Sunset Primary School

Findings

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Sunset Primary School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

1 Background and Context

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

Sunset Primary School is located in Rotorua and caters for students in Years 1 to 6. The roll of 127 includes 110 students who identify as Māori.

Since the 2018 ERO evaluation a new principal has been appointed and a new board of trustees chairperson elected. There are also a number of new trustees on the board.

The 2018 ERO evaluation identified areas for review and development requiring Ministry of Education (MoE) support. ERO evaluations of progress have involved meetings with the principal, the board of trustees, representatives from the Ministry of Education and professional development providers.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

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

• leadership for learning to build teacher capability, and improve outcomes for learners
• effective teaching practice and responsive curriculum to raise achievement and accelerate progress, particularly for students who are at risk of underachieving
• internal evaluation processes and practices.

Progress

School leaders articulate high expectations for student learning and achievement and are accessible to students, staff, parents and whānau. They work actively to build teacher capability with a focus on improving outcomes for learners. In addition they have developed shared expectations for teachers and learning support workers. School-wide student achievement information is collated, analysed and used to improve teaching and learning.

Teachers are focused on creating a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students. They use assessment information to plan learning opportunities and expectations for teachers’ practice are clearly articulated in school documentation. The two rūmaki classes demonstrate high levels of Māori language, culture and identity that enhance student engagement. Teachers work collaboratively with their colleagues to share teaching practices likely to improve student outcomes.

Teacher aides, learning support workers, the extra-curricular and extension coordinator and specific literacy and mathematics interventions enhance learning programmes. The school has reviewed and developed a comprehensive curriculum that incorporates connections to learners’ prior understandings and real-world contexts.

A system is in place to collate and analyse school-wide achievement information for all students. Redeveloped school-wide systems and processes of evaluation show a clear alignment from the strategic plan, through the annual plan, to curriculum delivery and programme implementation. Charter and strategic plans were collaboratively developed, and policy review processes have been established. Regular monitoring and review cycles inform planning and decision making.

Key next steps

Priority now needs to be given to:

• continuing to work with external agencies to strengthen teacher capability for enhanced student outcomes
• more regularly tracking and monitoring students whose learning needs acceleration to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies
• strengthening student agency that empowers them to take ownership of their learning
• ensuring that all students have opportunities to increase their understanding of te reo and tikanga Māori and continuing to grow culturally responsive practices across the school
• reviewing performance management procedures to effectively identify and support on-going quality of teaching.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school is developing the capacity to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance.

Factors contributing to sustainability are:

• leadership that works collaboratively to promote student wellbeing, confidence in student language, identity, and culture, and engagement in learning
• internal evaluation process and practices that support improvements in teaching practice and school operation.

Key next step

School leaders need to continue to build the capability and capacity of teachers to implement appropriate programmes for learning including classroom assessment and planning that is specific and focused on acceleration of at-risk learners.

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
• school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.

Conclusion

Since the 2018 ERO report there have been significant school improvements. These improvements include informed leadership for learning, aspects of teaching practice, the development of a responsive curriculum, and ongoing developments in internal evaluation.

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Sunset Primary School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success is available on ERO’s website.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

21 December 2020

About the school

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.

Findings

Sunset Primary School has made positive progress in addressing many of the issues from the 2016 ERO report. The school provides a supportive and caring environment. However, low levels of student achievement over a long period of time remain. A significant next step for ongoing improvement is a strategic approach to build leadership and teaching capability. Significant intervention is required to support the school through this process. 

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

1 Background and Context

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

Sunset Primary is located in the Rotorua suburb of Fordlands. The socio economic challenges and complexities faced by this community significantly impact on the approach and priorities of the school. The current roll is 123 students. Māori students make up a significant proportion of the roll. A small number of Pacific and Pākehā students, and students from other nationalities make up the balance. The school provides rūmaki education for students who choose to learn through the medium of te reo Māori.

The 2016 ERO review identified a range of issues related to governance, leadership, curriculum and teaching and learning. Compounding these issues were persistent low levels of student achievement. The school was not effectively responding to students whose learning and achievement needed acceleration. A decision was made by ERO to monitor the progress of the school in addressing these concerns.

This report identifies the progress the school has made in addressing the areas for review and development in the 2016 ERO report.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

• governance and leadership
• teaching and learning
• student progress and achievement.

