Wiri Central School

Summary

Wiri Central School in South Auckland caters for children from Years 1 to 8. The school roll is 436. Māori children make up one third of the roll, Samoan children also a third, and Tongan, Cook Islands Māori and others make up the further third. Children are able to learn in two language based units. Mōkai Awhina offers immersion education in te reo Māori. Fofoa i Vaoese provides a Samoan bilingual option.

Since the 2014 ERO review, the board has remained largely unchanged. Trustees are still coming to terms with their governance role and effectiveness. A new deputy principal who is experienced in establishing systems for monitoring and supporting student achievement, began at the start of 2017.

Teachers have participated in significant professional learning and development (PLD) in the last three years. The learning from these opportunities is yet to have a positive impact on outcomes for children. Major maintenance has upgraded and refreshed the exterior of school buildings.

The 2014 ERO report identified low achievement as an area for development. At the time of this review overall achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has continued to decline. While there is little disparity between the achievement levels of groups of children, the school has not been able to effectively accelerate the rate of progress for those who need to achieve better.

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?

The school has not yet responded effectively to Māori and Pacific children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. Māori and Pacific children make up 98 percent of the school roll.

School leaders and teachers are still developing processes to enable the equitable and excellent achievement of children. Very recently some initiatives that are likely to support teachers to know more about their children as learners, including tracking and monitoring processes, have been introduced in some classes.

At the time of this review, this school was not well placed to provide conditions for children to achieve educational excellence, or to address in-school disparities.

The main areas of concern are:

• lack of urgency in addressing low student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

• student achievement data trending down over time

• the absence of programmes and initiatives to accelerate the progress of identified learners. 

Leaders and teachers:

• have not yet adequately built their knowledge of the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated

• have not yet adequately established necessary conditions to effectively accelerate learning and achievement

• are not well placed to achieve and sustain accelerated achievement for all children who need it.

ERO intends to carry out a process of ongoing evaluation to support development over the course of one-to-two years.

Equity and excellence

How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school has not yet responded effectively to Māori and Pacific children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

Overall, children’s achievement is low with 43 percent achieving the National Standards in reading, 41 percent in writing and 44 percent in mathematics. Girls achieve considerably better than boys in reading and mathematics. Achievement for boys and girls in writing is similar. In comparison to data of schools in the local area, achievement is significantly lower in reading, writing and mathematics.

Achievement for Māori and Pacific children is similar in reading and mathematics. In writing Pacific children achieve at slightly higher levels than Māori.

For children in Mōkai Awhina, levels of achievement are low in korero (oral language), pānui (reading) and tuhituhi (writing), and have declined since 2015. In te tau (number), children’s achievement is higher and showing improvement.

Coherent leadership of support programmes for children with additional learning needs is likely to impact positively on the social and learning outcomes for these children.

Since ERO’s 2014 review, the school’s data shows lower achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. Trends in the data for cohorts of children show a decline in achievement over their time at the school.

Teachers use appropriate assessment tools to gather information about children’s learning and achievement. They moderate samples of children’s work within their teaching teams and across the school. This moderation process is helping teachers to make more consistent judgements about children’s achievement, particularly in writing.

For children in Mokai Awhina, the school intends that bilingual and biliterate proficiency will support them to be secure in Te Ao Māori. Similarly for children who learn in Fofoa i Vaoese, it is intended that bilingual and biliterate proficiency will support them to be secure in Fa’a Samoa. The graduate profile could be used to influence decision-making processes. 

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

The school has not developed processes that are effective in enabling the achievement of equity and excellence. Frameworks to support teachers to know more about their children as learners have recently been introduced in some classrooms. However these are not yet embedded or implemented school wide.

Children’s’ cultural heritages and backgrounds are well nurtured in the school. Good opportunities are offered for them to immerse themselves in their language and culture in Mōkai Awhina. The team leader provides increasingly helpful guidance for teachers in the areas of curriculum, assessment and supporting children with additional learning needs.

