St John's College (Hastings)

School Context

St John’s College (Hastings) is a state integrated Catholic secondary school in Hastings, with a roll of 370 students in Years 9 to 13. Of the roll, 27% identify as Māori and 8% as of Pacific heritage.

The school’s mission is to provide high quality education for young men, grounded in gospel values within the Catholic and Marist traditions. Students are encouraged to reflect upon their Marist charism, knowing that to be Marist is to serve.

Current goals and targets include a focus on maintaining and lifting achievement of all students, including Māori and Pacific, in National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEAs) and further extending achievement of University Entrance (UE) and endorsement rates.

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

• achievement in national qualifications

• achievement in reading, mathematics, science and other areas

• wellbeing and engagement

• special character, sporting and cultural achievements.

Evaluation Findings

1 Equity and excellence – achievement of valued outcomes for students

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

School leaders systematically work to address disparity and promote equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. There are high expectations that all students will progress and achieve.

Attainment in NCEAs has remained at a high level and has improved significantly for NCEA Level 3 and UE.

The school has high achievement, with nearly all students achieving NCEA qualifications at all Levels. The majority of students achieve in UE and the number of students receiving endorsements has increased.

In 2017, nearly all Māori students achieved NCEA Levels 1 and 2, and most achieved Level 3. Most Pacific students achieve NCEA certificates. Most Māori students achieved UE in 2017. This is a significant improvement, with overall results being better than for other students in the school.

School leaver data is positive. The school reports high levels of retention in the senior school. Almost all students, including Māori, leave with Level 2 and most have a Level 3 qualification.

The school collects assessment data for Years 9 and 10 in mathematics, reading and science. This information is collated by class and ethnicity. It is not analysed to give an overall picture about how these students as a group progress and achieve.

Responsive systems, processes and practices effectively support students identified with additional and complex learning needs to progress.

1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?

Students in Years 9 and 10 who are at risk of not achieving as expected are identified, monitored and well known to teachers and leaders. School achievement data shows that there has been success in improving progress for some students. Establishing a clearer picture of accelerated progress, who, where and rates, should assist the school in measuring its overall effectiveness for these students and inform the next steps to improve their outcomes.

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, and acceleration of learning?

High expectations for success and commitment encourage students to strive for excellence in a broad range of learning opportunities. Staff use strategies schoolwide to encourage students’ spiritual growth and independence. They provide holistic support and direction for students’ pastoral and wellbeing needs and promote valued outcomes in academic, sporting and cultural fields.

A well-considered transition programme supports students’ entry at Year 9. The school appropriately identifies students at risk of not achieving. Baseline data assists teachers in their planning and delivery of programmes. Tracking and monitoring of all senior school students is comprehensive and timely. This increases the likelihood of students gaining qualifications.

Effective pastoral care processes support student engagement. Students are closely monitored to support their constant engagement in all aspects of school. Positive and affirming relationships with teachers are evident. The school identifies improved engagement, positive shifts in behaviour, and sustained academic success through involvement in sport.

Curriculum design and implementation align to the school vision. Underpinned by the school’s inclusive culture and values, the ‘St John Man’ is developed through an increased range of meaningful contexts in both structured and extended learning. Increased choices and customised programmes respond to individual interests and aspirations that lead to meaningful pathways. This includes contexts that encourage students to explore, engage with and serve the community.

The leadership team has effectively progressed the direction and strategic priorities of the school. School leaders have a planned and strategic approach to school improvement and they are purposeful in guiding practice. Leaders foster a supportive environment to promote collaborative learning and wellbeing.

Teachers access a range of appropriate professional learning opportunities to support effective teaching practice. Sound systems and digital fluency learning allows them to build capability to better respond to priority learners. Teacher inquiry is appropriately focused and well shared to further improve outcomes for learners.

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

The school is using data to consider the progress of individual students in Years 9 and 10. A key next step is to more effectively use information to determine the extent of the impact of teaching strategies on accelerating outcomes for students and to make adjustments accordingly.

The planned curriculum review is designed to include consultation with a range of stakeholders to influence the design. The school agrees that engaging with whānau Māori and using approaches such as Talanoa with Pacific families would increase cultural responsiveness in determining a curriculum that further promotes language, culture and identity.

Appraisal is being strengthened to ensure standards for the teaching profession are more central part of the process. Developing a shared understanding and expectations with quality evidence should help to ensure a robust process occurs.

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.

Provision for international students

The school does not have international students currently enrolled. Appropriate preparations are in place to have students enrolled. Suitable processes are in place to support this.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• high expectations and an inclusive culture that motivate students to succeed
• strong systems and processes that support student wellbeing
• a curriculum that promotes student engagement and achievement.

Next steps

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

• partnerships with whānau Māori and Pacific aiga to increase contributions to a culturally responsive curriculum
• the school’s collective capacity to work with data, evidence and interpretation to improve outcomes for learners
• internal evaluation processes and practices to better identify what is working well for students’ learning and where improvements are needed, particularly for Years 9 and 10.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

12 November 2018

About the school

1 Context

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

St John’s College is an integrated Catholic boys’ secondary school in Hastings. It caters for 359 students from Years 9 to 13, 21% of whom are Māori.

