School Context
Macandrew Bay School is a Years 1 to 6 school located on the Otago Peninsula. The current roll is 169, and 14% of students identify as Māori. The school has a stable staff and Board of Trustees.
The school’s vision, ‘simply the best for our children’, states that students will be supported to be the ‘best they can be’. The principles are future focused and include learning to learn and learning with high expectations within an inclusive community.
The values of respect, responsibility, passion for learning, independence, honesty, and kindness are embedded within the curriculum.
Current strategic priorities are continuing to improve outcomes and achievement levels in literacy and numeracy, to improve confidence and enjoyment of students in learning, and to continue to develop the broad curriculum (STEAM).
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
- progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
- outcomes related to wellbeing for success
- achievement in learning areas in relation to the levels of the The New Zealand Curriculum
- outcomes for students with additional learning needs, including gifted and talented students
- progress and achievement in the key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum.
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 effective in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most of its students in literacy and mathematics.
Over the last three years most students achieved the school’s curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Levels of achievement are well sustained, over time, for reading and mathematics. There is some disparity for boys and Māori students in writing.
Reports from New Zealand standardised assessments show very good school-wide improvement over time in aspects literacy and mathematics.
Almost all students are achieving the school’s valued outcomes, as expressed in the school’s values.
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
The school is highly effective in its response to those students whose learning and achievement need acceleration.
Specific and targeted responses to accelerate progress have been effective in reducing in-school disparity for most groups of learners. There is evidence to show that learners make accelerated progress over time, including those who move from at to above expected curriculum levels.
In 2017 and 2018, almost all students identified as needing to make accelerated learning in mathematics did so. The school recognises the need to increase the numbers of students working at expected levels in writing. To achieve this the school is implementing the long and short-term strategies of:
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school-wide teacher development to increase the professional capability and collective capacity in the teaching of writing
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targeting students in all classrooms to support them to accelerate progress in their learning.
School information over the last three years shows that by the end of year 6, almost all students are achieving equitable and excellent outcomes.
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 school continues to be a high performing school, using coherent processes and practices that promote equity and excellence.
Macandrew Bay School’s curriculum is highly responsive and supports students to be effective learners. There is clear alignment and coherence across all areas of the curriculum. Learning is future focused, localised and draws on the school’s unique location on the Otago Peninsula. Teachers collaborate with students on the design of learning activities. They choose authentic real-world contexts for learning which maximises student engagement in learning. All students participate in a rich bicultural curriculum and have regular learning opportunities with a specialist te reo Māori teacher. The school’s curriculum successfully promotes students’ belief in themselves to achieve.
Trustees and leaders are highly focused on student’s learning, wellbeing, achievement and progress. They receive a wide range of high-quality student data and evaluative information. The perspectives of students, parents, whānau and community are valued by the board, leaders and teachers. Trustees and leaders use this information to clearly identify priorities and targets. Leaders and teachers use learning information as a catalyst for professional discussions to promote positive outcomes for students.
The school values are well embedded across the school and underpin a learner centred culture. Teachers place priority on providing all students with optimum opportunities to learn.
There is high relational trust at all levels of the school community. Students benefit from a caring inclusive environment. Learners with additional needs experience a collaborative wrap-around approach to wellbeing and learning for success across the school. Leaders and teachers view purposeful community partnerships as essential to support authentic learning for students. There is a continuous focus on developing positive attitudes and dispositions for successful learning. There is a culture of care where everyone feels valued.
Internal evaluation is integral to all school operations. Clarity of purpose and process lead to continuous improvement. Leaders and teachers demonstrate adaptive expertise to better meet the needs of students. They critically apply new knowledge to problems to develop useful approaches and solutions. Collaboration between teachers spreads effective teaching practices across the school. Teachers are well supported by deep and focused professional development, robust appraisals, on-going evidence-based inquiries and clear guidelines and expectations for teaching. This approach ensures that students are very well supported by teaching and learning programmes that meet their needs.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
Leaders and teachers have identified their next step is to continue to implement the future focus (STEAM) curriculum and to closely monitor the impact and outcomes for all students.
Provision for international students
The school is a signatory to theEducation (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 was one international student attending the school. The school has the organisational structures and practices in place to welcome and support international students. They support students to be well integrated into the life of the school. Teachers support students to improve their English language skills where necessary and achieve their learning goals. Teachers monitor students’ wellbeing and learning and help them to have a positive experience at the school.
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 Macandrew Bay School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Strong.
ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.
5 Going forward
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
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school systems, processes and practices that are strongly focused on achieving equity and excellence, and accelerating children’s progress
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a well-developed and responsive school curriculum that effectively uses children’s interests, teachers’ skills and knowledge, the environment and wider community to make learning engaging and relevant
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effective processes and practices for internal evaluation that promote high quality learning and teaching.
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services Southern
Southern Region
10 October 2019
About the school
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Location
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Dunedin
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Ministry of Education profile number
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3762
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School type
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Contributing Years 1-6
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School roll
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169
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Gender composition
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Boys 51%, Girls 49%
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Ethnic composition
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Māori 14%
NZ European/Pākeha 70%
Other ethnicities 16%
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Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)
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Yes
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Provision of Māori medium education
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No
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Review team on site
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August 2019
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Date of this report
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10 October 2019
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Most recent ERO reports
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Education Review June 2015
Education Review February 2011
Education Review October 2007
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