Timaru South School

Timaru South School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within twelve months of the Education Review Office and Timaru South 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 

Timaru South School is located in Timaru and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8.

Timaru South School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

  • provide a supportive, caring environment which values each student individually

  • develop quality learning programmes to ensure confident, capable learners

  • establish effective relationships between school and the wider community

  • ensure the school is governed effectively and strategically

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Timaru South School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school’s approach to structured literacy improves learning outcomes in writing for students in Years 1 to 3.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • address the significant literacy learning needs across the school and support accelerated progress for those who need it, particularly in junior oral language

  • ensure that teachers have a shared understanding and use of assessment practices

  • develop a shared understandings of good literacy practices to ensure consistency across the school

The school expects to see accelerated rates of progress in reading and writing, particularly in the junior school. Leaders and teachers will know what strategies and approaches are most effective in raising student achievement and what needs to change to accelerate progress. 

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to evaluate how well the school’s approach to structured literacy improves learning outcomes in writing for students in Years 1 to 3.

  • well-developed systems for tracking student learning and progress overtime 

  • regular and ongoing professional development for all staff to ensure consistent understandings and approaches to teaching and learning

  • open and collaborative school culture, with a committed staff who support each other and regularly share ideas and knowledge

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • continuing to build teacher knowledge and use of literacy teaching practices 

  • build learning partnerships with whānau and families to support their children’s learning

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.

Kathy Lye
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

3 April 2023 

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

Timaru South School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2021 to 2023

As of May 2022, the Timaru South School Board of Trustees has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Further Information

For further information please contact Timaru South 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.

Kathy Lye
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

3 April 2023 

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

Timaru South School - 21/02/2018

School Context

Timaru South School provides education for children from Years 1 to 8. It operates across two sites, one in Timaru and the other in Pareora, south of Timaru. Since the 2014 ERO review, there has been refurbishment and redevelopment of some learning spaces, including aspects of the outside environment.

The school has a roll of 230 children. This includes 24% who identify as Māori and 14 % as Pacific. Children come from diverse backgrounds and a range of ethnicities. A significant number of children come and go through the school year.

The school’s vision and valued outcomes for children are to embrace learning, foster wellbeing and maximise potential. The values are responsibility, respect, resourcefulness and resilience.

The school’s current aims, goals and targets reflect the school’s priorities to improve the wellbeing and learning for all children. The key focus areas include:

  • fostering positive behaviours

  • raising literacy achievement

  • children’s readiness for learning

  • wellbeing and social-skill development.

The school’s 2017 target is to increase the number of students reaching or exceeding expected levels in reading, particularly for boys.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

  • learning support

  • reading, writing and mathematics

  • wellbeing and engagement

  • aspects of health and safety.

The school is a member of the Timaru South Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning.

Evaluation Findings

1 Equity and excellence – valued outcomes for students

1.1 How well is the school achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students?

The school is proactively working towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all children. However, achievement levels are variable and there are some disparities in achievement between different groups of children.

The overall achievement picture from 2014 to 2016 shows a significant number of children enter and leave the school within a year. The majority of children achieve at or above expected levels in mathematics, reading and writing. Girls and Pacific children achieve at higher levels in literacy and mathematics. Māori children and boys show levels of disparity in reading and writing.

Most children in Year 8 achieve at or above expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics.

1.2 How effectively does this school respond to those Māori and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school is effectively identifying, supporting and responding positively to individual and groups of children whose learning needs accelerating.

2 School conditions for equity and excellence – processes and practices

2.1 What school processes and practices are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

The school has processes and practices that effectively support the achievement of equity and excellence. There is a strong emphasis on children’s learning, wellbeing and pastoral care needs.

Leaders and teachers are improvement focused. There is a strong culture of collaboration between teachers and good use is made of individual teacher strengths. Leaders and teachers have improved processes for ensuring reliable and valid assessment practices.

The school provides an inclusive and welcoming environment, where positive and respectful relationships are evident across the school. Leaders and all staff know the children and their families well and they are highly supportive of their wellbeing and pastoral needs. There is now a consistent approach across the school to enable teachers to track and monitor children’s progress in learning. Children’s learning and behaviour needs are well supported by external agencies and the wider community through additional expertise and resourcing.

