Whangārei Boys' High School

Education institution number:
15
School type:
Secondary (Year 9-15)
School gender:
Single Sex (Boys School)
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
1398
Telephone:
Address:

245 Western Hills Drive, Avenues, Whangarei

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Whangārei Boys’ High School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 18 months of the Education Review Office and Whangārei Boys’ High School 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 

Whangārei Boys’ High School provides education for students from Years 9 to 13.  The school is in Te Tai Tokerau and is the only secondary boys’ school north of Auckland. A new school has recently been built on the original site.  

Whangārei Boys’ High School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

  • develop a culture of belonging (tūrangawaewae), where the school community feels a sense of belonging and pride.

  • provide equity for all students through innovative and inclusive practices, that continue to lift learning outcomes.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Whangārei Boys’ High School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school systems and structures are supporting Year 9 students to develop a sense of tūrangawaewae.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • ensure Year 9 students develop a connection to the strong traditions and kaupapa of the school, within the new school site

  • develop a seamless transition experience for students as they arrive at school to improve educationally powerful connections and relationships

  • improve equitable outcomes for all learners in particular, Māori learners.

The school expects to see learners:

  • experience a learning climate which promotes their engagement, is positive and culturally responsive

  • are well supported to achieve success with a strong, secure sense of their cultural identity

  • demonstrate a strong sense of tūrangawaewae to the school and local community.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal:

  • leadership prioritises and plans for school improvement and equitable and excellent outcomes, with a focus on equity for Māori learners

  • school leaders reflect on inclusive practices for continuous improvement

  • the school effectively and collaboratively promotes and enacts the school vision and values

  • a positive trajectory of Māori student achievement over the past four years

  • school leaders engage with external evaluation as a resource for improvement and innovation.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • continuing to raise the value and use of student voice and experience, to inform the evaluation for continuous improvement

  • building teacher capability to understand their role in the effective transition of Year 9 students, through responsive curriculum planning.

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.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

7 February 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

Whangārei Boys’ High School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of May 2022, the Whangārei Boys’ High School 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 Whangārei Boys’ High 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.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

7 February 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

Whangārei Boys’ High School

Provision for International Students Report

Background

The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

Findings 

Whangārei Boys’ High School has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

At the time of this review there were two international students attending the school.

Whangārei Boys’ High School maintains highly effective systems and processes for self-review and the provision of pastoral care for international students. Reliable data from stakeholders is used to evaluate and improve the quality of provision.

The school values the diversity students bring to their community. A collaborative and integrated approach supports international students to experience success in a broad and responsive curriculum within the school and local community.

Whangārei Boys’ High School has programmes in place that enable students to develop a sense of belonging, make progress in their academic studies and achieve their learning goals.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

7 February 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

Whangārei Boys’ High School

ERO Hostel Report

Background

The Chief Review Officer has the authority to carry out reviews (which may be general or in relation to particular matters) of the provision of a safe physical and emotional environment that supports learning for students accommodated in hostels under section 470 of the Education and Training Act 2020. This function is delegated to review officers who have the powers to enter and carry out review of hostels under section 472 of the Act.

Findings

The hostel manager and the hostel owner have attested in the Hostel Assurance Statement that they meet the requirements of the Hostel Regulations 2005. All reasonable steps are being taken to ensure boarders at Carruth House experience a safe physical and emotional environment that supports their learning.

At the time of the review Carruth House was operating at under 50% capacity. The age of the building means, there is a significant amount of work required to improve an aging infrastructure. Hostel management are aware of the upgrades required to the physical environment to improve the accessibility, comfort, and wellbeing of boarders. Several refurbishments of internal spaces recently have enhanced living conditions for boarders.

