Hutt Central School

Hutt Central School - 07/11/2019

School Context

Hutt Central School, located in Lower Hutt, caters for students from Years 1 to 6. At the time of this review the multicultural roll was 300 students, with 19% identifying as Māori.

The school’s shared vision and the mission statement of ‘Empowering our children to meet the future with confidence/ Whakamana hia ngā tamariki ia rātou ngā wawata me ngā tuamanako’ are closely aligned to the values of ‘Resilience, Responsibility, Creativity and Respect’. These are expressed through ‘Active Learner Traits’ of being a ‘problem solver, curious, collaborative communicator and engaged’.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
  • targets for improvement
  • wellbeing
  • attendance.

School leadership and staffing are stable. A new board was elected in 2019.

After sustained professional development (PLD) in writing, PLD in 2019 is linked to the school’s targeted focus on mathematics and reading. There is a focus on Positive Behaviour for Learning and Kura Ahurea (Te reo Māori language programmes).

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 reported data for 2018 shows that most students achieve at or above curriculum expectations in reading and mathematics. Nearly all achieved expectations in writing. The overall picture in writing shows improvement over time, particularly for boys.

Almost all Māori students achieve at or above expectations in reading and writing, with most achieving expectations in mathematics. In 2018, there was improvement for Māori and Pacific students in writing.

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

There is evidence of some acceleration for students whose learning is at risk in relation to reading, writing and mathematics. The school clearly identifies, tracks and monitors the progress of students whose achievement needs accelerating. This process is well supported through: clear, specific targets for improvement; regular discussion and review of progress; and termly reporting to trustees.

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?

Students are well supported to participate in meaningful learning. Engaged, motivated learners actively collaborate in learning-focused classrooms. Teachers effectively support students to understand and make choices in their learning. Positive learning relationships are clearly evident. The recently-developed values and active learning traits provide a good framework for progressing students’ learning as they move through the school.

Children with special needs are effectively supported through respectful, responsive provision and inclusive practices.

There is a well-considered approach to the development of a localised curriculum that enacts a clear vision for teaching and learning. This focuses on building confident and capable learners. It is authentically underpinned by te ao Māori concepts, and supported through connections with local iwi and the wider whānau. There is a clear focus on promoting student and staff wellbeing and success that is responsive to strengths and needs.

Strategic and collaborative leadership effectively promotes improvement. This is supported by well understood expectations for responsibilities and roles. Leaders have a clear vision for development and a well-considered approach to change. Relational trust is fostered, and teacher agency and innovation are valued. Leadership is effectively modelled, and emergent leaders are nurtured.

Leaders effectively support teachers to reflect and inquire into the impact of their practice. They build shared understandings of effective teaching and learning. Appraisal is well implemented to promote growth in teacher capability. It includes targeted observations, quality practice conversations, and captures children’s voices.

There is a strong focus on developing a cohesive and aligned approach to improvement. This is supported by well-considered processes and systems that effectively integrate school priorities for students’ learning.

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

Curriculum documentation and its consistent implementation needs further development to ensure that the vision for learning is fully realised.

Dependable and reliable assessment practices need evaluating to be assured that schoolwide data is robust and fit for purpose.

Leaders recognise the need to further develop a shared understanding and use of internal evaluation to show the impact of actions and curriculum on improved outcomes for students.

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 Hutt Central School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Strong.

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:

  • collaborative leadership that effectively models and promotes capacity building
  • a cohesive and well-aligned approach to school development and improvement that is based on sound theoretical concepts and research.

Next steps

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

  • extending curriculum documentation across the essential learning areas to provide useful guidelines for staff
  • developing shared understandings of internal evaluation at all levels to effectively inform future decision making.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

7 November 2019

About the school

Location

Lower Hutt

Ministry of Education profile number

2862

School type

Contributing Primary (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

300

Gender composition

Female 51%, Male 49%

Ethnic composition

Māori 19%
NZ European/Pākehā 56%
Indian 9%
Pacific 3%
Other Ethnicities 13%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

August 2019

Date of this report

7 November 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

External Evaluation September 2016
External Evaluation October 2013

Hutt Central School - 09/09/2016

1 Context

Hutt Central School located in Lower Hutt, caters for students from Years 1 to 6. At the time of this ERO evaluation, 311 students were enrolled, with 20% identifying as Māori. A new deputy principal was appointed in 2014 and a new principal in 2015. Some classroom spaces and the library have been modernised to create flexible learning spaces.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are being revisited through in-school and community consultation. The school mission is 'Empowering our students to meet the future with confidence'. The values of respect, responsibility, creativity and teamwork are promoted across the school.

The school’s achievement information shows that many students achieve at and above in relation to National Standards in reading and mathematics. In writing, achievement is not as high. Māori students' achievement is lower in reading and mathematics, and particularly in writing.

