Rangeview Intermediate

Summary

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

Since the 2014 ERO evaluation the school has strengthened its provision for priority learners and all children in the school. The school’s increasing focus on ensuring successful learner outcomes is guided by purposeful leadership from the board and principal and is supported by school leaders. Coordinated, relevant professional learning and development (PLD) has helped develop school processes to respond to children’s diverse learning requirements. The school has developed plans and actions to improve Māori and Pacific children’s achievement.

The school has 518 children from 41 different ethnicities. Māori children make up 21 percent of the roll. Children with Pacific heritages make up 19 percent. The rest of the roll comprises 32 percent Pākehā, eight percent Indian, eight percent Chinese and 11 percent from other diverse ethnicities.

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

The school is taking steps to achieve equitable outcomes for all children. In order to reduce disparity teachers have developed an understanding of, and commitment to, accelerating the progress of children who are at risk of not achieving. School performance has improved since the 2014 ERO evaluation through the implementation of well-focused processes and practices.

School achievement data over the past three years show that Māori and Pacific children achieve below all students in relation to the National Standards in reading and writing, and mathematics. There are convincing indicators that the school isaccelerating the progress of some children at risk of not achieving in these areas.

At the time of this external evaluation, children with special learning needs are making good progress in relation to the goals and targets identified in their individual education plans.

The school belongs to the Te Atatu Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako (CoL). Achievement challenges identified by the CoL are consistent with challenges that the school has identified for its own progress and development.

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

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 Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration is increasingly effective. Plans have been developed to accelerate the progress of children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. School-wide PLD is supporting teachers to implement these plans. Increasingly, students have a clear idea about the purpose of their learning and how they can actively contribute to their success.

Children are supported to understand and apply competencies and skills through the school’s agreed values. The school continues to use the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) programme to promote an affirming school tone. Student stand-downs continue to be managed carefully and generally result in students’ successful reintegration back into school. School leaders are accessing a variety of interventions and agencies in order to reduce the repeat nature of some stand-downs. It is timely that school leaders and teachers consider ways to further embed the principles of PB4L. Students could be supported more to regulate their behaviours, independent of teacher praise or guidance.

School data show that outcomes for children between 2014 and 2016 have been variable. School leaders report that as a result of improvements in the collection and analysis of data, trustees, staff and children now have more reliable achievement and wellbeing information to work from. This information enables them to respond more effectively to children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

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

Positive progress has been made in helping staff to focus on students who require different and varied teaching and learning approaches to accelerate their progress. Teachers share learning goals with children and are more explicit in their teaching. These developments have contributed to the school’s objective of having all children experience success in relation to the National Standards for reading, writing and mathematics.

School processes and actions are beginning to help to achieve equity and excellence for all children, including those who are Māori or Pacific.

This development can be attributed to trustees and school leaders developing and implementing responsive curriculum and teaching approaches and growing leadership capability. The initial strategic work that the board has undertaken with input from representatives of the school community is future-focused and advocates for children as confident, connected, actively involved lifelong learners.

Processes for ensuring that teacher judgements in relation to the National Standards are reliable, are becoming more effective. Teachers have been supported to link curriculum expectations to assessments and provide opportunities for children to use reading, writing and mathematics in different learning areas. They are becoming more proficient in using a variety of sources of evidence to gauge children’s achievement and progress.

The concept of mahi tahi is evident in the school’s purposeful direction. Trustees and school leaders have identified key areas for development and have instigated changes to support the school’s ongoing improvement. The board’s commitment to being more culturally responsive reflects other developments in the school that are designed to enhance partnerships with families/whānau and are focused on children’s learning progress.

School leaders, trustees and teachers are supporting children’s achievement of valued outcomes by:

• developing more coherence in school-wide planning

• developing a collective understanding of, and commitment to, accelerating the progress of children who are at risk of not achieving

• using achievement information more effectively to enhance teaching and learning

• promoting a range of future-focused e-learning opportunities.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

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

The school's curriculum and teaching programmes are becoming more effective in supporting children to achieve learning outcomes identified in the school's charter and The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). The intentions of the school’s broad curriculum are learner focused and provide guidelines to teachers for its successful implementation. School leaders have instigated systems and processes to enhance collaborative team work at all levels of the school. This development has the potential to contribute positively to achieving school-wide consistency of high quality teaching and learning practices.

