School Context
Tauranga Girls’ College is a single sex school catering for girls in Years 9 to 13. At the time of this ERO review 1263 students were enrolled of whom 54% are Pākehā, 33% are Māori, 4% are of Pacific heritage, and others come from a range of nationalities.
The school’s vision is ‘Empowering tomorrow’s women for a different tomorrow’. The mission is ‘to create a safe, stimulating and exciting learning environment that allows each student to develop her academic, cultural and sporting potential’. The vision and mission is underpinned by the school values of respect – manaakitanga, participation – mahi tahi, and pride – mana motuhake. Students are encouraged to take individual responsibility, demonstrate integrity and show respect for the rights of others.
Since the 2015 ERO review, there have been some changes to the senior leadership team. The previously long-standing principal retired at the end of 2017, and a new principal was subsequently appointed. One of the deputy principals has recently won a principal’s position at another school which will create a further change to the team. The other three senior leaders have been in their positions for several years.
The long-serving board chair is knowledgeable in her role and there is a mix of new and experienced trustees. Māori are proportionally represented on the board. Board members have undertaken training in their roles as trustees.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
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Achievement in all curriculum areas in Years 9 and 10, through the school’s junior diploma
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National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).
Teachers have participated in a range of professional learning and development (PLD) programmes focused on effective pedagogy and classroom practice. This includes Kia Eke Panuku, Poutama Pounamu, positive behaviour for learning (PB4L) restorative practice, leadership as inquiry and effective use of information and communications technologies.
Tauranga Girls’ College is a member of the Tauranga Peninsula Community of Learning | 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 is working towards more equitable outcomes for all students.
Overall 2017 NCEA roll-based achievement information shows that most students have achieved NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3. Approximately half of the Year 13 cohort achieved University Entrance (UE). Fifty percent of students gained NCEA with merit or excellence endorsement. Eight students gained scholarship in a variety of subjects.
Achievement rates for Māori students in NCEA and UE have been improving over the last three years. However, there is ongoing significant disparity between the achievement of Māori when compared to Pākehā students. Comparative analysis shows the disparity gap has decreased over time at NCEA Levels 1 and 2 but increased at Level 3. There is ongoing significant disparity at UE.
Pākehā achievement has remained consistently high over time for NCEA Levels 1, 2, and 3, and is decreasing for UE.
School leavers’ data for students leaving school with NCEA Level 2 or above, shows a similar disparity picture between Māori and Pākehā students. However, this gap has been closing between these groups of students over the last three years.
The school collates and analyses a wide range of achievement, engagement and participation information at Years 9 and 10 through the Junior Diploma. This information is used to track progress in these areas. The achievement data from 2016 and 2017 shows significant disparity between Māori and non-Māori in Year 9 in almost all curriculum areas. Cohort tracking from 2016 and 2017 shows that by the end of Year 10 the disparity has been significantly reduced and Māori are achieving at similar levels to their peers across the curriculum.
A new ‘Inclusive Learning Leader’ who has assumed the role of the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO), has been appointed to collate, analyse and report achievement and progress for students with special or additional needs.
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
The school is able to show acceleration for some Māori and other students who need this.
Cohort tracking over a four year period shows that over half of Māori students who began school at Year 9 below expected curriculum levels, and stayed until Year 12 and 13, made accelerated progress to achieve NCEA Level 2 or above.
The school has a range of intervention and support programmes for students achieving below expected curriculum levels. It is still to develop systems, and monitor the extent, pace and sufficiency of progress. Some teachers can show acceleration for individual students, but this is not inclusive of all at-risk learners. The school has begun to develop a consistent approach to collating, analysing and reporting acceleration information for Māori and other students who are underachieving.
Initiatives to support and accelerate at-risk learners in Years 9 and 10 included literacy and mathematics programmes. Recent analysis show these approaches are more successful in mathematics where there has been effective acceleration of Māori and other students who have previously been underachieving.
