9780 Tauranga Road (SH2), Waihi
View on mapThis Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Waimata 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
Waimata School is located near the town of Waihi and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school is working towards bilingual education.
The Waimata School strategic plan is due for renewal. With elections scheduled for 2022, leaders expect that the findings of this evaluation will help to inform a new strategic direction for the school in 2023 and beyond.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the impact of responsive, authentic curriculum and learning-focused partnerships on student achievement against a range of valued outcomes. The school is aware that more needs to be done to ensure excellent outcomes for all. In response leaders have adapted their curriculum to meet the needs and reflect the cultures, languages and identities of students.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is the opportunity to:
understand to what extent the responsive, authentic curriculum is working, for who, and for which valued outcomes
strengthen learner centred partnerships to improve student outcomes
clarify the strategic direction based on evaluation findings.
The school expects to see shifts towards a more responsive curriculum, alignment of assessment to the school’s valued outcomes and deliberate strengthening of learning focused partnerships resulting in improved outcomes for students.
The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to improve student achievement against a range of valued outcomes:
school structures that allow for responsiveness and flexibility in curriculum design
a commitment to using authentic contexts for learning that evolve from places, events, connections, and social issues that affect and interest Waimata tamariki
a te ao Māori focused curriculum that promotes student identity and belonging.
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
the continued development of a responsive, authentic curriculum to support improved outcomes
developing and implementing tools to support assessment and monitoring of student progress against all valued outcomes
development of learning focused partnerships to support student progress against all valued outcomes.
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
4 August 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
As of June 2022, the Waimata School Board of Trustees has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
ERO and the board have identified the following eight areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
1 accurate records of the safety checking process for employees were not kept
[Children’s Act 2014]
2 an on-going programme of self-review in relation to policies has not been maintained
[National Administrative Guidelines 2(a)]
3 the child protection policy does not outline how suspected neglect and abuse will be identified and reported
[Children’s Act, 2014]
4 the progress of the following groups has not been reported to the school’s community:
groups (identified through NAG 1(c))
Māori students against plans and targets referred to in NAG 1(e)
[National Administrative Guidelines 2(d)].
5 newly elected, co-opted or appointed trustees have not confirmed to the board that they are eligible to be trustees
[Education and Training Act 2020 Clause 11, Schedule 23]
6 consultation with the community on the delivery of the Health Curriculum and a statement following this has not been undertaken
[Education and Training Act 2020 Section 91].
7 policies complying with the rules on surrender and retention of property and searches of students by the principal teachers and authorised staff were not evident
[Education and Training Act 2020 Sections 105 to 114 Part 3]
8 health and safety policies prohibiting the use of force were not evident.
[Education and Training Act 2020 Section 98]
The board has since addressed the first three areas of non-compliance identified and has taken steps to address the remaining five areas.
For further information please contact Waimata School Board of Trustees.
The next Board of Trustees assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.
Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
2 August 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Waimata School is a small rural school located near Waihi Township. The school has a roll of 85, this includes 31 Māori children. Trustees, leaders and teachers are committed to maintaining family values and traditions. The school benefits from strong community support and involvement. The school is part of the newly established Waihi Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.
Since the previous ERO review in 2014, the school has experienced significant roll growth. Trustees and leaders have undertaken a review of the school’s charter and in consultation with the community, have developed a shared vision and values statement. Over the last three years, trustees have had external advice on financial management and the school is now in a sound position to continue its growth and development. The board was elected in 2016 and all trustees are new to their positions. There has been significant developments to the school’s approach to teaching and learning to incorporate increased teacher collaboration, and flexible learning spaces. This has been supported by teacher professional development programmes in relation to e-learning.
The school has responded well to ERO’s 2014 recommendations. The curriculum more effectively supports Māori children’s identity, culture and sense of belonging. However other recommendations relating to evaluating children’s progress and achievement over time remain areas for further development.
The school is part of the newly established Waihi Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.
The school has not yet developed an effective approach to Maori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.
Processes relating to the school’s curriculum, teaching practices, stewardship and professional leadership enable the achievement of equity and excellence.