The Catholic and Marist special character is central in all aspects of the college. Students are encouraged to lead lives based on the Christian values and habits of a ‘St John’s Man’. These prepare young men through spiritual, academic, cultural, arts and sporting endeavours.

Students are confident and welcoming. A strong sense of the school community promotes brotherhood amongst students.

A new principal was appointed in 2014, and a deputy and assistant principal in 2015. The school management team has a collaborative and strategic focus to recognise, promote and celebrate the achievement of the students.

2 Learning

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

The school uses student achievement information well to support ongoing improvements in National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) results. Further development in the collection and use of school information about Years 9 and 10 students' progress and achievement is a key next step.

Many senior students experience high levels of success in NCEA compared with national results. Merit and excellence endorsements at Levels 2 and 3 have steadily increased since 2012. High numbers of students attain the NCEA Level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements in Year 11. In 2014, there were significant improvements in achievement at NCEA Levels 1 and 2, specifically for Māori and Pacific students. NCEA Level 3 achievement continues to be a focus area for the school.

A more effective schoolwide system for monitoring progress supports increases in senior students’ achievement. School leaders identify the appointments of academic deans as a significant contributor to this improvement. Students are increasingly taking responsibility for tracking their progress towards their academic goals.

Useful Year 9 student entrance data is collected and collated. This information is used to identify and respond to learners who need of additional support. School leaders and ERO agree the school should strengthen their use of Years 9 and 10 data. Using common assessment tools to establish shared baseline data should lead to more responsive planning, tracking and monitoring progress, and evaluating the effectiveness of teaching.

Separate strategic plans for raising Māori and Pacific students' educational success are having a positive impact on engagement and achievement. To embed and facilitate further success, these plans should be included in the school’s strategic goals with clear expectations for student outcomes. This should better enable student progress to be monitored and evaluated.

Parents and whānau receive useful information to support their knowledge of how well students' are achieving. A high level of parent attendance at learning conferences during the year promotes discussion about academic progress.

School leaders use data to develop broad improvement targets for lifting senior student achievement. Improvement targets should better focus on accelerating the progress of Years 9 to 13 students at risk of achieving poor education outcomes. This should lead to increased learner success schoolwide.

3 Curriculum

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

The curriculum effectively promotes and supports student learning.

High expectations for students are evident throughout the school. Students are valued as individuals. Learners are focused and engaged in classrooms.

Teachers and support staff build purposeful relationships with students, based on mutual respect and shared expectations for positive participation in classrooms and the school community. Pastoral care and student wellbeing are a collaborative schoolwide responsibility.

There is a wide range of subjects and opportunities within the wider curriculum for students to participate in. Student leadership roles are facilitated and encouraged. The school has recently introduced ‘Bring Your Own Technology’ (BYOT) to enhance learning activities and interests. Continuing to develop vocational pathways and careers across the school should further support the students’ engagement and preparation for life beyond school.

School leaders and ERO recognise it is timely to review the college’s curriculum to ensure it consistently aligns with The New Zealand Curriculum. This should support the development of shared schoolwide understandings and expectations for:

• the values, principles and key competencies
• effective teaching practice
• analysing data to inform teaching and differentiate learning
• the use of local contexts
• culturally responsive practice.

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

The college effectively promotes educational success for Māori, as Māori. A knowledgeable and collaborative team supports and guides students to understand, embrace and celebrate their language, culture and identity.

Achievement of Māori students in NCEA Levels 1 and 2 improved notably in 2014. A strong relationship focus and mentoring programme contributes to more confident learners who are realising their goals.

Further development of a schoolwide understanding on the most effective ways to teach Māori students is a key next step. Seeking whānau aspirations for success as Māori and reflecting these in the curriculum and school practices are key next steps.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

St John’s College is well placed to strengthen review and evaluation, to sustain its performance and continue to build on student success.

The school management team has a collaborative, growth focused approach to improvement. Processes and systems are being reviewed to identify the impact they have on teaching, learning and school operations. The use of measureable performance indicators as part of the strategic direction should strengthen the evaluative aspect of school review and help identify key next steps for St John’s College.

Teacher appraisal has been reviewed in 2015 to make the process more rigorous and focused on building teacher capability. Incorporating the school’s specific achievement targets into appraisal should allow teachers to formally inquire into how effective their teaching strategies are in raising achievement.

Board members bring a range of useful experience to their roles and responsibilities. Information received by the trustees informs and facilitates resourcing decisions. Further developing reports to include progress made towards annual targets during the year should build trustees capacity to monitor and evaluate the impact of the strategic plan on improving student achievement.

It is timely for trustees to ensure a robust governance policy framework is in place. School policies and procedures should be reviewed and aligned to current school practices. Using appropriate external expertise for this process should be helpful.

Provision for international students

The school is not a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students.

At the time of this review, however, it had two international students attending.

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.

ERO identified issues with the following requirements:

• places of study were offered to international students when the school was not a signatory to Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students.

The board of trustees:

• must ensure the school complies with section 238E of the Education Act 1989. It can only offer places to international students once the school successfully meets requirements and becomes approved as a signatory to Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students.

Conclusion

The Catholic and Marist special character underpins the habits and values of ‘the St John’s Man’ and provides the foundation for all operations. Most senior students achieve well in NCEA. There is a collaborative strategic focus to recognise, promote and celebrate students' achievement throughout the college.

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

Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

About the School