Brooklyn School (Motueka)

Brooklyn School (Motueka)

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within twelve months of the Education Review Office and Brooklyn School (Motueka) 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 

Brooklyn School is a rural, family-oriented, full primary school of 5 classes. The school is located 7km west of Motueka at the foot of the Brooklyn Valley, serving children from families involved in local horticulture and agriculture industries, and also from the Motueka township. The ‘Brooklyn Learner’ is defined as ‘Sharing, Curious and Active.

Brooklyn School (Motueka)’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • for all learners to follow a coherent learning pathway in literacy

  • for all learners to follow a coherent pathway of learning in the technology curriculum.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Brooklyn School (Motueka)’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to improve continuity of learning across Years 0 to 8 in reading.  

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • to support the implementation of a coherent school wide approach to engagement and learning in reading

  • for leaders, teachers, learners and parents to better know about the effectiveness of the strategies selected to bring about continuous improvement.

The school expects to see a sustained, school wide approach to teaching reading that leads to equitable and excellent outcomes for learners.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to improve learning transitions and continuity of learning across Years 0 to 8 in reading:

  • its positive learning climate where cultural responsiveness and diversity are valued

  • the strength of its professional relationships and community partnerships that focus on the learning and wellbeing of students

  • leaders’ commitment to providing the resourcing required to implement and support the reading strategy.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • supporting learners to make choices and decisions about their learning and progress to meet their expectations and achieve success in reading 

  • providing professional learning to strengthen strategies and assessment systems that will support teachers to implement and evaluate a coherent school wide reading strategy.

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

9 December 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

Brooklyn School (Motueka)

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of September 2022, the Brooklyn School Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Further Information

For further information please contact Brooklyn School (Motueka) Board.

The next School Board assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.

Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

9 December 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

 

Brooklyn School (Motueka) - 26/09/2017

Summary

Brooklyn School caters for children in Years 1 to 8 and has a roll of 105 children, 27 of whom identify as Māori.

School staffing is stable and an experienced chairperson leads the board. Succession planning and training has supported 3 new members in their role as trustees.

Considerable progress in addressing the recommendations outlined in the 2014 ERO report has been made. The curriculum has been completed and is now embedded. In practice, the strategic plans clearly reflect the school’s priorities and valued outcomes for children. The appraisal process is more rigorous and focused on ongoing improvement of teaching practice. Children have improved opportunities to experience te reo and tikanga Māori.

Achievement over time shows that most children maintain good levels of achievement against the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. School leaders and teachers use a range of effective programmes and interventions to reduce disparity, particularly in reading.

Leaders and teachers actively contribute to the Motueka Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning (CoL).

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

The school effectively responds to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. Leaders and teachers are focused on improving student achievement and most students are achieving well. They have useful systems in place to support children to make a range of sufficient progress over their time at school. Leaders and teachers clearly identify the areas of the curriculum that need improving through professional learning and development.

A strength of the school is the learning children do across all areas of the New Zealand Curriculum within their unique location.

At the time of this review children are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.

Agreed next steps are to:

  • evaluate the impact of interventions and changes to practice that are planned to raise children’s achievement

  • develop consistency of judgements with other schools through shared moderation

  • increase the consistency of how teachers report accelerated progress and rates of progress that individual children make over time.

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 effectively responds to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

The 2016 achievement information shows that most children achieved at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The disparity between some learners in mathematics is being addressed by teachers. This includes individual teaching and working with parents to support their children’s learning at home.

Māori children are achieving well against the National Standards in writing and mathematics. Targeted children are receiving appropriate learning support to accelerate their progress in these areas.

Teachers deliberately stimulate children’s curiosity through differing learning experiences in and beyond the school. They encourage children to actively research information and demonstrate ako by sharing their learning with each other. Teachers effectively use a range of assessments to identify children’s needs and strengths. Highly experienced teacher aides provide targeted learning support.

The next step is for teachers to moderate their overall teacher judgments across schools to ensure shared consistency of decisions between schools.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

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

The school has a range of effective processes and practices that are enabling equity and excellence.

ommunity to refresh the school’s values, vision and strategic direction. The board is well informed about children’s achievement, needs and wellbeingThe board and school leaders work collaboratively to promote positive outcomes for children. They regularly consult with the c.

Teachers benefit from professional learning and development (PLD) opportunities that are clearly linked to building their capability and raising children’s achievement.

The school provides good opportunities for children to learn te reo and tikanga Māori with support from a specialist teacher of Māori. Children are able to participate in kapa haka, learn harakeke weaving, waiata, local stories and the protocols associated with visiting their local marae. Teachers are continuing to build their confidence in the use of te reo Māori.

Children experience a localised and authentic curriculum that provides rich and broad opportunities. The school engages in a culturally responsive approach focussed on promoting kaitiakitanga in caring for the local environment. Tuakana teina relationships where older children support their younger peers with their learning, is a feature of the school’s programme.

Children with additional needs are well supported in a positive, inclusive environment. Leaders and teachers follow useful processes to gather information about individual children’s learning and create individual pathways for success.

Strong learner-centred relationships between the school and parents, whānau and the local community promote equity and excellence for all children.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

Leaders and teachers have effective systems to ensure children are making sufficient progress over their time at the school and to identify the areas of the curriculum that need improving.

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

The school needs to:

  • evaluate the impact of interventions and changes to practice that are planned to raise children’s achievement

  • increase the consistency of how teachers report accelerated progress and rates of progress that individual children make over time.

  • develop consistency of assessment judgements with other schools through shared moderation.

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?

Children are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.

