Tainui School

School Context

Tainui School is a contributing primary school in Dunedin for students in Years 1 to 6. The roll is 330 students.

The school‘s vision is for students to be positive, communicators, participators, thinkers and doers. Its stated values are respect; caring for ourselves, our community and our environment; celebrating difference; kind, caring and helpful; honest and fair; happily learning together; and trying our best.

The strategic priorities for improvement in student outcomes are in the areas of learning, wellbeing and engagement.

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

• achievement in reading, writing, mathematics and learning areas across The New Zealand Curriculum

• attendance and engagement

• progress of target students, including those in interventions for literacy and mathematics

• progress and achievement of Māori learners.

Since ERO’s review in 2015 there have been changes in senior leadership, board membership and teaching staff. Teachers have undertaken schoolwide professional learning in positive education and strengthening science, technology and mathematics education.

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 achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most groups of students. However, there is some disparity for boys and Pacific students in schoolwide achievement outcomes.

Over the last three years schoolwide achievement information shows that most students achieved at or above expected levels in mathematics and reading. A large majority achieved at or above in writing. By the end of Year 6, most students were at or above expected levels in all three areas.

At the end of 2018, Māori students achieved at a similar level to their non-Māori peers. However, there was an emerging disparity in achievement for some Pacific learners in reading and writing.

Across the wider curriculum, most students achieved at or above expected levels. School information shows that most students demonstrated the desired attitudes and dispositions to be successful in their learning. Attendance rates were high.

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

The school has had variable success in accelerating the learning of these students.

For 2018, outcomes of charter targets to lift the achievement of students below expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics varied. Some cohorts made good rates of accelerated progress whilst others made little. Overall, 20% of target students accelerated their progress in reading and mathematics and 30% did so in writing.

Most students who were part of writing and mathematics intervention groups in 2018 and 2019 made accelerated progress.

English Language Learners (ELLs) made very good progress in their learning.

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?

Students benefit from a broad, well-integrated and responsive curriculum. They have many opportunities to learn about New Zealand’s bicultural heritage and increasing opportunities for collaborative learning. Positive education practices promote students’ wellbeing and social skills. Teachers are trialling new approaches to better engage students, respond to diverse student needs and ensure that learning approaches align with the school’s vision for its students.

Children with diverse learning and wellbeing needs are quickly identified and well supported. Staff work in collaborative ways to ensure students receiving additional support have planned opportunities to consolidate their learning. This includes working closely with external experts and agencies. These effective targeted interventions have resulted in high rates of accelerated progress.

Leaders and teachers have built meaningful partnerships to support children’s wellbeing and learning. A strong whānau Māori group meets regularly and contributes to school decisions. Leaders work closely with local schools to improve curriculum provision and teaching practices. Parents are encouraged to be involved in the school and their children’s learning.

Staff are very well supported to develop capability. Professional learning and teacher inquiries are focused on how to accelerate students’ progress, increase their engagement and grow life-long learners. Syndicate, staff and leadership meetings have a deliberate focus on how to best support students at risk, including diverse learners.

Leaders are reflective and improvement focused. They encourage staff to trial new approaches and are intentionally building collaborative practices to increase schoolwide consistency in teaching and learning. Leaders have established sound internal evaluation practices. These include well-analysed student progress and achievement information, evaluation of the impact of specific interventions and identification of constructive next steps to further improve outcomes for students.

Trustees have a good understanding of their governance role. They represent the diverse school community and are committed to the school’s bicultural vision and ensuring equity for all students. Through the principal, they receive comprehensive information to support them in their decision making role.

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

The school’s strategic plan, curriculum guidelines, and actions to accelerate the progress of some groups of children need strengthening.

Presently the strategic and annual plans include strategic and operational goals. These plans need refining so that they focus more on key developments and are easier to evaluate progress against.

The school’s curriculum is in a period of change. The next step is to develop explicit expectations for the design and delivery of its local curriculum so that valued outcomes for learners are understood and well implemented across the school.

There has been variable success in accelerating the progress of different groups of students achieving below expected levels. Leaders and teachers need to use more effective targeted interventions to address this.

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 Tainui 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.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• positive school culture and broad curriculum that help students be ready, willing and able to learn
• effective practices to support students with diverse needs
• reflective leadership that effectively prioritises what will contribute to better outcomes for students
• commitment to ongoing professional learning and adaptation in order to better meet students’ learning and wellbeing needs.

Next steps

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

• refining its strategic and annual plans so that these forefront the school’s priorities for development
• completing the review and documentation of the school’s local curriculum so that consistent practices for design and delivery are implemented across the school
• addressing the variable rates of acceleration so that all students experience success in their learning.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

14 February 2019

About the school

Findings

Students achieve very well against the National Standards. They are enthusiastic about their teachers and school. The school has a safe, inclusive and caring culture. It is outstanding in its support for Māori students and valuing of Māori culture. The school has strong and able leaders and is well governed.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Tainui School is an urban Year 1-6 school. It has a new principal and very stable staffing.

Students who spoke with ERO described their school as a safe place, where they celebrate everyone’s differences. They felt that their teachers knew them well and treated them as individuals. They enjoyed exploring and playing in their school’s large bush area.

ERO observed caring and affirming relationships between teachers and students and amongst students. Students with special learning needs are valued members of the school community and receive high quality support.

The school works closely with some other South Dunedin schools to provide professional learning and development (PLD) for staff and explore teaching and learning initiatives.

