Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within 10 months of the Education Review Office and Gate Pa 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
Gate Pa School is located in Tauranga and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. Mainstream classes provide learners with a localised curriculum about themes that relate to themselves and their communities. Education through the medium of te reo Māori is provided in bi-lingual and Te Rūmaki o Pukehinahina classes. A Puna Reo early childhood centre is located on the school grounds supporting transition to school for tāmariki and whānau.
Gate Pa School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:
- strengthen its learning community through multiple opportunities to work together to support student success
- develop an engaging curriculum that reflects the needs and priorities of its learning community.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Gate Pa School’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the effectiveness of teacher pedagogy in early literacy and for a shared understanding of how student progress is measured.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:
- develop expectations and foundations in literacy that will determine future progress of learners in these early years.
The school expects to see:
- all learners succeeding and supported to do so through needs-based and equitable learning opportunities in early literacy
- additional support and improved outcomes for students with extra learning needs
- strengthened links with early childhood education so that learners’ transitions are well supported by the school.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal in relation to teacher pedagogy in early literacy, with a shared understanding of how student progress is measured:
- leadership underpinned by relational trust and continuous evaluation focused on improvement
- supporting Māori learners to achieve success with a strong, secure sense of their cultural identity
- professional relationships and effective teaching focused on the learning and well-being of each learner.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
- a responsive curriculum that engages and empowers learners
- establishing educationally powerful connections with parents and whānau to enrich learning opportunities for student to be confident, engaged learners.
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
26 July 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