Findings
Elmgrove is a high-performing school. Students benefit from multiple and varied learning opportunities. They are encouraged to take personal responsibility for their learning. The school culture is highly inclusive and supportive of students and their families. Leadership and management are effective, and the team approach enables teachers to use their strengths and interests.
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?
Elmgrove School is a high-performing school. There is a very useful alignment between strategic planning, the responsive school curriculum, teaching practice and classroom programmes. The school’s vision of care for ourselves, each other and the environment is at the centre of its performance. Teachers and leaders have a strong emphasis on enhancing the school culture that supports learning for all.
Teachers have high expectations of their own teaching and of students’ learning and behaviour. These factors combine with the positive engagement of the community to create an environment where students are supported in reaching their potential.
Teachers are committed to adapting their practice to maximise each student's learning, where this is appropriate. There is an obvious focus on priority learners who need to make accelerated progress. Teachers and leaders are currently focusing on developing students’ understanding of their own learning and their role in the learning process.
Important features of this school are the way:
- all students are valued members of the school community
- biculturalism is effectively integrated into the culture of the school
- programme developments are built and maintained through a team approach.
Parents take the many opportunities provided to engage in their children’s learning and in the life of the school. They provide support that benefits all students across the broad school curriculum.
The school has made considerable progress in key areas identified in the 2011 ERO review.
Reports to the board and Ministry of Education (MOE) show that most students achieve at good levels in literacy and mathematics in relation to National Standards. They also show accelerated progress for those students needing to lift their achievement levels.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
The school uses achievement information very effectively to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement. Teachers and leaders use student achievement information throughout the year to identify and respond to those students at risk of not achieving as well as expected.
Students, with teacher support, use learning information well to:
- set goals and determine their next learning steps
- identify appropriate times to attend workshops with their teachers
- talk with their parents about their learning at interviews
- track progress in specific areas.
Teachers gather useful information across many areas, including student wellbeing and social development. They gather this through observations and a range of tools. They analyse the information thoroughly to:
- identify needs and abilities
- monitor and show progress of individual students and groups of students
- help decide on appropriate teaching programmes to cater for identified needs and abilities
- evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching strategies and adapt programmes and approaches when necessary.
School leaders investigate class, syndicate and school-wide learning information comprehensively to identify needs of students and teachers. They then:
- identify targets for specific curriculum areas, groups of students and for the charter
- determine staffing needs, learning interventions and programmes
- monitor and confirm progress, evaluate the effectiveness of school teaching programmes, including interventions, and make necessary changes
- establish professional learning programmes for teachers and parent education programmes.
Trustees are well informed through reports on school-wide achievement and progress. This informs their decisions about resourcing, targets and interventions.
Next step
Leaders and teachers need to review the written reports to students and their parents, especially for consistency of format and use of plain language.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
The school’s curriculum is highly effective in promoting and supporting student learning. Students are very actively involved in an interesting and wide-ranging curriculum that they describe as fun.
The curriculum is very responsive to:
- students’ needs, identified for individuals, groups and the whole school
- the New Zealand Curriculum, best teaching practice and other research
- teachers’ needs, interests and strengths
- educational focuses, including National Standards and Māori succeeding as Māori
- community needs and aspirations.
This responsiveness leads to a dynamic curriculum through the teachers and school leaders, the curriculum in action:
- continues to place an emphasis on developing students’ skills and knowledge in literacy and mathematics
- builds students’ awareness of their bicultural heritage through well-chosen integration of Māori perspectives into class studies and practices
- uses students’ ideas and views respectfully
- uses ICT effectively as teaching and learning tools and for engaging parents in their children’s learning.
Students take up the many opportunities provided to:
- be leaders within the life of the school, including leading class physical activities, supporting teachers and students with ICT and mentoring junior students
- develop skills and approaches to manage and take responsibility for their own learning
- take part in a wide range of sporting, physical and cultural activities.
Students gain from the multiple layers of learning support and systems designed to provide them with high-quality teaching and learning. These systems and support include specialist teachers to work with students with high learning needs, trained and well supported teacher aides, and tailoring MOE initiatives to the school’s context. Comprehensive action plans, school leaders and appropriate resourcing guide teachers with class and school targets.
Students benefit from settled and purposeful classrooms. ERO observed well-managed classrooms and high levels of student involvement in appropriate learning activities. Students were generally able to tell ERO about their learning and what they currently had to focus on to improve. Teachers use a range of suitable teaching approaches to make learning meaningful to students. They reflect on their teaching to ensure they are making a difference to students’ learning.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
Students experience many aspects of their identity, culture and language in school life and learning.
Contributing to these experiences are marae visits, many opportunities to hear and use te reo Māori throughout the day and incorporating tikanga Māori into the way things are done at Elmgrove. Mātariki is celebrated as a whole school annually. The large kapahaka group showcases the group’s growing Māori performance skills and offers opportunities for student leadership to be extended in this context.
The teaching team championing biculturalism and success for Māori has established a comprehensive strategic plan. This plan is based on well thought-out descriptions of key Māori cultural concepts, including manaakitanga/caring, whanaunatanga/inclusion and rangatiratanga/respect. These concepts are very evident throughout school practice. The school’s curriculum overview should be enhanced if the cultural concepts were aligned with the school’s existing values.
The strategic plan provides a strong strategic approach to build the knowledge, confidence and skills of all those in the school’s community. Teachers use practical te reo teaching resources provided by the support teachers.
Currently teachers gather whānau voice on an individual whānau by whānau basis. The support team is exploring ways to boost whānau input by having group discussions; these could include sharing key points of the strategic plan to gain family input, response and support.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. There is strong alignment between governance, leadership, management, teachers, the curriculum and student learning.
School governance is based on a well-defined vision and curriculum overview. The vision is developed through useful long and short-term planning and review. Trustees have put in place suitable practices to look after the wellbeing of staff.
The principal’s leadership style empowers staff. Leaders at all levels are well supported to build their capability and capacity as leaders. Leadership teams focus on building a learning culture as guided by school plans.
Effective management practices focus on ensuring good outcomes for students. This is evident in the:
- appropriate four-year development cycle to introduce and embed new programmes and initiatives
- clear lines of responsibility
- development areas being ably led by teacher groups
- well-planned performance management practices with purposeful links to school goals.
Students, whānau and teachers benefit from the meaningful and reciprocal home/school relationships. Parents take the numerous opportunities provided to be part of their child’s life at school. The school is responsive to feedback it receives from parents.
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
Elmgrove is a high-performing school. Students benefit from multiple and varied learning opportunities. They are encouraged to take personal responsibility for their learning. The school culture is highly inclusive and supportive of students and their families. Leadership and management are effective, and the team approach enables teachers to use their strengths and interests.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services Southern Region
1 August 2014
About the School
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Location
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Mosgiel
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Ministry of Education profile number
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3778
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School type
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Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
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School roll
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262
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Gender composition
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Girls: 50% Boys: 50%
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Ethnic composition
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NZ European/Pākehā
NZ Māori
Pacific
Asian
Other
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83%
12%
1%
2%
2%
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Review team on site
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June 2014
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Date of this report
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1 August 2014
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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July 2011
May 2008
May 2005
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