Takapuna School

Education institution number:
1525
School type:
Contributing
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
333
Telephone:
Address:

23 Auburn Street, Takapuna, Auckland

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Takapuna School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 8 months of the Education Review Office and Takapuna 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

Takapuna School is located in Takapuna, Auckland City, catering for Years 1 to 6 ākonga/learners. The school’s vision, Whaia tonu tō huarahi tuturu, maintain your own true direction, proud to be different, proud to make a difference, is underpinned by Takapuna School’s values of being connected, curious and collaborative.

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

  • Inclusive Practices: Proud of our Identity, Culture and Language.

  • Learn through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

  • Hauora: Developing wellbeing practices for ourselves and others.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well Takapuna School’s localised curriculum practices and processes are responsive to the learning needs, with a focus on continuous improvement of equitable and excellence outcomes for all ākonga.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • strategic planning clearly articulates the evaluation focus

  • STEM and the history curriculum are explicitly integrated into ākonga learning

  • whānau understand STEM curriculum importance in broadening learning opportunities

  • identity, language and culture are embedded into the localised curriculum, focused on equitable and excellent learning outcomes

  • the school’s bicultural and multicultural setting are reflected in, outdoor and inside learning spaces, focused on ākonga needs.

The school expects to see:

  • continued improvement in learning outcomes for all students

  • consistent commitment to developing knowledge and practice of cultural capabilities through the school’s localised culturally responsive curriculum

  • teaching and learning indicators for STEM woven into learner profiles

  • teaching for equity and excellence is a school wide priority

  • ākonga hauora underpinning school wide teaching and learning practices

  • collaborative team-wide teacher targets track and monitor ākonga to meet individual learning needs.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate how well localised curriculum practices and processes are responsive to the learning needs, with a focus on improving equity and excellent learning outcomes, of all ākonga:

  • collaborative, embedded and effective teaching practices

  • leadership that is focused on continuous improvement through well-developed internal evaluation

  • whānau, community and ākonga engagement with learning

  • programmes and practices supported through research and informed theory

  • clearly defined values and vision that guide all practices.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • an evaluation of consistency of STEM teaching practices and processes schoolwide

  • building capability to deliver the New Zealand refreshed curriculum, to include implementation of the history curriculum, embedded into the localised curriculum, and giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

  • evaluating levels of equity through schoolwide qualitative and quantitative data sources.

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

17 August 2023 

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

Takapuna School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2023 to 2026

As of May 2023, the Takapuna 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 Takapuna 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

17 August 2023 

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

Takapuna 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

The school is a signatory 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. The 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.

At the time of this review, there were 5 international students and 0 exchange students attending the school.

Students are successfully transitioned into the school and are well supported to succeed in their learning. The school provides its international students with a very good standard of education that includes english language tuition, and full access to the Takapuna School Curriculum. Students benefit from the school’s strong pastoral care systems and enjoy many opportunities to participate in school activities.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

17 August 2023 

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

Takapuna School - 05/12/2017

School Context

Takapuna School caters for students in Years 1 to 6. The school is culturally diverse, with over 45 nationalities, including small groups of Māori and Pacific children. An enrolment zone assists the school to manage significant roll growth.

Founded in 1879, the school has strong intergenerational connections and significant links with the Takapuna community. The school values its history, heritage, and reputation in the area.

The whakataukī, mā te pā ka taea te whakatipu te tamaiti (it takes a village to raise a child), underpins the vision of ‘a community of connected lifelong learners, proud to be different and proud to make a difference’. Responsibility, integrity, innovation, excellence, care and respect are encouraged, modelled and explored as aspects of everyday life. These values are well understood by children, teachers and the community.

The school’s charter and strategic plan identify a vision for learners and goals to promote children’s learning. Detailed actions to reach achievement targets are also included.

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

  • progress and achievement against school and national targets

  • improvements, trends and patterns over time

  • information about children who are making accelerated progress and children with additional learning needs

  • programmes that support children’s identity, culture and language

  • wellbeing and engagement.

