Camberley School

1 Context

Camberley School is located in Hastings. It caters for students from Years 1 to 6. Of the 110 students attending the school, 93 identify as Māori and 14 as Pacific.  An acting principal was appointed two weeks prior to this ERO review.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are reflected in the whakatauki 'together we learn and grow together'. This is underpinned by the shared values of respect for ourselves, others and property. Students' successes are celebrated.

The school’s achievement information shows that in 2015 many students achieved at or above in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Schoolwide achievement in reading and mathematics has been sustained over the past three years. Targeted professional learning and development (PLD) has contributed to improved achievement in writing since 2013, in particular for Māori boys.

Some moderation of assessment judgements has occurred in writing within the school. However, the school cannot be assured that reported student achievement data is valid and reliable in literacy and mathematics. Assessment practices, including the use of assessment tools, moderation of assessment judgements and clear expectations for teachers about their judgements must be strengthened.

Since the September 2013 ERO evaluation the school has participated in extensive PLD to promote acceleration of student learning. This has contributed to a schoolwide focus supporting literacy learning, especially in writing.

In response to student achievement data leaders have changed their approach to better focus on individuals most at risk of achieving poor outcomes. As a result, systems and processes to identify, track and monitor these learners have been strengthened. Teachers are formally meeting to discuss the progress and achievement of students.

A focus by teachers on promoting students' regular attendance at school is having a positive impact on achievement for some students.

Teachers have strengthened relationships with early learning services to support students' transition to school. Increased opportunities for students to experience play-based learning have been developed in the junior school. 

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The school gathers and collates information about students' achievement and progress. Assessment data is analysed, to establish trends and patterns and to identify students who need support to reach equitable outcomes.

In 2015, the school identified a group of 38 Māori boys whose achievement in reading needed accelerating. Student progress was tracked, monitored and regularly reported to leaders and board members. Of these, one third made more than one year's progress and two thirds made expected progress. Teachers successfully adapted their practice to better target many of these learners.

Accelerating Māori students' and boys' achievement remain urgent school priorities. Goals are developed to help guide teaching and learning. A next step is to improve goal setting by being more focused on individual needs and next learning steps and strengthening the targeted actions to support these learners. This should include using student and whānau input.

Appropriate systems and processes for those students requiring additional assistance are in place. The school works collaboratively with external agencies to support student participation and engagement in learning.

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?

Students have opportunities to participate in a wide range of learning experiences in and outside of the classroom. The Camberley value of 'respect' is the foundation for teaching and learning. Leaders acknowledge that a more in-depth review of the curriculum is needed to better support teaching and learning practices. This should include:

• strengthening guidelines for effective teaching in literacy, mathematics and inquiry learning
• developing expectations for culturally responsive practices
• considering how well the curriculum promotes 21st century learning and the use of digital technology
• consultation with parents and whānau.

Parents, families, whānau and the community engage in school activities. Parents receive specific and detailed information about how to support their children's learning at home. Trustees, leaders and teachers should continue to seek ways to strengthen connections and relationships with parents and whānau to further develop learning-centred partnerships.

The board of trustees is student and community-focused. Trustees have improved confidence in their roles and responsibilities as a result of individual training and sharing their knowledge. They make decisions about resources based on students' needs, and support teacher development.

Teachers are reflective and work with each other to share effective strategies. Affirmation of practice is provided through appraisal feedback. A next step is to strengthen appraisal including the process for renewing teachers' Practising Certificates. This should support a more consistent schoolwide approach to effective teaching practices that accelerate student learning.

Teachers are in the early stages of inquiring into the effectiveness of their classroom practice. To sustain and improve school performance, trustees, leaders and teachers should further develop their understanding of inquiry and internal evaluation to measure the effectiveness of what they do to improve student outcomes.

5 Going forward  

How well placed is the school to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children?

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, ERO exemplars of good practice and the School Evaluation Indicators to address the findings of this evaluation and develop a Raising Achievement Plan 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 Raising Achievement Plan 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 ensure:

• policies and procedures are regularly reviewed
• education outside the classroom practices are strengthened.

7 Recommendations

ERO recommends that the school should further develop; assessment practices, teaching as inquiry, the school's curriculum and internal evaluation, to ensure the progress of learners most at risk of underachievement is accelerated.

Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

24 August 2016

About the school

1 Background and Context

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

Camberley School, located in Hastings, is a medium-sized urban school catering for students in Year 1 to 6. The roll of 133 includes 108 Māori students. Trustees, senior leaders and teachers provide high levels of pastoral care for students and their families. The school leads initiatives that benefit the whole community.

