Allenton School

1 Context

Allenton School is a large school with an increasingly diverse roll.

Purposeful partnerships with parents and whānau are in place between the school, home and local community. The school benefits from an active PTA.

Since the previous review in 2013, there has been some changes to the management team including the appointment of an assistant principal. The board, managers and leaders have responded well to the recommendations from the previous ERO report.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are 'Together we learn and grow'. The Allenton values of Aroha, Self Managing, Always Thinking, Communicating and Effort (ASACE) underpin practice.

Most Māori students are just below the national standard in reading and mathematics. They are slightly lower than the national average in writing. Pacific students achieve just below the national standards in reading and slightly lower than the national average in mathematics and writing. Overall, children at this school achieve above the national standard in reading, mathematics, and writing. Over the last three years student achievement and progress have remained high.

Leaders and teachers are addressing this disparity by focusing on early identification and responding to student needs. Students with high and very high needs benefit from well planned and implemented individual education plans which make appropriate use of expertise within and beyond the school. Target students are identified and planned for at class and syndicate level. Teachers have developed a greater focus on strategies and deliberate acts of teaching that will assist Māori and Pacific children with their learning.

Since the 2013 ERO review, the school has made a strategic approach to developing school-wide focus on increasing cultural perspectives and understandings of te ao Māori. This includes developing:

• a specific leadership role, for the development and implementation of cultural practices
• an approach to te reo and tikanga Māori programmes that supports Māori achievement
• a process to consult with the Māori school community
• an extensive Māori action plan to strategically guide practices and support children's progress.

Increasing emphasis has been given to developing the Pacific culture to support student learning and wellbeing in ways that are respectful of Pacific families. A strategic approach is being developed to better align to the schools Pasifika Plan.

Students with additional needs, including ESOL, are well provided for within an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The school is increasingly effective in responding to children who remain at the school for long periods of time. Since the last review, achievement data for Māori students has fluctuated due to high numbers of students entering and leaving the school during the year. Leaders now need to be able to show the progress of Māori students who stay at school for an extended period and plan ways to track the progress of transient students.

There are a number of Māori students who are recognised as being culturally gifted and are extended in many ways within and beyond the classroom.

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

The school is developing effective systems and processes for other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. Staff know children well and have a shared responsibility for the learning and wellbeing of every child. They regularly reflect on the progress children are making and adapt learning programmes and their learning needs.

There are a wide range of assessment activities and a well-structured moderation process across the school. These processes provide teachers with meaningful assessment data from which to make decisions about students' achievement levels in relation to the National Standards.

There is a strong, school-wide emphasis on developing a positive learning school culture. Learning focused classroom environments are inclusive and provide regular opportunities for children to learn with and from one another. Students are positive about school and are involved in authentic programmes that extend their learning.

There are high levels of support for children who need additional help.

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 school's curriculum effectively develops and enacts the school’s vision, values, goals and priorities for equity and excellence.

Students are provided with a range of learning opportunities with a particular emphasis on literacy, mathematics, cultural and physical activities. Students in Year 6 are provided with many practical and worthwhile leadership opportunities.

Teachers place an increasing emphasis on involving children in their learning. Student's personal goal setting and feedback from teachers are helping them to focus on key aspects to their learning. Flexible classroom groupings are responsive to student needs. Small class sizes are a feature and priority of the school.

Teachers are making good use of digital technology particularly in the senior school where students are becoming more independent with their learning.

Managers foster a collaborative, reflective and professional team culture that builds on leadership capacity and teacher capability. Staff strengths are highly valued and well used. There is a systematic approach to internal evaluation/self-review across all levels of the school that is focused on positive outcomes for children.

A feature of the school is the holistic approach taken when providing programmes for the gifted and talented students (GATE). Students benefit from opportunities to extend their chosen interest, which is decided in consultation with parents.

Trustees, leaders and teachers have high expectations for teaching and learning. They have developed different ways to successfully build ongoing learning-focused partnerships with parents and whānau. The board is highly supportive and responsive to resourcing targeted professional development, additional specialist staffing and learning initiatives.

School leaders have identified, and ERO agree the key next steps include:

• refining school targets for those children most at risk of not achieving against the National Standards
• developing a more cohesive process for tracking and reporting on identified and targeted children over time
• continuing to review and evaluate the curriculum so that it becomes culturally responsive
• refining and embed the appraisal process.

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.

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 Recommendation

The school leaders action the key next steps in this report.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Te Waipounamu Southern

21 November 2016

About the school