Since the 2013 ERO evaluation the school has reviewed its organisational structures and opened a new collaborative learning block. The charter and curriculum delivery plans have been reviewed. Leaders and teachers have participated in professional learning including a focus on accelerating children’s progress.

Takapuna School is a member of the Pupuke (Westlake) Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning (CoL).

Evaluation Findings

1 Equity and excellence – valued outcomes for students

1.1 How well is the school achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students?

Takapuna School is very effective in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for children. Achievement information over the last three years indicates that most children achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.

Leaders and teachers have increased parity for Māori learners in writing. The achievement of Pacific learners continues to improve. Boys’ reading and writing achievement has significantly lifted. By the time children complete Year 6 most achieve well in reading and writing, and nearly all achieve in mathematics.

1.2 How effectively does this school respond to those Māori and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school responds very well to those Māori and other students whose learning needs accelerating. Effective strategic planning, clear school-wide targets and a coherent plan guide practices to raise achievement. Well-researched acceleration initiatives are successfully reducing identified disparities.

Over the past three years, the school has successfully accelerated the progress of many Māori children. Features which have supported this progress include:

  • a strategic focus on bicultural practices, promoted by the board and school leaders

  • setting specific Māori achievement targets

  • a Māori curriculum team that has developed action plans for accelerating progress

  • the introduction of ‘learner profiles’ that recognise and celebrate Māori children’s language, and identity as Māori.

Many children with Pacific heritage have also made accelerated progress over the past three years. Building upon the success of learner profiles for Māori children, leaders and teachers now plan to extend this initiative for Pacific learners. Implementation of the school’s plan to raise achievement has resulted in the accelerated progress in boys’ literacy.

A well-embedded action plan guides the early identification of children who are at risk of not achieving. Teachers are well resourced to provide differentiated teaching programmes that meet these children’s learning needs. They use ‘three tiers’ of support to quickly respond to children needing learning support. Robust monitoring processes help leaders to maintain a vigilant ‘line of sight’ for scrutinising children’s progress and achievement.

Children with additional learning needs and children who speak languages other than English are well supported to make progress and achieve.

Highly collaborative teachers continue to use professional learning and inquiry to inform their teaching programmes. They work with parents/whānau to support children’s learning. Deliberate strategies for accelerating learning are impacting positively on the progress of all children.

2 School conditions for equity and excellence

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

School leadership is highly effective in promoting equitable and excellent outcomes for learners. The board and leaders follow a strategic approach to building teacher capability and effective professional practice. They foster a well-embedded culture of continuous improvement.

Leaders maintain coherent systems for effective planning, coordination and evaluation of the school’s curriculum and teaching practices. They ensure that highly supportive and inclusive learning environments benefit the learning and wellbeing of children and adults.

The curriculum provides children with rich, authentic learning opportunities. Children are highly engaged and have respectful, collaborative learning relationships with teachers and their peers. The curriculum emphasises digital learning technologies and equipping children with self-managing learning strategies.

There are numerous opportunities for teachers to take leadership roles in the school. This distributed leadership is building the collective capacity of the school. Collaborative inquiry processes and relevant, challenging opportunities for professional learning are supporting the realisation of the school’s vision, values and goals. At all levels of the school, evidence of children’s progress and learning is used as a catalyst for professional dialogue and improvement.

The school’s whakataukī encourages school practices that welcome and involve parents as respected and valued partners in their children’s learning. Parent and community participation enrich the curriculum. Parents and teachers work closely together to identify learning needs, set goals and implement responsive strategies that help accelerate students’ learning.

Thoughtful, caring and inclusive transition practices are a feature of the school. Transitions from early learning centres, through the school and on to intermediate school are based on individual need. These good practices could be shared within the CoL.

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

The school’s strong evaluation practices guide ongoing development and the setting of relevant goals, targets and actions to support equitable and excellent achievement.

The school has planned relevant development priorities. These include continuing to:

  • build distributed leadership to support sustainability

  • focus on accelerated learning and the achievement of equitable outcomes for all children

  • strengthen and embed culturally responsive practices to support children’s learning.

