Castlecliff School

Education institution number:
2346
School type:
Contributing
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
132
Telephone:
Address:

Polson Street, Castlecliff, Whanganui

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Castlecliff School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within twelve months of the Education Review Office and Castlecliff School 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 

Castlecliff School is located in Whanganui and provides education for children in Years 1 to 6. The school seeks to provide teaching and learning experiences that are relevant, purposeful and challenging. Specifically, Te reo Māori is highly valued and nurtured within the school with every child having the opportunity to experience and be proud to speak reo Māori.

Castlecliff School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

  • maintain and further enhance a culture of positive relationships and physical and emotional safety

  • deliver powerful learning programmes that meet individual needs and community priorities

  • provide effective communication

  • effectively deliver school-wide planning, implementation and to review strategic goals

  • ensure school property and the environment are safe, well maintained and supportive of the school vision, purposes and values

  • respect the environment and work towards a sustainable school community for current and future generations.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Castlecliff School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which assessment and planning effectively identify and respond to the needs of all learners.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • strengthen staff capability to engage in teaching and learning practices that support learners to progress and achieve at expected levels and to accelerate learner progress where needed

  • ensure assessment data is effectively used to inform teaching and learning programmes.

The school expects to see:

  • consistent assessment and moderation practices, and robust tracking and monitoring of learner progress

  • teacher planning that reflects the specific needs of each learner

  • all staff knowing and understanding the impact of their practice and programmes on learner outcomes

  • improved rates of progress and higher levels of achievement.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to meet the learning needs of all learners:

  • Leadership prioritises culturally responsive teaching expectations that are clear, shared and implemented across the school.

  • The social and emotional needs of learners are nurtured and supported through a range of approaches, systems and processes and modelled by leadership.

  • Staff and leaders demonstrate commitment to a range of professional learning to build capability and capacity across the school.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise excellent and equitable outcomes for all learners through: 

  • staff professional learning about effective assessment practices

  • deepening understanding of the Learning Progression Framework and how to utilise this resource to improve outcomes for all learners

  • the development of a school-wide approach to the teaching and learning of te reo Māori, beginning with a self-review of current programmes across the school. 

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.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

 31 July 2023 

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

Castlecliff School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of May 2022, the Castlecliff 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 Castlecliff School, School 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.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

 31 July 2023

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

Castlecliff School - 28/10/2020

Findings

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

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Castlecliff School in Whanganui has 191 students in Years 1 to 6; 120 identify as Māori, with nine of Pacific heritage. The school roll continues to grow.

The school environment reflects and celebrates the language, culture and identity of all students and staff. Level 2 te reo Māori continues across the school and te reo Māori speakers are employed in all teams.

The 2018 ERO report identified significant areas for improvement. Over the past two and half years the school has participated in an ERO evaluation process to support improvement. During this time trustees and staff accessed appropriate external professional learning and development (PLD) to support them in their roles and practice. They have worked positively and with a determined focus on improvement.

This ERO report evaluates the progress made and how well placed the school now is to sustain continuous improvement.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

The overall goal was to improve governance, school practice and operation to promote positive learning outcomes and accelerate progress of all students. Areas of focus to support this have included:

  • strengthening the implementation of processes to support developing inquiry practice and build teacher capability

  • developing a coherent approach to targeted planning to accelerate student learning, decision making, prioritising and implementing change

  • documenting curriculum and teaching practice expectations to guide implementation

  • enhancing leaders’ evaluative capacity to measure and document the impact of actions and initiatives on student outcomes

  • continuing to develop sound stewardship practices to effectively govern the school.

Progress

School leaders are implementing processes that are contributing to positive change and improvement in the school.

School leaders and teachers have developed and use a range of appropriate processes and systems to measure, track and document student learning. End-of-2019 data indicates that the majority of students, including Māori and Pacific, achieved at or above expectation in reading and just under half in mathematics and writing. This data has been used to determine student achievement targets for 2020 and PLD focuses for teachers. Mid-year data for reading shows that half of students identified as achieving below expectation have made accelerated progress. Some students have made accelerated progress in writing.