School-wide systems for the use and management of student achievement information in relation to targeted action requires further development.
At the time of this review, the school’s achievement data indicates low overall levels of achievement in writing and mathematics. The challenge for the school is to raise levels of children’s achievement and accelerate the progress of those at risk. More specific targets and closer monitoring of at-risk children are priority areas for development.
The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for Māori and other learners remains.
Leaders and teachers:
The school agrees to:
ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop to support the school to develop effective planning and monitoring processes to support equity and excellence for all children.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
The school has not yet developed an effective approach to Maori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.
The school data for 2016 shows that a majority of children achieved at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori children achieved at similar levels to their non-Māori peers in reading and mathematics and at lower levels in writing. This data also indicates that boys achieved at higher levels than girls in mathematics and lower levels in writing. Accelerating the progress of those children achieving below the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics is a significant challenge for trustees, leaders and teachers.
Leaders are continuing to develop processes to support teachers to make reliable overall teacher judgements in relation to the National Standards.
Processes relating to the school’s curriculum, teaching practices, stewardship and professional leadership enable the achievement of equity and excellence.
The school’s curriculum is highly responsive to children’s culture and interests. Te ao Māori perspectives are consistently woven through curriculum plans and are evident in classrooms. Tuakana-teina relationships are highly evident in school-wide activities as well as in the collaborative learning environments. A feature of the curriculum is the high levels of children and whānau involvement in sporting and cultural activities and events. A recently introduced play-based learning model for the junior classes provides opportunities for children to learn within a meaningful context. Children enjoy participating in a curriculum that is responsive to their interests.
Teachers have positive relationships with children and their whānau. They regularly communicate with parents and whānau to support improved outcomes for children. Teachers make good use of achievement information to group children for instruction in reading, writing and mathematics. They provide learning programmes that promote the use of local environments, incorporating extensive opportunities for physical challenge and environmental studies. A collegial approach to teaching and learning underpins the school’s commitment to equity and excellence.
Trustees are committed and focused on positive outcomes for all children. They are supportive of leaders and teachers. Trustees have strengthened the school’s financial management systems and are increasingly making good use of achievement information to make decisions about resourcing.
School leaders are successfully building positive relational trust within the school community. The principal places strong emphasis on children’s wellbeing and holistic development. He is working alongside teachers to establish shared expectations for effective teaching and learning. Professional leadership contributes to high levels of student engagement in learning.
School-wide systems for the use and management of student achievement information in relation to targeted action requires further development.
The school’s approach to targeting and monitoring the achievement and progress of at risk learners is not yet effective. There is a need:
to set charter targets that focus on the number of children whose learning requires acceleration
for leaders and teachers to closely monitor the progress of targeted learners and report this information to trustees on a regular basis
to ensure achievement information is fully utilised to monitor the effectiveness of programmes and initiatives focused on accelerating the achievement of targeted learners
for teachers to make good use of achievement information to reflect on the effectiveness of their practice to accelerate achievement.
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:
board administration
curriculum
management of health, safety and welfare
personnel management
asset management.
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
physical safety of students
teacher registration and certification
processes for appointing staff
stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students
attendance
school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
ERO identified non-compliance in relation to ERO identified non-compliance in relation to the principal’s appraisal, and the board meeting its legislative requirements in relation to consultation with parents. In order to address this the board must ensure:
Principal appraisal processes are undertaken
[77a State Sector act 1988]
The school consults with the Māori community on targets and plans to raise achievement of Māori children
[NAG 2 c]
3 The school consults with parents about the treatment of the Health Curriculum.
[Section 60b Education Act 1989].
The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all learners. However, disparity in achievement for Māori and/or other learners remains.
Leaders and teachers:
The school agrees to:
ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop to support the school to develop effective planning and monitoring processes to support equity and excellence for all children.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato / Bay of Plenty
31 August 2017
|
Location |
Waihi |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
2058 |
|
School type |
Contributing (Years 1 to 6) |
|
School roll |
85 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 45 Girls 40 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā 49 |
|
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
|
Review team on site |
May 2017 |
|
Date of this report |
31 August 2017 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review April 2014 |