Sunnyhills School

Sunnyhills School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 4 months of the Education Review Office and Sunnyhills 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

Sunnyhills School is a Years 1 to 6 school located in Pakuranga, Auckland. The school continues to develop their GEMS values, (Growth, Empathy, Mana, Self-belief) to embed these throughout all aspects of the school. The Board are about to appoint a new principal in Term 1 2024.

Sunnyhills School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • a future focused curriculum that enables empowered learners
  • practices are inclusive, respectful, and culturally centred
  • an actively engaged learning community
  • a safe, physical, emotional, and sustainable environment.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate its ongoing commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to developing a deeper understanding of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • further developing the cultural capabilities of staff by raising their bicultural awareness and improving practice
  • maintaining the relationship with Te Tahawai marae and the Buddhist Temple, as well as continuing to foster a connection with Ngai Tai Ki Tāmaki as mana whenua
  • further developing a curriculum that supports students to answer the question, “Do learners know the place where their feet stand?”.

The school expects to see further evidence of

  • implementation and use of Te Mātaiaho (Refreshed Curriculum) and Te Tiriti o Waitangi 
  • the integration of te reo and tikanga Māori in classrooms and across the school that supports all learners, particularly Māori
  • evidence of a rich local curriculum that reflects the diversity of the school community, including Māori and Pacific learners and whānau
  • effective engagement with the parent community, particularly in aspects of tikanga Māori.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to develop a deeper understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand.

  • A professional staff culture with high capability and expectations for themselves and learners.
  • A caring school culture that supports engagement in learning and a strong sense of citizenship.
  • Leadership that supports and utilises internal monitoring strategies to ensure that there is a focus on continuous improvement.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • support for teachers learning te reo Māori and te Ao Māori.
  • building knowledge, capability, and pedagogy around school pōwhiri, karakia, waiata, tikanga (including mihi and pepehā) and cultural applications of these taonga
  • ongoing staff and student visits to places of cultural significance, to provide authentic learning opportunities for students to develop their understanding of “the place they stand”.

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.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

28 February 2024 

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

Sunnyhills School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2023 to 2026

As of August 2023, the Sunnyhills School Board 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

Further Information

For further information please contact Sunnyhills School Board.

The next School Board 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.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

28 February 2024 

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

Sunnyhills School

Provision for International Students Report

Background

The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

Findings

Sunnyhills School has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

International students benefit from the positive and inclusive relationships evident throughout the school. There were no international students enrolled at the time of this ERO review.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

28 February 2024

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 

Sunnyhills School - 20/06/2019

School Context

Sunnyhills School is a primary school located in east Auckland. The school caters for a diverse community. The roll of 511, includes students with Māori and Pacific heritage, and an increasing number of Chinese families.

The school has undergone staff and leadership changes over recent years, including a newly appointed principal. Restructuring of the school has resulted in the appointment of two new assistant principals and other teachers promoted to leadership roles. A number of teachers are new to the school.

In 2017, the school began a re-visioning process. This has resulted in the development of GEMS, the key principles of Growth, Empathy, Mana and Self-belief. The school’s stated purpose is ‘Learning for Life’. Leaders and teachers see their role as helping children ‘shine’ through genuine relationships and meaningful opportunities. They provide a rich, holistic curriculum that challenges, engages and celebrates learning for all.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing, mathematics and other learning areas
  • progress and achievement for students with additional learning needs, including gifted and talented and those with diverse needs
  • findings related to student wellbeing
  • progress of students who are new speakers of English.

The school’s strategic priorities for improving valued student outcomes and success include:

  • embedding a future focused curriculum that empowers learners
  • extending and refining practices that are inclusive, respectful and culturally centred
  • participating and celebrating in an actively engaged learning community
  • promoting wellbeing for success in a safe physical, emotional, and sustainable environment.

The 2014 ERO report noted that Sunnyhill School promoted student learning and achievement very effectively. Students were highly engaged and motivated learners, and they benefitted from a broad and relevant curriculum. The school was responsive to its diverse community and engaged parents and families in ways that supported children’s learning. Over the past five years the school has continued to promote effective school evaluation and ongoing improvement.

The school is part of Te ara Mana-ā-Kura (Farm Cove/Pakuranga) 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 making very good progress in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for students. Most students achieve at or above the national curriculum levels in reading and writing. Almost all achieve at or above in mathematics. Student achievement in mathematics has continued to lift. The school is now focusing on strengthening achievement for cohorts of learners in its teaching of reading and writing.

Leaders and teachers use comprehensive methods to track, monitor and analyse student data. They use collaborative inquiry processes to collectively support learners to further raise their achievement. Student wellbeing is an important component in this analysis and promotion.

