Queen Elizabeth College

Education institution number:
201
School type:
Secondary (Year 7-15)
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
305
Telephone:
Address:

Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North

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Queen Elizabeth College - 16/11/2016

Findings

The curriculum provides a wide range of academic, vocational and work based options for students, including a te reo Māori bilingual class in Year 9 and 10. Promoting student health and wellbeing is a priority. Strengthening leadership to progress the college's key priorities should further enhance outcomes for students.

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

1 Context

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

Queen Elizabeth College is a coeducational secondary school located in Palmerston North catering for students in Years 9 to 15. Of the 208 students enrolled, 52% are Māori and 8% are Pacific.

The college operates a junior and senior Service Academy. Reo Rua provides a bilingual option for students and whānau in Years 9 and 10.

The college is involved in a number of Ministry of Education initiatives. Staff are in their third year of implementing Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L). Recently, the college has finalised a change and improvement plan with a Student Achievement Function (SAF) practitioner focused on strengthening assessment and literacy practice in Year 10.

2 Learning

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

The college uses achievement information well, making a positive difference to students’ progress, achievement and engagement. Leaders are currently seeking to develop teacher assessment practice in Years 9 and 10. A well-considered, comprehensive plan identifies needed improvements. Ensuring actions are fully implemented should strengthen the responsiveness of teaching and impact positively in meeting the specific needs of students.

Data shows most students begin Year 9 requiring accelerated progress to meet the expected curriculum level for their age. Leaders gather achievement information at the beginning and end of each year to show student progress in reading and numeracy. They recognised in 2015 that data lacked reliability and made changes to address this in 2016. Improving assessment practices should strengthen the dependability, analysis and use of data for teaching and learning in Years 9 and 10.

Many students achieve National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualifications and results have improved since 2013. In 2015, NCEA Level 2 achievement is comparable to that in similar schools nationally. Close monitoring of student progress during the year occurs to assist staff to determine the specific needs of individual students. Learning plans, created for senior students, provide useful direction to track progress and achievement.

Achievement of qualifications by Māori girls has improved, showing high levels of retention at school and similarly positive NCEA results. The priority for the school is to achieve equity in the retention at school and qualifications gained for Māori boys.

Setting targets explicitly focused on the students requiring accelerated achievement and implementing relevant actions should enable better information to be gathered about the effectiveness of responses to the needs of these learners.

A well-structured mentoring and tracking initiative, Poutama was introduced in 2015. Students discuss their progress and achievement, set goals and receive guidance. Developing a purposeful relationship between the college, parents and whānau is a key component of this initiative. Some review of the structure of this initiative has taken place. It is timely for leaders to further evaluate the impact and benefits of this initiative for students, to ensure it achieves the desired intent.

3 Curriculum

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

The college provides a broad curriculum which aims to promote students’ academic and vocational pathways, and work based options. Leaders and staff have identified curriculum changes that are needed to build on success and strengthen responses to the needs and aspirations of students. The proposed curriculum changes should also strengthen the alignment between the junior and senior curriculum.

The Year 9 and 10 curriculum suitably prioritises numeracy and literacy. Regular reviews of the junior curriculum incorporate the views of students. This has contributed to the introduction of a junior Service Academy option and a junior enterprise class. These changes strengthen learning pathways into the senior school and show high levels of student involvement.

Careers information is timely and accessible. The future pathways programme is comprehensive, providing meaningful ongoing training, vocational and work-based opportunities for students.

Pacific students' identity is suitably reflected in events, experiences and curriculum contexts. Leaders in the college, and former students, guide practices supporting students’ performance at Pasifika Fusion, Manawatu.

Positive student wellbeing is a priority for the college. Organisational structures are well designed to identify and respond to the pastoral needs of individuals. Extensive partnerships with external agencies ensure these needs are addressed. Students are suitably involved in leadership opportunities. Their views are valued by school leaders and trustees.

PB4L values underpin the college's expectations and interactions. Interactions and relationships are generally positive and respectful between teachers, students and their peers. Information gathered from students and staff identifies that embedding of PB4L is required at all levels of the school.

Improving the quality of teaching is a priority for the college. In some classes, teachers use a range of well-considered strategies that are aligned to the college's expectations for effective practice. Leaders recognise that increasing responsive teaching and learning practices schoolwide is required, to meet the diverse learning needs of individual students.

Professional learning and development for teachers shows a clear alignment to the college's identified priorities for strengthening literacy and assessment practice. The college is building leadership capability to ensure improved practice is achieved and sustainable.

Review of appraisal in 2015 and the introduction of teaching as inquiry provide useful processes to strengthen the monitoring, feedback and inquiry skills of staff. Greater rigour in the application of these processes is required to achieve their desired outcomes.

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

Shared values promote an inclusive environment and sense of belonging for Māori learners. They are well represented in leadership roles and participate meaningfully in all aspects of college life.

Reo Rua provides a te reo Māori bilingual option for students in Years 9 and 10. Inclusive relationships between teachers, students and whānau promote a positive and collaborative learning environment. Learning encompasses authentic experiences recognising students' culture, language and identity.

