Ashburton Intermediate - 01/08/2019

• On this page:

• School Context
• Evaluation Findings
• 1 Equity and excellence – achievement of valued outcomes for students
• 2 School conditions for equity and excellence – processes and practices
• 3 Board Assurance on Legal Requirements
• 4 ERO’s Overall Judgement
• 5 Going forward
• About the school

Ashburton Intermediate School caters for 399 Years 7 to 8 students, 60 of whom identify as Māori and 49 as Pacific. Students attend mainly from six contributing primary schools, with most students transitioning on to the neighbouring co-educational college.

The school’s valued outcomes for its learners are integrity, consideration, innovation and excellence. Students are issued with a Values Passport and this is used throughout their time at the school. The school’s mission is for all students to grow and achieve academically, socially, emotionally and physically through the intermediate school years and into a dynamic, changing world.

Strategic goals for 2019 include a focus on engaging students, whānau and the community through innovative teaching and learning, developing relationships that reflect the core values and beliefs, and the development of the school site to meet student and community needs.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

• rates of accelerated progress of target students

• wellbeing and behaviour

• attendance.

Since the 2017 ERO review the school has had changes to some members of the teaching team. There is a major school rebuild planned.

The 2017 ERO review found that there were significant areas to address to improve equity of achievement and progress for Māori and Pacific students. The school has been receiving support from the Ministry of Education and is making progress in reducing these disparities.

The school is a member of the Hakatere Kāhui Ako |Community of Learning (CoL).

Evaluation Findings

1 Equity and excellence – achievement of valued outcomes for students

1.1 How well is the school achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students?

The school is working towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students.

In relation to New Zealand Curriculum expectations:

• a large majority of students are achieving at or above the school’s expectations in reading, writing and mathematics, and overall levels of achievement continue to improve

• while there has been an improvement in achievement for Māori students, there continues to be disparity in reading, writing and mathematics for Māori

• results are lower in reading, writing and mathematics for Pacific students, many of whom are second language learners

• there is significant and ongoing disparity for boys in writing.

Schoolwide information is analysed and reported regularly to the board. The data shows progress over time, and identifies gender, ethnicity and those receiving additional support. The board ensures resourcing for priority learners in line with the school’s strategic aims and annual goals.

1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?

The school has had some success in responding to those learners whose achievement needs acceleration.

School leaders and teachers place priority on providing specialist teaching and well supported interventions, particularly in reading and mathematics. Achievement information is collated regularly to track and report on progress. Evidence provided by the school shows that some learners make accelerated progress over time.

2 School conditions for equity and excellence – processes and practices

2.1 What school processes and practices are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?

The school curriculum makes powerful connections to real life contexts and student experiences. This is supported by a timetable that is responsive to, and enables students to experience the breadth and depth of the New Zealand Curriculum. Ongoing, systematic review of the curriculum ensures it meets students’ needs and interests. Learning programmes are differentiated and provide extra support and extension for students who need this. Progress and achievement are regularly tracked and monitored. A cycle of regular reporting informs parents and whānau and provides opportunities for them to be partners in their children’s learning.

Students participate and learn in caring, collaborative, inclusive learning communities. They are supported to develop goal setting and self-monitoring skills that enable them to increasingly take control of their own learning. Relationships are positive and respectful. The school proactively identifies and draws on community resources to enhance student learning opportunities, achievement and wellbeing.

Teachers work collaboratively to build capability and collective capacity. A robust appraisal process is directly linked to key professional learning developments and the school’s strategic priorities. Student achievement, learning and wellbeing needs inform decision making. Teachers and leaders are improvement focused and willing to innovate to find solutions to challenges.

Leadership ensures a supportive environment and provides schoolwide systems that support teaching and learning, underpinned by a well-embedded values system. Leaders provide teachers with time and resources to develop the capabilities and capacity required to support positive outcomes for students. Student achievement is a key focus of leaders and the board. Leaders are targeting resourcing to meet key priorities. The board supports the principal to pursue the school’s vision, values and strategic direction.

2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?

Leaders need to ensure there is a consistent approach to moderation practices, analysis and the use of data to:

• inform next steps for teaching and learning

• continue to reduce disparity for learners

• better identify what is working well for students’ learning and where improvements are needed.

Trustees and school leaders need to ensure regular planned community consultation to build reciprocal relationships with Māori and Pacific whānau and the wider community.

3 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
• finance
• 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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Ashburton Intermediate’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

• leadership which ensures a supportive environment and schoolwide systems that support teaching and learning
• a curriculum which promotes student engagement and makes powerful connections to real life contexts and student experiences
• teachers and leaders who are improvement focused and willing to innovate to find solutions to challenges.

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:

• ensuring consistent moderation practices, analysis and use of data to inform next steps for teaching and learning, and continuing to reduce disparity for learners
• using data from a range of sources to better identify what is working well for students’ learning and where improvements are needed
• trustees and school leaders ensuring regular, planned community consultation to build reciprocal relationships with Māori and Pacific whānau and the wider community.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to:

• consultation with the school’s Māori community (National Administration Guideline 1e)

• consultation on the health curriculum, at least every two years(Section 60B Education Act 1989).

In order to address this, the board of trustees must:

• carry out consultation with the school’s Māori community, and develop and make known to the school’s community policies, plans and targets for improving the progress and achievement of Māori students
• adopt a statement on the delivery of the health curriculum, at least once in every two years, after consultation with the school community.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region 

1 August 2019

About the school