Kuranui College

Kuranui College

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 18 months of the Education Review Office and Kuranui College 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 

Kuranui College, located in Greytown South Wairarapa, provides education for students in years 9 to 13.

Kuranui College’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to provide:

  • a nurturing environment which supports every individual’s hauora and wellbeing

  • a college wide Ignite Curriculum which inspires young people to learn

  • a pathway for all which prepares young people for their next step in life

  • a strong focus on student and whānau participation, engagement and relationships.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Kuranui College’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively the progress of all learners is accelerated through the use of inclusive and responsive teaching practices.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is the strong focus of the school’s Ignite Curriculum on:

  • learner’s engagement and choice, achievement, and development of transferable life skills

  • inclusive, culturally responsive teacher practices that result in inspirational, innovative and relevant learning.

The school expects to see this evaluation focus enabling leaders and staff to evaluate the impact of responsive teacher practice on student outcomes and their continuous improvement.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to evaluate how effectively the progress of all learners is accelerated through the use of inclusive and responsive teaching practices:

  • an innovative, responsive curriculum structure that puts the needs, strengths and passions of the students first

  • culturally responsive teaching and learning that has contributed to highly equitable outcomes for all

  • the school wide Ignite Curriculum that supports students to demonstrate agency in learning, achievement and future pathways

  • a teaching staff focussed on continuous improvement with high levels of relational trust

  • well-established educational connections, communication and relationships with whānau and the local community.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • further embedding literacy and numeracy development in each Ignite course

  • accelerating the progress of all students in Years 9 and 10

  • building and implementing ‘anytime, anywhere learning’ through our Ignite Learning development.

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.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

25 October 2022 

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

Kuranui College

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2021 to 2024

As of September 2021, the Kuranui College, School Board 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 Kuranui College, School Board.

The next School Board 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

25 October 2022 

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

Kuranui College

Provision for International Students Report

Background

The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

Findings

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.  The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

25 October 2022 

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/hom

Kuranui College - 01/08/2017

Findings

Kuranui College has made good progress since the 2014 ERO review. Trustees, leaders and teachers have built their capacity to sustain and improve and review its performance. Continuing to develop and strengthen school conditions to promote equity and excellence is a key next step.

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

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Kuranui College, located in Greytown, caters for students in Years 9 to 13. At the time of this ERO review the roll was 483, with over a third of students identifying as Māori. The shared core values of ‘Manaakitanga (respect), Mana Tangata (integrity), Aroha (empathy), Auahatanga (creativity) and Te Hiringa (determination)’ are recognised and understood throughout the school as the guiding framework for learning and behaviour.

Following the November 2014 ERO report, the principal developed a plan with key priorities for improvement. This has provided a framework to guide action planning and internal evaluation. Trustees, leaders and teachers worked towards addressing these goals. During this time, ERO evaluated the school’s progress.

This 2017 report evaluates the progress made since 2014 and how well placed the school is to sustain continuous improvement.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

The November 2014 ERO report included the following recommendations:

  • improve student achievement, especially for Māori learners and Year 9 and 10 students
  • continue to build teaching capability, including culturally responsive practices
  • improve systems and process to support teachers' effectiveness
  • strengthen the use and reporting of student achievement information
  • further develop curriculum opportunities to cater for needs and aspirations of individuals
  • build internal evaluation capability. 
Progress

The school has made good progress in addressing the 2014 ERO recommendations.

Since the November 2014 ERO report, rates of achievement have improved at all levels of National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Māori learners have made significant improvements in their achievement at NCEA Level 1 and 2, however, achievement remains below their peers. Trustees and leaders have identified raising Māori achievement at all levels of NCEA as an ongoing school priority. There is disparity in achievement for Pacific learners.

Years 9 and 10 achievement data for reading and mathematics shows some students make progress throughout the year. More students are progressing well in writing. However, a number of students are achieving below expectations after two years. Further developing assessment practices in Years 9 and 10 to better support students’ transition from Year 8 and tracking and monitoring of their progress, is a key next step.

The school’s mentoring system has been further developed in response to student feedback. As a result of these changes student engagement in the process has increased. Evaluating the impact on improving student progress and achievement is a planned next step.

Curriculum review and change has occurred to support the improvement in student engagement and to consider ways to increase students’ knowledge and understanding of their learning. As part of this development, the school should ensure:

  • the curriculum is responsive to all students' strengths, interests, needs and aspirations
  • students are successfully supported to transition through the school, engaged in a meaningful learning pathway.

Professional learning and development (PLD) is prioritised and focused on building effective teaching. Staff work collaboratively to share and discuss good practice. Teachers continue to participate in ongoing PLD to support them in growing their understanding of culturally responsive practices. The school acknowledges the value of Māori culture, language and identity and the importance of further strengthening teachers' cultural responsiveness and consistent implementation across the school.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

Kuranui College trustees, leaders and teachers have built their capacity to sustain and continue to improve and review performance.

Trustees have made good progress in establishing useful processes and practices to guide stewardship operations. They regularly engage in governance PLD and seek external expertise to support their decision making. Trustees are focused on raising achievement and promoting equity and excellence for Māori and other learners. Sound processes are in place to assist policy review practices. 

Leaders and trustees have identified student achievement targets, focused on overall improvement. Developing more specific targets, clearly focused on promoting equitable outcomes for learners most at risk of not achieving, is a next step.

The framework for performance management includes components of effective appraisal. There is a need to improve the process to drive change and growth in teaching and learning.

Further development of internal evaluation processes is required to measure the impact and effectiveness of what the school does to improve student outcomes. This should include:

  • strengthening the analysis of student achievement data
  • regularly reporting to the board on the impact of initiatives and strategies.

Key next steps

The school should continue to strengthen the leadership of:

  • change management, in developing school conditions that promote improvements in students’ learning and wellbeing
  • effective evaluation of curriculum and teaching.

ERO offers an internal evaluation workshop to support the school to develop effective planning and monitoring processes to support equity and excellence for all children.

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

Kuranui College has made good progress since the 2014 ERO review. Trustees, leaders and teachers have built their capacity to sustain and improve and review its performance. Continuing to develop and strengthen school conditions to promote equity and excellence is a key next step.

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

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

1 August 2017

About the School

Location

Greytown

Ministry of Education profile number

249

School type

Secondary (Years 9 to 13)

School roll

440

Number of international students

5

Gender composition

Male 53%, Female 47%

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific
Other ethnic groups

31%
62%
2%
5%

Review team on site

June 2017

Date of this report

1 August 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

November 2014
September 2011
September 2009