School leaders and teachers focus on knowing the learner. Teachers participate in professional development focused on building learners’ emotional and mental capability to increasingly lead their own learning. This is supported by a specialist leader.

School data show that most students achieve well in relation to the school’s valued outcomes. Students demonstrate a strong sense of:

  • wellbeing, where their mana is respected
  • self-belief to be high achieving successful learners
  • belonging where genuine relationships promote empathy and inclusiveness.

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

The school is actively implementing strategies to support the acceleration of learning for Māori and other students who need this. School leaders prioritise raising achievement levels overall. Parity of achievement is seen for all student groups in reading, writing and mathematics.

Leaders and teachers effectively use achievement information to provide individualised support for students who need to make accelerated progress. Data show that students with additional learning needs are well supported through the extensive, well-targeted intervention programmes.

Leaders and teachers have developed culturally responsive strategies to support students in their learning. Teachers use a range of approaches, including tuakana/teina relationships, peer conferencing, extended leadership opportunities, and mixed ability grouping to grow learner confidence in being successful learners.

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?

School processes and practices are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning.

Strategic leaders have worked with staff to create a strong vision that is integral to the school’s direction, operations and curriculum. Their consultative and collaborative approach has ensured this vision is collectively owned by the whole school community. Leaders and teachers promote positive relationships and capacity building. These well-considered approaches provide a cohesive foundation for continued school development and direction.

The school’s responsive curriculum supports students to become lifelong learners. Students engage in meaningful and future-focused learning, aligned to their strengths, interests and learning needs. Teachers ensure that the school’s cultural diversity is recognised and integrated in the newly developed conceptual curriculum, while also honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

A strong focus on student and staff wellbeing is mana enhancing. The school’s learning strategies, “learning powers, learning pathway and learning pit”, enable learners to be confident and competent.

Internal evaluation is robust and improvement focused. Collaborative inquiry and effective appraisal processes result in building teachers’ professional capability and collective capacity. Leaders and teachers actively engage in the educational community as part of their capacity building.

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

To promote further development, the school should continue to:

  • empower students to be confident, resilient and build on their “learning powers”

  • promote bicultural perspectives and understandings.

3 Other Matters

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 two international students attending the school.

International students achieve well in a welcoming and inclusive environment. High standards of pastoral care support their wellbeing. Students integrate well into the school’s learning programmes, and are immersed in all aspects of school and community life.

4 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 Children’s Act 2014.

5 ERO’s Overall Judgement

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

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

6 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • a vision integral to the school’s direction that provides a cohesive foundation for continued school development and improvement
  • a strong focus on staff and student wellbeing that empowers students to lead their own learning
  • systems and structures that ensure continuous reflection and evaluation to build capacity across the school
  • a future-focused curriculum that enables students to participate and learn in a caring, collaborative, inclusive learning community.

Next steps

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

  • empowering children to identify and build on their learning strengths

  • embedding the bicultural curriculum to fully reflect Aotearoa New Zealand.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

20 June 2019

About the school

Location

Pakuranga, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1515

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

511

Gender composition

Boys 52% Girls 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori 6%
NZ European/Pākehā 40%
Chinese 32%
Indian 5%
other Asian 11%
other ethnic groups 6%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

No

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

May 2019

Date of this report

20 June 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review September 2014
Education Review December 2011
Education Review August 2008

Sunnyhills School - 29/09/2014

Findings

Sunnyhills School promotes student learning and achievement very effectively. Students engage well in the school’s well delivered, broad and relevant curriculum. The school is responsive to its diverse community and engages parents and families in ways that support children’s learning. High quality leadership promotes effective school self review and ongoing improvement.

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?

Sunnyhills School, located in the east of Auckland, caters for its culturally diverse community very well. It has a growing number of Chinese, Indian and South African students. Five percent of students are Māori and there are a small number of students with Pacific Island heritage.

The school’s inclusive culture supports student learning and wellbeing. Individual students with varied and specific learning needs are well catered for.

The school has a positive ERO reporting history. ERO’s 2011 review identified strengths in school governance, leadership and parent involvement. It noted that high quality teaching was supporting high levels of student achievement. These strengths have been sustained and further developed.

2 Learning

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

The board, school leaders and teachers use achievement information very well to make positive changes for learners.

Publically available data for National Standards in reading and mathematics shows that students achieve well. The school already exceeds the 2017 achievement targets set by the Government. The school’s results compare well with other schools regionally and nationally. Overall, Māori and Pacific students are achieving at similar levels to other students in the school.