A new deputy principal has joined the leadership team. Senior leaders work collaboratively and value each others' skills and strengths. There is a sense of collegiality across the school and student progress and achievement are given priority.

The September 2010 ERO report identified areas requiring development that included: improving students’ rates of progress; raising the quality of teaching; and building governance and management capability. ERO recommended that the Secretary for Education consider intervention to bring about improvements in governance and professional leadership. A Limited Statutory Manager (LSM) was appointed, under Part 78M of the Education Act 1989, to work with the board. Support began early in 2011 and ceased in June, 2012.

Camberley School was reviewed again by ERO in October 2011. In the interim, there had been a number of staffing changes. ERO noted that there had been considerable progress towards meeting the recommendations identified in the 2010 report and signalled that ongoing assistance would be beneficial. The March 2012 ERO report identified aspects of self review and the use of student progress and achievement information as next steps to be addressed.

Significant progress has been made to achieve the goals developed with ERO in 2012, and to move forward in a positive and sustainable manner. External providers continue to support the board’s governance capability and teachers’ professional learning and development.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

Improve systems for collecting, analysing and using school-wide information about student progress and achievement.

Progress

Senior leaders are using the new student management system to collate and analyse student achievement information to monitor rates of progress and to report to the board. An analysis of results at the end of 2012 showed improved progress for many students. This was particularly evident in mathematics. Achievement data indicated specific year group targets for improvement in reading and writing for 2013. The focus for professional learning and development, with the goal of improving students’ writing levels, was also decided following review of student achievement.

The next step is to further develop teachers’ knowledge and use of the student management system as a tool for focused teaching. This should further assist teachers to be very specific about each student’s learning needs and the small steps they need to take towards improved progress.

Current professional learning and development strongly supports teachers to think about their practice and to decide what works most successfully to engage and motivate students to improve their writing. Immediate conversations following observations are proving most valuable. Teacher practice in writing is transferring to strategies for teaching reading and mathematics. The collaborative approach involving individual teachers, whole staff and external facilitator is making a positive difference to the quality and quantity of students’ work and to consistency in teaching, school-wide.

In addition to the school targets to improve students’ rates of progress, each teacher has a target group of students for writing. Progress is closely monitored by the teacher and senior leader. Discussion among teachers involves reflection about what works best to improve rates of progress. Each student is the responsibility of all teachers. Junior and senior team reviews evaluate strategies, progress for each group and consider next steps. A cohesive, workable system is evolving.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

Priorities identified for review and development

Develop an ongoing programme of formal, evidence-based self review to support continuous school improvement.

Progress

Trustees’ understanding and confidence in using evidence-based self review has developed and continues to be a focus for the new board. Regular reports about students’ rates of progress and achievement are discussed to determine the impact of planning and resourcing decisions. A review schedule ensures that health and safety matters, policy and practice, and progress towards annual goals are revisited in a manageable way. The scope of review is broad and includes student and parent voice.

ERO affirms the board’s intent to continue self review training and capability-building to further trustees’ confidence in the use of review processes, with the focus on student achievement.

The school’s 2013 annual plan includes specific targets for student achievement with an action plan to support trustees and senior leaders to achieve the goals. As a next step, senior leaders and trustees plan to identify specific outcomes for each aspect of the plan. ERO agrees that this should assist close monitoring of progress and strengthen self review.

Board roles and responsibilities are clearly stated and have been revisited. In forming the newly elected board, sustainability and continuity were considered. Trustees support senior leaders, teachers and whānau to work together to achieve best learning and social outcomes for students.

The community’s cultural values are respected and evident in the environment and students’ daily programme. Teachers and senior students are role models. Language, culture and identity are valued.

The appraisal process is robust and focused on strengthening leadership and teaching practice. Development goals relate to individual teachers’ needs, the current professional learning focus and to annual goals for increasing students’ rates of progress. The principal has an external appraiser and is involved with a wider professional group appropriate to supporting his leadership role.

Trustees, senior leaders and teachers adopt a holistic approach to students’ well being. Considerable effort supports students and their whānau to access health and leisure opportunities. Students’ transition into and beyond the school is an ongoing focus for development. Exploring pathways for the future, through a relationship with senior secondary students, is a recent initiative. Senior leaders and whānau are committed to students successfully continuing their education.

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.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

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

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)

4 September 2013

About the School