Upokongaro School

Upokongaro School - 16/12/2019

School Context

Upokongaro School is a full primary with 135 students and 73% attending are Māori.

Several changes have occurred to personnel and trustees since the March 2017 ERO report.

The vision for children is that ‘learning is lifelong, where all students can achieve their potential in a socialised environment’. The principles, ‘he tangata (the people), angitu (achievement), and akoranga (learning)’, underpin the school's vision.

Trustees’ strategic goals to 2021 are focused on: student learning engagement and progress; effective teaching; leading and managing; governance; a safe and inclusive school culture; and engaging parents, whānau and the community.

In 2019, classroom achievement targets have been set to accelerate the achievement of target students in mathematics.

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

  • progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.

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?

Further development to school processes and practices are required to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students.

School reported achievement outcomes at the end 2018, show a low majority of students achieved at or above expectations for their year level in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori learners achieved similar outcomes to Pākehā students in reading and mathematics and lower in writing. Girls achieved higher outcomes than boys in literacy and lower in mathematics.

Achievement trends from 2016 show a noticeable increase for Pākehā students in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement over the same period, has reduced slightly for Māori students and boys in all three areas.

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

School reported outcomes in 2019, show some students accelerated their progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Further development to assessment practice and collaborative learning partnerships are required to strengthen the school’s response to Māori and other students whose learning and progress need acceleration.

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?

A wide range of curriculum experiences purposefully support the positive engagement of students at school. Literacy and numeracy are suitably prioritised. Staff make useful connections to learners’ lives, local contexts and promote their involvement in community events. Teachers, students and whānau contribute to the meaningful inclusion of te ao Māori across the curriculum. The programme for young leaders promotes student development of attributes and attitudes, aligned to the school’s vision and valued outcomes.

Staff, students, parents and whānau contribute meaningfully in creating an inclusive school environment. Classroom environments are productive where students engage purposefully in learning. Students develop a strong sense of belonging. Interactions between staff, students and their peers reflect their shared values of ako, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, tangata whenuatanga and wānanga. Leaders foster positive community engagement with parents, families and whānau and iwi.

Internal evaluation is well used to identify practices and process requiring further development to strengthen the school’s strategic priorities. Senior leaders are strategically managing improvements based on information from achievement outcomes and community engagement. Collaborative practice between teachers provides relevant opportunities to share strategies used in the classroom and reflect on student outcomes. Professional learning and development for staff is appropriately aligned to curriculum and achievement priorities.

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

Leaders and teachers have collaboratively reviewed assessment practice. Further developments are required to:

  • ensure assessment tools and moderation of data robustly informs reporting of achievement

  • build teachers’ use and understanding of learning progressions in literacy and mathematics to inform teaching and learning and differentiate to student needs

  • develop schoolwide achievement targets aligned to all students requiring their learning and progress accelerated

  • provide commentary in relation to student achievement outcomes for learners involved in additional learning programmes.

Inclusive practices encourage the purposeful inclusion of parents, whānau and students at school. However, current practices require improvement to ensure reciprocal learning partnerships are established. Further developing processes to share the specific learning goals of students should enable parents, families and whānau to contribute to their child’s learning.

Trustees need to increase their understanding of effective governance practice. They should collectively build their knowledge of their roles and responsibilities. Establishing and documenting shared expectations should provide a basis to evaluate how well they undertake their roles and ensure they are able to develop relevant actions to strengthen their collective capability.

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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Upokongaro School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • an inclusive school culture that fosters the purposeful engagement of students, parents and whānau in the school
  • the breadth of curriculum experiences that support student participation, engagement and responds well to Māori learners’ culture, language and identity
  • senior leaders who manage relevant improvements that are incrementally strengthening practices and processes to build equitable and excellent outcomes for students.

Next steps

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

  • building assessment practice to better respond to student needs
  • improving the capability of trustees to ensure effective governance and meet their legislative requirements
  • strengthening collaborative partnerships with students, parents and whānau to increase their involvement in meaningfully contributing to learning.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to key policies and procedures.

A cycle of policy review needs to be established to ensure:

  • alignment to current legislation
  • that actual practice, that is up-to-date, is in the documented policy.

Aspects of policies and procedures that require strengthening include:

  • risk analysis and management for learning experiences outside the classroom
  • clear complaints process for parents
  • and aspects of the appointments process.

In order to address this, the board of trustees must ensure that it:

  • complies in full with any legislation currently in force or that may be developed to ensure the safety of students and employees
    [National Administration Guideline 5]
  • develops and implements personnel and industrial policies, within policy and procedural frameworks set by the Government from time to time, which promote high levels of staff performance, use educational resources effectively and recognise the needs of students.
    [National Administration Guideline 3]

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

16 December 2019

About the school

Location

Whanganui

Ministry of Education profile number

2469

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

135

Gender composition

Male 52%, Female 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori 73%
NZ European/Pākehā 27%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

No

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

October 2019

Date of this report

16 December 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review March 2017
Education Review May 2014
Education Review February 2012

Upokongaro School - 10/03/2017

1 Context

Upokongaro School is a full primary school (Years 1 to 8) located on the banks of the Whanganui River. At the time of the review, the roll was 93 students and 89% identify as Māori. The school continues to have positive roll growth. Spaces have been redeveloped and resources purchased for two additional classrooms.

The school actively promotes health and wellbeing for learning and life. Participation in a wide range of initiatives supports children to be ready and able to learn. Manaakitanga from and within the school community is highly evident.

