Carew Peel Forest School

Carew Peel Forest School - 27/03/2018

School Context

Carew Peel Forest School is a small, rural primary school providing education for children in Years 1-6.  The school has a roll of 77 children. 

The school states its vision is to provide a welcoming, caring and inclusive environment. Leaders and teachers will promote high achievement, and collaborative, creative and adaptive ways of working. Children will learn to sustain and value the natural environment and be strongly connected to the community. The school’s key strategic goals are to:  

  • provide a responsive curriculum and flexible learning practices to meet the needs, abilities and interests of learners
  • be recognised as a Kohanga (nest) for learners who think and act sustainably
  • be an active participant in the local learning community to benefit all children.

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

  • student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
  • student achievement in other curriculum areas
  • aspects of student wellbeing and values.

Carew Peel Forest School is governed by a combined board of trustees that administers this school and Geraldine High School.

Carew Peel Forest School is a member of Ka Awa Whiria/Geraldine 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 effective in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most of its students.

School information for the previous three years shows that most children are achieving at or above their year level expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. More than one third of children achieve above expectations in reading and mathematics.

A 2017 student survey reported on the school’s valued outcomes for inclusiveness. The survey identified that almost all children reported a sense of inclusiveness and belonging at the school.

The school identifies early when learning is at risk, and takes appropriate steps to address learners’ needs.

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

The school responds very well to those Māori and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

The majority of children who need their learning accelerated have made 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 has very strong, well established and sustained processes and practices for equity and excellence and accelerating children’s learning and progress.

The curriculum is highly responsive to children, their interests, learning and wellbeing. The school’s vision and values are very evident in all aspects of school life. The curriculum links closely to children’s lives, their place in the school, the local environment and wider community. Teachers make meaningful links across the curriculum. Māori perspectives are becoming well integrated. Leaders and teachers are increasingly focusing on children becoming self-managing learners. Children are engaged and take pride in their learning and school.

Approaches to teaching and learning are well considered and based on the interests and needs of children and current research. Teachers use learning information very well to know children as individuals and learners, and to identify learning needs. They continually adapt their teaching practices to better engage children and to accelerate their learning. They reflect deeply, individually and collectively on what works for accelerating children’s learning.  Teachers make effective use of this information to make further changes to teaching programmes, as needed. They are increasingly sharing learning information with children to help them know about their progress and next learning steps. Children find learning interesting, relevant and challenging.

Leaders collaboratively develop and pursue the school’s vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence. They effectively build teachers’ capacity through purposeful professional development and appraisal processes. They lead and model effective evaluation and inquiry practices. Leaders and teachers build and value strong learning partnerships with families and whānau. School processes, practices and new developments are strongly aligned with school targets, vision and values for children. Children are at the centre of all decision making.

Organisational structures, processes and practices successfully enable and sustain collaborative learning and decision making. School plans are well linked to the school vision, values for children, their learning and place in the community. The annual plan is clearly aligned to the strategic plan and how the goals will be achieved. Reports to the board on student achievement and implementation of the school curriculum are evaluative and outcome focused. The board receives high quality information for making decisions about children’s learning.

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

The school has high quality and effective systems and processes for achieving equity and excellence and acceleration of learning. These further developments should help to ensure these systems and practices continue to be sustained and improved.

The board needs to make aspects of their scrutiny of school performance and of their own performance more explicit. This will contribute to making the rationale for strategic and procedural changes clearer.

Trustees and leaders should strengthen reporting on how well children are achieving in the valued outcomes identified in its vision and values. This will help to ensure that children’s wellbeing continues to be a strong focus in the school.

Leaders and teachers should embed school-wide practices for supporting children to know about their progress, achievement and next learning steps. This is likely to further strengthen children’s ownership of their learning.

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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • school systems, processes and practices that are strongly focused on achieving equity and excellence, and accelerating children’s progress
  • a well- developed and responsive school curriculum that effectively uses children’s interests, teachers’ skills and knowledge, the environment and wider community to make learning engaging and relevant.
  • effective processes and practices for internal evaluation that promote high quality learning and teaching.

Next steps

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

  • making board internal evaluation and scrutiny of school performance more explicit to show how well the school is achieving its valued outcomes for learners
  • continuing to embed all aspects of student agency to increase student ownership of their learning, progress and achievement. 

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

27 March 2018

About the school 

Location

South Canterbury

Ministry of Education profile number

3308

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

77

Gender composition

Boys  43    Girls 34

Ethnic composition

Māori  4 

Pākehā 62

Other ethnicities 11

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

February 2018

Date of this report

27 March 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review      May 2015

Education Review     January 2012

Education Review  December 2008

Carew Peel Forest School - 05/05/2015

Findings

Students benefit from rich learning experiences. Environment and sustainability are strongly woven into school life and studies. Students’ interests, strengths and opinions are recognised and valued. The inclusive nature of the school culture links well with Māori values. Most students achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Next steps include strengthening self review at board level.

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

1 Context

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

Carew Peel Forest School is a small school located in a supportive rural community in Mid-Canterbury. Students benefit from positive and respectful relationships. Most students have had access to early childhood education.

The school is governed by a combined board of trustees that govern this school and Geraldine High School. Carew Peel Forest School has a minimum of the one elected-parent representative on the board and the principal. The parent representative provides regular reports to the school community.

The board, principal and staff have made good progress since the previous 2012 ERO review.

