Awakeri School

Awakeri School - 10/04/2019

School Context

Awakeri School is a full primary school catering for students in Years 1 to 8. It is located approximately 15 km west of Whakatane. The current roll of 366 students includes 24% who identify as Māori.

The school’s vision is to encourage students to be the best they can be – kia toa, kia manawanui. Virtues are promoted as the foundation of character and as a basis for self-esteem.

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

  • reading, writing and mathematics.

The principal and staff of the school have remained consistent since the 2015 ERO review. The board of trustees comprises a mixture of experienced and new members. At the time of this review the long-standing principal was preparing the school for his retirement, the board had a focus on succession planning.

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 achieving excellent outcomes for most students and is working towards equity for all. Most students achieve at or above expectations in mathematics, reading and writing. There has been disparity for Māori students and significant disparity for boys in writing over the last four years. There continues to be a small disparity for Māori and boys in reading. In 2017 Māori students were achieving at comparable levels to their Pākehā peers in mathematics.

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

The school is working towards accelerating the progress of students who are at risk of not achieving. Data provided by the school for 2017 – 2018 shows that approximately a third of Māori and other students at-risk of underachieving made accelerated progress in reading and mathematics. Some Pākehā and other at-risk students made accelerated progress in writing. Fewer Māori students made accelerated progress in writing.

The progress of students who need additional assistance is regularly monitored by support teams that include teachers, teacher aides, external experts and parents and whānau. These students are progressing satisfactorily in relation to their learning goals.

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?

Leaders are systematically pursuing the school’s vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence. Robust systems for data collation allow leaders and teachers to focus regularly on how well they are progressing towards their strategic targets for student achievement. Review days and appraisal interviews provide teachers with the necessary time to evaluate this progress and critically reflect on successful strategies for learning. There is a wide and effective range of interventions targeting at-risk learners. The progress of these students is well monitored by the special education coordinator (SENCO). Professional development is aligned to the school wide priorities for raising levels of overall student achievement.

Students participate and learn in a caring, collaborative, learning community. Virtues such as kindness and friendship are well promoted. Relationships between teachers and students are respectful and friendly. Having fun is a normal part of learning in classrooms. There is an inclusive school culture where younger children and children who require additional assistance feel valued and supported. This is reinforced by many opportunities for tuakana/teina and ako, or reciprocal learning. Positive relationships between the school and the local community promote a strong sense of belonging. Leaders and teachers model positive relationships by working in collegial and supportive ways.

A wide range of quality learning experiences builds confidence and increases students’ opportunities for experiencing success. Leaders and teachers make evidence-based decisions in relation to teaching resources and strategies. High expectations promote positive dispositions for learning. Students have many opportunities to experience rich cultural, sporting and outdoor education activities. There are many leadership opportunities for both older and younger students.

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

Trustees and leaders now need to:

  • develop a clearer focus on accelerating learning and progress of at-risk learners

  • rationalise and streamline school policies and procedures to ensure a clear and coherent operations framework that is easily accessible to all stakeholders

  • strengthen relationships with local iwi to ensure that local tikanga, knowledge and kawa are maintained and enhanced in school programmes and practices.

Teachers need to:

  • make better use of learning progressions in planning, tracking and monitoring, and goal setting with students and parents

  • review systems for feedback and feedforward with a focus on students’ individual next steps in learning

  • review the curriculum document to ensure it presents a coherent approach to the organisation and delivery of curriculum and that local curriculum emphases are well understood, integrated and embedded.

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.

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

  • clarify procedures to ensure the school meets the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act

  • develop an internet safety policy to give clarity and coherence to procedures and practices.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

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

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

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • leadership that is strategic and focused on raising student achievement

  • a learning environment that is warm and inclusive

  • a broad curriculum that provides many opportunities for students to experience success.

Next steps

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

  • reviewing the collation and use of assessment data at all levels to focus on accelerating the progress of those at-risk of underachievement

  • review curriculum documents to ensure the local curriculum is embedded and enacted

  • making better use of learning progressions to promote more targeted teaching and empower students, parents and whānau to be more meaningfully involved learning

  • targeted planning to accelerate learning

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

10 April 2019

About the school

Location

Whakatane

Ministry of Education profile number

1691

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

366

Gender composition

Boys 53% Girls 47%

Ethnic composition

Māori 24%
Pākehā 74%
Other 2%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

October 2018

Date of this report

10 April 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review July 2015
Education Review December 2010
Education Review March 2007

Awakeri School - 07/07/2015

Findings

Awakeri School students benefit from a positive and inclusive school culture and are well supported to achieve national expectations, particularly in literacy and mathematics. There is a strong emphasis on providing a bicultural curriculum, and many opportunities for extension, additional support programmes and co-curricular activities. Classes are settled and purposeful.

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?

Awakeri School is located 13 km west of Whakatane and caters for students from Years 1 to 8. The roll has continued to grow and is currently 379, including 96 students who identify as Māori. An enrolment scheme has been in place since 1996, which enables the board to manage school growth.

