Brooklyn School (Wellington) - 23/05/2017

Summary

Brooklyn School, in the Wellington suburb of Brooklyn, caters for students in Years 1 to 8. There are currently 415 students, 7% of whom are Māori, 3% Pacific and 18% Asian. Trustees employ a teacher to support class programmes in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori.

There have been a number of new appointments to leadership roles and teaching staff since the 2014 ERO review. Major property developments are planned for several classrooms.

Recent professional development has focused on developing effective mathematics teaching practice through inquiry and exploring new teaching strategies. The school has recently participated in a Ministry of Education Teacher-led Innovation Fund (TLIF) project, in partnership with Massey University and three other schools. This project focused on developing effective co-teaching strategies to support learning.

The school has long collaborative associations with a cluster of local schools to support curriculum and school developments. It recently joined the Capital City Community of Learning.

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

Children are well engaged and show enjoyment and confidence in their learning. Overall, most achieve very well, particularly in reading. The school recognises there is disparity of achievement for some groups of children and teachers focus on supporting those who are at risk in their learning.

The school’s improved systems for tracking and sharing of achievement information support collective responsibility for students’ success. Ensuring systems and processes for setting, monitoring and reporting on targets should enable the school to better promote and demonstrate accelerated learning for students.

There is a wide range of effective processes and practices which foster equity and excellence. Trustees focus on improvement.

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.

Equity and excellence

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

Most students achieve very well, especially in reading. Substantial numbers of students achieve above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

There is a clear focus on supporting students who are at risk in their learning. The school recognises that Māori and Pacific students continue to be over-represented in the group of approximately 60 students who require accelerated progress to reach the Standards in the three learning areas across the school.

Targets appropriately focus on raising the achievement of these cohorts and reducing disparity for boys in writing. There is evidence of accelerated progress for some learners. Ensuring systems and processes for setting, monitoring and reporting on targets should enable the school to better promote and demonstrate accelerated learning for students.

Most students are successful learners and participate positively in classroom programmes. Their needs are clearly identified, and progress and achievement are tracked school wide. There is a focus on supporting Māori students’ identity and additional strategies are being explored to review and support their sense of belonging.

Targets are set to raise the achievement of Pacific learners. A next step is to develop strategic goals to promote strong partnerships with Pacific families and strengthen responsiveness to these learners through the curriculum.

Students with additional learning needs are well supported to participate in school life and to access the curriculum through inclusive practices. Well-considered, responsive provision is in place for these students, along with a collaborative approach to identification of needs and decision-making. A senior leader provides support for students, teachers and parents, and liaises with external agencies as appropriate.

Achievement information is appropriately used for intentional, targeted teaching of students. Deliberate strategies and improved systems have been developed for tracking and sharing student achievement and progress. These support teachers’ shared knowledge of the learner and foster collective responsibility for students’ success in learning.

A range of suitable assessment tools is used to inform teachers’ judgments about achievement in relation to the National Standards. There is some use of moderation for writing within and across syndicates. Robustness can be further strengthened by ensuring there are clear processes for regular moderation in each of the learning areas, and increased opportunities for external moderation.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

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

The school has a wide range of effective processes and practices that foster equity and excellence.

Teachers care about and promote students’ success and their meaningful participation in learning. Students show enjoyment and confidence and are well engaged. They are effectively supported to collaborate, know about and reflect on their learning.

Curriculum design is coherent and aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum and the school’s vision for learning. Leaders and teachers work together to develop a shared understanding of an enacted curriculum which responds effectively to the needs, strengths and interests of children. Clear expectations are in place for the planning and assessment of literacy and mathematics.

Ongoing review of mathematics through externally supported professional development and inquiry is building a shared understanding of effective practice. Shifts in approaches to teaching and learning have resulted in improved student attitudes and engagement in mathematics.

Good relational trust is evident within a new team of leaders and amongst teachers. Leadership should continue to be developed at all levels to ensure a clear, cohesive approach to promoting equity and excellence, guided by internal evaluation and inquiry.

Professional learning opportunities and discussion, collaborative inquiry and an effective appraisal system support teachers to reflect on, share and improve their practice.

An improved range of communication strategies is in place to inform and involve parents in school life and curriculum developments. Teachers regularly share the learning and progress of each child with their families.

Trustees show commitment to undertaking their roles and responsibilities, and to improvement. They contribute a range of skills and expertise. Most are recent appointees who work collaboratively and are building a shared understanding of effective stewardship.

Coherence of vision and direction is evident. Trustees receive a range of useful and comprehensive information which they use to guide decision-making on school operations, practices and priorities. The board is clearly focused on providing improved communications with its local community.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

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

Further refining of systems for promoting and evaluating the acceleration of learners at risk is required.

A process is in place to assist teachers to inquire into how their practice supports targeted learners. Continued development of this process to determine the effectiveness of teaching strategies should support this improvement.

The planned review of curriculum documentation should focus on providing improved clarity and alignment in relation to:

newly developed, shared understandings of effective teaching and learning
cultural responsiveness, including a clear vision for success as Māori and integration of local and te ao Māori perspectives
ongoing review and evaluation of the implemented curriculum.

Further development of meaningful relationships with parents and the wider community should enable:

a shared understanding of aspirations and increased opportunities for input into decision-making and curriculum, particularly for Māori, Pacific and other cultural groups
enriched information for internal evaluation.

Developing clear systems and processes for evaluation in all areas of school operation should assist in sustaining improvements and guiding decision-making.

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?