School leaders know teachers’ practice well. Teachers have opportunities to take on leadership roles aligned to their strengths and interests. They are supported by external PLD to reflect on and build their capability to promote positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for students.

Staff are reflective practitioners. Useful frameworks have been developed and implemented to support teachers to inquire into and reflect on their practice. Teachers use student achievement information effectively to determine what is working well and what they need to do differently.

Staff know students well and are collectively responsible for all learners. They use a range of effective strategies to support students to be engaged in their learning. Respectful, reciprocal relationships across the school promote a sense of wairua, belonging and wellbeing. Students are supported to understand, have ownership of and make choices in their learning. Students with high and complex learning and health needs are well supported by specialist teaching and support staff. Individual education plans, programmes and vibrant environments promote learning and wellbeing for these learners.

School leaders and teachers are working collaboratively with external facilitators to support and document the development of a localised, culturally responsive curriculum. This includes expectations to guide what effective teaching looks like at this school in order to promote student learning. The local curriculum is clearly aligned to the school’s identified priorities and focuses. Leaders have high expectations of teachers and teachers have high expectations of learners.

Trustees are aware of, understand and undertake their governance roles, responsibilities and obligations diligently. They work collaboratively to support the principal and the school. The board is well informed by the principal about student achievement, school priorities, learning programmes and activities. Trustees use this information to inform their decision making to promote positive outcomes for all students.

All areas of non-compliance have been addressed and no new non-compliance issues were identified. Procedures have been developed to support the enactment of policies.

Key next steps

ERO and the board agree that key next steps for the school are to:

  • use school developed internal evaluation practices to evaluate the effectiveness and impacts of teaching, innovations and changes for improvement

  • continue to support students to have more understanding and ownership of their learning

  • develop targets and actions that focus more specifically on acceleration of groups of students who are underachieving.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school has made significant progress towards addressing the areas for development identified in the previous ERO report. Transparent leadership contributes to a positive, collaborative school culture. Leaders and teachers use student achievement data effectively. Systems and processes have been developed to strengthen internal evaluation, with a focus on continual school improvement. The principal, staff and trustees work collaboratively to promote positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for all students.

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
  • school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.

In order to improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

  • review guidelines for Education Outside the Classroom

  • fully document in committee discussions and decision making.

Conclusion

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

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success is available on ERO’s website.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

28 October 2020

About the school

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.

Castlecliff School - 18/06/2018

School Context

Castlecliff School is located in Whanganui and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. There are 172 students on the roll, of whom 50% identify as Māori.

The school has an established partnership with the local hapū who hold mana whenua for the school’s geographical area. The charter was reviewed in 2017 with close consultation with iwi, local hapū and the community to reflect the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership and build on the previous charter. This articulates a shared vision for success for students at this school and guides school operation. Teacher-led Innovation Fund resourcing has been used to release the deputy principal to work with local Māori leaders on this work.

The school’s vision is ‘Learning by walking in both worlds of Aotearoa’. Trustees and leaders want students to leave the school with te reo, skills and knowledge to walk confidently in both worlds, Māori and Pākehā. School values of MANA - Manaakitanga, Ako, Ngākaunui and Aroha are unpacked in the school’s charter and clearly evident throughout school operations and in the environment.

Roll growth has been evident in the past three years. In 2017, Level 2 te reo Māori was introduced across the school and te reo Māori speakers employed in all classrooms.

There have been changes to how the leadership of the school operates since the July 2015 ERO report. A distributed leadership model is now in place.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

  • wellbeing

  • attendance.

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 reports that the majority of students achieve at or above expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement in the junior school is low with many students making improved progress by the time they leave at the end of Year 6. Māori achievement continues to be better than their non-Māori peers in reading and writing. Pacific students achieve well. There is significant disparity of achievement for boys across the school.

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

The school is responding appropriately to those Māori and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration. Some acceleration of achievement is evident in reading, writing and mathematics for 2017. A cohesive approach to supporting students to accelerate their learning is yet to be developed.

