Melville High School

Melville High School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 18 months of the Education Review Office and Melville High School working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz

Context 

Melville High School is located in Hamilton and caters for students from year 9 to 13.

Melville High School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • raising all students’ achievement

  • strengthening parents, whanau, community, and school partnerships to benefit students

  • develop and sustain culturally responsive and relational practice to improve educational outcomes for Māori learners and to support te ao Māori across the school

  • support student wellbeing.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Melville High School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively Melville High School is raising student achievement and supporting equitable outcomes for students.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • the alignment of the evaluation focus with the school’s strategic goals

  • the identification by the school that a large proportion of their students enter year 9 below expected curriculum level

  • the school’s academic focus on student achievement of NCEA.

The school expects to see increased teacher capability to respond effectively to the learning needs of junior students. This evaluation will provide information for school leaders and teachers to understand what is working to support progress for students in years 9 and 10, which groups it is working for, and where further improvement is needed.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to raise student achievement and support equitable learner outcomes:

  • deliberate, targeted professional learning to build teachers’ understanding, capacity and capability in literacy and numeracy

  • a strategic vision to support Māori students to achieve as Māori through the development of a localised curriculum

  • leadership that builds and strengthens trusting reciprocal partnerships with mana whenua to help realise iwi aspirations for students and their community

  • responsive systems and processes that support the wellbeing and learning progress of senior students.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • building teacher capability to use achievement data to identify the learning needs of students

  • continuing to build teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the Learning Progression Framework to identify targeted strategies to support student progress

  • continuing to strengthen professional learning focused on te ao Māori and mātauranga Māori through partnership with mana whenua.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

20 December 2022 

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.  educationcounts.govt.nz/home

This school has a specialist class for students with moderate to high learning difficulties (The Campbell Centre).

Melville High School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2023

As of August 2022, the Melville High School Board of Trustees has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Actions for Compliance

ERO and the board have identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process: 

  • the board’s child protection policy and procedures need to be written down and contain provisions on identification and reporting of child abuse and available on the school’s internet or school premises,and reviewed every three years.
    [sections 18 and 19 Children’s Act 2014]

  • the board’s complaints policy needs to be reviewed and made known
    [Good practice]

  • Safety checking of Children’s workers, and periodic rechecking of existing children’s workers which includes police vetting
    [Children’s Act 2014, and regulations 5–8 of the Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015]

  • the board must ensure that persons without a practising certificate are not permanently appointed to a teaching position
    [Section 92(2) Education and Training Act 2020]

The board has taken steps to address the areas of non-compliance identified.

Further Information

For further information please contact Melville High School Board of Trustees.

The next Board of Trustees assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.

Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

20 December 2022 

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Melville High School - 24/11/2017

Summary

Melville High School is a co-educational secondary school catering for students in Years 9 to 13. At the time of this ERO review there were 593 students, 49 percent of whom identify as Māori, 31 percent Pākehā and 20 percent from other ethnicities.

The school’s purpose statement is ‘Creating Pathways to a Positive Future’. The purpose statement is underpinned by the values of whanaungatanga, care, participate, respect, achieve and celebrate and is supported by the school’s mission statement to ‘provide quality learning that engages all students to fulfil their potential’.

A range of programmes and initiatives support students to participate in and experience success. Examples include digital learning classes in the junior school, a services academy funded by a community trust, and the Campbell Centre with specialist staff for students with high-learning needs. The board also has responsibility for and leadership of the alternative education opportunities for a group of Hamilton schools.

The board chair is experienced in the role and this Board was elected in 2016 with one returning board member. There is strong Māori representation on the board. The senior leadership team has had a change of Assistant Principal since the previous ERO review in 2014.

Leaders and teachers have participated in the Ministry of Education Kia Eke Panuku professional development initiative which has a focus on cultural responsiveness and relational pedagogy. The school is an active member of Te Kāhui Ako o Mangakōtukutuku - Melville Community of Learning.

The school has responded well to the areas for improvement identified in the 2014 ERO report. These included a review of the charter, vision and values to reflect community aspirations, and improvement of the school’s physical environment.

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

Melville High School is responding well to some Māori and other learners whose progress and achievement need acceleration.