3 Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board and principal of the school completed the ERO Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to the following:

  • board administration

  • curriculum

  • management of health, safety and welfare

  • personnel management

  • finance

  • asset management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:

  • emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)

  • physical safety of students

  • teacher registration and certification

  • processes for appointing staff

  • stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students

  • attendance

  • school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

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 15 international students attending the school.

The school continues to provide well for international students, ensuring that their wellbeing and learning needs are met. International students are highly involved in the life of the school. They feel supported and cared for by their teachers and are achieving well. The school now plans to regularly report to the board about the progress and achievement of international students as a group.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • leadership that collaboratively develops and enacts the school’s vision, values and priorities for equity and excellence

  • the board’s clear strategic direction that establishes relevant and challenging goals for children’s achievement

  • highly collaborative teaching practices that support effective programmes for accelerating children’s learning progress

  • leaders’ and teachers’ commitment to using innovation, research and inquiry in their own practice, to inform teaching and learning.

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, development priorities are to continue to:

  • grow and develop collaborative teaching practices and distributed leadership as the school responds to roll growth

  • strengthen teachers’ capacity to deliver effective te reo Māori programmes.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

5 December 2017

About the school

Location

Takapuna, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1525

School type

Contributing (Years 1 – 6)

School roll

487

Gender composition

Girls 54% Boys 46%

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Chinese
Korean
Indian
Filipino
Pacific
other Asian
Middle Eastern
Latin American
other European
other

9%
35%
18%
6%
5%
4%
4%
3%
3%
2%
7%
4%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

October2017

Date of this report

5 December 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

June 2013
September 2010
November 2007

Takapuna School - 13/06/2013

1 Context

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

Takapuna School, located on Auckland’s North Shore, serves its diverse community very well. Students come from a wide catchment area and continued roll growth is managed effectively. The principal and senior staff provide effective professional leadership and management. Teachers’ high expectations for learners, within an inclusive environment, support students to become confident, inquiring and self managing 'kiwi kids'.

ERO’s 2010 report acknowledged the school’s well considered change management approach. It also noted that effective and purposeful self review was sustaining improvement. Change processes are now well embedded in school practices and have a positive impact on student learning. School leaders are currently implementing a professional inquiry approach to improve school performance. Students' ideas and opinions are respected and their contribution to school development is highly valued.

Since the 2010 ERO review, specialist units previously in the school have been relocated or disbanded. The board and senior leaders are now providing effective services within the inclusive school environment where students' diverse learning needs are embraced and celebrated.

The school’s vision and values are clearly evident and reflect those of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). The senior leadership team and the board of trustees make well informed and responsible decisions that enhance the learning of all students.

2 Learning

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

The school’s professional culture and values support the achievement and progress of all students. Senior leaders and teachers expect that all students, including Māori and Pacific and other priority groups of students, will make good progress and experience learning success.

High quality analysis of student assessment information is a strong feature of school wide practice. Teachers regularly use achievement information to modify their classroom programmes and practices to best meet students’ learning requirements.

The senior leadership team and teachers have thoughtfully implemented National Standards. Teachers use a variety of evidence to make judgements that are carefully moderated to determine students’ overall levels of achievement. They are continuing to refine the use of plain language reporting to parents.

Students are very well supported to achieve. Senior leaders and teachers identify school wide and class improvement targets and provide appropriate support and extension programmes. The features of successful targeted programmes are adapted to create other specialist teaching interventions to achieve similar successes. Achievement reports reflect high quality analysis and allow trustees to make well considered resourcing decisions. Senior leaders are continuing to explore strategies that accelerate the progress and achievement of learners who need support.

All students, including Māori and Pacific students are highly engaged in their learning. They work collaboratively with teachers and their parents/whānau to understand and talk about their own learning, progress and achievement and to plan what they need to learn next. English language learners are provided with appropriate programmes, their progress is monitored and they are encouraged to use their first languages. The use of learning journals supports student ownership of learning and develops skills in peer and self assessment.

3 Curriculum

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

The school offers a broad curriculum that promotes and supports student learning effectively. It is well resourced and has clear emphases on literacy and mathematics and promoting high level thinking skills.