Students learn in an attractive and well-resourced learning environment, with a good range of facilities, including a pool. The school has access to a social worker based at Geraldine High School.

There have been significant increases to the student roll in recent years. This is mostly due to families moving into the area to work in the dairy industry.

2 Learning

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

The principal and teachers make very good use of achievement information to plan for and improve outcomes for students.

Senior leaders and teachers capably identify and closely monitor the progress and achievement of students not reaching the National Standards expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. They use this information well to develop annual targets to lift the progress of students at risk of not achieving. Specific action plans for promoting improved learning outcomes for targeted groups and individuals are in place. These school-wide, and detailed classroom plans, are regularly reviewed.

Teachers use their knowledge of students’ achievement and interests to decide on the teaching content of classroom programmes and the various approaches that will motivate and challenge students to succeed. Students are increasingly contributing in a more direct way to this process.

Teachers use student progress and achievement to reflect on their teaching. They have regular professional discussions about the teaching strategies that are most effective in improving students’ learning outcomes.

The board receives useful reports from the principal showing how well students are achieving and progressing in relation to the National Standards. Trustees are also well informed about how well students are progressing towards the school’s annual achievement targets.

Students who find learning challenging and those with additional learning needs are well considered and provided for. An inclusive school culture and staff knowing school families well contributes to the school’s ability to support the learning and wellbeing of these students.

The principal and teachers are focused on making a positive difference to students’ progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. Parents have many opportunities to learn about their child’s progress and achievement. Reports to parents are clear, concise and informative. Students are increasingly aware of their learning goals and next steps.

Areas for review and development

The principal, teachers and ERO agree that the next steps for the school are to:

  • look at ways of extending assessment practices in studies that include a number of learning areas other than literacy and mathematics to show progress over time
  • continue to explore effective methods for including parents’ views and aspirations for their children throughout the goal-setting process.

3 Curriculum

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

The quality of the curriculum is a strength of the school. Students engage in a wide range of rich learning experiences. Their interests, strengths and opinions are recognised and valued.

The school’s values of, ‘Caring for myself and others, caring about the environment and caring about learning,’ are well embedded in learning programmes. Teachers have also looked closely at how these values shape expectations for their teaching practice. Students are involved in writing some ‘care codes’ that show their role in living these values within the school setting.

Teachers cater well for students whose first language is not English. The language, culture and identity of students are respected by staff. Bicultural perspectives are woven into the school’s curriculum.

Aspects of learning programmes for students that are particularly positive include:

  • the considerable opportunities to take action, use their knowledge and extend their understanding about sustainable practices
  • use of the local environment and community to support relevant, purposeful learning contexts.

Curriculum review provides useful information about students’ interests and participation in topic studies. This information supports teacher practices by helping to identify what is working well and what could be further strengthened.

National Standards information at the end of 2014, shows that most students are achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics.

Areas for review and development

The school is working towards building a good understanding of gifted and talented education, including cultural giftedness. The school and ERO have identified that this is an area for further investigation.

Continuing to strengthen recent school initiatives to build teachers’ understanding of modern learning practices and effective use of technologies are also appropriate next steps.

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

The school provides an individualised approach to working with students, parents and whānau to effectively promote educational success for Māori as Māori. The inclusive nature of the school culture and values align well with te ao Māori.

The principal and staff are caring and respectful of students’ wellbeing and learning. They show commitment to being involved in ongoing professional development to help them become culturally responsive to students as learners, within the context of their whānau and culture.

The curriculum and other key guiding documents are successfully integrating Māori concepts and perspectives in ways that are meaningful for students and respectful of the Māori culture.

Area for review and development

The school is in a good position to develop a process to show how well students are progressing in their knowledge and use of te reo and tikanga Māori as they move through the school.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Trustees bring a range of skills and experience to the board. There is a positive relationship between the principal and board with good communication and a shared focus on improving student learning and school operations.

Teachers and students benefit from the principal’s sound knowledge and experience in school management. The principal and teachers work as a collaborative, professional team. Teachers’ strengths are valued and well used. The school vision is regularly promoted and expectations for teaching and learning are clear. There are good opportunities for teachers and students to develop leadership skills.

There are good links between the charter, strategic and annual planning with other school-wide documentation such as the curriculum and appraisal systems. In addition, there are many helpful systems in place for teachers, in support of more consistent teaching practice.

The board makes appropriate provision for professional development. Teachers also make good use of evidence from research, their colleagues and their own teaching to reflect and improve their practice.

Areas for review and development

The board is aware that the next steps for ongoing improvement include developing a:

  • framework to support board self review
  • process for the review of board performance
  • planned approach to guide trustees in reviewing the strategic plan
  • strategy to make greater use of the unique relationship between the school and Geraldine High School to further support student learning.

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

Students benefit from rich learning experiences. Environment and sustainability are strongly woven into school life and studies. Students’ interests, strengths and opinions are recognised and valued. The inclusive nature of the school culture links well with Māori values. Most students achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Next steps include strengthening self review at board level.

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

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

5 May 2015

About the School

Location

Carew, South Canterbury

Ministry of Education profile number

3308

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

72

Gender composition

Boys 41; Girls 31

Ethnic composition

Pākehā

Māori

Asian

Other ethnicities

61

4

5

2

Review team on site

March 2015

Date of this report

5 May 2015

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

January 2012

November 2008

December 2005