Children in Fofoa i Vaoese consistently hear Samoan language in formal settings and in conversations. They learn through a curriculum that recognises and builds on their cultural backgrounds and prior knowledge. The team leader models good teaching practice for her teachers.

Senior leaders are reviewing the school curriculum. This work provides a good foundation for developing clear expectations of teachers and their practice.

Trustees report improved confidence to contribute during board meetings. They ask questions and discuss topics in greater depth and have developed a better understanding of their role and of board processes. A mentor who has been co-opted onto the board through a business partnership, models governance processes for parent trustees.

A focus on student wellbeing over the past three years has resulted in improvements in class tone and the school culture. The local community is loyal to the school and many families have intergenerational connections to Wiri Central. Senior leaders and trustees report that families are now attending school events in greater numbers.

Since the 2014 ERO review, facilitators from within and outside the school have provided teachers with a range of in depth PLD opportunities. There is little evidence to suggest that teachers were expected to improve their practice as a result of this work.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

A sense of urgency is required at all levels of school operations to better support the development of positive outcomes for children. Being more responsive to patterns and trends in student achievement information and other data is important in addressing the learning needs of identified under achievers.

Effective leadership of improvement is necessary so that when initiatives are introduced they become embedded for all teachers. Teachers and team leaders require greater clarity and guidance about what is to be taught and how it is to be taught. Expectations should include: 

• clearly articulating the school’s vision for teaching and learning and documenting this as the school’s curriculum
• creating a school wide strategy to address low student achievement that includes a shared understanding of how teachers can accelerate progress and foster learning partnerships with parents
• establishing high expectations of children, teachers and leaders
• creating a culture of professional learning and sharing for staff. 

School wide systems to implement the curriculum, policies and procedures are not in place. To ensure that the expectations of teachers and new professional learning and development can become established, it is necessary to establish the consistent use of agreed frameworks and processes across the school.

The board is very supportive of the school. Trustees are not yet aware of their role in scrutinising the effectiveness of programmes and initiatives.

In order to implement and embed initiatives to address priorities for improvement, school leaders must establish efficient internal evaluation processes in all areas and levels of school operations.Using ERO publications such as School Evaluation Indicators and Effective Internal Evaluation, could strengthen this process going forward. 

The areas identified for school wide improvement are also relevant for strengthening the overall performance of both Mokai Awhina and Fofoa i Vaoese.

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

• 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.

Appraisal audit

During the course of the review, ERO audited the process for the endorsement of teachers’ practising certificates undertaken within the last 12 months. ERO found there was insufficient evidence in teachers’ portfolios for endorsements to meet requirements. The process that is now in place is more likely to meet Education Council requirements.

Actions required

ERO identified non-compliances in relation to National Standards and board processes. In order to address these the board must: 

1. ensure teachers report students’ achievement in relation to National Standards to their parents twice a year in writing
   NAG 2A(a) 
2. comply with all statutory requirements
   NAG6. 

In order to improve practice, the board should use in-committee meeting processes to protect the privacy of staff and students.

Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

At the time of this review, this school was not well placed to provide conditions for children to achieve educational excellence, or to address in-school disparities. The main areas of concern are:

• lack of urgency in addressing low student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

• student achievement data trending down over time

• the absence of programmes and initiatives to accelerate the progress of students who need to achieve better

Leaders and teachers:

• have not yet adequately built their knowledge of the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated

• have not yet adequately established necessary conditions to effectively accelerate learning and achievement

• are not well placed to achieve and sustain accelerated achievement for all children who need it.

ERO intends to carry out a process of ongoing evaluation to support development over the course of one-to-two years. 

Recommendations

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education and New Zealand School Trustees Association provide support for the school in order to bring about the following improvements: 

• establish effective leadership
• address low student achievement
• establish high expectations for children, teachers and leaders
• create a culture of professional learning and sharing. 

Steffan Brough

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

9 June 2017

About the school