Students are highly engaged and motivated learners. They talk about their learning with confidence and work collaboratively with their peers. Teachers could promote further ways to extend students’ understanding of their achievement. This would enable students to have greater sense of owning their learning progress. School leaders are continuing to refine the ways that they report student progress to students and their parents. Reports now place an appropriate emphasis on reporting achievement in relation to National Standards.

The board and senior leaders use achievement information to set school priorities and appropriate achievement targets. They also use it to design curriculum programmes and identify areas for teacher professional learning. Teachers use achievement information to plan their programmes and to inquire into the effectiveness of their teaching approaches for individual students. Senior leaders have prioritised further development to help teachers reflect on the impact of their teaching practices on student progress.

Achievement information is used well to identify students whose progress needs to be accelerated. School data shows that most students make good progress and benefit from the programmes teachers design to accelerate learning progress. For example; a 2013 maths intervention programme that included collaborative working partnerships with parents was highly successful. This approach provides a sound model for other such initiatives involving targeted learners.

Many students speak languages other than English in their homes. Although the progress of these students is monitored, the use of the English Language Learning Progressions (ELLPS) would provide additional guidance to classroom and specialist teachers. It would enable teachers to monitor, report and celebrate these students' progress in more detail.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum very effectively promotes and supports student learning. It reflects school priorities, the school culture and promotes relationships with local and wider communities.

Students benefit from a broad, engaging and relevant curriculum. Literacy and numeracy are appropriately prioritised. Improving the quality of mathematics programmes and e-learning approaches have been the focus of recent development. Students experience co-curricular opportunities, environmental sustainability projects and education outside the classroom. They also have good leadership opportunities.

Students learn through an inquiry approach. They are gaining valuable skills in questioning, and gathering and processing information. Their inquiries often result in social action. Learning processes reflect the principles and key competencies outlined in The New Zealand Curriculum.

An emphasis on e-learning supports the school’s curriculum. Students use a variety of digital learning tools to research topics and questions. School leaders have planned strategically to build teacher and student e-learning capability. The board supports this development by providing digital resources and infrastructure throughout the school.

Senior leaders acknowledge there is a need to shape future curriculum development to further promote the language, culture and identity of Pacific students.

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

The school’s information shows that Māori students make very good progress and achieve well. They take leadership roles in school events and are involved in kapahaka and pōwhiri. Māori students speak with pride about their work and achievements. They are proud of who they are. Students' language, culture and identity are affirmed by supportive teachers and parents.

School leaders continue to promote understanding of New Zealand’s bi-cultural heritage. Experienced and recently appointed teachers ably support teachers’ cultural responsiveness. A sequential programme for teaching te reo and tikanga Māori throughout the school has been introduced.

Whānau views are sought by the board of trustees and school leaders. The board and school leaders use this information in strategic planning to enhance educational outcomes for Māori learners. School leaders are currently pursuing their commitment to developing further partnerships with local iwi.

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. High quality leadership is promoting effective self review and resulting in ongoing school improvement.

The board is well led. Capable and insightful trustees bring expertise and knowledge to their roles. Good working relationships and a shared sense of purpose help promote the achievement of the school’s strategic goals. The board is now well placed to consult with students, staff and communities to review and plan for the school’s next stage of development.

School leaders are well informed about educational developments. They network purposefully through professional associations and local school clusters. Staff professional learning and reflection, and connections with families, contribute to the school’s development as a learning community dedicated to improving student well being and achievement.

As part of the school’s future development school leaders could consider:

  • reviewing the structure and responsibilities of the leadership team
  • ensuring curriculum goals are reflected in all school documents, strategic planning and self review processes
  • a stronger focus on outcomes for students in self-review processes, particularly for priority learners.

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 238F of the Education Act 1989. At the time of this review there was one international student attending the school. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. ERO’s investigations confirmed that the school’s self-review process for international students is thorough.

The school provides international students with a very good standard of education that includes English language tuition. High quality pastoral care ensures that students are well integrated into the life of the school. School leaders acknowledge the need to provide the board with annual reports on outcomes 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

Sunnyhills School promotes student learning and achievement very effectively. Students engage well in the school’s well delivered, broad and relevant curriculum. The school is responsive to its diverse community and engages parents and families in ways that support children’s learning. High quality leadership promotes effective school self review and ongoing improvement.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

29 September 2014

About the School

Location

Pakuranga, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1515

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

554

Number of international students

1

Gender composition

Girls 53% Boys 47%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Chinese

Indian

South African

Sri Lankan

British/Irish

Japanese

Samoan

other Asian

other

5%

51%

25%

5%

3%

3%

1%

1%

1%

1%

4%

Review team on site

August 2014

Date of this report

29 September 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

December 2011

August 2008

December 2005