Favona School

Education institution number:
1273
School type:
Contributing
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
268
Telephone:
Address:

Wakefield Road, Favona, Auckland

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Favona School - 06/06/2019

School Context

Favona School is a contributing school in Mangere, Auckland. It caters for a diverse group of approximately 420 students of whom 20 percent are Māori, 27 percent Tongan, 22 percent Samoan, 12 percent Cook Island Māori, and five percent Niuean. About one-third of students participate in a formal English programme for speakers of other languages.

The school’s overarching vision is based on the motto of ‘rarangatia ngā rito akoranga – weave together the threads of learning’, and includes the school’s values of aroha, manaakitanga, hauora and auaha.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

  • programmes for students with additional learning needs

  • actions undertaken in relation to the school targets.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Mangere Campus, supports the school with its kapa haka and pōwhiri protocols. All students, especially those in Years 4 to 6, have access to digital technologies.

Since ERO’s 2015 report, a new principal and deputy principal have been employed, and approximately one-third of the staff are new to the school.

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 steadily working towards implementing successful strategies to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all students.

Overall, most students achieve at the expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement information is closely analysed, monitored, and reported to the board. School-based information indicates that overall, student groups achieve similar results in reading, writing and mathematics. It also suggests there is some gender disparity.

Relevant schoolwide targets are set to raise student achievement in mathematics and improve student attendance. Targets could be more useful for ongoing improvement if they were specifically identified and measurable.

Culturally responsive teaching practices support students’ language, culture and identity in the school. Senior leaders focus on embedding the school values. These processes have contributed to improving students’ social and emotional competence as learners.

The associate principal oversees and monitors the individual outcomes of students with additional learning and language needs. These students participate in a variety of specialised in-class or withdrawal programmes taken by experienced teacher aides. Staff know the needs and strengths of each of the students who require additional support.

Teachers use a range of school-based and nationally normed assessment tools, and they moderate students’ writing samples to ensure robustness of achievement information. To strengthen the rigour of assessment, teachers should consider ways to moderate literacy and mathematics assessment with other schools. Teachers should also continue to build their use of ‘assessment for learning’ strategies.

The principal acknowledges the benefit of tracking and reporting to the board, student progress and achievement over time at the school. Leaders are developing strategies to accelerate the progress and outcomes for transient students while learning at Favona School.

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

The school has anecdotal evidence, but is yet to gather schoolwide or long term-evidence, that its strategies are successfully enabling students to make accelerated progress, or sustaining the gains made over time.

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 principal and senior leaders are embedding appropriate strategies, and setting foundations for enabling the achievement of equity and excellence, and for accelerating learning. Senior leaders and trustees are building their capacity and capability with scrutinising the impact of decisions on improving outcomes for students.

Senior leaders have a strategic approach to building a positive school culture where students confidently learn and interact. Whānau grouping has been introduced. Whānau groups include various year levels and offer many opportunities for tuakana/teina learning and teacher collaboration.

Senior leaders know their teachers well. School leaders have made some well-considered appointments, including teachers who have specific strengths in leading and supporting the provision of the school curriculum. Senior leaders are implementing a variety of effective organisational practices to support student learning and inform appropriate decision-making. Newly established middle leaders value the support of the senior leadership team to successfully lead their teams. Teachers are reflective practitioners. They participate in appropriately focused professional learning, including building their capability in te ao and te reo Māori.

The school’s values and the New Zealand Curriculum, underpin the school’s developing localised curriculum. A review of the school’s current curriculum is underway to ensure it engages students through their interests and strengths. The curriculum has been broadened to contain experiences outside of the classroom, which include learning at local marae and during local trips.

Senior leaders are focused on building reciprocal, learning-centred relationships with the community. Partnerships with whānau are growing as a result of the opportunities offered to learn alongside their children, and participate in community events. Senior leaders have implemented many strategies to support and communicate with the school’s communities.

The board includes long-serving and experienced trustees who are loyal to the school, and serve and represent their community well. The board has a solid commitment to community consultation and to the new school direction. Trustees participate in appropriate board training to enhance their governance capabilities.

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

The principal and senior leaders agree that for continued school improvement, they will continue to develop and embed:

  • a relevant inquiry programme for students to increase their engagement with the curriculum
  • effective strategies for students to be leaders of their own learning
  • consistent understanding and use of internal evaluation practices to sustain ongoing progress with improving student outcomes.

Trustees agree that they should review and reflect on their effectiveness as a board in supporting the school to realise its vision, values, strategic direction, goals and targets.

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 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Favona School performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

  • school leadership that is focused on improving outcomes for students
  • a solid foundation that is being developed to achieve valued outcomes for students
  • the vision and values that underpin the curriculum and the school’s strategic direction
  • commitment to building reciprocal learner-centred relationships.

Next steps

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

  • evaluation, inquiry and knowledge-building practices that are systematic and coherent across the school
  • target goals that are more specific and measurable, and processes to regularly report progress to the board
  • strategies that develop students’ assessment and learning-to-learn capabilities.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

7 June 2019

About the school

Location

Favona, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1273

School type

Contributing (Y1-6)

School roll

424

Gender composition

Girls 50% Boys 50%

Ethnic composition

Māori 20%
NZ European/Pākehā 2%
Tongan 27%
Samoan 22%
Cook Island Māori 12%
Niuean 5%
Indian 4%
other ethnic groups 8%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

March 2019

Date of this report

6 June 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review August 2015
Education Review September 2010
Education Review August 2007

Favona School - 07/08/2015

Findings

Student learning at Favona School is promoted by the school’s caring and settled environment. Interesting and well implemented programmes help students to progress, and to develop positive attitudes and values. Student achievement levels are very sound, and the school is very supportive of students and their families.

