Campion College

Findings

Campion College is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Students experience success within a broad curriculum focused on their interests, needs and aspirations. The school works collaboratively with its community to develop innovative solutions to promote engagement, equity and excellence at all levels. Building on internal evaluation capacity across the school should support ongoing improvement.

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

1 Context

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

Campion College caters for students in Years 7 to 15. The roll of 519, includes 29% who identify as Māori.

The college philosophy and learning programmes focus on the development of the whole person and are underpinned by Catholic gospel values of commitment, compassion and community. The shared vision and values are recognised and understood throughout the school as the guiding framework for learning and behaviour. Positive relationships support student wellbeing and promote a sense of belonging. There is a strong focus on providing an inclusive environment.

The findings in this report continue to support the school’s good reporting history with ERO.

2 Learning

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

Overall school achievement data shows most students make expected progress, with a number accelerating their learning. Student achievement information is well used by trustees, leaders and teachers to support and promote learners’ engagement, progress and achievement.

Since the November 2012 ERO report, rates of achievement have continued to improve at all levels of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Recent results show that students perform well above schools of similar type and nationally. Māori learners experience similar success. High expectations, supportive practices and new initiatives promote students’ engagement and holistic development and contribute to the high retention rates.

Years 9 and 10 literacy and mathematics achievement shows an upward trajectory over time. Comprehensive achievement information is collected by teachers and leaders at this level. This data is used to support students’ specific needs as they transition into the senior school. 

The school’s achievement information for Years 7 and 8 shows that most students achieve at or above in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori student achievement is similar or better to that of all students at the school. Trustees and leaders have identified raising the achievement of boys as a priority. Planning is occurring to support the acceleration of these learners.

The school has developed rigorous moderation practices to support teachers to make dependable judgements about students’ progress and achievement.

Sound systems and processes are in place to identify students requiring additional learning support. A wide range of interventions and programmes assists them to achieve successful learning outcomes. The inclusion of students with special educational needs is well managed and receptive to individuals and their families’ goals.

3 Curriculum

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

The broad curriculum effectively promotes and supports student learning. It is responsive to individual interests, needs and aspirations and underpinned by the school’s special Catholic character. Significant features include:

• a shared understanding of effective and responsive teaching
• authentic and meaningful contexts for learning
• students becoming more involved and taking responsibility for their learning
• a strong focus on literacy and numeracy
• an increased range of choice, pathways and customised programmes.

Recently implemented innovative approaches to curriculum provision and design are aimed at personalising learning and enhancing student engagement. Students at all levels have extensive opportunities to participate and celebrate success in a range of academic, cultural, service, sporting and leadership activities. Learners benefit from positive, affirming relationships with their teachers and peers.

Increased collaboration amongst teachers helps to coordinate support for and monitoring of, students' progress, achievement and wellbeing. Students are successfully assisted to transition through the school and on to further education, training and employment.

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

The school continues to work effectively to promote Māori students’ success as Māori. Students experience success in all aspects of the curriculum. The school has a number of initiatives to positively support Māori learners, including:

• promoting inclusion and reinforcing beliefs and values to support students' language, culture and identity
• whānau and school community groups focused on strategic decision making
• engagement and learning-focused discussions with whānau. 

4 Sustainable Performance

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

Campion College is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Trustees and leaders share and promote a collective vision for school development and ongoing improvement, through the innovative curriculum and teaching and learning practices. The board and principal work collaboratively in supporting the school's vision, values and strategic goals. Trustees are student and community focused. Resourcing and decision making is aligned to and supportive of, school priorities.

Leaders work collaboratively with staff and the community to develop innovative solutions to promote engagement, equity and excellence across the school. The teacher appraisal process is meaningful, and builds and celebrates good practice. Teachers are highly reflective and inquire into the effectiveness of their teaching and learning programmes.

The school highly values the importance of having strong connections and relationships with parents, families, whānau and the wider community to support students’ learning. Learning mentors reinforce these partnerships and positively contribute to improving learners’ engagement and wellbeing. Student and community voices are important and used to inform decisions and actions.

A well-established culture of reflection is highly evident. Leaders agree that further development of internal evaluation processes is required in order to measure the impact and effectiveness of what the school does to improve student outcomes. This should include strengthening the analysis of student achievement data and reporting to the board.

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.

Conclusion

Campion College is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Students experience success within a broad curriculum focused on their interests, needs and aspirations. The school works collaboratively with its community to develop innovative solutions to promote engagement, equity and excellence at all levels. Building on internal evaluation capacity across the school should support ongoing improvement.

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

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

7 July 2017

About the School

1 Context

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

The college philosophy and learning programmes focus on the development of the whole person and are underpinned by Catholic gospel values of commitment, compassion and community. A range of methods is used to effectively communicate with and involve families, whānau, aiga and the wider community in the life of the school.

The college has an ongoing cycle of robust self review that identifies priorities for improvement, monitors progress and evaluates effectiveness of programmes and initiatives. Students across the school aspire to do well and improve their performance and results. A strong emphasis on student goal setting, recognition of success and celebration of achievement reinforce an ethos of high expectations for all learners.

Peer tutoring and mentoring reinforce the collaborative and supportive learning environment throughout the school. Students are actively involved in a range of cultural, community and environmental learning and service experiences to extend their understanding of wider world topics and issues. A caring and nurturing family atmosphere, promoted through vertical form teachers and learning mentors, is highly valued by the students.

