Findings
The school is effective in promoting student learning. Teachers make good use of their knowledge of students to support their learning and develop their interests. Relationships at the school are positive and friendly.
There is good support from the local community. The school regularly communicates with parents. Learning programmes are planned well and include making use of local contexts and opportunities.
Trustees work well with school staff and focus on continuing improvement to students’ learning outcomes, resources to support learning and the environment.
1 Context
What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?
Glenham School is staffed by a sole charge teaching principal with a part-time teacher providing release time. Students are taught in a single classroom with separate library and resource room. The school is well resourced and the environment is attractive and well maintained.
Most students travel to school by bus. There is significant family mobility mainly associated with the dairying industry. This means that a substantial proportion of the students change each year.
The principal is new to the school since the 2010 ERO review. She has worked closely with principals of schools in the local area as part of a learning cluster to develop processes and practices to support improved student outcomes. The board is in the process of appointing a new principal to commence in Term two, 2015.
The school is well supported by parents and is well regarded in the local community.
Trustees and staff have taken significant steps to address the issues identified in the 2010 ERO review. These included:
- greater inclusion of Māori perspectives in programmes
- use of more specific student learning goals and student choice
- improving aspects of self review and appraisal.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
Teachers monitor students’ ongoing learning to determine progress and adapt programmes to address needs. They skilfully plan learning tasks to cater for the range of ages and learning levels in the class.
Students have good access to information technologies and use these confidently to support their learning. Older students particularly, show that they are self-motivated, independent learners. They are encouraged to support each other with their learning.
Students know their learning goals and how well they are progressing with these through self-monitoring as well as teacher feedback. Teachers use a range of good-quality assessment information to inform their judgements about student achievement. They are starting to compare their judgements about student achievement with teachers from other schools to increase consistency.
Teachers know the students well. Relationships in the classroom are positive and friendly.
Trustees are kept informed about student achievement in literacy and mathematics. Most students achieve well in relation to the National Standards in reading and writing. The principal and trustees have identified that mathematics achievement needs to improve. In 2015 there is a focus on professional development and resource allocation in the area of mathematics to improve teaching and outcomes for students.
Areas for review and development
ERO recommends that staff and trustees:
- more specifically define annual student achievement targets to focus on those who need to be accelerated in their learning
- include in reports to parents information on students’ achievement in learning areas in addition to literacy and mathematics
- develop skills in evaluating the effectiveness of teaching, particularly for lifting the achievement of targeted students.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
The school has a well-documented curriculum plan for literacy and mathematics. This provides good guidance to teachers for promoting and supporting student learning in these areas.
The curriculum plan appropriately recognises local priorities identified through consultation with parents. Students have input into their learning programmes through making choices on topics to learn about.
Teachers use effective strategies to encourage students to extend their thinking and problem-solving skills. Each year, students are provided with valuable learning experiences outside of the school. These extend their interests and knowledge and provide stimulus for ongoing learning.
Areas for review and development
ERO, trustees and staff agree that:
- curriculum plans should be extended to provide comprehensive guidelines for teachers across all areas of the New Zealand Curriculum.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
Teachers are taking useful steps to improve bicultural aspects of programmes. They have had some professional development to improve the use of te reo Māori. Students are proud to learn their mihi.
Area for review and development
ERO recommends that:
- school leaders investigate ways to make increased use of local Māori resource people to assist bicultural development and Increase the use of te reo Māori in classroom interactions.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance.
Good working relationships are evident between trustees and staff. A clear set of governance procedures provides trustees with expectations to assist in carrying out their role. All board members are relatively new to school governance. They have participated in some board training and are developing useful connections with other school boards.
Trustees have used effective strategies to inform and engage parents in school matters. Parents were surveyed about their preferred methods of communication and learning priorities for their children.
The principal’s appraisal includes the involvement of an external appraiser. Teacher appraisal is thorough. Both include appropriate reference to registered teacher criteria.
A priority for the board is to ensure that student roll numbers are maintained.
Trustees intend to work with the School Trustees Association trainers to further develop their understanding of governance roles and responsibilities. This is likely to be useful in leading to stronger self-review processes, including reviewing aspects of board operations.
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
The school is effective in promoting student learning. Teachers make good use of their knowledge of students to support their learning and develop their interests. Relationships at the school are positive and friendly.
There is good support from the local community. The school regularly communicates with parents. Learning programmes are planned well and include making use of local contexts and opportunities.
Trustees work well with school staff and focus on continuing improvement to students’ learning outcomes, resources to support learning and the environment.
When is ERO likely to review the school again?
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
21 April 2015
About the School
|
Location
|
Southland
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number
|
3954
|
|
School type
|
Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
|
|
School roll
|
19
|
|
Gender composition
|
Boys 9;
Girls 10
|
|
Ethnic composition
|
Pākehā
Māori
|
18
1
|
|
Review team on site
|
February 2015
|
|
Date of this report
|
21 April 2015
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review
Education Review
|
August 2010
September 2007
|