Some students enter college with te reo Māori proficiency. Appropriate learning pathways are provided for these students to access achievement standards in te reo Māori at NCEA Levels 1 and 2 in Year 10.

As a next step, leaders should consider evaluating the impact of Reo Rua students transitioning into mainstream classes at Year 11. This should help to identify the practices that support or limit the ongoing achievement and engagement of the students.

Comprehensive department reviews undertaken in 2016 made useful recommendations to strengthen capability and curriculum practice in 2017. Providing opportunities for students to achieve NCEA success through their involvement in kapa haka and developing the cultural competencies of teachers across the school are well-considered next steps.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The college is strengthening practices to sustain and improve its performance.

Leaders and trustees have identified key priorities to further extend curriculum provision, strengthen the use of assessment, build teacher practice and improve student attendance. Improvements are appropriately planned for, to build on the college's current successes and to focus on achieving equity and excellence for all students.

Many teachers undertake leadership roles. Staff are reflective, collaborative and have identified key areas for curriculum development. Building professional leadership to guide and facilitate ongoing improvement should strengthen achievement of these planned goals. Specific focus should be given to:

  • robustly implementing and developing a shared understanding of the teacher appraisal process
  • increasing teachers' capability to inquire effectively into the impact of their practice
  • improving the use of assessment information, especially at Years 9 and 10
  • formalising induction processes for newly graduated teachers and undertaking evaluation to determine the quality of this provision.

Trustees collaboratively undertake their governance roles and responsibilities. Succession planning for new trustees is well managed. Regular reporting supports the board's decision making. Strategic planning goals are clear and reflect the college's priorities.

Strengthening target setting in annual planning and increasing the quality of evaluative information to the board should provide a stronger basis for evaluation of overall board and school effectiveness. Considering Hāutu – Māori Cultural Responsiveness Tool should support trustees' strategic considerations and focus on raising the achievement of Māori boys.

The college develops extensive and purposeful partnerships with other educational institutions and community networks. These practices support the health and wellbeing of students. Recent discussions regarding the establishment of a Community of Learning are an opportunity to work with other local schools to recognise their shared achievement priorities and work towards improved learner outcomes.

The college recognises that improving internal evaluation is an ongoing next step. It has developed useful processes to strengthen these processes and practices. Changes made, show that college personnel have collectively established clear priorities. Increased knowledge about evaluation should provide greater clarity about the quality of teaching practice, initiatives and processes.

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.

Conclusion

The curriculum provides a wide range of academic, vocational and work based options for students, including a te reo Māori bilingual class in Year 9 and 10. Promoting student health and wellbeing is a priority. Strengthening leadership to progress the college's key priorities should further enhance outcomes for students.

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

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

16 November 2016

About the School

Location

Palmerston North

Ministry of Education profile number

201

School type

Secondary (Years 9 to 15)

School roll

208

Gender composition

Female 51%, Male 49%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Pacific

Other ethnic groups

52%

32%

8%

8%

Special features

Bilingual Class - Years 9 and 10 Service Academy

Review team on site

September 2016

Date of this report

16 November 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

November 2013

November 2010

March 2008

Queen Elizabeth College - 13/11/2013

1 Context

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

Queen Elizabeth College in Palmerston North caters for students in Years 9 to 15. The current roll is 210 students. Thirty seven percent of students are Māori. A bilingual te reo Māori class, Reo Rua, is offered to Year 9 and 10 students.

Small, multi-level classes enable school leaders and teachers to know the students and their families well. Students achieve success in an extensive range of sporting and cultural opportunities.

The school offers English language learning programmes for adult students recently migrated to New Zealand. In 2012, a Service Academy for senior students who have shown an interest in a career in the services was established at the school.

There is a tolerant, respectful tone across the school. A family atmosphere, within a supportive learning environment, is evident. This is fostered through formal and informal pastoral care.

Trustees, leaders and teachers work hard to meet the educational and pastoral needs of students. They aim to assist students to ‘be the best they can be’ and develop into ‘contributing citizens’. Individuals are valued and students are proud to be part of this school.

2 Learning

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

Assessment information is used appropriately to identify and respond to overall patterns and trends in student achievement, and the needs of year level groups, classes and individuals.

The information includes standardised test results at Years 9 and 10, and National Certificates of Education Achievement (NCEA) data. School leaders have also gathered data about attendance, outof-class behaviour, disciplinary matters and retention. Collectively, this information indicates the need to raise levels of student presence, engagement and achievement.

Data has been analysed according to the number of students who participate in NCEA. Since 2009, this shows a general upward trend and overall achievement above the figures for students who achieve the NCEAs nationally and in schools of a similar type. The exception is for NCEA Level 1 in 2012.

NCEA data analysed according to roll numbers shows that some Years 11 and 12 students are leaving college before they complete the year and gain qualifications. School leaders are beginning to collect and collate information about these students.

