Kaitaia School

Summary

Kaitaia School continues to provide good quality education for children from Years 1 to 6. The school has 338 children. Māori children make up 80 percent of the roll, five percent have Pacific heritage and 13 percent are Pākehā. The school offers three bilingual classes (Immersion Levels 2 and 3).

Since the 2012 ERO evaluation, the school has begun a review of how well its curriculum supports children to experience success. Considered leadership from the principal and a new team of school leaders has provided staff with professional learning and development (PLD) to implement some student-led learning practices.

School leaders, trustees and staff contribute to an increasingly learner-focused school culture. Systems are becoming more focused on achieving positive outcomes for all children.

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

The school is taking steps to achieve equitable outcomes for all children. In response to largely static achievement levels between 2013 and 2016, the school has developed plans and actions to raise children’s achievement in relation to the National Standards for reading.

The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. Raising the achievement of Māori and all children is a school priority, as is parity for boys in reading and writing achievement.

School leaders have sought Ministry of Education (MoE) expertise to refine school processes and establish teaching practices that are focused on accelerating the progress of children at risk of not achieving. The school’s ‘change management team’, comprising teachers and leaders, has created an action plan to raise children’s achievement.

Teachers are contributing to the development of a revised, localised curriculum to respond to children’s diverse learning requirements. This solution-focused approach is indicative of teachers placing more importance on connecting with and supporting children who are at risk of not achieving. Consistent implementation of school-wide approaches is yet to be fully realised.

Leaders and teachers know the children whose learning needs to be accelerated. They should now improve specific aspects of school practices to better support this acceleration.

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

Equity and excellence

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

The school’s response to children whose learning and achievement need acceleration is somewhat effective. While there are convincing indicators that the school is accelerating the progress of some children at risk of not achieving, practices that support this accelerated learning need to be implemented in a more focused and coordinated way.

School achievement data for 2016 show that approximately 60 percent of children, most of whom are Māori, achieve at or above National Standards for reading, writing and mathematics. At the time of this ERO review, achievement information for children in the three bilingual classes was included in the overall school data.

The board and school leaders have taken actions to support the significant number of children who are yet to reach National Standards. At the time of this evaluation, children with special learning needs are making good progress in relation to the goals and targets identified in their individual education plans.

Senior leaders have recognised that there is disparity between the achievement of boys and girls in reading and writing. Their focus in 2017 has been on supporting teachers to raise children’s achievement in reading. Ongoing internal evaluation would support this strategic approach and help to ensure that positive teaching developments are transferred to other areas of the curriculum, particularly writing. Monitoring boys’ success in reading and writing will help teachers identify areas for further development, and contribute to a lift in overall achievement.

The quality of the school's data between 2014 and 2016 is variable. School leaders report that trustees, staff and children now have more valid achievement information to work from to help them improve learning. Teachers are becoming more proficient in using a variety of sources of evidence to gauge children’s progress and achievement. The school is considering the use of a MoE electronic tool to help teachers collate and make sense of a variety of achievement information.

There are positive developments in support for staff to focus on children who require ‘different and varied’ teaching and learning approaches to accelerate their progress. Most teachers share learning goals with children and are more explicit in their teaching. As a result, children have a clearer idea about the purpose of their learning and how they can actively contribute to their success.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

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

Some of the school’s processes and actions contribute to equity and excellence for children, including those who identify as Māori or Pacific. Significant relationships that the school has with the community promote trust and engagement with whānau. The board actively represents and serves the interests of the school, education community and local iwi. Through the school’s well communicated set of values, children are supported to understand and apply competencies and skills to their learning.

The intentions of the school’s broad curriculum are learner focused and provide guidelines to teachers about its successful implementation. School leaders have initiated systems and processes to enhance team work at all levels of the school. Planned distribution of leadership is designed to enact school goals that are focused on accelerated learning progress. This development also has the potential to contribute to school-wide consistency in high quality teaching and learning practices.

School leaders recognise that the success of the school’s curriculum is dependent on adaptive and responsive practices. Supporting teacher capability in successfully interpreting and implementing curriculum guidelines is seen as crucial to enhancing learning for all children. Teachers increasingly promote child-led learning and discuss how individual children’s learning requirements are best catered for.

The school actively supports and promotes children’s wellbeing. Children have varied opportunities to extend their physical capabilities and make healthy lifestyle choices. The principal coordinates a school-based, free health-check scheme that supports children and their families to identify and quickly remedy any health issues. The school’s focus on supporting hauora is motivated by social justice principles and contributes to equity and excellence for all learners.

The leadership team works collaboratively to develop and pursue the school’s vision and goals. External facilitators have been used to help the school gauge the quality and success of practices and processes. Advice has been sought about how leaders, teachers and children can use achievement information more effectively to improve learning.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

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

School leaders model very good evaluative reporting to staff and the board. Trustees and school leaders have identified that these evaluation processes need to be more evident across the school, in the drive to achieve equity and excellence for all children. Areas to be evaluated and improved include:

• building connections and relationships with parents and whānau that are focused on enhancing children’s learning
• supporting teachers to think and do things differently to raise achievement for children who are at risk of not achieving
• ensuring that school leaders, staff and trustees continue to implement and embed school changes that are focused on raising overall achievement, particularly that of boys in reading and writing
• enhancing trustees’ scrutiny of achievement information, including separate data relating to the bilingual classes, to help prioritise and support actions that address disparity and support equity and excellence.

Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board and principal of the school completed theERO 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.

To improve current practice, teacher appraisal processes should be aligned more closely with the requirements of the Education Council.

Going forward

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

The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for Māori and/or other children remains.

Leaders and teachers:

• know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
• need to improve the school conditions that support the acceleration of children’s learning and achievement.
• need to build teacher capability to accelerate children’s learning and achievement.