Since the 2010 ERO review there have been significant property developments. These include a new classroom, flexible learning areas, special needs area, and upgraded classrooms.

The school received a very positive 2010 ERO report. Good practices have been sustained and built on. This is an improvement-focused school.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

School leaders and teachers use achievement information in purposeful ways to meet students’ needs, strengths and interests.

In 2014, the school received very good results against the National Standards. At 86%, reading results were highest. In writing and mathematics, 80% of students achieved at or above the standard. ERO noted a significant improvement in mathematics. This was a direct result of a well-led target to raise achievement, intensive work with groups of students needing extra support and useful PLD for staff.

Senior leaders and teachers make very good use of student achievement information. They:

• have rigorous processes for identifying, targeting teaching and monitoring progress of students who are at risk of not achieving
• make well-informed assessment judgements
• work and communicate closely with all involved in supporting students.

Some teachers model best practices in the depth of their feedback to students, the way they integrate assessment into day-to-day teaching, and how they encourage students to regularly assess their own work.

The principal and senior leaders carefully analyse school-wide student achievement data. This information is used wisely to:

• identify gaps in learning that need to be addressed
• monitor the progress of students at risk of not achieving and make decisions about the effectiveness of interventions
• identify students who need extension
• determine relevant PLD
• provide comprehensive school-wide student achievement information to the board.

The board is very well informed about student achievement and makes well-considered resourcing decisions. In particular, trustees allocate generous resourcing for students who are at risk of not achieving.

Key next step

Some students could have a better understanding (especially in reading, writing and mathematics), of how well they are achieving and what they need to work on. Some could have more frequent opportunities to assess their own and their peers’ work. These next steps are consistent with the senior leaders’ wish for students to be more self managing in their learning.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The school’s curriculum very effectively promotes and supports students’ learning. Students benefit from a broad curriculum. The school’s values are known by the students and widely evident in the way staff and students interact.

The school is part of a Positive Education initiative. Staff members place a strong focus on caring for the ‘whole’ child. In particular, teachers prioritise students’ social and emotional wellbeing and their readiness to learn. A range of school initiatives, such as Playzone Captains and Buddies, contributes to the positive school culture.

Students who are at risk with their learning receive high quality support. Teachers and support staff work closely to best meet their needs. Support includes flexible, intensive small-group interventions. The school can show that interventions have resulted in most students catching up to their peers and/or making significant progress.

Other curriculum strengths include:

• significant development of provision for students with special abilities
• regular opportunities for all students to hear te reo Māori and learn about aspects of Māori culture, especially local legends and places
• the way teachers inform parents about their child’s learning and wellbeing and work closely with them.

The teachers care about students’ pastoral and learning needs. They regularly reflect on their teaching and make well-considered changes. Each year, they carry out an inquiry into an aspect of their teaching. This includes rich discussions with team members and relevant professional reading. Teachers support each other and work well as a team.

The new principal is leading a focus on students being resilient, self-managing and future-focused learners. This is the school’s current priority. It will include exploring how digital technology could be better used to enrich students’ learning.

Senior leaders, with teachers, have begun to review their curriculum guidelines so that these better reflect their desire to implement modern-teaching practices. The review of mathematics is underway.

Key next steps

ERO agrees with the school’s decision to review its curriculum guidelines. The school should also develop some guidelines as to the purpose and nature of self review in the school. There is potential to extend and deepen aspects of the review of teaching and learning.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

The school has genuinely explored what success as Māori means. Adults work hard to ensure that students feel pride in their culture, are successful in Pākehā and Māori worlds, and that their strengths and knowledge are valued. The school played a pivotal role in enabling students who speak Māori at home to spend a day each week learning in te reo Māori. Students are very positive about their school.

The school works closely with, and values the views and contributions, of the parents of Māori children. The Whānau Rōpu sets specific goals for the school and works closely with the school to achieve these. This resulted in the school employing a te reo and tikanga Māori specialist teacher. The Whānau Rōpu reaches out to Māori families who are less involved in the school.

The school’s commitment to promote educational success for Māori students is evident in the way:

• it targets any Māori student who needs extra support with their learning
• recognises Māori concepts of giftedness
• it works closely with local iwi and values the cultural insights of its Māori trustee.

Teachers have benefited from sustained PLD to increase their confidence and knowledge of te reo Māori and te ao Māori.

4 Sustainable Performance

How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?

The school is very well placed to sustain its good practices and to continue to improve.

Trustees are well informed about student achievement and the school’s approach to learning. They carefully manage the school resources and prioritise students who need extra support with their learning. They show a strong commitment to valuing Māori culture and supporting Māori students.

The new principal has managed a period of change sensitively. She and her senior leaders provide strong and strategic professional leadership. They lead targeted PLD that meets the needs of all staff. They are well informed about current research, encourage constructive change and are improvement focused.

The school regularly seeks parents’ views. These are collated and immediate and longer-term changes made in response.

Key next step

The school’s strategic and annual plans need to be more focused on the stated priorities for future development.

Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board of trustees 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:

• board administration
• curriculum
• management of health, safety and welfare
• personnel management
• financial management
• asset management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:

• emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
• physical safety of students
• teacher registration
• processes for appointing staff
• stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
• attendance.

Conclusion

Students achieve very well against the National Standards. They are enthusiastic about their teachers and school. The school has a safe, inclusive and caring culture. It is outstanding in its support for Māori students and valuing of Māori culture. The school has strong and able leaders and is well governed.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Graham Randell Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

21 May 2015

About the School