Students value the sense of community and belonging during their time at Carruth House. Opportunities are provided for students to engage in a wide range of experiences, including leadership roles. The school and hostel work collaboratively to meet the diverse needs of boarders. The Deputy Principal holds the hostel portfolio to ensure alignment and continuity regarding expectations and students’ learning, progress and pastoral needs.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

7 February 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

Whangarei Boys' High School - 03/05/2017

Findings

The principal, senior leaders, teachers and trustees have worked together to significantly improve practices that promote student engagement and successful learning. They are developing a school that is student-centred, and focused on developing young men from a holistic perspective through the curriculum and support of wellbeing for learning.

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?

Whangarei Boys’ High School is the only secondary boys’ school north of Auckland. The roll has increased over the past two years, and has a majority of Pākehā and Māori students. The school provides students with boarding facilities at Carruth House on the school site.

The 2015 ERO report identified concerns about several aspects of the school’s performance. These included the quality of leadership, the effectiveness of the curriculum and teaching practice and the continuing disparity between Māori and non-Māori achievement. For this reason ERO decided to continue to monitor the school’s progress through a longitudinal evaluation process over two years.

In 2015 the long-serving principal retired at the end of the first term. The new principal began her tenure in July 2015. Staffing changes have enabled the appointment of teachers who are well qualified and bring fresh perspectives to the professional learning culture of the school.

Since January 2015, ERO and the school have collected evidence to evaluate progress made in addressing ERO’s identified concerns. This report summarises ERO’s findings.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

In August 2015, the new principal and the board agreed on five broad improvement priorities to address during ERO’s two year longitudinal evaluation of the school. These priorities were based on areas for improvement identified in ERO’s 2015 report:

  • strengthening leadership, curriculum design, teaching practice
  • accelerating Māori student progress
  • developing the school culture and learning environment
  • strengthening self review (internal evaluation)
  • progressing school property development.
Progress

The previous and current boards, together with the new principal and senior leaders, have made good progress in relation to all the improvement priorities identified in the 2015 ERO report.

Developing an inclusive and positive school culture has been a key part of the work to improve students' wellbeing and educational outcomes. There has been a significant culture shift resulting in higher relational trust among students, teachers and leaders.

School values have been developed in consultation with whānau. These include Whakawhanaungatanga and Manaakitanga (respectful relationships); Tika and Pono (honesty and integrity); Maia and Aroha (courage and compassion); and Mahi tahi (work hard together). These values are increasingly guiding relationships between students, teachers and leaders across the school.

Significant changes in the school’s leadership and teaching culture have contributed to greater student wellbeing and motivation to engage and achieve. There is now a more open, transparent leadership and teaching culture. This is enabling greater critical reflection on the effectiveness of practices. It includes an increased focus on learners and in particular, those groups who have not been well served in the past.

Good progress is being made in developing the quality of teaching practice and the curriculum. There has been a significant shift in teachers’ pedagogical practice and thinking. This progress is guided by cyclic evaluation that includes the perspectives of teachers, faculties and students.

A greater restorative ethos is developing across the school. Senior leaders show a deep understanding of the inter-relationship between student wellbeing and student achievement and success. The board has funded expanded social services, a second counsellor and second dean for each year level. There is now a decreasing trend in the numbers of students being stood down, suspended or excluded from the school.

Students now have more leadership opportunities. They appreciate the way their views and opinions can be shared and influence school practices. Of particular note is the programme, introduced in 2016, where senior boys mentor Year 9 boys. This tuakana/teina approach helps the younger students to transition more positively to their secondary education.

Over the past three years, there have been deliberate, strategic approaches to promoting academic success for Māori students. Māori achievement has been trending positively in National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA), in particular at Level 3. Data show increasing parity between Māori and non-Māori achievement in NCEA.

Te ao Māori is becoming more evident in curriculum learning areas. This year a full year’s programme has been provided for Year 9 students who wish to extend their learning in te reo Māori. A Māori Arts course is now offered to senior students. This is the third year that the school has been working with the professional learning initiative Kia Eke Panuku. Senior leaders have plans for all teachers to have completed their training by the end of this year. 