There is a knowledgeable, long-serving principal, an experienced senior leadership team and there is a good balance between experienced and new teachers. The board of trustees is effectively led by the chairman, and collectively they bring a range of useful skills and knowledge to their governance role. Trustees work well with the principal and maintain a focus on improving student outcomes and school development.

The school has a very positive reporting history with ERO. Since the previous 2010 ERO review staff have undertaken a range of internal and external professional learning and development. In addition there have been significant enhancements to the buildings and grounds.

The school motto, ‘be the best you can be’, is evident throughout the classrooms and playground, and underpins relationships across the school. These values contribute to a positive and respectful school culture. The school is well engaged with its community and there are many opportunities for parents to be involved in school activities and events.

2 Learning

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

The school makes good use of student achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement.

Teachers gather information about students using a range of appropriate standardised tests. They use this information, along with data gathered during teaching programmes, to make judgements about student achievement in relation to National Standards. This information shows that students achieve very well and steady progress has been made since the last review. Students, including Māori, are achieving above regional and national expectations in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to National Standards. The school has explored the Progress and Achievement Collation Tool (PACT) and has decided to use it with a selection of students from each classroom to assist with teachers’ moderation in relation to National Standards. Internal moderation systems are well embedded and provide leaders with good information to use across the school.

Teachers also use achievement information to group students for instruction and identify those needing additional support. A skilled and enthusiastic special education needs coordinator (SENCO) is coordinating a wide range of effective programmes and interventions to support student progress and learning.

Senior leaders make good use of school-wide student information to identify gaps and needs for groups of students within curriculum areas. They also use this information to set and monitor targets to improve student achievement. An improved approach to setting targets in 2015 enables the school to more clearly show how it is accelerating progress for a group of students achieving below expected levels.

Parents receive detailed information about their children’s progress and achievement in relation to National Standards. Regular reporting includes interviews and written reports related to all curriculum areas. The board is well informed and receives a wide range of achievement information that is used effectively to make resourcing decisions.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum effectively promotes and supports student learning. It is appropriately focused on literacy and mathematics and includes broad coverage of other subject areas. Students also experience an extensive range of sporting and cultural events, including trips and camps. A feature of the curriculum is the effective, challenging programme for enrichment and extension of students with identified interests and talents.

In classrooms observed by ERO students were highly engaged and enthusiastic about their learning. Teachers use a wide range of effective strategies to support student learning. There are examples of highly effective teaching practice in the school.

Classroom learning environments reflect student learning and achievement, and relationships between teachers and students are respectful and caring. Teachers work hard to ensure students have access to high quality equipment and learning spaces are effectively organised.

A school-wide virtues programme and a student self-management approach provides a sound foundation for managing student behaviour in a positive and supportive manner.

Student leadership and tuakana/teina relationships are a strong feature of the school’s curriculum and culture for learning. Through extension programmes students are given many opportunities for leadership and collaborative learning with each other.

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

Māori students are achieving very well. Data gathered by the school shows that they achieve at levels above Māori, both regionally and nationally. Teachers work hard to ensure a Māori dimension is evident in classrooms, and there are many opportunities for these students to experience success in their learning. There is a planned and sequential approach to the teaching of te reo Māori and the school curriculum includes a biennual noho marae stay and units of study that reflect local legends and tikanga of Ngati Awa.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The following factors contribute to the school being well placed to sustain and improve its performance:

The school is well engaged with its community. There is extensive consultation with parents/whānau, and thorough systems and policies that contribute to a safe and inclusive school culture are in place. In addition, there are respectful partnerships with parents and whānau, based on high expectations, support and accountability.

School leaders are dedicated to school development and raising student achievement. They have high expectations for teachers’ performance and ensure teachers are provided with relevant professional development opportunities.

Governance is effective. Trustees have a sound understanding of self review and maintain a focus on improving outcomes for students.

There is a range of effective self-review processes that are contributing to school improvement.

Teachers feel well supported by school leaders. Together they work collaboratively and communicate effectively.

5 Areas for review and development

Student centred learning

Progress has been made to an agreed priority identified in the previous report. It is linked to strengthening teachers’ use of assessment information to further assist students becoming self managing learners. This continues to be an important next step for the school.

There is also a need to further develop teachers’ understanding of student learning progressions. This should assist teachers to:

  • provide students with more focused feedback and feed forward about their learning
  • make judgements about student achievement in relation to National Standards
  • work with students to develop more specific goals about their next learning steps.

Teacher Appraisal

A priority for school development is to fully implement the new appraisal process to further focus teachers and school leaders on ways they can further develop their teaching practice across the school.

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

Awakeri School students benefit from a positive and inclusive school culture and are well supported to achieve national expectations, particularly in literacy and mathematics. There is a strong emphasis on providing a bicultural curriculum, and many opportunities for extension, additional support programmes and co-curricular activities. Classes are settled and purposeful.

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

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

7 July 2015

About the School

Location

west of Whakatane

Ministry of Education profile number

1691

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

379

Gender composition

Boys 51%

Girls 49%

Ethnic composition

Pākehā

Māori

Other

72%

25%

3%

Review team on site

June 2015

Date of this report

7 July 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

December 2010

March 2007