Summary
How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?
The school is responding well to children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.
Leaders provide clear direction about learning and teaching in the school. They promote an authentic culture for learning and teaching. Priority is placed on building children’s self-belief and well-being. Curriculum design is responsive and relevant. There is a strong learning partnership between the school, parents and whānau.
There is a need to strengthen internal evaluation through better use of school-wide achievement information.
The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for children remains.
Leaders and teachers:
The school agrees to:
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develop more targeted planning to accelerate learning for children
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monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and children’s progress.
ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop in response to a request by the school.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Equity and excellence
How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?
The school is responding well to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. The school’s achievement information shows that most children are achieving the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. There is a significant proportion working in the below category in National Standards, especially in Years 1 to 5. However by Year 8 a significant number of students are at or above in reading, writing and mathematics. Overall, boys are not achieving as well as girls. The school is yet to develop and implement specific school-wide achievement targets for boys.
The school’s assessment information indicates that children are entering at five years with low levels of oral language and early literacy/numeracy readiness. Leaders have responded positively to this trend through play-based learning in Year 1. Focused teacher inquiry into the effectiveness of strategies to accelerate progress in Years 1 to 3 is an area needing development.
In 2016, school–wide achievement targets were focussed on a selected group of children in Years 1 to 3 for mathematics and writing. Most of these children made accelerated progress however, targets need to be more specific and measurable, and include all children who are underachieving.
Leaders and teachers make informed decisions on the development of programmes to meet identified learning needs of children. In 2017 teachers across the school are developing and reflecting on strategies to raise and accelerate achievement.
Assessment practice at classroom level is well embedded. Teachers identify and develop goals and targets for all children who are under achieving. Teachers monitor their progress and are able to demonstrate that most children are making expected learning gains, and that some make accelerated progress. Leaders and teachers analyse and collate this information and report to the board.
Moderation processes within the school are well-established. In writing, teachers have benefited from professional learning and development around assessment. This assisted teachers to make better use of assessment information including learning progressions to make better informed overall teacher judgements. Work with other schools in the COL is necessary to strengthen the reliability of teachers’ judgements.
School conditions supporting equity and excellence
What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?
Leaders provide clear direction about learning and teaching in the school. There are explicit and well-documented expectations for teachers about planning and assessment. Teachers reflect on and inquire into the effectiveness of their teaching practice. Their appraisal goals are aligned to their professional learning. Teachers are benefiting from opportunities to build their capability.
Leaders and teachers use teaching strategies to meet the needs of identified children. These include interest-based and contextual-based learning and flexible grouping. Teachers integrate culturally responsive practices into learning and teaching. Collaborative syndicate planning is contributing to consistency of teaching practice across the school.
The school promotes an authentic culture for learning and teaching. Priority is placed on building children’s self belief and wellbeing. Effective pastoral care networks are supporting the holistic development and care needs of all children. Adults in the school are committed to being positive role models. Children’s language, culture and identity is highly valued and respected.
Curriculum design is responsive and relevant. Teachers contextualise the learning to make it meaningful for all children. Teachers are making increased use of the historical and geographical features of the local environment. There are many opportunities for children to participate in sporting and cultural activities. The curriculum is contributing to high levels of children’s engagement in learning.
Additional learning support is provided for identified at risk learners. The special education needs coordinator (SENCO) has a clear oversight of this resource, and reports on programme effectiveness to the board. This carefully planned intervention is enabling these children to experience success in their learning.
There is a strong learning partnership between the school, parents and whānau. The school consults with parents, whānau and iwi about their aspirations for children’s learning. Leaders and teachers proactively identify and draw on community resources to enhance student learning opportunities, achievement and wellbeing. The school is effectively engaging with parents, whānau to involve them in their children’s learning.
Sustainable development for equity and excellence
What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?
There is a need to strengthen internal evaluation through better use of school-wide achievement information.
There is a need for:
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more in-depth scrutiny of school-wide achievement information to identify trends and patterns
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the collation of over-time data to establish a trajectory of sustained progress e.g.( gender, year level)
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the development of specific and measurable school-wide achievement targets that include all identified groups of at risk learners
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regular monitoring and reporting on rates of progress for school-wide identified groups of at risk learners
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consistent use of achievement information to evaluate programme effectiveness.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
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emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
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physical safety of students
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teacher registration and certification
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processes for appointing staff
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stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students
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attendance
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school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
Going forward
How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?
The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for children remains.
Leaders and teachers:
The school agrees to:
-
develop more targeted planning to accelerate learning for children
-
monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and children’s progress.
ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop in response to a request by the school.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato / Bay of Plenty
27 June 2017
About the school
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Location
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Opotiki
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Ministry of Education profile number
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1866
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School type
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Full primary (Years 1 to 8)
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School roll
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261
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Gender composition
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Boys 55% Girls 45%
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Ethnic composition
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Māori 97%
Pākehā 2%
Other 1%
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Provision of Māori medium education
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No
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Review team on site
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May 2017
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Date of this report
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27 June 2017
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review May 2014
Education Review July 2011
Education Review June 2008
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