At the beginning of each year, staff spend a day at one of the local marae where they learn more about the local community and its history. This learning helps staff to make connections with students and their whānau.

Good efforts are being made to provide a more responsive curriculum and align systems with students’ learning needs and aspirations. These efforts include cross-curricular collaboration and strategising to support students’ choices, in particular in the Year 9 and 10 curriculum. This is also providing students with greater connectedness in their learning. 

Good progress has been made in the school’s tracking and monitoring of student progress, and in leaders’ and teachers’ use of achievement data. Senior leaders are considering ways to develop common approaches to assessing, analysing, tracking and accelerating progress in Years 9 to 10.

The board is continuing to work with the Ministry of Education on a project to provide buildings and environments that are more conducive to collaborative teaching and learning. In the interim, the board is managing the maintenance of the school’s aging buildings.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school is now well placed to sustain and build on effective practices and to continue improving outcomes for students. The board, principal, leaders and teachers have successfully worked together to promote relevant, cultural and systemic change. There is now a strong focus on strengthening capability in leadership and teaching, and providing students with relevant learning and pathways to their future career aspirations.

The board is well led. The chairperson’s continuing role has been beneficial over the past two years as he has a strong awareness of the school’s development journey. The school is guided by a meaningful charter, which includes strategic and annual planning that is improvement and student focused. The previous and current boards demonstrate a strong commitment to the school, student wellbeing and academic success.

The principal is providing effective professional leadership. She is strategically prioritising improvements and managing the pace of change well. Together with the senior leadership team she has redefined what leadership looks like across the school. Senior leaders have complementary skills and demonstrate enthusiasm and optimism in being part of the change process in the school.

Senior leaders model collaboration to promote greater shared understandings and more collective decision-making among staff. They provide time and encouragement for staff to share best practice and to focus on enhancing teaching through targeted professional learning. This is resulting in a more cohesive staff culture and optimism about the school’s future direction. Leaders and staff are developing a school that is student-centred. They are focused on developing ‘young men’ from a holistic perspective through the curriculum, teaching practices and support of wellbeing for learning.

Internal evaluation is developing well and is now more evident at board, leadership, faculty and teaching levels. Good links are being made between faculty evaluation and teachers’ inquiries into the impact of teaching practice on student learning. Staff development systems and inquiry cycles are now more aligned, and are based on improving student outcomes through targeted actions. Senior leaders plan to ensure that the quality of faculty reporting to the board is more consistently evaluative. 

Encouraging greater community involvement with the school continues to be one of the board’s strategic goals. Over recent years there has been greater collaboration with Kotuku ki te Rangi, a representative group of Māori whānau. The current board is considering further ways of working together with this group to support ngā tane Māori to succeed both academically and culturally.  

The board and senior leaders plan to continue progressing the development priorities noted in this report. In particular, the principal has identified the key areas of:

  • continuing to raise student achievement, and further increase parity for Māori
  • further developing teacher capability in relational and cultural pedagogy
  • continuing to develop a curriculum that is responsive to students’ interests, aspirations and pathways
  • ensuring that the new buildings provide learning environments that are conducive to collaborative teaching and learning.

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 Recommendations

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

ERO recommends that the school continues to develop good practices in inquiry and evidence-based evaluation to guide curriculum developments that support students as confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners.

Conclusion

The principal, senior leaders, teachers and trustees have worked together to significantly improve practices that promote student engagement and successful learning. They are developing a school that is student-centred, and focused on developing young men from a holistic perspective through the curriculum and support of wellbeing for learning.

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

Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

3 May 2017

About the School 

Location

Whangarei

Ministry of Education profile number

15

School type

Secondary (Years 11 to 13)

School roll

1186

Number of international students

14

Gender composition

Boys 100%

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Asian
Pacific
other

37%
53%
  4%
  3%
  3%

Special Features

Student boarding hostel, Carruth House

Review team on site

March 2017

Date of this report

3 May 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

January 2015
September 2011
August 2008