Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
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School roll
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279
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Gender composition
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Male 52%, Female 48%
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Ethnic composition
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Māori
Pakēha
Pacifica
Other ethnicities
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83%
12%
3%
2%
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Special Features
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Te Kahui o Ngā Mātā Ruakura (four level 2 Māori medium classes)
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Review team on site
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November 2014
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Date of this report
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21 January 2015
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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December 2011
November 2008
March 2005
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