Rangikura School

Education institution number:
2970
School type:
Full Primary
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
345
Telephone:
Address:

95 Conclusion Street, Ascot Park, Porirua

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Rangikura School - 02/04/2019

School Context

Rangikura School in Porirua provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. At the time of this ERO review, the roll is 368 students of whom 45% are of Pacific heritage and 36% are Māori.

The school vision -Tamaiti Mua, children first/ to the front – states that: ‘community and school work in a partnership based on trust and respect. In this partnership our children’s education and wellbeing will always come first.’ The school has embarked on the next step of this vision: He waka eke noa - a canoe which we are in together.’

The vision is supported by the values of: Whakaute – Respect, Hauora – Pride, Ngākau – Resilience, Moral Courage, Kaitiakitanga – Responsibility, Whanaungatanga/Manaakitanga – Citizenship and Kairangatira – Excellence. These are blended with the values of The New Zealand Curriculum to underpin students’ holistic development.

The school goals and targets for improvement in student outcomes are linked to the areas of improvement in:

  • achievement – all learners will reach their full potential

  • inclusion –all learners will feel a true sense of belonging

  • wellbeing – all learners will feel supported, safe and happy.

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
  • cultural and curriculum experiences
  • wellbeing and attendance.

Professional development in 2018 was focused on raising achievement in writing. The school’s reporting history with ERO is positive and indicates continuing improvement.

The school is a member of the Porirua North Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning (CoL).

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?

In 2018, a large majority of students achieved at or above the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics.

Pacific students achieve better than Māori in reading, writing, and mathematics. Achievement rates are similar for boys and girls in mathematics, but disparity is evident for boys in reading and writing.

Measures have been taken to reduce disparity and to raise overall achievement over time. Specific year groups and those with overall lower rates of achievement are identified in the school’s annual targets.

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

Acceleration is evident for many students, including Māori and Pacific, in reading, writing and mathematics in 2018.

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?

The school is turangawaewae for many students and their whānau. A friendly, family culture is promoted and a strong sense of belonging is highly evident. Students are well known. Strong relationships are built in a caring and supportive environment.

There are high expectations that the academic progress of all students will be underpinned by a holistic approach and consideration for their wellbeing and individual needs. Success and diversity are valued and celebrated. Children collaborate and support the learning of others. Positive, respectful ways of working with each other are evident and a wide range of leadership opportunities are available to students.

There is an unrelenting focus on learning. A well-considered process for curriculum review and development is focused on promoting a localised curriculum and future-focused learning. It is well informed by research, external expertise and stake holders. This enables students to experience a holistic curriculum that is enhanced by a variety of options designed to engage students and to provoke curiosity and interest in new learning.

Groups of students who require their learning to be accelerated are clearly identified, targeted and supported. The school continues to implement and refine effective practices and processes to address the equity of outcomes for all learners. Deliberate actions and strategic goals focus on ongoing improvement. Target students have sufficient opportunities to revisit and consolidate learning over time. There is useful tracking of student progress for both individuals and groups at class, syndicate and schoolwide levels.

There is a strong cultural focus that respects children’s individual identities. This pervades all school activities. Treaty of Waitangi principles are woven throughout school life. The principal and teachers have continued to deepen their understanding and knowledge of te ao Māori. Pacific cultures are highly evident through all areas of the school.

Inclusive practices are highly evident in the school environment. Students with additional needs are well supported by teachers and their classmates to participate in school life. School systems effectively identify their individual needs which are individually planned for. A wrap around team, teachers and teacher aides work together for the holistic good of some children and their families. Staff work collaboratively with parents and specialist staff to provide the support these students require. External agency support is accessed through the special education needs coordinator who brokers expertise and builds the capacity of teacher assistants.

Strong home-school links are based on supporting, learning and success. Parents are respected partners in learning. A range of initiatives are regularly offered to parents to deepen their understanding about how they can support their children’s learning at home. A range of tools are used to communicate with whānau, to include them in student learning, inform them of their child’s progress and involve them in the wider life of the school.

Leaders and teachers are skilled and well supported to grow their leadership and teaching capability. They are highly collaborative. They share knowledge and contribute to each other’s professional learning. Deliberate opportunities are provided to grow the skills of others as leaders and educators. Ongoing inquiry is an integral part of teachers’ learning. Development opportunities are linked to the school’s strategic goals, Kāhui Ako priorities and individual needs. The strengthened appraisal process is robust, regular and collaborative.

Leaders strongly guide and support the school’s direction. They have created relational trust at all levels of the school and community. They are improvement focused and attentive to positive student outcomes and success in wellbeing and achievement contexts. They provide holistic support and pastoral care that is deliberate and intentional.

Well-developed systems and processes enable the effective functioning of the school. Leaders are actively involved in planning, coordinating and evaluating the curriculum and teaching. They ensure that evaluation and knowledge building activities are purposeful, systematic and coherent. They actively grow their evaluative understanding and capacity and seek to evaluate the impact of new initiatives and actions.

Trustees maintain effective relationships with the principal, staff, students and community. They are well informed and actively seek to understand the intent and operation of initiatives to support student achievement and wellbeing. They are active in supporting school-community partnership building. Trustees and leaders are effective communicators.

