East Gore School

School Context

East Gore School provides education for students from Years 1-6. There are 126 students attending the school, 40 of whom identify as Māori.

The school’s vision states that it aims to empower children with the skills, knowledge and attitudes to successfully meet all of life’s challenges, and provide all children with the opportunity of reaching their full potential.

The school is committed to the achievement and success of all students in its care so that they will be confident, have a good work ethic and strong communication skills, and be responsive citizens, problem solvers, team players and life-long learners.

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

• student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
• intervention programmes.

The school has had significant staffing changes. It is currently in an appointment process for key teaching and leadership positions. The school provides education for a high number of children who need additional support and has a large pool of teacher aides who work with these students inside the classroom, and across the school.

The school is a member of the Eastern Southland Kāhui Ako| Community of Learning.

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?

East Gore School is working towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most of its students. The majority of its students are achieving at or above the school’s expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. From 2016 – 2018 there has been a steady upward trend in reading achievement, and a downward trend in mathematics, and from 2016-17 a downward trend in writing. Mid 2019 school achievement data indicates that the school is on track to continue an upward trend in reading and making improvements in mathematics.

The school is yet to address ongoing and significant disparities for Māori students and boys and in reading and mathematics. Achievement for boys in writing continues to be lower than girls.

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

The school’s achievement data shows that over 2018 and to mid-2019 the school has had limited success in accelerating the progress of those students who need this, particularly in writing.

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?

Students learn through a curriculum which provides them with a wide range of interesting learning experiences. Teachers make good use of local features and expertise to enhance contexts for learning. They have useful guidelines for all learning areas, and clear and well-thought-out learning progressions for each level.

Teachers are adapting programmes and teaching strategies to meet the learning needs of their students. For example, they are trialling strategies to better engage boys in writing.

School leadership ensures that policies and practices promote students’ wellbeing and engagement in learning. This is driven by a commitment to removing barriers that could hinder children’s learning. The school has a very strong pastoral care programme that includes both in-school and external support.

Students with additional needs are very well supported to participate in class and whole school activities and learning experiences. Teacher aides provide a valuable service and enable teachers to focus on students who need additional help.

There is a very inclusive school culture that fosters positive relationships between children. Leaders and teachers work closely and effectively with external agencies to ensure students’ wellbeing remains a strong focus of the school.

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

The board, principal and teachers have identified the need to redevelop the strategic plan to better reflect the school’s current priorities and better align strategic direction with policies, processes and practices.

The board, leaders and teachers need to strengthen evaluation practices to better know what is/is not working well and the impact of initiatives and programmes on students’ learning.

The principal and teachers need to strengthen moderation practices to ensure the validity of student achievement information.

It would be timely for the principal and teachers to access professional development to help them in accelerate the progress of those students who need extra support to succeed.

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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of East Gore 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.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• the pastoral care and support of students and families to give students equitable opportunities to learn
• the inclusive culture of the school community that allows the leaders and the board to make decisions and improvements that have the wellbeing and children’s learning as their shared focus
• the support provided for students with additional needs that builds children’s readiness to learn.

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in the board, principal and teachers:

• redeveloping the strategic plan to reflect the school’s current priorities
• strengthening evaluation practices
• further strengthening moderation practices
• accessing professional development to help them to accelerate the progress of those students who need extra support.

ERO recommends that the school seek support from the Ministry of Education in order to bring about improvements in:

• student achievement.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

14 February 2019

About the school