2 Learning

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

Students are well engaged in learning and participate in a range of opportunities and programmes to extend their academic, social and leadership skills. Positive and respectful relationships between students and with teachers promote trust and mutual respect. Students are well prepared for learning.

Learning mentors lead seven vertical, family-based student groupings across the school. They play an increasingly important and valued role in guiding all students to be engaged in learning and supported to achieve their potential through:

• regular conversations about learning matters and progress
• guidance about learning pathways and academic requirements
• responsive pastoral care and support
• regular communication with families, whānau or aiga to discuss students' progress and contribute to setting, monitoring and reviewing students' goals during the year.

Staff, managers and trustees use student achievement information effectively at all levels. Students make good use of information to monitor their progress and achievement, especially at senior levels. Most students make very good progress in their time at the college.

Year 7 achievement data shows many students enter the college below expectations for mathematics and literacy. School data from standardized tests in literacy and mathematics show that students make good progress during Years 9 and 10. This progress continues in the senior levels. Targeted support, responsive teaching programmes and high expectations supported 90% of Year 11 students to achieve a Level 1 National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) or equivalent qualifications in 2011. High rates of achievement are evident at Year 12 in the 88% of students who achieved Level 2 NCEA in 2011.

Over the past two years NCEA results have steadily improved. A high percentage of students achieve NCEA, well above results for similar types of schools and above national rates across Levels 1 and 2. Achievements of merit and excellence endorsements have also increased. Māori students make very good progress and achieve at similar levels to their school peers. Overall, Pacific students make good progress and achieve slightly below their peers' high levels of achievement.

Managers collate data about students’ achievement in relation to National Standards in Years 7 and 8. In 2011 most students at these levels made progress. A significant number made accelerated progress with over half of Year 8 students achieving at or above expectations in relation to National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of the year. Senior teachers and managers are strengthening moderation processes to achieve greater reliability and consistency in overall teacher judgements in relation to National Standards. ERO affirms this as an appropriate next step. Further refinement of the reporting format to parents at these levels is necessary to more clearly show parents the students' levels of achievement in relation to National Standards.

3 Curriculum

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

The school curriculum effectively promotes and supports learning and success across the school. Curriculum expectations, guidelines and planning are well developed for each learning area. Teachers use a range of strategies to provide effective opportunities for all students to engage in purposeful learning and regularly use positive feedback and praise. Classroom programmes and teaching strategies are reviewed and revised to meet student needs and in response to data.

A two semester school timetable and a learner-centred philosophy provide for increasingly personalised learning programmes. These assist students to enjoy flexible learning pathways and course choices that cater for their interests, needs and aspirations.

Trustees and senior leaders make effective use of education evidence and research to inform their plans and decisions to improve curriculum delivery and learning models. Consultation with the community has helped inform planned initiatives for Year 7 students to be involved in an e-learning strategy in 2013.

Assessment and reporting practices provide a robust framework to raise student achievement. Teachers provide useful criteria, written feedback and strategies for students’ self assessment and goal setting to improve learning and achievement. They set clear expectations and are making good use of a range of data to track student progress and learning needs. Four weekly reporting and awarding of certificates and rewards for progress and achievements acknowledge and encourage students to do their best.

Pacific students are well supported through board representation and monitoring of their progress and achievement as a group. They receive academic and personal support from their own learning mentor who has a Pacific background. Relationships with aiga are positive and students participate in cultural activities within the college and at regional Polynesian festivals.

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

Learners are well supported to be successful as individuals and as Māori. Expectations for Māori success as Māori are integrated into the college’s mission statement to develop the total person in relation to identity, culture, language, leadership and achievement overall.

Whānau are actively engaged in the school with positive relationships developed with iwi and the community. Māori learning mentors and teaching staff have developed close links with whānau. Māori students achieve success in the kapa haka group who perform well in local competitions. They feature in cultural, sporting and academic leadership roles and enjoy opportunities to promote their cultural identity in the school. Students with identified needs are further supported through learning intervention programmes, peer tutors and mentors.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The college is very well placed to sustain ongoing developments at all levels and continue to improve its overall performance. A future-focused board and experienced board chair provide effective leadership, strategic direction and representation to the community. They actively foster professional and productive relationships between trustees, school leaders and staff.

Trustees have a Treaty of Waitangi subcommittee to maintain a strategic focus on Māori students’ needs, the wider school's bicultural policies and conditions to promote success for Māori students.

There are very good systems and processes for effective self review at governance and senior leadership levels. Trustees have a clear focus on improving students’ achievement and actively promoting their interests and successes. The board is well informed about students’ progress through detailed, regular reporting of well-analysed schoolwide data by the principal.

Self-review processes are used effectively and regularly to improve performance in departments. Heads of curriculum report directly to the board about their subject area. At these meetings they discuss student results and how teachers are addressing needs and issues in their departments. This first hand information and direct communication contributes to trustees’ well-informed planning and resourcing decisions.

Trustees and managers have continued to build strong partnerships with the community through regular consultation that informs strategic plans and self-review processes. Learning mentors reinforce these partnerships through regular meetings and other communications with parents.

The performance management system and appraisal processes provide appropriate links to school priorities and professional learning and development needs and provision. A next step is for managers to further develop teaching as inquiry processes to sustain ongoing improvements in practices and student outcomes. This should support teachers’ development and use of effective strategies to raise the achievement of priority learners, especially those in Years 7 to 9.

Students appreciate the family atmosphere, values and measures taken by trustees and managers to promote an inclusive and safe environment for all.

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 four-to-five years.

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)

26 November 2012

About the School