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

Leaders agree there is a need to continue to deepen their understanding of internal evaluation to inform ongoing improvements to the school’s processes and practices.

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.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

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

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance 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:

  • ongoing improvement that supports positive outcomes for the whole child
  • a culturally responsive, localised curriculum that supports children’s identity and interests
  • stewardship and leadership that builds partnerships with parents and the community
  • strong, collaborative professional practice that supports ongoing teacher growth.

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, a priority area for further development is to:

  • deepen the understanding of internal evaluation practice to further understand the impact of change on improved student outcomes.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

2 April 2019

About the school

Location

Porirua

Ministry of Education profile number

2970

School type

Full Primary, Years 1 to 8

School roll

368

Gender composition

Boys 55% Girls 45%

Ethnic composition

Māori 36%
Pacific 45%
Pākehā 10%
Asian 6%
Other ethnic groups 3%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

February 2019

Date of this report

2 April 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review May 2016
Education Review April 2013

Rangikura School - 23/05/2016

1 Context

Rangikura School is a full primary school in the Porirua suburb of Ascot Park. Of the 377 students, 36% identify as Māori and a further 45% identify as Pacific. At the time of the review the school had two acting co-deputy principals who commenced their roles at the beginning of 2016.

The school is involved in a range of professional development opportunities including: Advanced Literacy Learning; Advanced Learning in Mathematics; a junior school literacy research project through Massey University; and an information technology contract.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision for student learning and wellbeing is clearly articulated. The motto Tamaiti Mua - Children First - is promoted through a collaborative and collective partnership between staff, parents, students and the community. Relationships are underpinned by the values of respect for self, others and the environment, responsibility and pursuit of excellence. Students will learn the skills of independence and cooperation, use their talents and relate well to others.

The school's achievement information shows that the majority of students are achieving at or above in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Pacific students' achievement continues to improve. The school has yet to get the achievement of Māori boys to the level of other students in the school. Although some improvement is evident, there is an ongoing school focus on accelerating their progress.

In response to its data, staff are working to more effectively engage with whānau Māori, so that parents and family can be more involved and support the progress of their children. Since the April 2013 ERO evaluation, targeted professional development in literacy, mathematics and digital technologies has led to more effective monitoring and tracking of student achievement. Planning is increasingly responsive to identified student needs. School leaders recognise the importance of continuing this development.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

Māori Students whose progress requires acceleration are well identified and monitored at class and syndicate level. Teachers plan collaboratively to share strategies and promote better learning outcomes. Data shows that a positive difference is being made for some students.

The school knows that not all Māori students have their achievement accelerated in reading, writing and mathematics. An appropriately focused Māori achievement plan has been developed in response to this. A key aspect of this plan for 2016 is to achieve the same level of success in forming educationally powerful partnerships with whānau as with Pacific families.

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

Acceleration of achievement for other groups of students is significant. The school knows that this improvement in achievement, particularly for Pacific students, is associated with improved engagement and partnership for learning with families.

The special education needs coordinator works effectively with families, fanau, staff and external agencies to ensure that each student's needs are thoroughly identified and addressed. There is a relentless focus on supporting students, whatever their needs, to be ready for 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 priorities for equity and excellence?

The school has well-established and carefully aligned systems and processes that respond to the interests and needs of students and their families. School leaders and staff demonstrate high expectations for teaching, achievement and behaviour. The school's vision, values and priorities are clearly articulated and evident in practice.

Te ao Māori and Pacific cultures are integral to school life. Language nests support Māori and Samoan learners. Through ongoing development the curriculum is responsive to the culture, values and identity of the local community.

Students are settled in classes, on task, and engaged in their learning. A positive learning environment with reciprocal, respectful relationships is evident throughout the school. The inclusive school culture is focused on student wellbeing and learning-centred relationships.

Collaborative leadership focuses on equity and excellence. Leaders make good use of ongoing review and reflection to evaluate teaching and learning, and inform development and make improvements.

Teachers and leaders decide on learning priorities and set goals and targets from well-analysed student achievement data. Actions taken in response to these are appropriately evaluated to determine their impact and effectiveness.

Trustees and school leaders work effectively together to plan strategically and drive initiatives to improve outcomes for students.

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 who need their 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.

Teachers are improvement focused and use internal evaluation effectively to inform their decision making.

The school has the capacity to monitor and evaluate actions to accelerate achievement outlined in its Māori achievement plan for 2016. Data gathered for individuals over eight years indicates that most leave Rangikura School achieving at or above the National Standards.

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 findings affirm the school's determination to:

  • continue the focus on accelerating the achievement of Māori, boys in particular. The success of engagement of Pacific families in the learning of their children should be emulated for whānau Māori
  • be vigilant about the responsiveness of teaching for each individual Māori student whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

23 May 2016

About the school

Location

Porirua

Ministry of Education profile number

2970

School type

Full Primary (Year 1 to 8)

School roll

377

Gender composition

Male 54%, Female 46%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pacific

Pākehā

Asian

Other ethnic groups

36%

45%

12%

3%

4%

Review team on site

February 2016

Date of this report

23 May 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

April 2013

December 2009

December 2006