Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within twelve months of the Education Review Office and Ellesmere College 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
Ellesmere College is a state co-educational secondary school located in Leeston in Selwyn and caters for students in Years 7 to 13.
Ellesmere Colleges strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to implement:
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a model of new pedagogies for deep learning which is individualised, connected, visible, future-focused and culturally sustaining
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a range of strategies to track, monitor and enhance student hauora and achievement
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new opportunities to build collaboration between the school and wider community
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collaborative and shared decision-making structures across the school to enhance bicultural partnership obligations and responsibilities under Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi, and commitment to valued outcomes in the school community.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Ellesmere Colleges website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate to what extent the reorganization of the curriculum delivery model (AKO) leads to positive outcomes for students in terms of well-being, engagement and excellence and equity in achievement.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:
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review curriculum delivery in Years 7 to 9
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explore SOLO and a deep learning approach to provide an integrated cross curricular approach to teaching and learning
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strengthen school-wide practices for planning, delivering, assessing and reporting on progress and achievement.
The school expects to use the outcomes of the evaluation to develop a local curriculum which provides a coordinated approach to teaching and learning, incorporates the changes in the national curriculum and reflects the local context. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of achievement, valued outcomes, and other indicator data will show improved student outcomes in terms of excellence and equity for all students.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to review the localised curriculum and maintain a focus on achieving excellent and equitable outcomes for all students:
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Teachers share high, clear, and equitable expectations for student learning, achievement, progress, and wellbeing.
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Internal evaluation practices support the gathering, analysis, and use of evidence of student learning and outcomes to improve practice.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
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implementing a localised curriculum which is responsive to the aspirations of students, parents, and whānau
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using internal evaluation to support the quality, consistency, and coherence of the school’s curriculum, assessment and teacher practice across the primary and secondary 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
23 June 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