Konini Primary School (Wainuiomata)

School Context

Konini Primary School in Wainuiomata has students in Years 1 to 6, from an increasingly diverse range of ethnic groups. Of the current roll of 183, Māori children make up the largest group at 36%, and students of Pacific and Pākehā heritage form the next largest groups.

The school’s valued outcomes for children are for them to be confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners through nurturing the values of being respectful, responsible and active learners and providing an environment in which they thrive.

Achievement targets include increasing the number of students in their first three years at school achieving at or above expectations in reading.

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

• overall achievement and progress in reading, writing and maths
• Māori and Pacific learners’ achievement
• achievement and progress in relation to targets
• wellbeing and attendance.

The school continues to be part of the Ministry of Education’s Positive Behaviour for Learning project (PB4L) and the Mutukaroa initiative that trustees fund to support families as children transition into the school. The school is an Enviroschool.

The school is a member of the Wainuiomata 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?

A small majority of students achieve at or above school expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. There is continuing disparity of achievement for some groups, including boys.

Achievement data is improving over time, especially for Pacific children. Recently gathered information shows significant improvement in reading, writing and mathematics for all groups of students in Years 1 to 3. A significant disparity for Māori and Pacific students is evident in Years 4 to 6 achievement data, across the three learning areas.

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

There is evidence of accelerated progress for some students who are at risk in their learning, including for Māori and Pacific children.

Achievement data is appropriately used to develop schoolwide targets for improved outcomes. Leaders and teachers monitor the progress and achievement of targeted students. Refining the targets to focus more clearly on acceleration for the students at risk of not achieving expectations, should better support the school’s goals for improved outcomes for these 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?

Developing a shared and consistent approach to teaching and learning is a strong and appropriate focus, clearly aligned to strategic goals and the school’s vision for learning. Curriculum development and schoolwide promotion of students’ understanding and agency in learning, support their engagement. They are active participants in learning experiences that are of high interest to them. Their wellbeing and success are promoted through processes that foster a supportive and positive learning environment.

A culture of relational trust provides a strong foundation for staff collaboration. A collective responsibility for student success is promoted and this contributes to ongoing improvement. There is a planned approach to growing teacher capability and school capacity.

Leaders and trustees identify patterns in achievement and provide responsive support for learners. Well-considered assessment systems and practices support the regular monitoring and analysis of learning. The school continues to develop processes for providing consistent judgments about acceleration, progress and achievement in relation to curriculum levels.

There is a range of effective systems and practices to share information about children’s learning and school developments with families. Continuing to build meaningful relationships with whānau is an appropriate focus to ensure their aspirations and involvement inform school direction, curriculum and evaluation.

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

Further accelerating achievement and addressing disparity for learners at risk of poor educational outcomes is a priority. Continuing to refine assessment and target-setting processes and practices should assist this.

The school is working to develop curriculum documentation to reflect its vision for learning. Ensuring these reflect the local context and incorporate clear expectations for cultural responsive practices should help promote schoolwide consistency and support evaluation.

There is an established culture of collaborative review and reflection supported by comprehensive data collation. This informs decision-making and improvement. Continuing to use internal evaluation in a deliberate way should help leaders, teachers and trustees determine the impact of initiatives and actions on improving outcomes for learners.

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.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• a clear, collective focus on supporting students’ success and wellbeing
• a strong focus on developing a shared, consistent approach to teaching and learning aligned to strategic goals and the school’s vision for learning
• a culture of relational trust and collaboration.

Next steps

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

• accelerating progress and improving achievement to promote equity and address disparity

• continuing to develop curriculum documentation to reflect the school’s vision for learning

• further use of internal evaluation to promote improved outcomes for learners.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

7 March 2019

About the school