Progress

Governance and leadership

Trustees have made good progress in improving governance processes identified in the 2016 ERO report related to financial management and health and safety practices. Trustees now have appropriate processes to ensure greater financial accountability and more robust health and safety systems to promote a safe physical environment for students. All of the areas of non-compliance from the 2016 ERO report have been effectively addressed.

Teaching and Learning

Positive progress has been made in strengthening the range of assessment tools and practices to support and promote student learning and achievement. Teachers are gathering a range of data and some are using this information effectively to inform daily planning. Expectations for teacher planning have been established and the principal regularly checks these are being followed. A comprehensive assessment schedule outlines the expectations for assessment and reporting to the board of trustees and parents. Moderation processes have been strengthened which is contributing to greater reliability and dependability of student achievement information.

Despite the improvements to assessment practice, there continues to be an urgent need for all teachers to effectively use assessment information to meet the needs of all students, particularly those students whose learning is most at risk. Not all teachers are effectively targeting and responding to the specific needs of these students. Building leaders’ and teachers’ capability in the effective use of data to accelerate student progress and achievement is a priority area for improvement. This also includes a need for teachers to strengthen their use of strategies and practices that promote student ownership of learning.

Positive steps have been taken to review and develop the curriculum in response to student needs. A wide range of initiatives and interventions have been implemented, including a boys' class, the synthetic phonics programme and play-based learning. Another positive feature is the improved average attendance rate, which has significantly increased since the previous ERO review. There continues to be a strong focus on promoting local history, customs and stories of local iwi and Te Arawa. Improvement in levels of student engagement in classroom learning is evident. In classrooms sampled, ERO observed a settled tone including interactions and relationships between teachers and students that were supportive and conducive to learning. However, persistent low levels of achievement indicate that the curriculum is not yet responsive to a large number of students. There remains a need to continue to critically review aspects of the curriculum in response to ongoing levels of low educational achievement.

Student Progress and Achievement

The significant number of students who are not achieving is of concern and has been a consistent trend over several years. School achievement data from 2017 indicates that less than half of students achieved at the expected level in reading and writing and approximately half achieved in mathematics. The disparity trend between boys and girls is significant. Girls outperform boys in reading and boys achieve significantly better than girls in mathematics. Very few students make accelerated progress over time to be at the expected level by the end of Year 6.

This is partly a result of the transient nature of students. However, and more significantly, this indicates that it is a result of teaching practices that are not consistently meeting the learning needs of students.

The focus on awhi students (students just below the expected curriculum level) and the alignment with teacher expectations and the charter targets is contributing to a cohesive approach to the monitoring and targeting of these students. This focused response is reflected in the 2017 results which shows that 30% of awhi students made accelerated progress in 2017. A priority next step is to apply the same level of focus, to all students who are well below expected levels. In addition there is a need to review the quality of individual educations plans (IEPs) for students most at risk. Currently, IEPS are generally of poor quality with little or no planning and limited identification of effective strategies to accelerate the progress and achievement of students.

Key next step

A significant priority for school improvement is to build school-wide capability to raise educational outcomes for students. To achieve this, four key areas of development are necessary. These are:

• leadership capability, so that ongoing low levels of student achievement are addressed
• evaluative capability, so that robust evidence about student outcomes is gathered and used to inform the teaching and learning and school decision making
• instructional capability, so that teachers develop and apply the necessary knowledge and skills for instruction that meet the needs of all students, particularly those most at risk in their learning
• adaptive capability, so that leaders and teachers can effectively respond to new problems or issues that arise in teaching and learning to accelerate student achievement.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school is not well placed to sustain and improve its performance because it does not have the necessary capability to bring about improvements to student outcomes and achievement. Aspects that remain of concern are:

• the need to continue to develop and strengthen school-wide direction and understanding about how to improve the low, inconsistent and fluctuating levels of student achievement
• leaders and teachers who have yet to make effective use of assessment and achievement information to improve and sustain positive student outcomes
• the curriculum that is not yet responsive to the large number of students whose achievement is below expected levels
• variable 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.

4 Recommendation

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

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education consider intervention under Part 7a of the Education Act 1989.

Conclusion

Sunset Primary School has made positive progress in addressing many of the issues from the 2016 ERO report. The school provides a supportive and caring environment. However, low levels of student achievement over a long period of time remain. A significant next step for ongoing improvement is a strategic approach to build leadership and teaching capability. Significant intervention is required to support the school through this process.

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

Adrienne Fowler

Direct Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

27 November 2018

About the School