Pacific students achieve at rates similar to their peers in reading and mathematics, with more needing support in writing. Overall, girls achieve better than boys. As a consequence, the professional development focus in 2016 is on strengthening the teaching of writing.

Moderation of assessment information, to support reliability of data, is beginning to occur. This is an acknowledged area for further development, to ensure consistency of teacher judgements, particularly for reading and mathematics.

Since the previous ERO evaluation the school has:

  • begun a structured professional inquiry process for teachers to focus on their teaching of targeted students
  • focused on developing teachers' bicultural understandings
  • enhanced the use of digital technology to support teaching and learning
  • redeveloped the appraisal process
  • worked collaboratively in professional learning groups to share effective teaching strategies
  • focused on the nature of evidence, particularly with reference to the Practising Teacher Criteria.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

School leaders are seeking to strengthen their response to Māori students whose achievement requires acceleration. There is a structured plan to build teacher capability and develop common understandings of high expectations and specific teaching, to strongly promote achievement and positive outcomes for Māori students. ERO’s evaluation supports this ongoing improvement focus to promote increased consistency of practice.

Specific targets are set for Māori students in reading and mathematics. A focus on accelerating progress to address underachievement is at an early stage of development. Teachers have identified students who need support and strategies to accelerate progress, in syndicates and in cross-school professional learning groups.

Staff recognise the importance of building relationships with students and their whānau. A school development focus is on knowing the learner and having high expectations for their success. Further work is needed to ensure that all teachers have a consistent understanding of the need to accelerate the progress of underachieving students.

The school emphasises the importance of te ao Māori in a variety of ways, including strengthening partnerships with whānau and iwi. Māori whānau are instrumental in supporting parent partnerships across the school. School practices regularly celebrate and value te reo me ngā tikanga Māori.

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

The school has set targets for reading, writing and mathematics, to lift the achievement of students achieving below the National Standards. More consistent implementation of strategies should better support positive changes in learning and teaching.

The special education needs coordinator, teachers and teacher aides work collaboratively to cater for students with special learning needs. Individual education plans are a useful tool to inform and respond to students learning goals and needs. Good links with parents and external agencies are evident. Reporting to trustees on the impact of resourcing decisions is a next step.

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?

The board's strategic direction is appropriately focused on student learning and wellbeing. Trustees receive regular, well analysed achievement information accompanied by proposed actions. This includes regular updates on the progress of target students.

Useful induction information is available for the new board, who are undertaking further training through the New Zealand School Trustees Association as they settle into their new roles.

The principal has a well-considered approach to leading change across the school, with leadership soundly based in effective pedagogy and research. Leaders work collaboratively to strengthen school systems and build teacher capability. The leadership team has a shared focus. They are supporting teaching teams to appropriately focus on accelerated progress for learners.

A review of the curriculum has commenced, with community consultation on Hutt Central School's vision and values. Reviews and updates of essential learning areas are planned. Staff have access to a wide range of external curriculum-related professional development that supports capacity building. Leaders have a clear focus on creating consistency of teaching practice across the school.

Components of the 2016 appraisal process promote ongoing improvement. The process is appropriately linked to the Practising Teacher Criteria. Each teacher carries out professional inquiry into their practice based on the learning needs of their students. In 2016, the focus is writing. Observations of teaching and learning are carried out by the leadership team who provide useful feedback. Teacher development is also supported by across-school professional learning groups, that use a structured 'case study' approach to explore teaching possibilities and share strategies. Next steps are to:

  • embed current appraisal practice and revise the policies and procedures to better reflect the newly developed process
  • develop a set of procedures to guide the endorsement process that builds on and reflects the current process.

Teachers are reflective and the collaborative inquiry model is a useful tool for ongoing evaluation. A next step is to develop shared schoolwide understandings of effective internal evaluation for improvement.

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
  • respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
  • regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
  • act on what they know works well for each child
  • build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
  • are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

Leaders and teachers have collaboratively developed a useful approach to inquiring into how effectively they meet the learning needs of their target students. Teacher capability is being enhanced, with plans in place that focus on equity and excellence of student outcomes.

The board, through internal evaluation, needs to be clear about how well the school is addressing equity and excellence for all students.

ERO is likely to carry out the next 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.

7 Recommendations

ERO's external evaluation affirms the school's determination to continue to:

  • focus on accelerating the achievement of Māori students and boys
  • develop a relentless approach to the responsiveness of teaching for each individual student whose learning and achievement need acceleration
  • develop understanding of internal evaluation for improvement.

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

9 September 2016

About the school

Location

Lower Hutt

Ministry of Education profile number

2862

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

311

Gender composition

Male 52%, Female 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Pacific

Asian

Indian

Other ethnic groups

20%

55%

7%

6%

5%

7%

Review team on site

August 2016

Date of this report

9 September 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

October 2013

November 2010

July 2007