Older children are encouraged to support younger children and are given many leadership opportunities to assist their social development.

Children’s skills, behaviour and readiness to learn are quickly identified. Those children at risk of not achieving receive targeted support within their classroom and are provided with additional interventions as needed. Children with special educational needs are well supported within an inclusive and caring learning environment.

The school’s information shows that while children are at Timaru South School they make good rates of progress. Leaders and teachers are proactively responding in meaningful ways to address the literacy learning needs of any Māori children and boys. They have introduced a number of well-considered initiatives to assist the learning needs of those children who require it.

Trustees are kept well informed about student learning. Along with school leaders, they regularly seek the opinions of children, families and staff to inform decision making and to provide positive outcomes for children.

2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence?

The board, leaders and teachers need to strengthen internal evaluation to ensure there is a systematic process for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of programmes, practices and policies. This includes developing clear guidelines and establishing a framework to build evaluation capacity, inquiry and knowledge. Leaders and teachers should continue to strengthen and grow bicultural perspectives and culturally responsive practices across all aspects of the school.

The board of trustees needs to extend its understanding of its governance roles and responsibilities through targeted training.

3 Board assurance on legal requirements

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

  • finance

  • 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.

Appraisal audit

The school’s appraisal process did not meet the requirements of the Education Council. There is an urgent need for the school to develop a consistent, school-wide, robust appraisal process for leaders and teachers.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice established under Section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

At the onsite stage of the review, there were five long-term international students. During the school year a group of 11 short-term international students attended the school.

International students are suitably welcomed and are supported to be well integrated into the life of the school. Children’s learning is catered for within classroom programmes. There is good provision in place to improve their English language skills where necessary and achieve personal learning goals.

The board needs to receive annual reports that show how well the learning and pastoral needs of international students have been met.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to appraising teachers and leaders against the Practicing Teacher Criteria.

In order to address this, the board of trustees must meet the requirements of the Education Council [s77C State Sector Act 1998].

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

  • the promotion of a positive culture of care and support that can be seen throughout the school

  • the well-considered targeted initiatives and programmes that meet children’s specific learning needs and learning styles

  • the way leaders and teachers work collegially and embrace change that supports learners.

Next steps

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

  • continuing to reduce disparity and raise levels of achievement for those children whose learning needs accelerating

  • strengthening internal evaluation to know the impact and effectiveness of initiatives and programmes

  • increasing board understanding and enactment of its governance role.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

21 February 2018

About the school

Location

Timaru

Ministry of Education profile number

2115

School type

Full Primary

School roll

230

Gender composition

Boys: 58%

Girls: 42%

Ethnic composition

Māori: 24%

Pākehā: 58%

Pacific: 14%

Other: 4%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

November 2017

Date of this report

21 February 2018

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review: June 2014

Education Review: June 2011

Supplementary Review: October 2007

Timaru South School - 02/09/2014

Findings

The school’s well-developed curriculum effectively promotes students’ learning. There is a strong focus on providing students with relevant learning experiences that support them to succeed. Students benefit from very good quality teaching. Promoting student wellbeing is evident within the school culture. The school is governed and managed well.

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?

Timaru South School provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school operates on two sites, one in Timaru and the other in the township of Pareora just south of Timaru. Both sites are supported by effective resourcing, management and leadership.

Students benefit from a principal and teachers that know them well. Staff support each other to continue to improve their practice. There is a shared responsibility for the learning and wellbeing of all students.

Teachers place a strong focus on providing students with relevant learning experiences that support them to succeed.

Pastoral care and concern for student wellbeing is evident within the school culture. There is a high level of parent involvement in the life of the school. Parents are well supported in promoting family wellbeing.

The school continues to build on the areas identified as going well in the 2011 ERO report and have addressed the areas for review and development.

2 Learning

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

Teachers make effective use of a wide range of learning information to engage students, ensure they make suitable progress and achieve well.

The school’s achievement information shows that more students achieve well in relation to National Standards in reading than in mathematics and writing. The school has collected information over time showing that some students who had been underachieving have made sufficient extra progress to be now meeting the National Standards.

Students who are at risk of not achieving are identified and supported by specific strategies to help them make extra progress. Individual achievement targets are developed for all students. These are highly evident in teachers’ planning and are regularly monitored to make sure they are current, relevant and having the desired effect on student progress.