The curriculum reflects the school’s vision and strategic direction. Key features of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), including bicultural awareness, are highly evident in learning programmes and outcomes for students. The curriculum promotes effective teaching and practices that enhance students’ skills and knowledge through their involvement in their own learning.

Students have very good opportunities for learning about social responsibility, biculturalism, environmental sustainability and diversity. Students’ questions and ideas inform the curriculum lines of inquiry, reflect their voice and encourage social action. Students appreciate the enthusiasm of their teachers and the high quality teaching that encourages their success.

The recognition and inclusion of the diversity of cultures and languages contribute to the special nature of the school. Cultural perspectives and celebrations are woven through learning programmes and teachers’ culturally responsive practices.

Teachers are well supported through ongoing professional learning to inquire into the effectiveness of their teaching. Through these processes, teachers work collaboratively to evaluate outcomes, critically reflect and refine their teaching. School leaders promote a respectful environment in which positive and collegial relationships support their professional learning community approach.

Self review results in continued refinement and development of the school’s curriculum, with a significant focus on what is really important learning for children. Senior leaders are planning to review the indicators of the NZC key competencies. They are also continuing to develop a shared understanding of inquiry learning, particularly in the transfer of thinking skills across the curriculum.

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

Seven percent of the students at Takapuna Primary School identify as Māori, with the majority enrolled in the junior part of the school.

The school’s charter is strategically focused on improving outcomes for Māori. The board and senior leaders are building a meaningful partnership with Māori whānau in the community. The school’s commitment to developing teachers’ capability in te reo Māori me ngā tikanga effectively promotes educational success for Māori, as Māori.

Māori students are confident in their culture and identity. They benefit from the wide variety of educational opportunities and are genuinely valued through the school’s sense of whanaungatanga. Māori whānau have responded positively to opportunities to meet and consider ways to further support students' learning.

Ka Hikitia, the Ministry of Education’s Māori success strategy, has been well used by the board, principal, senior leaders and teachers to enhance outcomes for Māori students. School-wide staff professional learning and the school’s revised appraisal systems are continuing to support teachers’ awareness of biculturalism and practices that support Māori learners.

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.

Board leadership is effective and trustees are well aware of their roles and responsibilities. Governance and management systems are underpinned by a clear strategic direction, shared values and a commitment to meeting the needs of all students. These factors are enabling the school to provide:

  • an inclusive environment that supports diversity
  • a responsive, responsible professional learning culture
  • a high level of inquiry and systematic self review based on student achievement
  • ongoing and meaningful community consultation and learning partnerships.

The school leadership team is very well led by a capable principal. The team works collaboratively and has high expectations of staff performance. School leaders model an inquiry approach and professional learning practices through their respectful and responsible leadership roles. Staff professional learning and development helps to build a strong ‘community of learners’ ethos that improves teaching and learning.

School improvement and strategic decision making are based on the school’s extensive self review information. Staff appraisal systems are linked to student achievement, and school targets have been revised to develop teacher professional inquiry and culturally responsive practices. In partnership with senior leaders, the principal and board value school-wide self review. They also make good use of external expertise and review to promote ongoing improvement.

The principal and board of trustees are now considering ways to further strengthen the focus on strategic reporting.

Provision for international students

Takapuna School is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under the section 238F of the Education Act 1989. At the time of the review there were three international students attending the school.

The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

Takapuna School has well managed systems for international students. The inclusive respectful culture provides effective pastoral care, high quality education and support for the integration of international students into school life.

ERO’s investigations confirmed that the school’s self-review processes for international students are thorough.

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.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

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

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

13 June 2013

About the School

Location

Takapuna, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1525

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

335

Number of international students

3

Gender composition

Girls 58% Boys 42%

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā

Māori

Chinese

Korean

Indian

Pacific

Japanese

Filipino

Middle Eastern

Latin American

African

Australian

Other European

Other Asian

Other Pacific

Other

39%

7%

9%

8%

6%

5%

4%

4%

2%

2%

1%

1%

6%

2%

2%

2%

Special Features

Attached Unit: Three Resource Teachers of Literacy

Review team on site

April 2013

Date of this report

13 June 2013

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

September 2010

November 2007

October 2004