Kaitao Intermediate

Education institution number:
1761
School type:
Intermediate
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
279
Telephone:
Address:

30 Bell Road, Western Heights, Rotorua

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Kaitao Intermediate

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 24 months of the Education Review Office and Kaitao Intermediate 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 

Kaitao Intermediate is located in Rotorua and provides English and dual-medium te reo Māori education for students in Years 7 and 8. A new deputy principal has been appointed since the last ERO review.

Kaitao Intermediate’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • enhancing teaching and assessment practices through a focused inquiry approach

  • investigating and utilising proven evidence-based instructional approaches to teaching and learning.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the achievement of all students in reading using a focused inquiry on student achievement (FISA) approach to cement research-based teaching and learning approaches.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • reading results are lower than expected across the school

  • to enhance the consistency and effectiveness of approaches to the teaching and assessment of reading.

The school expects to see:

  • professional learning conversations focused on raising student achievement guided by strengthened assessment practices

  • identified priority students making accelerated progress supported by learning focused partnerships

  • the FISA process embedded as a regular part of leaders’ and teachers’ professional growth cycles (PGCs)

  • teaching and learning approaches enhanced with students benefiting from improved teaching practice.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal of raising the achievement of all students in reading using a focused inquiry approach:

  • The senior leadership team work collaboratively to focus on practices that are most effective in improving student achievement.

  • The professional growth cycle (PGC) promotes conversations focused on building teacher capability and sharing best practice.

  • There is a school focus on developing innovative practices that contribute to inclusion, engagement and a sense of belonging.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • embedding PGC practices focused on improving student achievement and informed by reliable data

  • regular meetings to discuss priority learner progress and challenges within curriculum teams

  • ongoing professional development, including co-teaching and modelling teaching, to support student progress and build teacher capability.

ERO has concerns about

The school has identified low levels of student achievement as being of concern and is focused on addressing this concern as part of the evaluation process alongside ERO.

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

25 July 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

Kaitao Intermediate

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of April 2022, the Kaitao Intermediate, 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 Kaitao Intermediate, 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

25 July 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

Kaitao Intermediate

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.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

25 July 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

Kaitao Intermediate - 29/06/2018

Findings

The school has made significant progress in addressing areas identified for improvement following ERO’s 2016 review. A more coherent approach to strategic planning, school operation, and leading change is evident.

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

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Kaitao Intermediate caters for students in Years 7 and 8 who come from the suburbs and surrounding rural areas in western Rotorua. At the time of this review there were 329 students on the roll, 75% identify as Māori many of whom whakapapa to Ngāti Whakaue and other hapū of Te Arawa.

Since the 2016 ERO evaluation there have been significant changes to the leadership team and structure. In 2017, a new principal and deputy principal were strategically appointed to drive change and improvement school wide. Several board members have remained in their trustee roles.

Through consultation with whānau the school has reframed and refreshed their motto, values and vision. ‘Mā te whānau tātou e puāwai, achieving success together’ is the guiding whakatauki of the school and through this they aim to empower students to be respectful, resilient and responsible. Through a wide range of learning opportunities for students the key outcomes they strive for are:

  • supportive, well-qualified, vibrant teachers who care for their students’ learning needs
  • an inclusive environment with a strong set of values and responsive practices.

In response to the areas for review and development in the previous ERO report, the school has sought a range of external advice and guidance to raise student achievement and increase teacher capability.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

The areas identified in the 2016 ERO evaluation for improvement were in relation to stewardship, leadership for equity and excellence, responsive curriculum, effective teaching and partnerships for learning with parents and whānau.

Progress

Stewardship

Trustees bring a wide range of experience to their roles. The board actively represents and serves the school and the community in its stewardship role. Targeted professional learning and development is appropriately accessed to further enhance understanding of effective governance for ongoing school improvement.

The principal provides detailed reports to the board that supports more informed decision-making. The focus of inquiring into outcomes for students, their achievement and wellbeing, has been strengthened. Policies and procedures now clearly align to current legislation and changes in education. A robust process for the performance management of the principal is in place.