Professional development for school leaders and teachers about using student achievement information is likely to strengthen analysis of data and further develop the process of inquiry. This should lead to increased opportunities for thinking more deeply and drawing conclusions about the information that is gathered. It should also better inform focused planning and teaching.

Year 9 students are tested in reading, writing and numeracy when they enter the college. Results show that the majority of these students are performing below or well below expectation for their year and age. Some interventions are provided. These have not been reviewed to enable the school to identify how effective they have been in accelerating learning. Many students from each year group take longer than three years to gain an NCEA Level 1 qualification.

Targets were set in 2012 for accelerating Year 9 and 10 students' progress in reading and numeracy. These were not met and remain as targets for 2013. In 2011, staff undertook externally facilitated professional development in teaching literacy across the curriculum. ERO’s evaluation highlights the need to reintroduce this focus in 2014. This should be supported by a specific action plan with measurable outcomes.

Useful frameworks are in place to respond to students’ interests and career aspirations. These include many opportunities for formal and informal discussions with students and their families. Senior leadership meetings have a strong focus on individual students and their achievement. Teachers care about students and their achievement.

A number of strategies and initiatives have been put in place to support students and accelerate their progress. Leaders are aware that implementation of some of these approaches needs to be more thorough and consistent across departments. So far, there has been no deliberate monitoring or evaluation of the impacts of the initiatives.

A next step is to promote students' engagement through scaffolding their ownership of learning. To assist with this process, teachers should develop a shared understanding of using the key competencies as tools for teaching and learning, with increased use of specific feedback and student self assessment.

3 Curriculum

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

The school provides a broad-based curriculum. This is taught through a range of subjects, including work-based options.

Over recent years, the school has introduced changes to its organisation and curriculum provision, with a focus on increasing student achievement. These include changing the pastoral care system to one that is house-based, with vertical group classes and house deans. This assists group teachers and deans to build ongoing relationships with students and their parents. Other developments include:

  • ‘Kete Tupu’, a programme to assist Year 9 students to focus on learning and incorporate literacy strategies in core curriculum areas. Students attend weekly small group learning conferences
  • support lessons for students in Years 9 and 10 who require additional assistance to make accelerated progress in reading
  • the ACE programme for Year 9 and 10 students, focused on establishing sound work habits
  • individual action plans for encouraging self-regulating learners
  • weekly career-based programmes for Years 11 to 13.

The Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) initiative has been introduced from the start of 2013. The school is working through a consultation process with staff, students and families to establish agreed behaviour expectations.

The school is reviewing how effectively the curriculum meets the needs of students and sustains their engagement in learning. Plans are being made to implement changes to composition of classes in 2014.

Information from Pacific students and their families has been collected, to assist staff to promote their success.

ERO observed some examples of teachers using good teaching strategies. These include providing relevant, meaningful contexts linked to students’ prior knowledge. However, the quality of teaching is variable. Developing a shared understanding of effective pedagogy and indicators of high quality teaching and learning should be a priority. Professional development to support teachers to ensure full use of opportunities for focused teaching and collaborative learning, should also be initiated.

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

The school community values, supports and celebrates Māori students’ culture, language and identity. Regular whānau hui and parent teacher meetings enable discussions about learning, achievement and school direction. Students, their whānau, trustees and staff have considered what success as Māori means for them. This information has been documented and shared.

School direction is clear and well documented in the strategic plan. A specific goal states the commitment of trustees and staff to providing a learning environment that acknowledges and reflects Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

School organisation promotes te ao Māori. The Reo Rua class is based in the school wharenui, Te Matui. Students from this class lead pōwhiri for manuhiri. These are an integral part of the school’s kawa.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

Trustees have a well-organised approach to governance. Succession planning is well managed and new trustees are mentored to sustain effective governance.

School leaders have improved the quality of reports to the board in response to findings in the 2010 ERO report. The reports are well-structured. They include increased analysis of information and recommendations to the board for future action. Teachers share information about essential learning areas at board meetings.

The inclusive, nurturing school culture is positive for supporting student wellbeing and achievement.

Senior leaders are working on improving the performance management system so that it becomes a robust tool for:

  • monitoring progress towards the annual goals
  • identifying development needs
  • building capacity for improving teacher practice and promoting effective teaching and learning.

The principal’s performance management should be strengthened and include closer links to the strategic direction of the school.

Self review should be improved to become more evaluative, increase the evidence base and ensure that impacts for students is always considered.

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 Ministry of Education consider providing support from a Student Achievement Function practitioner to assist school leaders and teachers to make increased use of assessment information to assist acceleration of student progress.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

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

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services

Central Region (Acting)

13 November 2013

About the School

Location

Palmerston North

Ministry of Education profile number

201

School type

Secondary (Years 9 to 15)

School roll

210

Gender composition

Male 52%

Female 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Asian

Pacific

Other ethnic groups

37%

34%

17%

7%

5%

Special features

Bilingual Unit

Service Academy

Review team on site

September 2013

Date of this report

13 November 2013

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

November 2012

March 2008

May 2005