Oteha Valley School

1 Context

Oteha Valley School on Auckland's North Shore is a Year 1 to 6 primary school. In the last few years the school roll has grown rapidly. There has been a significant increase in cultural diversity and in the number of children who are learning English as an additional language. Pākehā and Chinese children make up half of the school roll, six percent are Māori and about 20 percent are African or Korean. The board of trustees is responding positively to these demographic changes through strategically resourcing extra staff to support teachers and school learners.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are captured in the school's vision, 'we have pride in ourselves, pride in our community, pride in our cultures, beliefs and values'. The school values include respect, integrity, resilience, perseverance and potential.

The school’s achievement information shows that since 2013 mathematics achievement has increased to over 80 percent at or above the National Standards. Reading achievement has remained stable over the past three years. The school has identified a slight dip in writing achievement during 2015. Specific strategic goals and professional development in writing are currently in place to further improve writing development across the school. In recent years the school's data show a decreasing disparity between the achievement of Māori and other learners. Continuing to reduce disparity and raising Māori student achievement overall remain areas of focus for the school.

Good work has been done to develop moderation processes to enhance the reliability of achievement information. Moderation practices include internal discussions and meetings with other local schools.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has:

• developed a school-wide, competency-based curriculum framework with support from an external facilitator
• developed teachers' collective responsibility for all students' achievement
• refined moderation processes, resulting in more reliable overall teacher judgements in relation to the National Standards.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

School leaders and teachers are continuing to develop strategies to support children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

Very good support is provided for increasing numbers of children with English as their second or third language. An experienced English as Second Language (ESoL) teacher works with these children in their classrooms or in small groups. Children with other learning needs are also very well supported. Parents who spoke to ERO affirm the wrap-around support that children receive. There is a clear sense of the school catering for 'wellbeing for learning' at all levels.

Children with special needs progress well towards the National Standards. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) reflect shared goals formed collaboratively with parents, teachers and children. The support provided for these children is personalised and regularly reported to parents and the board. Senior leaders and teachers share with parents and whānau how the school is catering for their children’s learning and wellbeing.

Leaders track and monitor achievement data for all children. Priority learners are identified as a group in the school charter targets. Teachers identify and work closely with these children to address their needs in order to help them make progress.

Learning focused partnerships are evident in reports to parents. Whānau who spoke to ERO receive very good information about their children’s progress and achievement in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. They affirmed the guidance that the school provides for parents to support and promote their children’s learning at home.

Well considered transitions into, through and out of school are evident. Collaboration with whānau, other schools, early childhood centres and specialist agencies promotes smooth transitions and personalised approaches for children who require extra support in learning.

The board of trustees has a good understanding of priority learners and resources programmes that are intended to support their learning progress. School leaders report to the board about students' progress. School planning and reporting could now include more evaluative data analysis and explicit information about strategies for reducing disparity and accelerating learning, for specific groups of children.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and targets for equity and excellence?

School conditions effectively support the school's curriculum, processes and practices to enact the vision, values and goals. The new competency-based curriculum framework is promoting equity and excellence. Children and parents who spoke to ERO, and feedback from parent surveys, show positive support for the shift in teachers' practice and thinking as they teach within this new curriculum framework.

The school's curriculum interweaves The New Zealand Curriculum through the integrated concept work. Children develop depth in their learning through the concept skills and learning experiences. A common language for learning is established across the school.

Children benefit from a settled and positive school tone. They are capable, friendly and respectful, and speak with pride about their school and their learning. Children are focused in their learning environment. Teachers recognise and celebrate children's learning successes and provide an environment where it is safe for children to take on new challenges. Children have good opportunities to take on leadership roles.

Core learning areas such as reading, writing and mathematics are well supported through schoolwide frameworks and guidelines. These experiences promote opportunities for students to collaborate with, learn from and facilitate the learning of others. Senior managers are continuing to explore ways of developing deeper and more differentiated learning in other curriculum areas.

Capable, learning-focused leadership is evident. Middle leadership is being developed through curriculum opportunities. A well-considered appraisal system is building collective capacity and capability, through a focus on priority children and evidence-based inquiry. School-wide evaluation practices are encouraging leaders and teachers to think and do things differently to foster equity and improve outcomes for children.

Staff have strategically involved the school community to increase the ways that parents and whānau actively engage in their child's learning. Parents receive clear information about their child's progress. Reports to parents have been recently refined. Parents have opportunities to contribute to their child's learning through parent, student and teacher meetings.

School leaders and the board continue to build a foundation for responsive practices in the curriculum that promote the language, culture and identity of all cultures represented in the school.

Kapa haka is valued and celebrated. It includes children from Years 1 to 6, providing an opportunity for them to develop leadership and show pride in performing for their school. Teachers explore bicultural perspectives through curriculum topics.

ERO endorses the school's intention to continue developing the curriculum through:

• a focus on classroom programmes that support learning in te reo me ōna tikanga Māori
• using 'teaching as inquiry' to develop teaching practices that promote accelerated learning for each child at risk of not achieving.

5 Going forward

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

School leaders, staff and trustees are well placed to sustain and make ongoing improvements that impact positively on all children's learning.

Leaders and teachers:

• know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
• respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
• regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
• act on what they know works well for each child
• build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
• are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

Leaders have strategically planned for change as children move through the school. Teachers collate their responses to children's learning needs and share ideas at team meetings. Team leaders facilitate these professional conversations with teachers. Targeted professional learning and development for teachers supports them to be more reflective practitioners. School leaders are continuing to develop clear understandings and expectations to support accelerated learning.