The school, in consultation with whānau and the community, have reviewed the charter. This included refining and refreshing the vision and guiding values. This is supporting sustainability and ongoing improvement.

Key next steps are:

  • developing an understanding of effective target setting to strengthen the line of sight to those children most at risk
  • strengthening reporting to the board of progress against strategic aims, expectations and targets for improving equity and excellence, and acceleration of learners.

Leadership for Equity and Excellence

Since the previous ERO evaluation there has been significant changes to the leadership team and structure. Roles have been reframed and clarified. A collaborative and cohesive team is focused on building teacher capability and raising student achievement.

Strategic plans are now in place to prioritise foundations for improvements required. This supports greater alignment of processes and practices to schoolwide goals for equity and excellence. Effective leadership is building a strong community that is working together to create a positive environment that is inclusive, values diversity, and promotes wellbeing.

Leadership opportunities are fostered. Senior leaders are investing in and actively building the capability and capacity of leadership school wide. A new robust process for the appraisal of teachers was introduced in 2017.

Key next steps are to:

  • maintain a strong focus on raising student achievement
  • extend leaders’ and teachers’ understanding of the effective use and analysis of achievement information to accelerate learners’ progress and achievement and better support the reliability of data
  • ensure the ongoing implementation of robust school-wide appraisal for the appropriate endorsement of practising teacher certificates
  • establish school-wide understanding of evaluation, inquiry and knowledge building to support sustainability and inform ongoing improvement and innovation.

Responsive curriculum, effective teaching and opportunity to learn

A considered approach to building high-quality teaching has been implemented in maths and writing. These developments have been introduced at a significant, but necessary pace to bring about improvement in student engagement and achievement. This approach has increased the quality and accountability of teacher practice and is contributing to better consistency schoolwide. It is now timely to consolidate and articulate clear expectations for high-quality teaching across the curriculum.

Strong processes for tracking and monitoring student achievement and wellbeing have been developed. Students are well known throughout the school. This collaborative approach is supporting students’ wellbeing, motivation and engagement in learning.

High expectations for learning are evident across the school. Student voice is valued and informs aspects of change. Students’ confidence to participate and engage in their learning has improved. They are beginning to discuss their learning and what they need to do in order to get better. Students spoken to shared a growing sense of belonging and pride in the school.

Learning focused partnerships are being developed with whānau. Learners with additional needs experience comprehensive wrap-around support that is responsive to individual needs. This is enabling effective, sufficient and equitable opportunities for them to learn.

Meaningful and authentic experiences that deepen learning opportunities are being incorporated throughout classrooms. Programmes for learning, in-school practice and initiatives, and excursions into the wider community are extending the students’ confidence and competence in te reo Māori, mana whenua, and te ao Māori.

In 2018, Te Puna Reo was extended from bilingual to full-immersion te reo Māori. Leaders and teachers are building their confidence and understanding of what is required for this setting. There is a range of external support guiding decision-making. Whānau consultation is underway. It is imperative that whānau, trustees, leaders and teachers work collaboratively to ensure the success of Te Puna Reo.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

Kaitao Intermediate is now better placed to sustain and continue its performance. Factors contributing to sustainability are:

  • trustees experience and understanding of their roles
  • a new strategic approach driving change and improvement
  • capability and capacity of senior leaders
  • improving quality of teaching practice
  • impact of professional development in accelerating student achievement in writing and mathematics in 2018
  • new systems that have been developed to track and monitor student progress, acceleration and achievement.

Key next steps

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

  • targeted planning to accelerate learning [ERO will monitor and discuss progress with the school.]
  • internal evaluation processes and practices [ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop for trustees and senior leaders.]

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.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

ERO’s audit of the school’s implementation of the Code identified there were no current policies and procedures to guide expected practice for being a signatory to the Code of Practice.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

  • ensure school wide practices align with the school’s new policies and procedures.

4 Recommendation

Recommendations, including any to other agencies for ongoing or additional support.

ERO recommends that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority as Administrator of the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 follows up with the school its implementation of sufficient policies and procedures to guide practice and support the safety and wellbeing of international students.

