Winchester School (P North)

Education institution number:
2484
School type:
Contributing
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
333
Telephone:
Address:

552 Ruahine Street, Hokowhitu, Palmerston North

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Winchester School (P North) - 13/08/2018

School Context

Winchester School, is a contributing school in Palmerston North. The multi-cultural roll of 332 children includes 19% who identify as Māori and 4% of Pacific heritage.

The stated vision for students is to learn in a welcoming dynamic environment fostering creativity and lifelong learning. The valued outcomes for students are to be: confident, creative, connected, communicators.

In 2018 the school’s achievement targets are focused on raising achievement in reading for students in Year 2 and 6, and for boys across the school.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to the levels of The New Zealand Curriculum

  • wellbeing for success

  • specific literacy interventions.

A new principal was appointed in middle of term 2, 2016.

The school is part of the Palmerston North City and Rural Schools Kāhui Ako.

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 supports most students to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes. Since the March 2014 ERO evaluation achievement has remained high.

End of year achievement information for 2017, reported that almost all students including Māori achieved at or above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders are aware that boys are not achieving as well as girls in writing.

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

Those students whose learning requires acceleration are well known to the leadership team. The school is strengthening their approach to these students.

In 2017, the school was successful in accelerating the learning for some students who had previously been below expectations in reading.

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?

Appropriate internal and external professional learning and development is supporting the implementation of a range of initiatives to support student learning and wellbeing.

Students experience a broad curriculum with a wide range of learning opportunities. There is a strong focus on developing key competencies for successful learning. Students are well supported to be confident, independent and self-managing learners. Cooperation and enthusiasm for learning is highly evident. Deliberate teaching strategies are used to promote collaborative teaching and learning practices.

Priority is given to the pastoral care and wellbeing of students. Leaders and teachers recognise the importance of building connections and relationships with children and their families to support learning partnerships.

Leadership has a considered approach to change management. Leaders promote and participate in teachers’ learning and development, to build capacity to undertake inquiry for improved student outcomes. Emergent leadership is fostered and students have multiple opportunities to develop their leadership potential.

The board actively represents and serves the community in its stewardship role. Trustees recognise the importance of focusing on student learning and working collaboratively with leaders to resource programmes and initiatives.

Responsive systems and processes are in place to identify and support those students with additional learning needs. The school works well with external agencies. Those with high needs are well supported to participate and engage in learning alongside their peers, through individual planning and appropriate use of resourcing.

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

Leadership is aware of the need to further strengthen the alignment of long-term planning, teachers’ appraisal, internal evaluation and reporting to the board. Strengthening this alignment should support a more coherent approach to review and decision making for improvement.

Building on the current process of tracking and monitoring of student progress and achievement to include information from school entry is a next step. This should enable the school to determine the difference made, value added and priorities for further development.

While reflection and inquiry are regularly used to inform decisions for improvement, further developing a shared understanding of internal evaluation school wide is needed. This should assist trustees, leaders and teachers to better measure the impact of initiatives, programmes and teaching practices on improved outcomes for student learning.

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:

  • the considered approach of leaders to change management that supports the focus on school wide improvement

  • achieving outcomes for students, that show consistently good levels of achievement

  • the broad curriculum that provides students with a wide range of learning opportunities.

Next steps

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

  • internal evaluation to better measure the impact of programmes, initiatives and teaching practices on positive outcomes for student learning.

The school has requested, and ERO will provide, an internal evaluation workshop for trustees and senior leaders.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

13 August 2018

About the school

Location

Palmerston North

Ministry of Education profile number

2484

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

332

Gender composition

Female 50%, Male 50%

Ethnic composition

Māori 19%

Pākehā 56%

Pacific 4%

Asian 7%

Other ethnic groups 14%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

June 2018

Date of this report

13 August 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review March 2014

Education Review October 2009

Education Review June 2006

Winchester School (P North) - 28/03/2014

1. Context

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

Winchester School is a Years 1 to 6 primary school in Palmerston North. It has an enrolment scheme zone that is responsive to roll growth.

At the time of this review, the roll was 337 with 12% of students identifying as Māori. The roll includes a diverse range of other ethnic groups. Cultural diversity provides valuable social, cultural and language interactions for students in a welcoming environment. The positive school tone supports all students' learning.

