Barrytown School

Findings

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO‘s overall evaluation judgement of Barrytown School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is that it is: Developing.

1 Background and Context

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

Barrytown School, for Years 1 to 8 students, is located on the West Coast of the South Island. The current roll of 20 children includes 6 who are Māori.

At the time of the 2017 ERO review, the school had a Commissioner and a new principal was in place after a period of considerable leadership change. A new board was elected in mid-2018. Since its election the board has undertaken professional learning to understand and implement its governance role and responsibilities. It has been supported by the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA).

The August 2017 ERO report noted the good progress that had been made with regard to developing all aspects of the school’s operations, including ensuring quality teaching and learning for all children.

Concerns were identified, however, relating to accelerating achievement, curriculum development, the development of bicultural practices, strategic planning, internal evaluation, and succession planning for future stewardship. The principal and board have worked with ERO to report on and evaluate progress towards addressing these concerns. In addition two areas of compliance were noted: the provision of a second language and sexuality education.

The principal and staff have focussed on building positive relationships with the community and on a collaborative approach to developing the systems and processes necessary to address the priority areas identified. Strategic professional learning has targeted mathematics, assessment tools, and understanding and using data.

The principal and staff have accessed local expertise to build bicultural knowledge and understanding. Membership of the Māwhera Kāhui Ako has enabled them to proactively build and utilise useful links with other schools and access educational resources.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

From the areas for improvement identified in the August 2017 ERO report, the following priorities were developed:

• embedding the necessary systems to effectively accelerate learning and achievement

• developing a local curriculum and enabling children to develop the ability to manage their own learning

• developing bicultural practices and opportunities for Māori children to build on their language, culture and identity

• strengthening organisation systems to ensure the ongoing evaluation of teaching and learning and outcomes for children

• building strategic planning and stewardship capability and capacity.

Progress

Since the end of 2017, steady progress has been made to improve student achievement, supported by useful PLD. Most children in the school are working at or above curriculum expectations. Most children at risk of not achieving in mathematics made accelerated progress. Children with identified learning needs are now closely tracked and monitored. Leaders and teachers have begun to use data more effectively to better show a schoolwide picture of children’s progress over time and to report this information to the board of trustees.

Next steps:

• the board and leaders should set specific achievement targets and evaluate what is making the most difference to children’s learning

• the board should continue to build its understanding of achievement data and learning progress.

The school has made sound progress in building a coherent and responsive localised curriculum. Overarching themes are strongly linked to the local environment and resources. Systems have been developed to enable better planning, tracking and evaluation of teaching and learning. Children are supported to set goals, make learning choices and develop the skills to manage their own learning.

Next step:

• leaders and teachers should embed these systems and understandings in order to ensure consistency and sustainability across the school.

Leaders and teachers have developed a strong bicultural focus across all aspects of the school. Effective relationships have been established with local iwi. This is helping to increase both the visibility of New Zealand’s bicultural heritage within the environment and the opportunities for all children, especially Māori children, to see and experience this bicultural heritage in their learning.

Next step:

• these understandings and practices should be further embedded across all aspects of the school.

Leaders and teachers have developed a useful internal evaluation framework. They are beginning to use this to understand what is working well and what is not, and to use this information to achieve improved outcomes for children. An appraisal system has been developed and was implemented in 2019.

Next steps:

• leaders should continue to develop and implement the appraisal system and teaching as inquiry practices

• leaders and teachers should embed systematic, effective internal evaluation practices throughout all school operations.

The board has been in operation a relatively short time. Trustees have sought outside assistance to understand their roles and responsibilities. They are building their understanding of achievement data and setting goals to achieve the valued outcomes. They have taken ownership of the existing strategic plan from the time of the Commissioner and have begun to review this.

Next steps:

• the board should complete the review of the strategic plan, and ensure there is an explicit focus on specific targets and outcomes for children, and that an evaluative cycle is incorporated.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school has made positive changes and is continuing to improve and review its performance. Stable leadership has enabled the introduction of useful initiatives and programmes. Ongoing professional development, focusing on key areas of teaching, has the potential to strengthen outcomes for students. Availability of teaching staff remains a continuing regional challenge, especially for small schools such as Barrytown.

Trustees have been focused on fully understanding the stewardship role. They now need to focus on outcomes for children and developing a better understanding of achievement data in order to inform their decision making.

As the board approaches its first elections, ensuring ongoing succession planning and sustainability of improved governance practices are crucial priorities.

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
• school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

The two areas of compliance raised in the August 2017 report were both addressed.

Conclusion

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO‘s overall evaluation judgement of Barrytown School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is that it is: Developing.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

21 June 2019

About the School