ERO observed lessons with a strong sense of purpose and urgency. Teachers ensure that classrooms are settled so that students can be very focused on their learning. Teachers know the individual needs of their students. They regularly reflect on how well students are learning and evaluate the strategies they are using to enhance students’ learning.

Students benefit from a learning environment where:

  • their work is valued and well presented
  • they have choices and know their ideas are valued
  • they know about their learning and what they need to do to be successful.

Parents receive reports in plain language, clearly showing how well their child is achieving and the next steps for learning. These reports also include ideas about how parents can support their child’s learning at home.

Next steps

The principal and senior leaders need to ensure that:

  • all teachers have a shared understanding of assessment practices, including how to use moderation to make accurate overall teacher judgements in relation to the National Standards
  • assessment results are analysed in more depth to find out why students are not achieving as well as they should in some areas and what changes need to be made to teaching and learning.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s well-developed curriculum effectively promotes students’ learning. The school places an emphasis on their ‘4R values’ to help students be respectful, responsible, resourceful and resilient. Teachers model these values for students. Students show these values in action helping them to engage in learning and manage themselves appropriately. ERO observed respectful relationships between students and adults.

Students benefit from very good quality teaching across both school sites. Teachers are very well supported by detailed guidelines that result in a consistent approach to teaching and learning across the school. The curriculum in the junior part of the school has been suitably adapted in response to the identified needs of students. Students in the senior school participate in a regular science programme, tailored to meet their needs, at the nearby high school.

Students with special needs are valued, included in the life of the school and well supported in their learning.

Next step

School leaders need to consider how best to monitor the expectation that all teachers should be including aspects of te reo Māori and Māori perspectives in daily practice.

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

The school is effectively promoting the educational success of Māori students. Students’ language, culture and identity are acknowledged. Students spoken to said, “teachers value our language and culture, and care about our learning”. Māori students enjoy the opportunities to learn about their own culture.

Teachers responsible for leading the development of success for Māori have undertaken professional learning and development. They are helping other staff members to develop their confidence and competence in including Māori perspectives in teaching and learning programmes. The school is part of a regional initiative to raise the achievement of Māori students.

Next step

The board needs to further develop a shared understanding of what success as Māori looks like in this school. This would support the board in identifying what is already working well and what needs to be improved.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance. The board and principal have established and effectively implemented systems to support student wellbeing, teaching and learning, and plan improvements.

Trustees are well informed about student achievement and progress. They gather information from multiple sources and use this to make decisions about the future direction of the school. There are useful processes for monitoring and tracking progress in relation to the strategic and annual plans.

The principal is an effective professional leader. He makes sure he is available to students throughout the day and is highly visible in the daily life of the school. He uses the time before and after school, and during breaks to build and maintain meaningful relationships with all students and many parents. The principal, in collaboration with the teachers, has developed systems that are leading to consistency across the school. This includes an effective appraisal system.

Next step

Expectations for trustees do not specifically mention evaluation. The charter states that trustees’ responsibility will be to provide, support, implement, and monitor the school’s curriculum. The next step is to include an expectation about rigorous evaluation of the curriculum.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. ERO’s investigations confirm that the school’s self review against the Code is thorough.

At the time of this review there were four international students attending the school.

All students live with a parent. The principal and teachers are proactive in ensuring these students and their families are integrated into the life of the school. Students’ progress and achievement is closely monitored and support in English language learning is provided.

Next step

The principal has identified that the next step is to report to the board specifically on international student's achievement and how the funds generated are supporting these fee-paying students.

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 school’s well-developed curriculum effectively promotes students’ learning. There is a strong focus on providing students with relevant learning experiences that support them to succeed. Students benefit from very good quality teaching. Promoting student wellbeing is evident within the school culture. The school is governed and managed well.

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

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services

Southern Region

2 September 2014

About the School

Location

Timaru

Ministry of Education profile number

2115

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

216

Number of international students

4

Gender composition

Boys: 58%

Girls: 42%

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā

Māori

Pacific

other

68%

18%

9%

5%

Review team on site

June 2014

Date of this report

2 September 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Supplementary Review

Education Review

June 2011

October 2007

October 2006