Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within fifteen months of the Education Review Office and Arrowtown School 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
Arrowtown School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8 and is the only school in Arrowtown. There have been some senior and middle leader changes. The school’s learning environment has undergone significant redevelopment since 2016. This has included fourteen new learning environments.
Arrowtown School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:
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maintain high achievement expectations for all learning areas, giving priority to literacy and numeracy
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provide multiple ways for all leaners to learn, show their learning and experience success
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support students to become confident, connected, and adaptive learners (Graduate Profile).
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Arrowtown School’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the expansion of the school’s graduate profile (learner qualities) to improve outcomes for learners and extend school-wide evaluation capability.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
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the school’s ‘Master Plan’ for learning characterises the desired learner qualities within its graduate profile
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the school has begun investigating how the graduate profile is evident in teaching and learning
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a greater focus on elements of the graduate profile and extending community partnerships, including cultural connectedness, should contribute positively to learners’ success.
The school expects to see:
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all learners having sufficient opportunity to learn and be successful in line with the holistic elements of the graduate profile
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learners being resilient and adaptable in new and changing contexts
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learners confident in their language, identity, and culture
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professional coaching used to support staff to excel in the use of high impact teaching strategies.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its focus.
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a well-developed vision for all learners, shared by the board, staff and a supportive, engaged community
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significant engagement with the wider local education community focused on learner transitions
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experienced and new staff with sound teaching capabilities who undergo professional growth within the school
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a regular school-wide cycle of review where leaders closely and collaboratively scrutinise the impact of teaching on outcomes for learners
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progressive leaders who are focused on continuous improvement and current educational developments for the benefit of all learners.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
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teachers, parents and whānau having a deep understanding of the school’s graduate profile and its relevance
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teachers, students, and parents making good use of the range of learner information captured within the school’s data management system to foster learning-centred partnerships
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teachers understanding the impact of their teaching practices in relation to students’ learning within the graduate profile.
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
23 June 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