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

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

26 September 2017

About the school

Location

Motueka

Ministry of Education profile number

3185

School type

Full Primary Years 1 to 8

School roll

105

Gender composition

Boys 51%

Girls 49%

Ethnic composition

Pākehā 69%

Māori 26%

Samoan 1%

Asian 1%

Other 3%

Review team on site

July-August 2017

Date of this report

26 September 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review May 2014

Education Review April 2011

Brooklyn School (Motueka) - 19/05/2014

1 Context

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

Brooklyn School is a small rural school on the outskirts of Motueka. It caters for students from Years 1 to 8. It has small class numbers. Many of the staff have worked at the school for a number of years and know the families and community well. The board, principal and staff are supportive of new families and provide a welcoming environment for all students.

The school provides students with a wide range of learning experiences within the school and wider community.

Since the April 2011 ERO review, the principal and teachers have made considerable progress in establishing assessment and monitoring systems that are useful, well understood and used consistently across the school. They have made some progress in developing the school curriculum. Self review is beginning to be understood and used effectively to monitor progress and provide direction for further improvements.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

The school is making good use of achievement information to identify student learning needs and to monitor student progress over time.

Student achievement results show most students are achieving at or above National Standards in writing and mathematics. Students achieve less well in reading. The principal looks carefully at student achievement information to track progress over time for all students and selected groups. There is also some good analysis of information between year levels. The board receives useful information about students’ levels of achievement.

Teachers work well together to achieve greater consistency when making overall teacher judgements against the National Standards. This is particularly evident in the way they share examples of students' writing and make decisions about student progress and next steps for learning.

The principal and teachers have worked well together to strengthen mathematics across the school. As a result of professional development and discussion, teachers are now making better use of resources and assessment tools to identify students' learning needs and adjust teaching programmes.

Teachers make good use of assessment information to support students with special learning needs. Individual education plans provide clear direction and a coordinated approach by adults to support students' learning. Effective processes are in place for identifying those students whose learning and wellbeing need additional support. A range of interventions are put in place and parents regularly support these initiatives in the classroom and at home.

Teachers are reflecting more closely on how their teaching practice can be adjusted to better meet the needs of targeted students. Professional discussions amongst teachers are promoting the sharing of ideas and possible strategies to lift student achievement.

Areas for review and development

Teachers have put a number of initiatives in place to support student progress. The next step is to evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives and the ways that teaching practice has promoted the progress of these students.

It is timely for the board to address the lower levels of achievement in reading through its annual targets.

3 Curriculum

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

The school curriculum provides some direction for learning and achievement. Parents, students and teachers have worked together to identify important characteristics of a “Brooklyn Learner” at different stages as they progress through school. The characteristics of being active, curious and sharing can clearly be seen in the school’s holistic approach to student learning and wellbeing. This is forming the basis for the current redevelopment of the curriculum.

The principal and teachers work well together to plan school-wide learning programmes. These programmes provide suitable levels of challenge for different age groups. The principal and teachers are providing a cohesive approach to delivering well-balanced learning opportunities for students.

Students are provided with a wide range of varied learning experiences, particularly in the arts, science and physical education. Literacy and mathematics are effectively integrated across all subject areas.

Considerable effort is made by teachers to engage students in interesting and fun activities. Students are challenged to solve problems and explore options in their learning.

Area for review and development

The board, principal, teachers and ERO agree that a high priority is the completion of the school curriculum to provide clear expectations and guidance for teaching and learning at Brooklyn School.

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

The principal and teachers have made good progress in recognising Māori language and culture, and supporting Māori students, since the previous ERO review.

Māori values can be seen in action with older students supporting each other and younger students. Teachers show genuine interest in each student’s wellbeing and use a range of approaches to involve whānau in their children’s learning.

Students are developing knowledge of Te Ao Māori. Teachers introduce Māori concepts effectively into a range of subject areas in classroom programmes. This is clearly seen in students' work, classroom environments and in conversations between students and teachers.

School leadership has seen the reintroduction of kapa haka and the celebration of Māori culture through community events such as the annual school hangi. Students were highly involved in the naming of their class after a native tree that had attributes that reflected the year level and expectations of students.

Student achievement information available to the public shows Māori students are not achieving at the same level as other students in the school. This has been recognised and is being addressed at an individual level within the classes.

Areas for review and development

To build Māori success as Māori the board and principal should:

  • set annual targets to improve the achievement of Māori students
  • provide opportunities for teachers to continue to develop their confidence in the use of te reo Māori.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The board and principal are making appropriate progress in developing systems and practices that should sustain and improve the school’s performance over time.

The trustees have made good use of board training to better understand their roles and responsibilities. They take an active interest in student achievement information and the ways that they can support the principal and staff to improve teaching and learning.

Self review is becoming more useful in helping the board and senior managers to make decisions to improve student achievement. A recent review of mathematics made good links between student achievement, professional development and where progress needed to occur.

Positive relationships between the board and principal are evident.

The school receives good support from the parent community. The board, principal and teachers keep parents informed and consult them about decisions involving the school and their children’s learning.

Areas for review and development

The board, principal and ERO agree that the next steps for the school to improve sustainability and build capability and capacity include:

  • reviewing and strengthening the school’s charter, strategic and annual planning process to make better links between these documents and desired outcomes for students
  • strengthening teacher appraisal.

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.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

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

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services

Southern Region

19 May 2014

About the School

Location

Motueka

Ministry of Education profile number

3185

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

122

Gender composition

Boys 50%

Girls 50%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Tongan

Japanese

Other Ethnicities

18%

75%

1%

1%

5%

Review team on site

April 2014

Date of this report

19 May 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Supplementary Review

Education Review

April 2011

November 2007

September 2005