Conclusion

The school has made significant progress in addressing areas identified for improvement following ERO’s 2016 review. A more coherent approach to strategic planning, school operation, and leading change is evident.

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

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

29 June 2018

About the School

Location

Rotorua

Ministry of Education profile number

1761

School type

Intermediate (Years 7 to 8)

School roll

329

Gender composition

Boys 52% Girls 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Other

75%

18%

7%

Special Features

Kea Street Specialist School Satellite Unit onsite Rumaki class

Review team on site

May 2018

Date of this report

29 June 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

June 2016

July 2013

May 2010

Kaitao Intermediate - 30/06/2016

Findings

Kaitao Intermediate provides a holistic curriculum with many opportunities for Year 7 and 8 students to develop their interests and abilities. Committed staff work hard to support student education and wellbeing. There is now scope to raise the consistency in the quality of teaching and learning to achieve greater success for students, especially in literacy and mathematics.

ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.

1 Context

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

Kaitao Intermediate caters for students in Years 7 and 8 who come from the suburbs and surrounding rural areas in western Rotorua. The roll of 303 students includes 78% who are Māori, most of whom whakapapa to Ngāti Whakaue and other Te Arawa iwi.

The school has a long serving principal and many staff who have strong connections with the school and community. The deputy principal was appointed in 2011 and is responsible for leading teaching and learning.

Since the 2013 ERO review, there have been changes in personnel on the board and staff. At the time of this ERO review, trustees were preparing for the election of a new board.

In response to the area for review and development in the previous ERO report, the school has sought a variety of external advice and guidance to raise student achievement and increase teacher capability. The school has identified continued low student achievement, and as a result teachers have engaged in professional development in assessment and teaching practices.

The school benefits from a range of community support and help, and leaders continue to seek ways to foster positive relationships with parents and whānau. The school continues to offer students choices related to their preferred learning styles and interests in distinctive academies, including Te Puna Reo.

The school motto, values and vision, kia puawai i roto i te whanaungatanga promotes a positive culture amongst students who continue to benefit from a wide variety of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

2 Learning

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

School leaders and teachers are working with external support to strengthen the way they gather more reliable student achievement information. This information is used to make overall teacher judgements in relation to National Standards and is reported to the board of trustees and Ministry of Education (MOE).

Teachers identify target students, plan for groups and individuals, and design programmes of learning aimed at raising student achievement. They report to parents twice yearly about the achievement and progress of their child.

The school is able to show good gains for students from the beginning of Year 7 until the end of Year 8 in reading, writing and mathematics. However, in 2015, only 36% of all students achieved at or above National Standards in reading, 30% in writing and 34% in mathematics.

While teachers have received professional development about how to best use student achievement information to accelerate the progress of students at risk of underachievement, this work needs to be urgently progressed. There remains inconsistency in the way teachers make effective use of the achievement data in their classroom planning and in overall teacher judgements.

Charter targets need to more accurately reflect current student achievement levels and the needs of priority learners, and be widely known and promoted. Moderation of assessment data, monitoring of student progress, and ensuring teacher accountability systems need to be further strengthened through professional support and a more robust appraisal process.

Students with diverse learning needs are identified on enrolment and provided with appropriate support tailored to their needs. Some students are able to speak confidently about their reading, writing and mathematics levels and their next learning steps. However there is scope to strengthen and formalise ways to promote student agency including ownership of their learning, evaluating teaching and celebrating their work.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum is underpinned by the promotion of the school’s vision, values, and whakatauki. The curriculum provides a wide range of learning opportunities for all students and is responsive to students’ interests and strengths both through the academy structure and the provision of extra-curricular activities in the arts and sports. Continuing priority is placed on the teaching of literacy and mathematics, and there is increasing use of digital technologies to enhance learning for students. It is now timely to review and redevelop the school curriculum document to ensure that there is appropriate curriculum coverage and balance.

