St Bernadette's School (Hornby)

School Context

St Bernadette’s School, located in Hornby, Christchurch, is a Catholic state integrated school for children in Years 1 to 8. The current roll is 124.

The school states that its vision is: ‘We strive to develop students who show compassion, excellence, responsibility and respect”. The vision is supported by a mission statement “Create learners through connected learning and to nurture respectful citizens who learn and live the Gospel Values.” The school values, (collectively known as C.E.R.R values) are compassion (manaakitanga), excellence (ako), responsibility (titiro whakamua) and respect (ngāwari).

The 2019 strategic targets are to:

• develop an inclusive learning culture aligned to the school values
• improve and enhance learn, create, share pedagogy across the school
• ensure a strengths-based, reciprocal relationship will exist between school, parish, whānau and the wider 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
• engagement and wellbeing
• religious education.

The learning community is ethnically diverse. Leaders and teachers welcome children from a range of cultures including those of Filipino, Māori and Pacific heritages. A significant number of children are English language learners (ELL).

Staffing has remained mostly consistent since the previous ERO review in 2016.

The school board is made up of four proprietor’s and five elected parent representatives.

Leaders and teachers have participated in professional learning for writing, digital technologies, reading and supporting student’s wellbeing.

The school is an active participant in the Uru Mānuka Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning.

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 successful in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for the large majority of its students.

Achievement information for the end of 2018 shows that:

• the large majority of students achieve at or above expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics
• overall achievement patterns in writing and mathematics show improvement over time
• Pacific students achieve as well or better than their peers in reading, writing and mathematics
• Māori students achieve as well as other students in reading, writing and mathematics.

Wellbeing survey information from 2019 indicates that almost all students believe that their families’ culture is treated with respect and that teachers help them to learn.

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

Teachers effectively accelerate the achievement of some students who need this. Achievement information shows that some priority learners make accelerated progress to meet expected curriculum levels. Priority learners are effectively identified, supported and monitored.

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?

The Catholic faith and C.E.R.R values provide a focal point and strength for this learning community. Leaders and teachers have developed effective and positive relationships with parents, whānau, the parish and local community. There are regular opportunities for engagement in school events and activities and to communicate about children’s learning. Feedback is actively sought through surveys and other tools and used well to inform school directions and developments.

Students demonstrate confidence in their identities, languages and cultures. Effective, culturally responsive teaching practices and cultural events are used to promote student achievement and wellbeing. Students with diverse learning needs are well supported by teachers and learning assistants to access the curriculum. Relationships between students and teachers are respectful and productive. Leaders and teachers proactively identify and draw on community resources to enrich learning opportunities. Digital tools are available to all and used well to support learning and to develop digital literacy.

Leaders are improvement focussed. They are proactive in involving students to establish clear expectations and an environment which supports wellbeing and learning. Leaders have aligned school systems, professional learning and development and teacher to improve student outcomes. They have developed teaching programmes that provide equitable opportunities for learning.

Trustees have established positive relationships with the community to ensure active, reciprocal communication and participation in the life of the school. They have made well considered strategic resourcing decisions to improve student outcomes, supporting teaching and learning programmes.

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

School leaders have identified the need to strengthen data management and analysis practices to:

• clarify the rate and sufficiency of progress of at-risk students
• raise levels of achievement overall, particularly for those whose learning needs accelerating.

School leaders need to strengthen evaluation practices to:

• make clear the effectiveness of support programmes, interventions
• inform reporting and strategic planning goals and priorities that will be monitored to improve outcomes for students.

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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of St Bernadette’s School (Hornby) performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• effective partnerships for learning at all levels and extending to the parent community
• improvement-focused governance and leadership
• an environment which supports wellbeing and learning.

Next steps

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

• improving data management systems, to better track and identify the progress of priority students
• including and monitoring progress against achievement targets through the strategic planning cycle
• strengthening knowledge and capability in internal evaluation to more clearly identify the effectiveness of programmes and strategies designed to improve outcomes for students.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

6 November 2019

About the school