While some processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence, the school’s approach to accelerating progress for all learners whose achievement is at risk requires strengthening. The processes needing further development include specific target setting, strengthening internal evaluation, and building teacher capability.

The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all learners. However, disparity in achievement for boys and Māori learners remains.

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the learners whose progress and achievement need to be accelerated

  • need to develop and implement approaches that effectively meet the needs of each learner

  • need to improve the school conditions that support the acceleration of learners’ progress and achievement

  • need to build teacher capability to accelerate learners’ progress and achievement.

The school agrees to:

  • develop more targeted planning to accelerate progress for learners

  • monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and learners’ progress

  • discuss the school’s progress with ERO.

ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop to support the school to develop effective planning and monitoring processes to support equity and excellence for all children.

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?

Melville High School is responding well to some Māori and other learners whose progress and achievement need acceleration.

In 2016 the school set targets in literacy and mathematic for students achieving below expected curriculum levels at Years 9 and 10. Approximately half these students achieved the expected level by the end of the year. Cohort tracking over a four year period shows progress. Approximately half of Māori students who began school at Year 9, achieving below the National Standards, made accelerated progress to achieve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2, by Year 12.

At the time of this review, the 2016 roll-based data for all students showed that levels of NCEA achievement had increased and were comparable with national comparisons at Level 2 and Level 3. However, achievement levels were significantly below national comparisons in Level 1 and University Entrance (UE).

Māori achievement in NCEA Level 1 and 2 over the past three years shows growing disparity of achievement with Pākehā students. The data also shows that the proportion of Māori learners achieving NCEA Level 3 and University Entrance (UE) has increased over time, but remains significantly below the achievement levels of Pākehā students at the school.

The growing disparity trend between Māori and Pākehā is similarly reflected in the school leavers’ data. Leavers’ data for the last 3 years shows that the proportion of Pākehā and Pasifika students leaving with at least NCEA Level 2 has steadily increased over time compared to the proportion of Māori school leavers which has remained static.

At-risk learners at Years 12 and 13 are clearly identified and their progress is closely monitored. Regular conferencing with students and their whānau, has supported a significant majority to gain NCEA qualifications throughout the year.

The school is developing sound processes for assessment and moderation. Teachers make judgements about learners’ achievement in relation to the curriculum levels in Years 9 and 10 and NCEA. There is a need to review these systems and practices. This is necessary to ensure that assessment judgements are clearly aligned with curriculum levels, and that NZQA guidelines are fully implemented.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

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

Some processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence.

Trustees work cohesively in the best interests of students, parents and the community. They have a clear understanding of their stewardship roles. School policies processes and guidelines are regularly reviewed and focus specifically on promoting student wellbeing, learning, progress and achievement. As a result of ongoing review, the charter now reflects whānau and community aims and aspirations. Māori concepts such as whanaungatanga, tiaki, whakaute and whakanui have been well integrated into the charter, while te reo and tikanga Māori continue to be valued in the school.

Leaders and teachers are actively engaging with whānau. The academic counselling programme is building knowledge and understanding for students, parents and whānau about curriculum pathways and qualifications. This significant new development is improving the tracking and monitoring of progress and achievement of all learners. The revitalised whānau hui provides a forum for regular and robust consultation and discussion about Māori student achievement. Strong partnerships with parents and whānau are enhancing student learning.

Senior leaders are actively building relational trust with staff, students and parents and whānau. Leaders are actively engaged in Kia Eke Panuku and have developed a framework to promote and model cultural responsiveness and relational pedagogy with staff. This framework along with student feedback is helping to build teacher capability and responsiveness to Māori and other learners requiring acceleration.

The school has systems for supporting at-risk learners. Many departments are focused on strategies and specific actions that support students to achieve their potential. Some teachers make effective use of assessment information to guide their practice and promote positive outcomes for learners. The learning support team provides a range of appropriate interventions for students who have additional learning needs. An important next step is to ensure these students and their parents and whānau are provided with individual education plans (IEPs). These IEPs should address students’ specific needs and strengths, and support them to achieve their learning goals.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

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

The school’s approach to accelerating progress for all learners whose achievement is at risk requires strengthening. Leaders now need to place priority on developing and implementing:

  • more specific, measureable charter achievement targets that are focused on addressing disparity in gender and ethnicity.
  • internal evaluation to measure the effectiveness of planned actions for raising outcomes for target students.
  • department and teacher appraisal goals that align to students whose learning is at risk.
  • teacher practice, including teaching as inquiry, in order to address the needs of students whose learning needs acceleration.

