Findings
The school is highly inclusive of its diverse student population. The curriculum offers students broad and interesting learning opportunities together with an appropriate emphasis on literacy and mathematics. Robust assessment and responsive teaching practices help students make accelerated progress Trustees, leaders and teachers are conscientious and solutions-focused to ensure all students experience success.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
1 Context
What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?
New Lynn School is a multicultural school in west Auckland, catering for students in Years 1 to 6. The largest groups of students are Samoan, New Zealand European, Māori and Indian. The school hosts a satellite class from Oaklynn Special School and students in this class are very well integrated into the school.
The school offers an inclusive environment that values diversity. The school’s values are consistently promoted and underpin learning relationships. Students, staff and the wider school community share a sense of pride in their school which is both attractive and well maintained.
Ongoing redevelopment in the New Lynn area is resulting in changes to the demographics of the school community. Significant roll growth is anticipated and additional classrooms are planned to cater for this increase. Families moving in and out of the area mean that the roll can change significantly during the course of a school year.
The school is high performing. Students continue to benefit from the positive learning culture and highly effective leadership and teaching practices identified in the 2009 ERO report. These positive features are well embedded and contribute to creating a purposeful and nurturing learning–focused environment.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
School leaders and teachers make very good use of student achievement information and support students to make accelerated progress. In the junior classes in particular it is clear that a very high priority is placed on promoting students’ learning and achievement.
Teachers know their students well as individuals and as learners. Students who need to make better progress in reading, writing and mathematics are promptly identified and teachers specifically plan to meet their learning needs.
School leaders rigorously monitor the progress of students who are not achieving well. Teachers are responsive to the changing needs of their students. As a result, there is a high level of consistency and effectiveness in tracking the progress of target students across the school.
Students are very well engaged in their learning. Their positive engagement in learning is promoted through school leaders and teachers’ high expectations for students’ learning and the positive and supportive relationships evident between students and teachers. Classrooms very attractively reflect students and teachers’ pride in students’ work and achievements.
Students talk confidently and knowledgeably about what they are learning. They set goals for their learning each term. Teachers and students could now build on these strong foundations for learning by helping students to develop greater understanding of their achievement. This could assist students to plan their own next learning steps.
Data provided by the school shows that overall student achievement in relation to the National Standards in reading and writing is similar to that of other schools in the local area. Achievement in mathematics is higher than local school and national results. The board plans to use public achievement information to compare the achievement of their students with other schools and nationally.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
The school curriculum very effectively supports student learning. Programmes are well resourced and provide students with good access to information and communication technologies (ICT). Reading, writing and mathematics are appropriately emphasised.
Students experience a broader curriculum through the term-long themes that focus on other learning areas and include literacy and numeracy tasks. These include a strong focus on extending students’ vocabularies and oral language skills. This helps students to talk about and express their learning better. The curriculum features valuable opportunities for students to learn about and engage in the arts, and the school’s highly productive garden.
The principal’s and school leaders’ high expectations of students and staff are clear and well understood. School leaders keep closely in touch with teachers, teaching practice and what is happening for students. This helps to ensure students benefit from a consistent and high quality curriculum.
Teachers are very inclusive of students with special education needs. These students are supported by teacher aides and specialist teachers. Relevant professional development is well used and helps teachers and teacher aides to meet the specific learning needs of individual students. Collaborative partnerships and comprehensive planning and review promote students’ successful inclusion and achievement.
The school has a collaborative and supportive professional learning culture. This is supported by solutions-focused approach of the school’s leaders. Teachers and teacher aides inquire into and reflect on their own practice. School leaders help them to reflect on the impact of their teaching. Staff share a sense of a collective responsibility for the well-being and achievement of all students.
As a next step in curriculum development, school leaders plan to promote teaching and learning practices that will help students thrive in the future. In planning for this more ‘future focussed approach’ consideration of the desired outcomes for students and the possibilities of ‘modern learning environments’ could be helpful.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
The school has many good practices to promote educational success for Māori, as Māori. As a group, Māori students achieve at a higher level in relation to National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics than Māori students in other schools. Māori students report a sense of belonging within the school. They learn about te ao Māori through specific integrated programmes of work and find kapa haka particularly rewarding. Te reo Māori is used incidentally throughout the school day. It is also used deliberately in topics and is highly visible in classroom and school displays. The annual school concert provides an opportunity to present shows with a theme from te ao Māori.
School leaders demonstrate a commitment to developing a deep understanding of the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand. They know about recent research relating to Māori student success and plan ways to incorporate this into school operations.
Whānau hui provide opportunities for parents of Māori students to meet and learn about how the school plans to do this. Significant planned initiatives such as a free health clinic, counselling support and further hui for parents are tangible examples of how the school has been responsive to Whānau requests. Continuing to build teachers’ confidence and knowledge so that they can enhance opportunities for students to learn te reo and tikanga Māori is a school priority.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. It has effective, long serving school leaders and capable trustees.
The principal leads and inspires teaching and learning development in the school. He and other school leaders are reflective and focussed on continuous improvement. They work very well together to promote and maintain their high expectations. They have established a very strong foundation for teaching and learning across the school.
The experience of the long serving staff and leadership team is complemented by the appointment of beginning teachers. Professional development directly supports school goals. School leaders manage change well. This results in high levels of professional trust between staff. Staff work well together to produce positive outcomes for students.
Trustees focus on the interests of students. They have a good understanding of the groups of students that are priority learners in the school. Trustees are committed to making student learning and achievement the primary focus for board decision making and school operations. Trustees show a sound understanding of student achievement information and use this information as part of decision-making and monitoring progress towards strategic goals.
The board is made up of trustees who reflect and respect the inclusive and collaborative culture of school. They are conscientiously building their governance knowledge and capacity. The mentoring programme for the board chair is proving worthwhile.
While trustees consider the strategic plan provides useful direction they note that making school goals more closely aligned to school initiatives could be helpful when reviewing progress. The principal’s involvement in a strategic planning programme could sharpen the focus on what is important to meet the goals for ‘future focused education’ and how progress can be measured.
Self review is highly responsive. Consequently, school systems are efficient, there is a strong, shared understanding about teaching and learning, high quality programmes of work and a quest for ongoing improvement.
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 three international students from one family attending the school. These students are enrolled for one term and have attended the school on previous visits to New Zealand. International students benefit from high quality inclusion, relationships and teaching practices.
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
The school is highly inclusive of its diverse student population. The curriculum offers students broad and interesting learning opportunities together with an appropriate emphasis on literacy and mathematics. Robust assessment and responsive teaching practices help students make accelerated progress Trustees, leaders and teachers are conscientious and solutions-focused to ensure all students experience success.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
18 August 2014
About the School
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Location
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New Lynn, Auckland
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Ministry of Education profile number
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1389
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School type
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Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
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School roll
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337
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Number of international students
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3
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Gender composition
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Boys 55% Girls 45%
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Ethnic composition
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Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Samoan
Indian
Tongan
Chinese
Cook Island
Filipino
African
Middle Eastern
Niue
other
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14%
17%
18%
16%
7%
6%
4%
4%
3%
2%
2%
7%
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Special Features
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Oaklynn Special School satellite classes
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Review team on site
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June 2014
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Date of this report
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18 August 2014
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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September 2009
July 2006
February 2003
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