Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Waihopai 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
Waihopai School is located in Gladstone, Invercargill and provides education for students in Years 1-6. In 2021 a new principal was appointed, joining an experienced and stable staff. The school includes the Park Syndicate for students with diverse additional needs.
Waihopai School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
- that all learners are actively engaged in a curriculum that responds to individual needs and enables them to progress and achieve, and be prepared for the future
- that all learners are actively involved in the life of the school, including learning respect for all cultures and the special position of Māori culture
- for over 80% of learners to achieve at or above their expected level in Mathematics and Statistics.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Waihopai School’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching practices and curriculum developments on learner progress and achievement in mathematics.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to help teachers, leaders, parents and whānau, and the board to know what makes the most difference to improving outcomes for learners in mathematics, and therefore how these conditions can be strengthened in other areas of the curriculum.
The school expects to see planned changes in its teaching strategies, additional resourcing to support those learners who need this, and strengthened cultural responsiveness across the curriculum result in at least 80% of learners achieving at or above expectations in mathematics.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to improve outcomes for learners in mathematics:
- the equitable and excellent progress and achievement outcomes for most learners across the curriculum, and the effective, targeted support that is in place for those learners who need this
- a school learning climate that is consistently positive with well-established respectful relationships promoting learner engagement
- systematic, collaborative inquiry and internal evaluation processes to inform school-wide knowledge building and improvement.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
- promoting each learner’s confidence in their identity, language, and culture, and understanding of those of others, especially through learning te reo and tikanga Māori
- strengthening meaningful, educationally significant connections with whānau, iwi and parents to develop greater collaboration on a responsive curriculum.
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
11 July 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