St Thomas School (Winton)

Summary

The school has a roll of 74. A small number of children identify as Māori and Filipino.

Since the 2014 ERO review the school has appointed a new principal and four new teachers. All but two of the trustees are new on the board.

The recommendations for improvement in the 2014 ERO report are still work in progress and an area for improvement in this 2017 report.

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?

The school is not yet achieving equitable outcomes for some children whose learning and achievement need acceleration, particularly in mathematics. Its practices for supporting children’s learning need to be strengthened. The school needs to develop a shared understanding of effective processes to identify practices which need further development.

The school’s strengths are:

• its strong focus on the children’s physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing
• its intent on children becoming confident, actively involved learners who are connecting to the wider community through faith-based service and activities.

At the time of this review, the school had capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for some children remains.

Leaders and teachers:

• know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
• need to develop and implement approaches that effectively meet the needs of each child.

The school agrees to:

• develop more targeted planning to accelerate learning for children

• monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and children’s progress

• discuss the school’s progress with ERO.

ERO will provide feedback and resources to support the development of more targeted planning.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Equity and excellence

How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school has effectively responded to some but not all children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

The school’s achievement trends over the last three years show:

• high levels of achievement in reading have been sustained with most children reaching and exceeding the National Standards

• achievement in mathematics dropped significantly from 2014 to 2015 but now shows some improvement in 2016

• variable achievement in writing with a small improvement in 2016.

School records show that some children have made accelerated progress in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. These records also show that some children have not yet made sufficient progress to attain a satisfactory level of achievement.

Leaders and teachers need to develop more effective practices to make reliable judgements about children’s progress and achievement in relation to the National Standards.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

There are school processes for supporting children’s learning which are good quality.

The school’s curriculum design is responsive to the aspirations of students, parents and the wider Catholic community. Its enactment ensures that every learner has opportunities to progress sufficiently to achieve its valued outcomes.

The school’s purposeful transition programmes effectively support children and their families as they begin life at this school. Parents and whānau are actively encouraged to participate in their children’s learning.

Teachers and children make effective use of digital technologies for learning across the curriculum.

Students are well engaged in their learning and show an increasing understanding of their role in the learning process. They show good understanding of the school’s vision and values (CHASERS) and regularly assess and report their progress against this.

Students who need extra support to succeed are closely monitored and provided with specialist teaching. Teachers actively seek ways to increase their own knowledge and skills to improve the children’s learning. The school is part of a cluster of schools with the purpose of raising children’s achievement in mathematics.

Children’s learning is well connected across all learning areas and underpinned by the Catholic faith and values. The collaborations the school has with its wider community enrich the overall learning experiences for all.

The principles of manaakitanga/caring, whanaungatanga/inclusion, tika/social justice and rato/ service are strongly evident within the school community.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

The school needs to develop a shared understanding of internal evaluation.

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

The school’s charter targets are not sufficiently focused on those children who need to make accelerated progress to be achieving at expected levels in mathematics.

Some of the school’s evaluation practices need to be more consistently implemented and well used to inform decisions and improvements.

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

• 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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for some children remains.

Leaders and teachers: 

• know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated

• need to continue to develop and implement approaches that effectively meet the needs of each child. 

The school agrees to:

• develop more targeted planning to accelerate learning for children

• monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and children’s progress

• discuss the school’s progress with ERO.

ERO will provide feedback and resources to support the development of more targeted planning.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years. 

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Te Waipounamu)

12 July 2017

About the school