Lawrence Area School

School Context

Lawrence Area School caters for students in Years 1 to 13 from within the small township of Lawrence and its rural surrounds. The roll is 142 students, 32% of whom identify as Māori.

The school’s vision is to develop lifelong learners who are motivated, confident and willing to contribute. Its stated values are respect, responsibility, honesty and motivation. Current strategic aims are: to ensure all learners are progressing and achieving (socially, culturally, academically and physically) to their highest possible potential; and to provide an environment that supports the development of emotionally healthy students.

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

• achievement in relation to levels of the New Zealand Curriculum for reading writing and mathematics, for students in Years 1 to 8, and for all learning areas in Years 9 and 10.
• achievement within the New Zealand Qualifications Framework
• school leaver destinations and progress.

The school’s leaders and most staff are experienced and long serving. The experienced board has been recently joined by new members. Teachers have undertaken Ministry of Education funded professional learning in literacy and mathematics interventions.

Lawrence Area School is a member of the Southern Area Schools 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 yet to achieve equitable outcomes for boys in Years 1 to 10. It is effective in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for students in Years 11 to 13.

Almost all girls and most Māori students achieve the school’s expected outcomes in literacy and mathematics in Years 1 to 10. Over time, a lower proportion of boys have achieved the school’s expected outcomes, especially in literacy.

Most students gain NCEA Levels 1 and 2, and university entrance. Level 3 attainment has been variable over time.

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

The school has been very effective at accelerating the learning of Year 1-8 students who were part of targeted literacy or mathematics interventions.

A recent writing support programme for priority learners has seen an improvement in outcomes in writing, including for boys, over the past two years.

Students needing extended time and support to achieve NCEA receive this.

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 learn in a collaborative, caring, inclusive culture. Students’ learning needs are identified and responded to through appropriate interventions and adaptive practices, including those with diverse needs. Those new to the school are quickly supported to experience success. Students’ culture and identity are known and valued. A growing kapa haka programme has strengthened students’ sense of pride and belonging at school and in the community. Teachers and leaders model collaborative, reflective, respectful relationships. The school values are enacted and student led.

Students learn through a flexible curriculum that effectively responds to their interests, needs and future pathways. Teachers’ planning enacts the school-wide vision for learning, responds to individual and group needs, and evaluates outcomes for students. The senior curriculum provides broad subject choices. Students who access some of their learning through distance and tertiary providers receive personalised support. Community collaborations enrich curricular and co-curricular opportunities for authentic learning, involvement and celebrations. Senior students develop their leadership within the school and through their wider networks.

Teachers and leaders engage in inquiry and knowledge building for improvement. They demonstrate openness to trying new approaches to improve student learning, and are responsive to the changing needs of students. Collaborative professional learning through the kāhui ako has strengthened teacher reflection and practice as they conduct emergent inquiries into student agency, cultural responsiveness and taking a future focus. Recent development of effective practices for teaching writing has resulted in improved student achievement in the junior school.

Trustees and leaders are committed to achieving excellent and equitable outcomes for all students. They are collaboratively developing a vision for the school with the community, based on well-considered educational expertise. Systems, structures and resourcing are flexible and student-centred. Leaders’ beliefs and expectations about teaching and learning are clear, positive and collectively understood.

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

Trustees, leaders and teachers have recognised and acknowledge the need to further strengthen their strategic commitment to boys’ success so they can address the long-term disparity in achievement in Years 1 to 10 literacy and mathematics. They should analyse learning and wellbeing information to know more about the specific needs of boys (and any other groups of concern) who are at risk of not achieving. There needs to be more timely, systematic scrutiny of boys’ achievement and progress to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and to inform responsive decision making. Leaders should ensure that existing evaluation practices are particularly focused on how well school practices enable positive outcomes for boys.

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 Lawrence Area 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 respectful culture for learning that responds to students’ needs, interests and aspirations though a flexible and authentic curriculum
• trustees, leaders and teachers who are collaborative, open-to-learning and engage closely with the community for opportunities to contribute and improve practices.

5.1 Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, a priority for further development is in:

• strategically and systematically improving outcomes for Year 1 to 10 boys in literacy and mathematics, so that all students achieve equitable outcomes throughout their schooling.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

3 December 2019

About the school