Pleasant Point Primary School

Findings

Students benefit from rich learning experiences in and beyond the school. Māori students experience many aspects of their identity, culture, language in school life and learning. Students told ERO that teachers care about them and their learning. Teachers foster positive relationships with parents. The school is well governed and managed.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Pleasant Point Primary School provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. Many of the students travel to school by bus from the surrounding area. The school has experienced significant roll growth in the last four years. Since the last ERO review in 2009, the number of Māori students attending the school has increased from 6% to 17% in 2014.

Students learn in a spacious and attractive setting that promotes their creativity and exploration. The grounds are purposefully used as an extension to the classrooms.

School leaders, teachers and students have created a positive school culture that is very inclusive of parents and the wider community.

Since the last ERO review a new principal has been appointed. He has led many developments that have resulted in significant progress being made. These include revising the curriculum, developing self-review practices and improving the school’s financial position.

Students achieve and progress well in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to the National Standards. School achievement information shows that in the last two years there has been a significant lift in student achievement levels.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

The school makes very effective use of a wide range of learning information to make positive changes to students’ learning. Trustees and teachers have high expectations that students will achieve, make appropriate progress and be engaged in their learning.

Areas of strength

Students use learning information with teachers to:

• know about their achievement and progress
• take responsibility for their own learning
• know of what is expected of them as learners and what they need to do to progress.

Teachers make effective use of learning information to:

• determine the learning levels and needs of individuals and groups of students
• monitor and ensure students are making appropriate progress
• evaluate the impact their teaching is having on students’ learning
• identify the changes they need to make to progress students’ learning.

Leaders make purposeful use of learning information to:

• identify students that need additional support to make accelerated progress
• track the progress and achievement of groups of students and school-wide
• evaluate the impact of learning programmes, including additional support programmes
• identify targeted groups and areas of learning that need to be supported and focused on.

Trustees feel they are well informed about school-wide progress and achievement, including the effectiveness of support programmes. They use the information to make decisions about resourcing.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The school’s curriculum very effectively promotes and supports students’ learning.

Areas of strength

The curriculum has been reviewed and revised in consultation with parents. It places a strong emphasis on the school’s values in order to create a positive learning environment. There is meaningful alignment between the school’s vision, values, principles and key competencies. They are well incorporated into learning and teaching programmes. Teachers are well supported by detailed guidelines for teaching and assessment.

Students and teachers clearly demonstrate their ownership of the school values. ERO observed this in action.

Students benefit from rich learning experiences in and beyond the school. These experiences include relevant learning of their bicultural heritage. Teachers make effective use of the local environment and contexts to make learning meaningful and interesting for students.

Students’ leadership skills and knowledge are intentionally developed. Their ideas and opinions are increasingly being sought and responded to. School leaders and teachers foster positive relationships between home and school.

Students learn in settled, suitably resourced classrooms. There is a high focus on learning and teachers have a sense of urgency to ensure students are making appropriate progress. They are open to using different approaches and strategies to improve outcomes for students.

Students, ERO spoke to said that their teachers care about them and their learning.

Learning support programmes are well implemented. Students benefit from a range of interventions to support identified needs. Their progress is well monitored. Teachers review this to ensure they are meeting the students’ needs. The school makes effective use of the teacher aides.

Area for development

The principal and senior leaders acknowledge that their next steps are to continue to review the curriculum, including:

• increasing students’ involvement in their own learning by having them contribute to the discussions about their achievement levels
• teachers using information from other learning areas to support their decisions about student achievement in relation to the National Standards
• completing the revision of curriculum statements for areas other than mathematics and English.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

Students experience many aspects of their identity, culture, language in school life and learning. Contributing to these experiences are:

• visits to the local marae
• the many opportunities students have to hear and use te reo Māori throughout the day
• the way teachers include tikanga Māori into the way things are done at Pleasant Point Primary School.

The large kapahaka group showcases the group’s growing Māori performance skills and offers opportunities for student leadership to be extended in this context.

Most Māori students are achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to the National Standards. Suitable targets are set to improve achievement in identified areas. Students told ERO they feel well supported and cared for in their learning and are encouraged to ‘stand strong in their culture’.

Teachers, school leaders and trustees are committed to providing a bicultural environment. There is a growing awareness of te ao Māori across the school community, including the notion of Māori giftedness. School leaders have carried out an informative review of how effectively the school is providing for Māori learners. As part of this review the perspectives of Māori whānau were gathered. Many of the useful review findings have been responded to.

Māori protocols are increasingly becoming part of school practices. Core Māori cultural concepts, including manaakitanga/caring, whanaungatanga/inclusion, kotahitanga/unity and aroha as a natural part of school life are very evident throughout school practice. As part of the further development of cultural awareness, the school should make stronger and more visible connections between concepts valued by Māori and the school’s values.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Trustees, leaders and teachers are committed to ongoing school-wide improvement.

Areas of strength

The board and school leaders demonstrate a strong notion of kaitiaki/guardianship for those in the school, and for those still to come. Trustees know the importance of planning for the future to ensure that the vision, values and school practices are sustained. They are knowledgeable in their role and are highly aware of the need to be strategic when making decisions.

The principal and deputy principal are effectively leading and managing the school. They articulate and support high expectations for teachers as professionals. A change to the leadership structure is growing leadership amongst the staff.

There is a comprehensive structure and framework for self review. Review findings inform future planning. Targeted outcomes are focused on useful priorities that are likely to lead to positive student outcomes. The principal is developing a school-wide knowledge and awareness of the value of self review and how its leads to improving outcomes for students.

Area for review

The board needs to refine the way annual plan outcomes are stated so that they are more easily evaluated against measurable indicators of success.

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.

Conclusion

Students benefit from rich learning experiences in and beyond the school. Māori students experience many aspects of their identity, culture, language in school life and learning. Students told ERO that teachers care about them and their learning. Teachers foster positive relationships with parents. The school is well governed and managed.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

25 February 2015

About the School