Students are positively engaged in a range of learning activities such as fabric art, graphic design, food technology, exotech, science and Māori carving. They are also able to choose from languages including Chinese, Spanish and sign language. A learning as inquiry model has been introduced to foster students’ research skills.

ERO visited classrooms where there were examples of effective teaching practices such as:

  • explicit teaching of the processes, and language of learning in writing
  • effective feedback and feed forward related to learning progressions
  • hands-on learning and problem solving activities
  • group work, peer evaluation, co-operative and collaborative learning
  • competent use of digital learning devices
  • personalised learning and planning.

Māori values and tikanga are visible and respected within the school, and all students have opportunities to participate in kapa haka, pōwhiri, and extending te reo learning in the Te Puna Reo academy. There are also opportunities for Pacific students to engage in dance and song.

The deputy principal is working with middle leaders to build their capability in the leadership of teaching and learning. This is proving to be effective and is beginning to establish shared understandings and expectations across the school. Academy leaders have begun to report to the board about the achievement of students in their classes.

Teachers have engaged in sustained professional development from external advisors to enhance their practice in the teaching of writing. They have also had professional development in the use of student achievement information to make judgements about student achievement in relation to National Standards. However, there is variability in the quality of teaching practice. Leaders now need to set clearer expectations for high quality teaching, especially in literacy and mathematics, and establish more consistency in the monitoring of these practices.

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

Māori students have the opportunity to experience further success as Māori in Te Puna Reo where their language, culture and identity are acknowledged and fostered.

Across the school, Māori students successfully participate in kapa haka, pōwhiri, waiata and karakia. There is representation by Māori on the staff and the board of trustees. This ensures that the interests of Māori students are kept to the forefront of decision making.

There is now an urgent need to:

  • strengthen the place of mana whenua in the school curriculum by including Ngāti Whakaue history in order to provide a sense of place, culture and identity for Māori students
  • revisit the Ministry of Education documents, Ka Hikitia and Tātaiako, to build teachers’ cultural understandings and response to the interest and needs of Māori students.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school needs to strengthen aspects of leadership and governance in order to improve its performance.

Trustees are committed to promoting positive outcomes for students and raising the public perception of the school in the community. They receive student achievement information from school leaders and use this to make resourcing decisions. School finances are being capably managed. However, ongoing changes in membership and leadership of the board have resulted in governance work that has not always been carried out or completed.

Trustees now need to:

  • strengthen board systems and processes
  • ensure that processes for the principal’s appraisal and performance agreement are in place and carried out
  • complete the review and documentation of school policies and procedures, including clear lines of accountability and reporting
  • engage in board training and review of their own performance
  • undertake, in consultation with whanau and all stakeholders, a review of the school charter to establish clear expectations for future growth and direction.

The principal demonstrates a commitment to the holistic wellbeing of all students and models empathy, compassion and kindness. School leaders need to continue to work with external help to further build teacher capability including teaching as inquiry, and work with advisors to build their own leadership. School leaders also need to:

  • review the leadership structure to better support the work of senior leaders
  • ensure that their expectations for high quality teaching and learning are implemented and monitored
  • review and provide greater clarity around roles, responsibilities and professional accountability aligned to requirements of the Education Council.

The school should explore ways to further engage whānau as partners in their children’s learning.

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.

Recommendations to other agencies

ERO recommends that the MOE continue to support the school through the work of the Student Achievement Practitioner (SAP) and other advisors to help raise student achievement.

Conclusion

Kaitao Intermediate provides a holistic curriculum with many opportunities for Year 7 and 8 students to develop their interests and abilities. Committed staff work hard to support student education and wellbeing. There is now scope to raise the consistency in the quality of teaching and learning to achieve greater success for students, especially in literacy and mathematics.

ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years. 

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

30 June 2016

About the School

Location

Rotorua

Ministry of Education profile number

1761

School type

Intermediate (Years 7 to 8)

School roll

303

Gender composition

Boys 48% Girls 52%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Pacific

Other

78%

17%

3%

2%

Special Features

Te Puna Reo – bilingual class

Review team on site

May 2016

Date of this report

30 June 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

July 2013

May 2010

April 2008