The board and school leaders have identified that internal evaluation processes need to be strengthened in the school’s drive to achieve equity and excellence for all children. Areas to be explored and evaluated to address disparity include:

• the potential of educationally powerful connections and relationships with parents and whānau

• ways to support and expand effective teaching and learning practices school-wide

• deepening and broadening culturally responsive understandings and pedagogy

• ways to build on students’ capabilities and interests.

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. 

To improve current practice, the school should refine teacher appraisal processes to ensure alignment with The Education Council requirements. School leaders should continue to support teachers to assemble evidence that more clearly shows their capabilities in relation to the professional teacher criteria (PTC).

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 Pacific 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.

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.

A whole-school focus on developing and acting on more targeted planning to accelerate the progress of identified students is likely to result in improved outcomes for these children. 

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

Steffan Brough

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

25 May 2017

About the school 

Location	Te Atatu South, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1457
School type	Intermediate (Years 7 and 8)
School roll	518
Gender composition	Boys 54%, Girls 46%
Ethnic composition	Pākehā Māori Samoan Chinese Indian Cook Islands Māori Fijian other Asian other Pacific other ethnicities	32% 21% 12% 8% 8% 2% 2% 4% 3% 8%
Provision of Māori medium education	No
Review team on site	March 2017
Date of this report	25 May 2017
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	September 2014 October 2011 June 2008

 

Findings

Rangeview Intermediate promotes and supports student learning. School information indicates that the majority of students are achieving well in reading and writing. A new middle-school structure is promoting a broad curriculum focused on student-centred learning. School values are creating a sense of connectedness and belonging for students, staff and the school community.

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

How effectively is this school’s curriculum promoting student learning - engagement, progress and achievement?

Rangeview Intermediate promotes and supports student learning. School information indicates that the majority of students are achieving well in reading and writing. A new middle-school structure is promoting a broad curriculum focused on student-centred learning. School values are creating a sense of connectedness and belonging for students, staff and the school community.

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?

Rangeview Intermediate provides a welcoming environment for its culturally diverse students. The school values of Respect, Integrity, Service and Endurance (RISE) are well embedded in school life and create a sense of connectedness and belonging for students, staff and the wider school community. Special features of the school’s setting include a spacious library, modern gymnasium and sculptures and seating in the school grounds.

A significant development since ERO’s 2011 review has been restructuring the school into a middle school model. This new structure is focused on the needs of emerging adolescents within an environment that promotes student-centred learning approaches.

Students are confident, friendly and respectful. New pastoral care structures and systems support their wellbeing and learning. The school has made good use of the Ministry of Education (MoE) Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) programme. This is helping to promote and sustain an affirming school tone.

Since the end of 2013, an acting principal has been leading the school. She, together with the board and the senior leadership team, is working to set a new educational direction for the school. This new direction is being supported by professional development for middle leaders and teachers that is targeted on improving outcomes for students. At the time of this review the appointment of a new principal was imminent.

2 Learning

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

The school is making increasingly good use of student achievement information to strengthen teacher practice and monitor student progress. Recent improvements include:

• improved use of achievement information to inform teachers’ planning
• strengthening moderation processes to help teachers make overall judgements in relation to the National Standards
• an increased focus on celebrating students’ achievements and successes.

The school’s achievement information indicates that the majority of students are achieving well in reading and writing. Māori students have made good progress in writing and mathematics. Pacific students have made significant progress in reading and writing.

School leaders acknowledge the need to continue work on establishing more effective and reliable assessment and reporting systems to better promote students’ progress and achievement. Developments in this area should help school leaders and trustees to set more relevant and meaningful targets. These targets should reflect the specific needs of groups and individual students who are at risk of not achieving.

Students are engaged in learning both independently and collaboratively. Classroom environments support learning and student work is valued. Senior leaders have plans to increase opportunities for students to take a greater role in leading their learning. Increased analysis of learner voice and of achievement information would also help teachers to reflect on the effectiveness of their own teaching. Senior leaders agree that this is an important next step for enhancing the quality of teaching to improve outcomes for students.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum promotes and supports student learning well. Students are offered a broad curriculum that focuses on key learning areas with a strong focus on reading, writing and mathematics. They benefit from a mix of homeroom and specialist subject teachers. Students enjoy learning and take advantage of the leadership opportunities the school provides.

