Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within twelve months of the Education Review Office and Marshland School working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz
Context
Marshland School is located in the suburb of Marshland in Christchurch and caters for students in Years 1 to 8.
Marshland School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:
- strengthen teacher capability by accessing resources, support and sharing expertise to effectively review and deliver quality learning opportunities for diverse learners, and to engage learners in authentic learning opportunities
- partner with whānau to enhance curriculum and learning opportunities in ways that responds to their needs and sustains their identities, language and culture
- reduce barriers for all learners, including those with priority needs targeted for extra support, those with learning support needs, and Māori and Pasifika.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Marshland School‘s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate to what extent the implementation of the GROWTH outcome model for staff professional development and implementation of professional growth cycles led to the enhancement of teaching and assessment practices that promote excellence and equity in achievement outcomes for all students.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:
- build shared understandings about the key principles and pedagogy underpinning the school's local curriculum
- develop coherent, school-wide practices for planning, delivering, and evaluating the curriculum
- foster ongoing collection of whānau and ākonga perspectives on how well the curriculum supports all students' sense of belonging and engagement in learning
- accelerate the progress and achievement of children identified as priority learners.
The school expects that teacher engagement with the professional growth cycles will enhance their capability to describe student achievement against curriculum levels, provide students with well-defined next steps for future learning, identify and reduce barriers and support excellent and equitable achievement outcomes for all students
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to achieve excellent and equitable achievement outcomes for all students:
- A commitment to growing the capability of the principal and staff to support and promote student achievement and engagement
- Robust processes, systems and practices to support the progress and achievement of all children
- Well developed internal evaluation practices.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise implementing an annual cycle of professional growth and supporting teachers to engage in it, fostering an environment for inclusive, collaborative teacher learning to advance understanding of the relationship between professional practice and outcomes for learners.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
8 July 2022
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home