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

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should ensure that all aspects of the Education Council requirements are met, in particular, the principal needs to be assured that teachers are providing sufficient evidence against the Practising Teachers Certificate criteria annually and strengthening teaching as inquiry to build teacher capabilities.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989.  The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

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 learners. However, disparity in achievement for boys and Māori learners remains.

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the learners whose progress and achievement need to be accelerated
  • need to develop and implement approaches that effectively meet the needs of each learner
  • need to improve the school conditions that support the acceleration of learners’ progress and achievement
  • need to build teacher capability to accelerate learners’ progress and achievement.

The school agrees to:

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

ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop to support the school to develop effective planning and monitoring processes to support equity and excellence for all children.

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

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

24 November 2017

About the school

Location

Hamilton

Ministry of Education profile number

137

School type

Secondary (Years 9 - 13)

School roll

593

Gender composition

Boys 55% Girls 45%

Ethnic composition

Māori 49%
Pākehā 31%
Asian 7%
Pacific 5%
Indian 4%
Other 4%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

September 2017

Date of this report

24 November 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review November 2014
Education Review October 2011
Education Review November 2008

Melville High School - 17/11/2014

Findings

Melville High School provides students with meaningful learning opportunities within a caring and supportive culture. School leaders and teachers are committed to raising student achievement. A key next step for the board is to strengthen the school’s culture for learning to further raise educational outcomes for students.

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?

Melville High School is located in Hamilton and caters for students from the Melville area and surrounding district. The school has a roll of 569 students of whom 52% identify as Māori. The school values of 'respect, achieve and participate' continue to be promoted. Students are encouraged to do their best in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Since the previous ERO review of 2011, the principal and senior leadership team have remained the same and the school has responded well to the areas for review and development identified in that report. These related to reviewing the roles and responsibilities of the senior leadership team, and greater involvement of the leaders of curriculum (LOC) in leadership of teaching and learning. The school has undergone some refurbishment of classrooms, including building of a new fitness centre. Some buildings that were surplus to requirements have been removed.

Teachers have engaged in ongoing professional learning and development about student literacy across the curriculum and raising their responsiveness to Māori students. Students learn in a positive and caring school culture where parents and whānau are warmly welcomed.

2 Learning

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

The school gathers and analyses a wide range of achievement information. Senior leaders and teachers use this data effectively to inform decision making about learners’ progress, engagement and achievement.

Achievement information is used effectively to:

  • identify trends and patterns over time
  • report to parents and the board of trustees
  • set school-wide goals and targets for raising levels of student achievement and making decisions about curriculum areas for review and improvement
  • identify students who require additional support or extension with their learning
  • monitor levels of student attendance, retention to senior levels, wellbeing and engagement.

The school gathers and collates student achievement information from contributing schools which is used to place students in appropriate classes and programmes. Further testing is undertaken in Years 9 and 10 and there is an expectation that teachers use this information to inform their classroom programmes. While some teachers use this information effectively to plan differentiated learning programmes for students, a next step is for this practice to be more consistently applied across the school.

A significant development in response to the 2011 ERO review has been to measure and report student progress and achievement in Years 9 and 10 in relation to the levels of The New Zealand Curriculum (TNZC). This approach is enabling teachers to better respond to students’ learning needs as they prepare for National Certificate in Educational Achievement [NCEA] Level 1.

Overall achievement in NCEA Levels 1 and 2 has shown improvement since 2011. NCEA data from 2013 shows that the proportion of Years 11 and 12 students gaining NCEA Levels 1 and 2 is comparable to other schools nationally. The proportion of Year 13 students gaining Level 3 was significantly below national comparisons. The school has identified that raising achievement, especially at Level 3, remains an important priority.

Students identified as requiring additional support are well catered for through a range of programmes and interventions. Parents are kept well informed about their child’s progress and how they can support their learning at home. There is scope for the school to further explore ways to strengthen learning partnerships between all students and their parents.

3 Curriculum

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

The school provides a broad and responsive curriculum that effectively promotes opportunities for a wide range of learners. Students benefit from opportunities to experience success in a variety of academic, cultural, sporting and co-curricular activities. The school actively acknowledges and celebrates student success for academic and non-academic achievements.