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

6 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 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

• processes for appointing staff

• stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions

• attendance

• compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014

7 Recommendation

ERO recommends that the school continues to embed and extend the internal evaluation of school practices that value diversity, and promote equity and excellence in outcomes for all children. 

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

23 March 2017

About the school 

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Oteha Valley School is situated on the North Shore of Auckland and caters for students in Years 1 to 6. The school has been open for eight years. While the foundation principal retired in August 2011, many of the foundation staff remain. The new principal has continued to build on the existing strengths of the school.

The school has very good inclusive practices. It has a satellite class of Wairau Special School students onsite. It is also part of the network of provision for students receiving support from Kelston Deaf Education Centre (KDEC). Students from both classes participate in many school-wide activities. The KDEC class is part of the school’s syndicate structure. Students and teachers from these classes are included purposefully in school learning opportunities.

The 2006 and 2009 ERO reports commented on the positive way students take responsibility for their behaviour to focus on learning. The 2009 ERO report also commented on the priority placed on fostering student leadership and decision making through physical activity. Both initiatives are well embedded in school practice and contribute to the calm, purposeful and settled school environment.

The 2009 ERO report noted the school’s decision to implement a literacy initiative for learners in Years 1 to 3. School data from three years of monitoring the progress and achievement of students who participated in that initiative indicate that it has been effective in contributing to improved levels of student achievement, especially in writing.

2 Learning

How well are students learning – engaging, progressing and achieving?

Students engage in learning very well. The school has high expectations for student learning and achievement. Senior leaders have developed good systems to monitor student progress. Systems and practices are reviewed regularly to determine their effectiveness.

According to the school’s achievement information, the majority of students achieve at or above National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori students achieve at similar levels to other students.

A number of initiatives are in place for students who are at risk of not making sufficient progress towards achieving National Standards. Trustees, school leaders and teachers have made these target students a priority in school goals, team meeting agendas and when considering strategies for teaching. Senior leaders model strong collective ownership of student progress and achievement, and teachers share their high expectations that all learners will be progressing appropriately. School-wide achievement targets are appropriately focused on cohorts of students who need the greatest support. It would be useful for staff to collate separate data to determine the effectiveness of initiatives in improving the rates of progress for target students.

Students for whom English is an additional language (ESOL) are provided with effective help to access all curriculum areas. Withdrawal programmes and in-class support are closely monitored and student progress is carefully monitored by teachers.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The school’s curriculum supports students learning very well. The school’s vision and curriculum have been reviewed recently. Both align well to guide the school’s future direction. Each essential learning area of The New Zealand Curriculum is well catered for. The very well embedded model for inquiry learning engages students in activities suited to their ability and is carefully planned to increase their knowledge, skills and understandings of each learning area.

School leaders continue to prioritise professional development for teachers aimed at enabling students to have increased ownership of their learning and achievement goals.

The curriculum includes and supports Māori perspectives. A newly developed te reo and tikanga Māori curriculum enables teachers to provide a progressive sequence of lessons. Senior leaders have actively sought professional learning and development for teachers to build their confidence and understanding in teaching this developing aspect of the curriculum.

In addition to these strengths:

• the school’s curriculum provides a variety of opportunities for students to celebrate and share their cultures
• students and teachers regularly reflect on and evaluate their performance. Students have good opportunities for self and peer assessment and support each other to learn well
• the school has a very positive climate and classrooms are settled places of learning.

The school has appropriately identified the need for improvements to how information communication technologies (ICT) are used. Opportunities to support students to connect, collaborate and create through e-learning could be strengthened.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

Māori students have a clear understanding of the purpose of learning and articulate their expectations for their future well. Māori students report that they identify strongly with the school’s recently formed kapa haka group and other cultural groups. These initiatives have enabled more Māori students to take on leadership roles within the school. Teachers could now promote leadership opportunities for Māori students in class discussions related to Māori language, culture and identity.

4 Sustainable Performance

How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?

The school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Planned and incidental self review is consistently used to identify trends, patterns and areas for improvement. Staff, students and parents are encouraged to contribute their ideas for school improvements. Clear teaching guidelines and expectations are in place. Teachers willingly embrace ways to continue improving their teaching practice to enable the school’s vision for learners to be achieved. The school is guided effectively by strong professional leadership.

A planned approach to building and strengthening school leadership is well promoted by professional learning and development targeted to different roles and responsibilities. Strong and positive relationships among leaders, teachers and students indicate that the direction for future learning is a collaborative commitment.

The board of trustees is well led. Trustees are committed to their governance role in school improvement and raising student achievement. The board operates a split eighteen month election cycle to maintain and sustain experience in board matters. Trustees seek training to enhance their understanding of governance and to enable new trustees to contribute to board matters knowledgeably.

The school has planned a cultural celebration and will use the opportunity to encourage parents of Māori students to share their ideas related to the revised te reo Māori curriculum, and the achievement of Māori students. School leaders and trustees have sought opportunities to engage in incidental conversations and ask whānau for ideas. Trustees and school leaders are aware that they need to consider how best to ensure that the aspirations of parents/whānau of Māori students are fully considered.

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
• stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
• attendance.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Makere Smith

National Manager Review Services Northern Region (Acting)

8 August 2012

About the School