Ouruhia Model School

Education institution number:
3464
School type:
Full Primary
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Model School
Total roll:
49
Telephone:
Address:

21 Turners Road, Ouruhia, Christchurch

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Ouruhia Model School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 24 months of the Education Review Office and Ouruhia Model 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 

Ouruhia Model School caters for students in years 1 to 8. It is located in Marshlands, Christchurch. The school’s motto: Learning for Life and Making it Count is about creating life-long learners who learn the fundamental skills, attitudes and values needed for a successful life.

Ouruhia Model School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • student engagement and achievement in Reading and Mathematics through a Structured Literacy approach and Mathematics – No Problem programme

  • teachers’ use of the Local and Digital Technology Curriculum to teach the school values and create authentic, powerful cross-curricular learning.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Ouruhia Model School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school is meeting the needs of all learners through a culturally responsive local curriculum.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • the school wants to better weave history, location, environment, community, the Arts and its school valued outcomes into responsive teaching and learning programmes

  • it will support the school to develop shared understandings across the school community of what learners need to learn, and how teacher practice will make that happen  

The school expects to see:

  • students loving learning, being curious, creative, showing initiative and well-equipped to move on to future learning pathways when they leave Ouruhia Model School

  • leadership and support for a whole localised curriculum which engages and enthuses students to learn, meets student and whānau needs and aspirations and delivers the outcomes valued by the school community

  • teachers providing sufficient opportunities for students to practise and learn through an authentic localised curriculum that is culturally responsive.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to meet the needs of all learners through a culturally responsive local curriculum.

  • Prior development of school values, PB4L, and recent curriculum professional development that has developed a strong foundation for focused learning.

  • Meaningful connections with mana whenua (Ngāi Tūāhuriri) and Te Kāhui Ako Kātote that is developing clear understanding of tikanga, mahinga kai, and reo Māori.

  • Strong leadership across the school that empowers teachers and students to be influential in decision making.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • embedding and extending improvements in teaching and learning guided by regular and authentic collection of student’s and whānau voice, experience, and aspiration

  • continuing the clear communication with the school community to develop shared understandings of high-quality learning at Ouruhia Model School.

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.

Kathy Lye
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

13 April 2023 

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

Ouruhia Model School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2021 to 2024

As of September 2021, the Ouruhia Model, School Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Further Information

For further information please contact Ouruhia Model, School Board.

The next School Board assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.

Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.

Kathy Lye
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

13 April 2023 

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

Ouruhia Model School - 09/05/2018

School Context

Ouruhia Model School has a roll of 77 students from Years 1 to 8. It is located in a semi-rural community on the outskirts of Christchurch. The school’s model status means it has close links with initial teacher education programmes.

The school’s vision, our people, our place, our future, is supported by a mission statement focused on learning for life and making it count. The valued outcomes for learners include students being thinking, independent learners who are caring and sharing, and have a ‘can do’ attitude.

Strategic goals focus on:

  • improving teachers’ knowledge and skills for teaching, learning and assessment
  • delivering a curriculum which prepares and motivates students for life-long learning
  • enhancing open communication with students, families and the community.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

  • positive behaviour management processes that support consistent practice and guide children’s behaviour.

There have been few changes in staff at the school in recent years. There is a mix of experienced and new trustees on the board.

Since the last ERO review, the leaders and teachers have participated in Ministry of Education professional learning and development initiatives including accelerated learning in mathematics (ALIM) and positive behaviour for learning (PB4L).

Ouruhia Model School is part of the Katote 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?

The school is effectively achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most of its students.

Students are achieving well in reading and mathematics. Overall achievement in reading, writing and mathematics for all groups have had sustained improvement over time. Māori students achieve at the same levels as their peers. Achievement levels in writing is at or above expected standards and has remained constant over recent years.

There is no formal reporting on children’s achievement against other curriculum areas and the school’s valued outcomes.

Children with additional learning needs are well supported to make progress.

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

The school is effective in accelerating the progress of the majority of students in writing and mathematics.

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?

Trustees, senior leaders and teachers have a strong commitment to equity and excellence for all learners. The school has many effective processes to progress the learning and achievement of all children. These particularly relate to children’s wellbeing and opportunities in learning. There is a deliberate focus on relationships which is providing a culture of inclusiveness.

The school’s strategic plan, aligned to its Kāhui Ako priorities, provides clear direction. The principal and teachers, with the support of the Board, have targeted professional development to focus on improving learner outcomes and increase teacher capability.

Leadership builds relational trust and effective collaboration at every level of the school community. Children, parents, whānau and the community are well known and learning-centred relationships are actively promoted.

Since the November 2014 ERO report, leaders and teachers have responded well to the recommendations to further promote equity and excellence outcomes. These responses have led to specific actions which include:

  • regular internal evaluation of programmes for priority learners

  • closely monitoring the progress of targeted children

  • building teacher capacity to accelerate student achievement

  • documenting teacher expectations to ensure greater consistency for children’s learning

  • increasing constructive feedback through the appraisal system.

Tuakana-teina relationships are well embedded in the learning environment. Children are provided with opportunities to experience and value te ao Māori. Professional development is helping to build culturally responsive practices across the school.

The principal and teachers effectively manage and promote an environment that supports participation, engagement and choices in learning. Children benefit from programmes that are responsive to their needs, interests and abilities. A responsive and localised curriculum provides children with many opportunities to learn. The school proactively identifies and draws on community resources to enhance learning experiences, achievement and wellbeing.

The principal consistently monitors, evaluates and reports on a number of goals that relate to the acceleration and progress of children who are at risk of not achieving. Teachers are using learning information and inquiry to improve outcomes for all children. Moderation and assessment practices contribute to effective teacher judgements about children’s learning.

The school’s performance management system is focused on consolidating teacher capability to improve outcomes for children.

Teachers have effective practices to support children who need extra support with their learning. They know these children well as individuals and learners, and carefully monitor and report to parents each child’s progress.

The school’s involvement in the Katote Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning is having a positive impact on teaching and learning. The school is confident that its role in the Kāhui Ako will further strengthen relationships with other schools and teachers, and improve opportunities for children to experience success.

The board actively represents and serves the community and school in its role. It takes pride in the improvements and successes which the school community celebrates. Trustees receive regular reports about school priorities, student achievement targets and behaviour management. They use this information to ensure the focus remains on equity and excellence for all children.

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

Some areas of the school’s processes need to be strengthened and embedded to increase their effectiveness in achieving equity and excellence. The board and leaders need to continue to:

  • develop and strengthen internal evaluation to build understanding and practice for ongoing improvement and innovation. This includes evaluating the impact of strategies and initiatives to improve learning outcomes
  • strengthen and embed current bicultural practices through the curriculum, strategic planning and physical environment.

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 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

  • a culture of collaboration and inclusiveness that builds relational trust and maintains high expectations for learner-centred success

  • a responsive vision and localised curriculum that emphasises student agency and broad opportunities for learning experiences

  • achieving outcomes for students that are equitable for all groups and show consistently good levels of achievement.

Next steps

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

  • continuing to improve internal evaluation practices

  • strengthening and embedding current bicultural practices.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

9 May 2018

About the school

Location

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

3464

School type

Full Primary (Year 1-8)

School roll

77

Gender composition

Girls: 43 Boys: 34

Ethnic composition

Māori: 16

Pākehā: 59

Other: 2

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

February 2018

Date of this report

9 May 2018

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review: November 2014

Education Review: August 2011