Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within ten months of the Education Review Office and Puketaha 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
Puketaha School is semi-rural school located in the northeast outskirts of Hamilton. It provides education for students in years 1-8. A new principal was appointed in term 1 of 2022.
Puketaha School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
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to ensure all students experience a rich, future focused learning programme that is personalised, putting children, their interests, aspirations and needs first
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to further investigate and integrate authentic ways to embrace the teaching of Maaori students in our rich curriculum
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to strengthen partnerships through involving parents and whaanau in their children’s learning
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to further develop assessment for learning practices and gradually move the learner to be self-determining.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Puketaha School’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well school conditions are sustaining equitable outcomes for all learners and supporting Maaori students to achieve success as Maaori. The school is aware of the need to continue to strengthen partnerships for learning with parents and whaanau and support learners to be self-determining through effective teaching and formative assessment practices.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
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the opportunity it provides to maintain a focus on equitable outcomes for all learners through culturally responsive and inclusive practices
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the ability to address aspects of the school’s strategic direction to empower learners, teachers and enable growth as a learning community.
The school expects to see deliberate actions implemented to enable students to have effective and equitable opportunities to learn and succeed as self-determined learners.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support it in its goal to strengthen equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners:
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leadership of learning that collaboratively develops and pursues the school’s vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence
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a well-established plan that clarifies actions for improvement, builds collective capacity and contributes to effective evaluation of the school’s curriculum and teaching
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vision and values that support high levels of student engagement and achievement in learning.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
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continuing to develop collective capacity to implement a curriculum that reflects te reo, tikanga, matauranga and te ao Maaori and to enable Maaori students to achieve success as Maaori
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building on existing partnerships to promote educationally powerful connections with parents and whaanau that support improved outcomes for learners
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further developing assessment for learning practices to empower students to be active participants in their learning journeys.
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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
20 June 2022
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