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

1 Context

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

Favona School is located in Favona, Auckland. The school has a significant bicultural and multicultural community, with the majority of students having Māori or Pacific heritage. The school caters very well for students who require support for their learning, including the sizeable number of students who move in and out of the school each year.

The school climate is characterised by affirming and respectful relationships. Its caring and settled environment aids student learning. The school is very supportive of students and their families. Many long-serving staff have had lengthy associations with local families and have been influential in maintaining the school’s learning focus and its culture of high expectations.

The school has a history of positive ERO reports. Teachers continue to receive professional development that promotes school-wide consistency in the quality of teaching. Strengthening strategic planning and developing more evaluative self-review practices are next steps for school leaders.

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 well to promote student learning, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers know a lot about the learning of their students. They make good use of assessment data when planning their programmes. Programmes are matched to student learning levels and encourage student interest and engagement.

Senior leaders make very good use of assessment data to monitor school standards, and to ensure that students receive the help they need to progress in reading, writing and mathematics. They put in place special support programmes that are carefully targeted to the needs of identified students and monitor the progress students make while on these programmes. They could now consider more longitudinal monitoring of the impact of such school interventions.

The school’s National Standards achievement levels are sound. Good numbers of students achieve at or above National Standards in reading and mathematics. Writing results are a little lower, but still show that well over 50 percent of students are achieving well in this area.

National Standards data also show ongoing upward trends, especially in reading, and especially for Māori students in reading. The school’s very good practices in helping teachers make judgements in relation to National Standards could now be extended to include moderation outside of the school.

School leaders and ERO agree that other useful next steps in the use of achievement information could include:

  • continuing to increase student knowledge about their own next learning steps
  • continuing to help parents support their children to make accelerated learning progress
  • making more direct use of achievement information in all curriculum reports to the board, including those on the school’s te reo and tikanga Māori programme.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum effectively promotes and supports student learning.

The school has a very positive tone. High levels of care and pastoral support help prepare students well for learning. High standards are set to promote good citizenship, affirming relations and inclusive practices. Students are proud of their school and willingly share their opinions about its many strengths. They appreciate how the school helps them to develop their skills and talents in the areas of arts, sports and culture.

The curriculum features well delivered class programmes which students willingly engage in. Programmes are interesting and relevant. They include well paced lessons, practical learning activities, and themes that reflect the heritages of the students. A special feature of the curriculum is the many opportunities students have to develop their English vocabulary, and to learn and use the language of learning. The good number of bilingual staff members helps ensure that students also have opportunities to use their home languages in educationally meaningful ways.

The school continues to update its programmes and teachers have had ongoing professional development in areas that are important for student learning and wellbeing. The school has made good progress in embedding literacy initiatives and in developing learning areas such as science, and health and physical education. Senior leaders’ use of the same professional development providers over time has aided consistency in the school-wide implementation of new approaches.

The school is now well poised to consider how it can increase opportunities for students to make more decisions about when, where and how they learn. A stronger focus on student self management and student ownership of their own learning should help students to become more independent, self-managing learners. Increased student access to the school’s information centre could further support this focus and provide increased opportunities for students to learn from local, national and international sources.

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

The school has a commitment to te ao Māori and, as such, it has a good number of effective practices for promoting educational success for Māori, as Māori.

The school benefits from the leadership of its Māori staff and from the strong support it has accessed from outside of the school. School practices include the use of Māori protocols, and Māori student leadership and participation in these protocols is strong and meaningful. Māori students are proud of their place in the school and of the mana the school accords their heritage.

Stable staffing has supported the maintenance of well established school practices. To promote ongoing improvement, ERO continues to recommend that the board establishes more formal links between the school’s strategic planning and Ministry of Education goals for Māori education.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is well placed to sustain its performance. Consistent expectations and well embedded practices continue to be features of the school. The school is moving towards fully taking on board the appraisal processes needed to meet current teacher registration requirements and to formally promote effective evaluation of teaching. School documents now need to demonstrate this movement more directly, and senior leaders should plan for this task to be fully completed by the end of 2015.

Board operations reflect the school’s ethos, vision and values. Trustees undertake their roles and responsibilities with care. They are building their governance knowledge and capacity, and are keen to learn more about best governance practices. To aid this process, the board should consider self reviewing its practices against best governance indicators. The board could also begin to set more outcomes focused strategic and annual plans. Its plans should maximise the opportunities presented by the school’s multicultural staff and by national education developments, such as the Pacific Education Plan.

Trustees receive regular reports about school happenings and curriculum programmes. They should now expect reports to the board to be more evaluative, more closely aligned to the school’s strategic goals, and more focused on outcomes for students.

School policies are in need of rationalisation. Trustees should ensure that policy documents are grouped under governance and management delineations. Policies should be effectively updated and stored in ways that better support their access and review.

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.

Conclusion

Student learning at Favona School is promoted by the school’s caring and settled environment. Interesting and well implemented programmes help students to progress, and to develop positive attitudes and values. Student achievement levels are very sound, and the school is very supportive of students and their families.

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

Graham Randell Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

7 August 2015

About the School

Location

Favona, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1273

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

458

Gender composition

Girls 53% Boys 47%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Samoan

Tongan

Cook Island Māori

Niue

Indian

Fijian

Tokelauan

South East Asian

others

18%

1%

24%

22%

10%

7%

6%

2%

2%

1%

7%

Special Features

Social Worker in Schools (SWIS)

Review team on site

June 2015

Date of this report

7 August 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

September 2010
August 2007
October 2004