Curriculum review has begun to promote a more student-centred curriculum that connects well to the new middle school structure. Senior leaders agree that a curriculum which focuses on promoting students’ thinking and inquiry skills would better meet the needs of learners. They could consider ways to increase students’ involvement in, and influence on, curriculum decision-making. The school is well positioned to use The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) principles as a review tool to guide curriculum development.

Teaching strategies aimed at further promoting learning for Pacific students are being implemented across the curriculum. Senior leaders and the board acknowledge it would now be useful to define what it means to be a successful Pacific learner. They could use current MoE resources to develop shared understandings of success with the board, staff, whānau and students and promote these understandings through the school’s curriculum.

Teachers are committed to strengthening their practice and are benefiting from focused professional development. Areas of good teaching practices are evident, including those relating to targeted group teaching and the sharing of learning intentions with students.

The school’s coaching and mentoring approach is also assisting teachers to further develop their subject expertise and associated teaching strategies. This approach has much potential as a model for developing professional learning communities across teaching departments. Increasing the robustness of staff performance management systems through more explicit links to agreed effective teaching practices is a further next step.

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

19 percent of students at Rangeview Intermediate identify as Māori. Prominent factors that are promoting Māori student success include the well-established school kawa, the relationship with the school kaumātua and the high profile, both regionally and nationally, of the school kapa haka. Students proudly participate at school pōwhiri leading karanga, waiata and haka. Te reo Māori is offered to all students for six months of each year.

The school’s cultural liaison teacher is instrumental in promoting educational success for Māori, as Māori. With support from curriculum leaders, she leads the implementation of the MoE's strategy Ka Hikitia, Accelerating Success across the school.

Trustees and school leaders are beginning to discuss what educational success as Māori means in a school setting with Māori whānau. They are using relevant MoE documents to develop their understanding. Working together with whānau to create a strategic education plan could provide a more coordinated approach to raising success for Māori students. This planning could specify achievement targets and identify whānau and student aspirations for success as Māori.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is well placed to implement the school’s vision for change and development. The board and senior leaders agree that reviewing the strategic plan and its alignment to the school’s new vision and direction with staff, students and the wider community is a priority.

Trustees bring a range of expertise and skills to their roles. They are well led by an experienced board chair and are highly supportive of leaders and staff. External training has helped them to better understand financial management. Rationalising board policies and reviewing related management procedures could further strengthen the school’s governance and management framework.

School trustees, senior leaders and ERO agree that governance could also be enhanced by more specific and evaluative reports to the board from staff with key responsibilities. Further developing the educational leadership expertise of senior and middle leaders is likely to impact positively on the quality of these reports, providing richer information to guide strategic planning and fostering more cohesive and evaluative self review. This should help the school sustain and further improve existing good practices.

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. At the time of this review there were three international students attending the school.

The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. ERO’s findings, however, indicate that processes for, and documentation of, self review, including reporting on specific outcomes for international students, are not yet well developed.

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.

During the course of the review, ERO identified an area of non-compliance relating to international students. In order to address this, the board of trustees must:

• undertake an annual review of the school’s compliance with the Code.

Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students S28.3

Conclusion

Rangeview Intermediate promotes and supports student learning. School information indicates that the majority of students are achieving well in reading and writing. A new middle-school structure is promoting a broad curriculum focused on student-centred learning. School values are creating a sense of connectedness and belonging for students, staff and the school community.

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

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

12 September 2014

About the School

Location	Te Atatu South, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1457
School type	Intermediate (Years 7 to 8)
School roll	676
Number of international students	3
Gender composition	Girls 52% Boys 48%
Ethnic composition	NZ European/Pākehā Māori Samoan Indian Chinese Fijian Korean Tongan Other Asian Other Pacific MELAA	47% 19% 8% 7% 5% 2% 1% 1% 4% 3% 3%
Review team on site	July 2014
Date of this report	12 September 2014
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	October 2011 June 2008 June 2005