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?

Trustees and leaders have a strong commitment to promoting a range of broad and equitable outcomes for all students. The shared vision for success, one where students to leave the school with te reo, skills and knowledge to walk confidently in both worlds, Māori and Pākehā, guides school operation at all levels. This focus supports Māori students to know that their culture, language and identity are valued. A curriculum focus that is becoming locally situated further supports students’ learning.

The board is clearly focused on student engagement and wellbeing and seeks to remove barriers to learning and participation for students. Trustees are strongly consultative and demonstrate commitment to the school and its community. They have built positive relationships with whānau and consider their aspirations and input into the school charter and curriculum.

Leaders build positive relationships with whānau and students to promote their wellbeing and success. They meet regularly to discuss student progress and to plan for upcoming staff meetings.

Students with additional educational needs are well supported. Their progress is appropriately monitored and reported. External support is sought as required.

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

A responsive, localised curriculum is in the process of development to better respond to the needs of learners and reflect local priorities. Learning pathways in reading, writing and mathematics are based on the Learning Progression Frameworks. A useful, agreed framework for the development and delivery of te reo Māori is in place. A next step is to review and document this curriculum development. Documentation should also include expectations for high quality teaching and classroom programmes to better promote student achievement and consistent teacher practice.

A new appraisal tool has been introduced to provide feedback on teachers’ current practice and provide support for improvements in practice. Further development of the appraisal process is required, including targeted observations of teaching practice and feedback to improve teacher practice. A stronger programme to support provisionally certified teachers develop their teaching skills is also required.

There is a need to develop a more coherent change process. Leadership is distributed to individual staff members to support school operation and change. An open and agreed process for reaching agreement on changes and the prioritising of these is yet to be developed. Clarifying strategic planning to better identify the actions and measurable outcomes should better guide actions required to promote improvement.

Trustees are developing their understanding of roles and responsibilities and have identified a need for further training to grow their understanding in this area. ERO’s external evaluation affirms this as a next step.

Internal evaluation and teacher inquiry are at an early stage of understanding and development. Leaders have not yet developed a defined process for decision making or for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of decisions made. A stronger focus on measuring and documenting the impact of actions and initiatives should further enhance leaders’ evaluative capacity. Staff should strengthen teacher inquiry around the impact of new practices on student achievement to show how these practices accelerate the learning of priority students.

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.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

  • develop and implement sound financial practices and respond to areas identified in the auditor’s report

  • continue to develop clear guidelines and protocols for the operation of the Whare Tapawhā (withdrawal room).

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • commitment to support for all learners that removes many barriers to learning

  • school partnerships with community and hapū that set a shared direction for school curriculum and student achievement

  • bilingual classrooms that give recognition and application to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Next steps

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

  • enhance leaders’ evaluative capacity to measure and document the impact of actions and initiatives on student outcomes

  • document curriculum and teaching practice expectations to guide implementation

  • continue to strengthen the implementation of appraisal to better support growth in teacher practice

  • further develop teacher inquiry practice to better understand the impact of new practices on student achievement

  • develop a coherent approach to decision making, prioritising and implementing of change

  • develop targeted planning to accelerate student learning

  • continue to develop sound stewardship practices to effectively govern the school.

Recommendation

ERO recommends that the New Zealand School Trustees Association consider providing support for the school in order to bring about improvement in financial management.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

ERO intends to carry out a process of ongoing external evaluation to support development over the course of one-to-two years.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

18 June 2018

About the school

Location

Whanganui

Ministry of Education profile number

2346

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

172

Gender composition

Male 50%, Female 50%

Ethnic composition

Māori 50%
Pākehā 47% 
Other ethnic groups 3%

Provision of Māori medium education

Yes

Number of Māori medium classes

Seven

Total number of students in Māori medium (MME)

172

Number of students in Level 2 MME

172

Review team on site

April 2018

Date of this report

18 June 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review July 2015
Education Review January 2014
Supplementary Review December 2010