The school’s philosophy is to offer an innovative and modern curriculum to provide students with a wide range of experiences and a well-rounded education. This is supported by the school’s "econected" feature which actively involves students in gardening, recycling and caring for animals. Accessible, modern computer technology is an integral part of students’ learning experiences.

2. Learning

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

The school reports that a significant majority of students, including Māori, are achieving at and above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Standardised assessments and extensive school-based assessment information supports teachers’ judgements about students' achievement.

Analysed schoolwide achievement information is used effectively by leaders and trustees to:

  • identify targets and actions for improving outcomes for groups of students
  • evaluate how successfully goals have been reached
  • review and set direction for the school
  • report to parents and the community.

Parents are well informed about the engagement, progress and achievement of their children. Students and teachers use achievement information to set appropriate learning goals. They share progress in relation to the goals with parents in student-led conferences and through written reports.

The school has identified the need to review and revise assessment tools and information to show progress and achievement over time. This should strengthen the validity of data and further support the reliability of overall teacher judgements about students' achievement in relation to the National Standards.

Teachers use data to identify the needs of individual students and to plan for differentiated teaching and learning. Students with identified learning needs are supported effectively through a range of appropriate interventions. Progress and achievement of priority learners, in some cases accelerated progress, and the effectiveness of interventions is evaluated and reported to the board of trustees.

3. Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum is highly effective in promoting and supporting student learning.

Extensive, well-considered review is undertaken collectively to provide a responsive and cohesive curriculum. The school’s vision and beliefs have been developed in alignment with the principles of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). The curriculum emphasises the development of NZC key competencies as applicable to Winchester School and gives priority to literacy and mathematics.

The design of the curriculum enhances learner engagement. Well-integrated learning across the curriculum supports students to transfer knowledge, follow interests and build on strengths. Students have many opportunities to participate and enjoy success in a wide range of activities outside the classroom. There are clear expectations for high quality teaching across all learning areas. A strong commitment to te ao Māori is evident.

Teachers inquire into their own practice. They work collaboratively with colleagues to share teaching strategies that are likely to provide best outcomes for students.

Classrooms are settled environments. Students are focused on and enthusiastically involved in learning. Teachers use a wide range of strategies to engage students. Consistently high quality teaching reflects the school’s expectations and successfully promotes learning for all. Positive, friendly and respectful interactions are evident in the classroom and playground.

New Zealand’s bicultural languages, cultures and identities are acknowledged and celebrated. The curriculum includes a focus on te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Te ao Māori is evident in the class and school environments. The board supports this focus through resourcing of leadership and professional development to promote teachers’ understanding and use of te reo Māori.

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

A strategic commitment to improving outcomes for Māori students is evident.

Regular meetings with parents of Māori children contribute to decision-making about resourcing and curriculum programmes to promote learning and success for Māori. Regular whānau hui encourage parents' and families' involvement in the school and their children's learning.

The school continues to develop connections with a local marae. A strong kapa haka programme supported by the Māori community encourages opportunities for leadership in a Māori context.

Staff continue to grow their understanding of te ao Māori and develop culturally responsive teaching practices. Findings from a review of learning languages have informed use of te reo Māori as a focus for teachers inquiring into their practice.

4. Sustainable Performance

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

The school is very well placed to sustain practice and continue to identify and prioritise actions that improve the engagement and achievement of students.

A culture of rigorous critical reflection and review is evident. Senior leaders and trustees understand and respond to the wishes of families to ensure that changes lead to improvement and enhanced outcomes for students. Comprehensive planning and review processes support the gathering of relevant information, and consider research and best practice examples to guide development.

Knowledgeable, dedicated trustees focus on receiving and using a variety of information to set and maintain a clear strategic direction, prioritising the needs of students. Achievement information and evaluations contribute to the board’s planning and decision-making.

High quality leadership focuses on enhancing student outcomes through effective teaching and positive, affirming relationships amongst staff and students. The senior leadership team knows teachers’ capabilities and has high expectations that teachers will use identified strategies that promote learning. Improvement focused appraisal, supported by professional learning, successfully assists teachers to acquire and develop expertise.

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.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Image removed.

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services

Central Region (Acting)

28 March 2014

About the School

Location

Palmerston North

Ministry of Education profile number

2484

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

337

Gender composition

Female 51%

Male 49%

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā

Māori

Other European

Asian

Other ethnic groups

68%

12%

11%

7%

2%

Review team on site

February 2014

Date of this report

28 March 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

October 2009

June 2006

June 2003