Timaru Girls' High School

School Context

Timaru Girls’ High School has a roll of 426 girls in Years 9 to 15. The school provides for an ethnically diverse community, including 17 international fee paying students. Boarding accommodation is located on site and caters for up to 83 boarders with a growing roll. A Teen Parent Study Group is also on site. The school has close connections with Timaru Boys’ High School with which it shares a number of courses.

The school’s vision is for ‘Inspired young women, equipped for life through quality education’ and the motto is ‘Knowledge is power’. School values are based on Community (Manaakitanga); Heritage (Taonga tukuiho); Leadership (Ngā Rangatira mo apopo) and Learning Culture (Wananga). Valued outcomes are: to create well-rounded lifelong learners; to continue service to the Timaru community; and to provide best possible outcomes for students.

Strategic aims are focused on students experiencing success and the continued building of community connections. The annual goals for 2019 were to:

• have all students leave with the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2, or go on to another education provider
• improve levels of NCEA endorsements between Level 1 and 2
• promote employability skills across the school.

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

• aspects of achievement and progress across the curriculum
• achievement within NCEA, including for Māori students
• achievement of Years 9 & 10 students in reading and mathematics
• attendance.

Since the August 2015 ERO review, there have been a number of changes in staffing and the board, including a new principal, deputy principal and board of trustees. Building developments and refurbishments were undertaken in 2018.

The school is a member of the Timaru North and South 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 equity and excellence for most senior students. There was insufficient information available to determine the pattern of achievement for students in Years 9 and 10.

Most senior students achieve NCEA Levels 1 to 3. School information shows that this pattern has been sustained between 2016 to 2018. The large majority of students attempting University Entrance are successful.

A majority of students receive endorsements at NCEA Level 1. School leaders have identified a decline in the number of students gaining endorsements between Level 1 and Level 2, and are working strategically to address this disparity.

School information shows that Māori and Pacific students achieve less well than their peers in NCEA. Leaders and teachers have yet to analyse NCEA information to determine the reasons for this disparity to enable them to address this.

School leavers’ information shows a decline in the number of students, including Māori, who remain at school until their 17^th birthday.

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

The school has comprehensive information about individual student achievement. This information needs to be analysed to identify how effectively the school is at accelerating learning for selected groups within the school, including those in Years 9 and 10.

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?

School leaders and teachers respond well to the needs and interests of individual learners. Students have a variety of individualised course options and pathways. Their progress and achievement are closely tracked and monitored. Students whose learning requires acceleration are clearly identified. A range of suitable strategies are used to support their learning, engagement and communication with parents and whānau.

Effective pastoral care supports the holistic approach to facilitating student learning and wellbeing. Appropriate processes are in place to help achieve positive outcomes for students’ including their academic, emotional and social needs.

The board and senior leaders are strongly committed to acknowledging te ao Māori, to meet the needs of Māori students and to build bicultural practices. A key teacher takes responsibility for promoting te reo and tikanga Māori across the school and providing wellbeing and academic support for Māori students. There are multiple opportunities for all students to learn and build their capability in te reo Māori. Internal expertise is well utilised to extend teacher knowledge of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori.

School leaders and teachers actively promote positive relationships for learning. Teachers collaborate to support each other’s professional practice. They regularly reflect on and share strategies about effective practices that are responsive to students’ learning needs. Useful reviews and inquiries identify areas of the curriculum that could be improved. Teachers and students co-construct and share learning goals and aspirations. Students’ ideas are valued and used effectively to make changes to teaching, learning and school operation.

Purposeful links with the community have been established. Leaders and teachers are developing well considered and useful connections beyond the school to engage students, broaden learning opportunities and build teacher capability.

The board is improvement focused and well informed about student learning and school operation. Effective use is made of the skills and expertise of trustees to support governance.

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

ERO has identified, and the board and senior leaders agree, that data management is an area for further development. A systematic approach to gathering, analysing and reporting schoolwide progress and achievement information is required. This information should be used to:

• set specific measurable annual goals and targets, and develop plans to support identified groups of students whose learning requires acceleration
• identify patterns of progress and achievement for groups of students, particularly Years 9 and 10
• measure how effectively learning is accelerated for those students receiving additional support.

Internal evaluation requires development to enable better understandings about which systems, programmes and teaching practices are the most effective in improving student outcomes. Leaders need to build teachers’ knowledge and skills in evaluation and evaluative thinking. As part of this process, a suitable framework for evaluation should be adopted and used consistently. A priority outcome should be to clarify the engagement and progress picture for Years 9 and 10 students.

Senior leaders have identified, and ERO confirms the need to strategically develop bicultural practices at all levels of the school. Annual action planning for the incorporation of te ao Māori should identify specific outcomes, strategies for achieving the outcomes and an evaluative component to identify how well te ao Māori is incorporated across the school.

3 Other Matters

Provision for students in the school hostel

The school hostel accommodates up to 83 students. At the time of the review the roll had increased to 72. It is located within the grounds of the school and has recently undergone a major review of the management structure. Consideration is being given to future development to respond to the significant roll growth over the last two years.

The school has attested that all requirements of the Hostel Regulations have been met. ERO’s investigations confirm that there are robust processes in place to manage students’ safety and to support their wellbeing and learning.

Students from the hostel spoke positively about the family-like environment and how well supported they felt. There are multiple opportunities for students to contribute to decision making within the hostel.

There are strong links between the hostel and school. Regular communication between teaching staff, parents and students ensures that individual needs are met appropriately. Students experience a balanced programme, including a range of extra-curricular opportunities to support their wellbeing and community connections.

Provision for international students

The School is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. At the time of this review there were 17 international students attending the school.

Students are well supported to achieve their academic and personal goals. There are good systems in place to support academic and pastoral needs. Their health, wellbeing and learning is closely monitored and documented.

Students have many opportunities to interact in the community. They are involved in aspects of New Zealand culture as part of their international experience. Consideration should be given to broadening opportunities for them to share aspects of their own culture with the wider school community.

4 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.

5 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Timaru Girls’ High School’s 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.

6 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• positive relationships for learning
• opportunities to learn
• culturally responsive practices.

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

• improving data management to understand sufficiency of progress and promote continuity of learning for groups of students
• building internal evaluation knowledge and capability
• strategically planning to develop and sustain bicultural practices across all areas of the school.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

25 February 2020

About the school