The school agrees to:

• develop more targeted planning to accelerate learning for children
• monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and children’s progress
• discuss the school’s progress with ERO.

ERO will provide feedback and resources to support the development of more targeted planning. 

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

Violet Tu’uga Stevenson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

29 June 2017

About the school 

1 Context

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

Tēnei te mihi ki a koutou o te kura o Kaitaia. Tēnā rā koutou katoa.

Kaitaia School is centrally located in the Far North town of Kaitaia. The majority of the Year 1 to 6 students are Māori and affiliate with five local iwi. Through extensive consultation and research the school has recently developed its curriculum, 'Learning for Keeps'. The culture, language and values of Te Ao Māori are embedded in this document.

The school has a positive and inclusive tone. The school provides an attractive educational setting that is well supported by the local community. The Blomfield satellite unit and newly opened health centre, Tu Whare, are situated on the school grounds. Community health and special educational services support students and their families. Bilingual classes and Te Whare Marino foster kaupapa Māori in the school.

The school has a history of positive ERO reports. Professional leadership, good professional development opportunities for teachers, good analysis of data and responsiveness to student needs continue to be features of the school.

2 Learning

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

The school uses achievement information very effectively. Students are keen to learn and actively engaged in learning. They are willing to participate and share with each other. Teachers provide good quality teaching programmes and use effective teaching strategies.

There are good relationships between students and teachers and amongst the staff. The transition of students in and out of the school is well managed and a sound foundation for learning is established in junior classrooms.

The school is focused on accelerating progress for all learners. Teachers and managers collect relevant information to monitor students’ progress and achievement throughout the year. Reports to parents are timely and provide useful information about students’ achievement in relation to the National Standards. Students’ learning progress is identified and celebrated.

Well analysed information on school-wide achievement is reported to the board regularly. The board and managers use this information to set targets for achievement that are appropriate and challenging. Achievement information indicates that the majority of students make good progress and achieve well in reading and mathematics. Managers have identified that, although there is good progress in writing, there are still many students achieving below National Standards. Improving achievement in writing is an on-going and school-wide focus.

Bilingual education is promoted and valued. The progress and achievement of students in the bilingual unit are monitored by school managers. Managers report that the students in these classes are achieving at a similar level to those in mainstream classes.

Teachers use good planning and assessment systems to support and accelerate students’ learning progress across the curriculum. Teachers make good use of support staff, kaiāwhina and kaiārahi i te reo to sustain positive learning outcomes for all.

Students are competent and confident learners. They are aware of the importance of learning in shaping the future for themselves, their families and the wider community. ERO and school managers agree that an increased use of learning progressions (learning progressions map out what students need to know and be able to do, at specific points in their schooling) expressed in child-friendly language, would help students to be more involved in identifying their own pathways to further improvement.

3 Curriculum

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

The well designed school curriculum 'Learning for Keeps', promotes and supports student learning effectively. The school’s curriculum provides clear links with the school charter and the vision, principles and values of The New Zealand Curriculum. It includes learning approaches that reflectKa Hikitia, Managing for Success.

Routines for learning are well established in the junior classes and a school-wide focus on literacy and numeracy supports student learning across the curriculum. Inquiry topics are decided in consultation with staff, students and the community. Students have good opportunities to participate in sport and education outside the classroom, and to enjoy visual and performing arts.

Teachers enhance the curriculum and make it more relevant to students through the inclusion of tikanga and te reo Māori, and Māori contexts for learning.

Team leaders in the junior and senior school guide professional discussion about the curriculum and support teachers well in each of their teams. The Foundation Skills programme for new entrants focuses on skills and knowledge that assist in transitioning students into more formal learning situations.

School leaders have identified that they want to further develop critical reflection amongst teachers, using self review to support improvement.

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

The school is committed to bicultural education and recognises and acknowledges that te reo me ōna tikanga Māori are taonga. Māori students are proud of their cultural heritage. They have leadership opportunities in pōwhiri, kapa haka and culturally relevant events that happen in the school. Te Whare Marino is situated on the school grounds and provides a space to promote te Ao Māori and tuakana/teina relationships.

Students have the opportunity to learn in bilingual classes at all year levels ranging from level 2 to level 3 immersion. This is supported by the Taha Māori Curriculum Committee in consultation with whānau and the staff. In the mainstream classes te reo Māori is part of the learning programme. Whole school overviews show clear progressions in te reo from Year 1 to 6.

Ka Hikitia is well embedded in the school. The board and staff are clearly focused on providing a supportive and successful education for Māori students and meeting the aspirations of whānau.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance.

The board governs the school effectively and supports the principal and teachers in their work. They receive analysed achievement information that informs decision making about resourcing. The experienced principal guides the board in strategic planning. Trustees value whānau feedback and are responsive to parents’ aspirations for their children.

The board chairperson has provided consistency and shown ongoing commitment to the school. ERO acknowledges the efforts of the principal and the board chair in maintaining continuity in governance despite changes in personnel.

Senior managers are capable, experienced and share leadership responsibilities. They have high expectations for the quality of teaching. This is supported by regular professional development that is focused on improving outcomes for students. Through their combined efforts managers and teachers have improved quality and reduced variability in teaching.

The principal leads the school vision of 'inspired and resourceful learners for life'. He actively encourages the community to use the school as a resource. Communication with staff, students and their whānau are open and transparent. The principal continually explores ways to consult with families and engage them in supporting children’s learning.

Since the 2009 ERO review, the school has developed good self-review processes that identify areas for development. Self review processes are effectively used and promoted by the school to support ongoing improvement.

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.

Dale Bailey National Manager Review Services Northern Region

25 January 2013

About the School