Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Tahuna Normal Intermediate 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
Tahuna Normal Intermediate is a state funded co-educational Intermediate School catering for children in the 10 – 13-year age range. A new principal was appointed in January 2022.
The school community extends over a number of small communities and suburbs in the Southeast Dunedin area. Links have been developed with the Ōtakou Marae.
As a Normal School, Tahuna Intermediate learners are supported by University College of Otago teacher trainees work to provide quality learning situations for children.
Tahuna Normal Intermediate’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
- continue developing teaching practice that best meets individual needs and the needs of specific groups
- ensure assessment gives information on what the child can do, and is useful for future teaching
- ensure that a response plan is in place that will meet the needs of all students and enable students to learn remotely via distance learning.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Tahuna Normal Intermediate’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which they are becoming a culturally responsive school where Pacific learners in particular are secure and confident in their identities, languages, and cultures, across all curriculum areas.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
- understand Pacific whānau needs and aspirations for their children and implementing key strategies to meet these (the Pacific Action Plan)
- provide a framework for leaders and teachers to maintain focus on the impact of their decisions and actions on achievement, wellbeing and belonging of all learners.
The school expects to see equity and excellence for all learners in terms of their academic progress, wellbeing and belonging.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to support its goal to become a culturally responsive school with equitable and excellent outcomes for learners:
- increasing use of whānau, student and community connections and relationships to enrich opportunities for students to become confident, connected learners
- strengthened strategies for gathering, using, and reporting on learner achievement and progress information
- sustained teacher professional development that strengthens capability and curriculum, with an equity focus for Pacific learners.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
- evaluating the impact of key strategies in its Pacific Action Plan for supporting the achievement, wellbeing and belonging of Pacific learners
- developing strategies for teacher collaboration and coherence to strengthen the classroom learning culture.
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
11 July 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
This school is the lead school for the Coastal Otago RTLB service.