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?
The newly formed leadership team has implemented and promotes a positive learning culture. This is underpinned by a strong focus on relational trust and a culture of building teacher professional growth and development. A timely review of roles and responsibilities of senior leaders through a process of evaluation and inquiry has been initiated to strengthen their focus on acceleration of learning. A comprehensive consultation process to gather parent aims and aspirations has been completed, contributing to a high level of shared staff ownership and accountability. These positive leadership practices have led to a more clearly defined focus on providing equitable and accelerated outcomes for students.
Productive partnerships for learning and effective collaboration across the school community are evident. Strong pastoral care teams work effectively with outside agencies and community organisations to provide wrap-around, individualised support for students and whānau. Staff regularly participate in evidence-based achievement meetings to discuss effective teaching strategies across curriculum areas for engaging students in the junior school. This is having a significant impact on improving learning and achievement. Teachers actively encourage and support, Pacific students and their families to attend community groups that provide academic support in a cultural context. The school works collaboratively with local iwi Ngai te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui to provide students and whānau with a range of cultural, social and wellbeing initiatives. These support processes and practices provide students more equitable opportunities for learning.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
In-school processes and practices need to be further refined to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners.
Trustees, leaders and teachers need to collaboratively develop and implement a targeted action plan to accelerate the learning of at-risk students. This includes setting annual targets to address disparity, and which include all at-risk learners needing to make accelerated progress. Regular reporting to the board on the progress of target students is a priority.
Leaders and teachers need to build the collective capacity for the effective management and use of achievement data. Developing a school-wide understanding of acceleration and how to achieve it, and systems to effectively track students achieving below expectations, are areas for further development.
Leaders and teachers need to develop effective systems and processes for evidence-based internal evaluation. Evaluating the effectiveness of school-wide interventions and support programmes for accelerating the progress of at-risk learners, and reporting this to the board to inform resourcing decisions, is an important consideration. Ongoing critical analysis of curriculum programme effectiveness, and the development of action plans that specifically address disparity, are urgent priorities.
The school needs to further develop its understanding and implementation of culturally responsive and relational practices. Priority should be given to developing a cohesive strategic approach to improving outcomes for Māori. This needs to encapsulate improving language, culture and identity school wide, including consistent planning, implementation and integration of Māori contexts across the curriculum. This is needed to better reflect the cultural aspirations and perspectives of Māori students and whānau.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
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emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
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physical safety of students
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teacher registration and certification
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processes for appointing staff
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stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students
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attendance
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school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
Appraisal audit
To improve current practise, the board of trustees should ensure that all components of the appraisal process are met. There is evidence that this has begun.
Provision for international students
The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.
At the time of this review there were 55 international students attending the school, including three exchange students.
Effective systems are in place for the provision of pastoral care and quality of education. International students are fully involved in a wide range of activities and are well integrated into the school community. The school’s monitoring and support mechanisms ensure their wellbeing.
4 Going forward
Key strengths of the school
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
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the newly formed leadership team that is implementing processes and practices to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all students
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productive partnerships with parents, whanau, iwi and community that support student achievement and wellbeing
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teachers working collaboratively that is improving student achievement.
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
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effective use of achievement information to track, monitor and report on acceleration for at-risk students
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a strategic approach to building cultural responsiveness to effectively respond to Māori student and whanau aspirations
ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years.
Adrienne Fowler
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
17 December 2018
About the school
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Location
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Tauranga
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Ministry of Education profile number
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122
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School type
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Secondary (Years 9 to 13)
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School roll
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1243
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Gender composition
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Girls 100%
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Ethnic composition
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Pākehā 54%
Māori 33%
Other 13%
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Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)
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Yes
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Provision of Māori medium education
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No
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Review team on site
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August 2018
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Date of this report
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17 December 2018
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review October 2015
Education Review August 2012
Education Review November 2009
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