The school has responded well to areas identified for improvement in the May 2014 ERO report.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school, for all children, are that learning is lifelong, where all students can achieve their potential in a socialised environment. The principles he tangata (the people), angitu (achievement), and akoranga (learning) underpin the school's vision. The core values of manaakitanga, tika, aroha, whanaungatanga, and pono are encouraged and modelled by all.

The school’s achievement information shows that most students achieve in relation to National Standards. However, boys' achievement remains below that of girls in writing and reading.

Teachers regularly discuss students and the progress they are making. They know all the learners well. Using this individual knowledge of each child and the evidence from in-class testing, judgements about student achievement are developed. Teachers have identified the need to enhance moderation practices to ensure these judgements are dependable and consistent across all year levels.

Since the previous ERO evaluation the school has: 

  • strongly focused on building effective learning relationships with the community
  • built consistency and understanding of the teaching and learning of literacy and mathematics
  • improved the understanding and effective use of student achievement data
  • empowered students to be confident to learn and take risks
  • established a positive school culture
  • raised student achievement.  

3 Accelerating achievement

How effectively does this school respond to children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school responds well to students whose learning and achievement needs acceleration. A holistic wellbeing approach to support and nurture learners is highly evident.

Deliberate learning-focused relationships are given priority and fostered with learners, their whānau and hapū. This promotes purposeful connections to support students' learning, progress and achievement.

A well-considered and personalised approach for students and whānau to transitions into, through and beyond the school informs what best fits the learning needs of the child. Teachers continue to enhance learning-centred partnerships with parents, whānau and students.

Students' language, culture and identity are highly visible, nurtured and celebrated schoolwide. Student leadership opportunities are actively promoted and learners have a genuine sense of pride in supporting and teaching adults, and other students, through te ao Māori contexts.

Learners with additional needs are supported through a collaborative approach. Success is celebrated and meaningful goals are developed. Students are empowered to take responsibility and have an active role in decision making about their wellbeing and learning programmes.

It is timely for school leaders to formalise the approach for knowing what works well, why, who for and what needs to change, so that learning programmes best meet the needs of those whose learning and achievement require acceleration. This should include monitoring student progress and achievement overtime to better inform appropriate target setting.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and targets for equity and excellence?

Trustees bring a wide range of experience, expertise and local knowledge to their roles and responsibilities. The board actively responded to the areas for development identified in the previous ERO evaluation. A clear understanding of the distinction between governance and management roles is highly evident. Trustees are improvement focused and highly supportive of initiatives that improve outcomes for learners. The policies and procedures that guide school operation need to be reviewed and revised to support ongoing practice and sustainability. This is a prioirity.

The principal has a clear vision for, and a strong commitment to, a community that supports and promotes wellbeing and achievement for students and their whānau. Collaborative responsibility and leadership contributes to change for improvement. School leaders recognise and use the strengths of the team for improved outcomes for learners. Students enthusiastically share and celebrate their stories, learning and progress. 

A collaborative and collegial approach to teaching and learning is highly evident. Teachers focus on enhancing students' wellbeing and enjoyment of learning. Progress and achievement are celebrated amongst all learners. A whānau culture is highly evident in the classrooms, fostering and empowering student's confidence, participation and leadership in learning.

The appraisal process has been reviewed to better support teachers to explore and build on their capabilities. Strengthening the gathering of evidence of effective practice in line with the Practising Teacher Criteria should recognise ongoing improvement.

Learning programmes are well planned by teachers to build on students' needs and strengths. Positive interactions support a tuakana teina approach to progress and collaboration. Students are engaged in their learning, they know the learning expectations and strive to improve and achieve. Classrooms have a calm and positive learning tone. Students' work is proudly displayed and represents who they are as young people and as learners.

The recent curriculum review has appropriately focused on reading, writing and mathematics. It is timely to deepen the review to identify what strategies are having the most impact on improving student outcomes. This should support the documenting the 'Upokongaro Way' for effective learning and teaching across all areas of The New Zealand Curriculum.

To better enable the school to sustain and identify appropriate improvements, internal evaluation should be further developed. This should include monitoring and evaluating programmes, teaching and initiatives, to determine the impact on learning and achievement for all learners.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

Leaders and teachers: 

  • know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
  • need approaches that effectively meet the needs of each child
  • need to ensure the school is well placed to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it. 

Action: The board, principal and teachers should participate in an internal evaluation workshop. They should use this workshop, the Internal Evaluation: Good Practice exemplars and the School Evaluation Indicators to address the findings of this evaluation and develop more targeted planning that includes a significant focus on building teacher capability to accelerate learning and achievement.

As part of this review ERO will continue to monitor the school’s planning and the progress the school makes. ERO is likely to carry out the next full review in three years. 

6 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 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

  • processes for appointing staff

  • stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions

  • attendance

  • compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

To improve current practice the board of trustees should:

  • update and align school policies and procedures to meet current legislative requirements including: health and safety, surrender and retention, the process for appointing staff and police vetting identified in the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

7 Recommendation

Leaders, teachers and learners at Upokongaro School have been on a significant journey of improvement to raise and support positive outcomes for students. To sustain ongoing improvements, they now need to:

  • deepen the curriculum review to recognise and document the Upokongaro Way for effective learning and teaching across all areas of The New Zealand Curriculum
  • enhance moderation practices to ensure these judgements are dependable and consistent across all year levels
  • build internal evaluation to inform future direction
  • revise and update the policies and procedures that guide school operation. 

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

10 March 2017

About the school

Location

Whanganui

Ministry of Education profile number

2469

School type

Full Primary (Year 1 to 8)

School roll

93

Gender composition

Male 52, Female 41

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Samoan

83

6

4

Review team on site

November 2016

Date of this report

10 March 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

May 2014

February 2012

May 2010