Senior leaders and staff are responding to students’ interests and strengths through the implementation of new courses, programmes and initiatives. This includes partnerships with external providers and other schools. A strength of the curriculum is the provision of learning pathways that meets the needs of all students, including those for whom English is a second language.

The school continues to provide an inclusive culture, well supported by an effective pastoral care network. Students have good access to counselling, health services and external support. Restorative practices underpin the management of student behaviour and discipline. These practices also support positive relationships among teachers and students.

There has been a commitment by the senior leadership team to increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning over a sustained period of time. In 2013 senior leaders and leaders of curriculum have worked with external facilitators to strengthen their capability as leaders of teaching and learning. Through an inquiry process they have identified areas of good performance and areas for development. In addition, they are in the process of reviewing the teacher appraisal system to better reflect the schools expectations for high-quality teaching practice. Teachers continue to engage in ongoing professional learning and development focused on literacy, and promoting success for Māori students.

In classrooms ERO observed affirming and respectful learning relationships between teachers and students. Teachers are using a range of effective teaching strategies including practical 'hands on' activities, relevant, authentic and interesting learning contexts, and the use of information communication technologies (ICT). Senior leaders have identified the extent to which teachers are meeting the school’s expectations for high-quality teaching practice. As a result they now need to provide the necessary support for individual teachers in order to further raise the quality of teaching and learning.

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

The school continues to place priority on raising the educational achievement of Māori students. Sustained involvement in the Te Kotahitanga initiative and the current participation in the Building on Success (BOS) programme are promoting success for Māori students. Year 11 and 12 programmes of Toi Whakaari, acknowledging the importance of the knowledge and skills of tikanga Māori, has been introduced this year.

The proportion of Māori students gaining NCEA Level 1 has increased since 2011. The data also shows that Māori student achievement in Levels 2 and 3 fluctuated during this time. In 2013, 58% of Māori school leavers gained Level 2 or above. The retention of Māori students to the senior school is comparable with Māori nationally.

Since the previous ERO review the school has not always been able to sustain the prominence of the language, culture and identity of Māori students with low numbers of students choosing te reo as a subject. The board and senior leadership team need to continue to give priority to the effective enactment of the guiding principles of the Ka Hikitia strategy in promoting success for Māori as Māori.

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 because:

  • trustees bring a range of knowledge, skills and expertise to their roles and responsibilities
  • the principal provides the board with comprehensive information about student achievement, programmes and initiatives and this information is well used to make appropriate resourcing decisions
  • there are sound processes for self review, strategic planning and financial management
  • the principal and senior leadership team are committed to ongoing school improvement and raising educational outcomes for students.
Next Steps

It is timely for school leadership and the board of trustees to review the schools culture for learning and success in order to raise educational outcomes for students. This review needs to include:

  • extensive consultation with parents, whānau, iwi, and the wider community to seek their aims and aspirations for high-quality education
  • a strategic and comprehensive approach to raising the school’s response to the language, culture, and identity of Māori students and their whānau
  • improving the physical environment so that it reflects the school’s high expectations and sense of pride
  • a review of the school’s vision and values to reflect the board’s focus on becoming ‘a school of choice’.

In keeping with the school’s strategic goals and EROs recommendations, the board and ERO agrees that an action plan be developed to assist the school to enact these important priorities. This plan should assist the board and principal to systematically undertake this review.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (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 6 international students attending the school.

The school attests that it provides a high level of provision of pastoral care, quality of education, student involvement and integration into the school community. It also states that there are good monitoring systems to ensure the effective provision of education and support for international students.

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

Melville High School provides students with meaningful learning opportunities within a caring and supportive culture. School leaders and teachers are committed to raising student achievement. A key next step for the board is to strengthen the school’s culture for learning to further raise educational outcomes for students.

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

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

17 November 2014

About the School

Location

Hamilton

Ministry of Education profile number

137

School type

Secondary (Years 9 to 13)

School roll

569

Number of international students

6

Gender composition

Boys 56%

Girls 44%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European

Indian

South East Asian

Samoan

52%

30%

4%

4%

Review team on site

September 2014

Date of this report

17 November 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

October 2011

November 2008