Featherston School Te Kura o Paetūmokai

School Context

Featherston School|Te Kura o Paetūmokai is in South Wairarapa and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8.

The school ‘s vision is for ‘resilient individuals with strong cultural and whānau identity who are valued and contributing members of our community – Whāia te mātauranga, hei oranga mō koutou.’

The school’s values of ‘being responsible, respectful and resilient – kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, aumangea’, embed the tikanga and kawa of both Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Rangitane ki Wairarapa iwi. Together the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa provide the foundation for the school’s curriculum.

Valued outcomes for students are ‘to stand tall and be proud of who they are and where they are from.’

The current goals and targets aim for improvement in student outcomes through the implementation of an innovative and culturally responsive curriculum. Targets set in 2019 were for raising student achievement in reading, writing and oral language.

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

• progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

• wellbeing.

The school is a member of the South Wairarapa Kāhui Akō|Community of Learning. Since the 2016 ERO review, there have been three new teaching appointments as result of substantial roll growth. A number of teacher aide appointments have been made to help raise student achievement.

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 has yet to effectively and consistently achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all students. In 2018, a small majority of students achieved at or above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Disparity is evident in the achievement of boys and especially Māori boys in relation to their peers in reading writing and mathematics. Māori boys achieved at significantly lower levels in mathematics compared to others.

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

Mid-2019 progress and achievement data across reading, writing and mathematics shows acceleration for some students. The school identifies and provides additional supports to students those students at risk of less positive outcomes.

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 participate in caring, inclusive, collaborative and culturally responsive learning environments. Purposeful teaching supports students with their learning. Warm, respectful relationships are evident. School values outline high expectations for student participation, engagement and behaviour. These are appropriately known and reinforced. Tikanga practices are highly valued and well understood by students, staff and trustees. School systems suitably identify students’ needs and seek appropriate external support. Good use is made of teacher aides to support programmes and provide further differentiated learning opportunities for those who need it. Strong transition practices support students to settle and develop a sense of belonging.

Students experience a broad, local curriculum that is culturally located. It is responsive to student needs, interests and iwi input. Curriculum design reflects the uniqueness of the school, includes localised contexts, history and provides choices for teaching and learning in a kaupapa Māori influenced setting. The Featherston School|Te Kura o Paetūmokai curriculum promotes bicultural perspectives and celebrates stories from history of both Rangitāne ki Wairarpapa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarpapa.

Leaders and teachers work effectively in partnership with the community, hapu, iwi and other Māori elders. These well-established links are successfully used to consult, communicate and to develop and deliver a range of rich learning opportunities to all students.

There is a strategic approach to building professional capability and capacity of staff. Teachers regularly share aspects of effective practice. A well-considered appraisal system further develops teacher capability. Observations of teacher practice identify areas of strength and inform areas for development.

Strong leadership supports and promotes students to learn and grow in a collaborative, culturally responsive environment where the views of all are heard and considered. Leaders are building positive, trusting relationships and effective collaboration across the school at all levels of the school. They are committed to a bi-cultural curriculum and to building reciprocal learning relationships.

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

Trustees have a strong focus on raising achievement and supporting teachers to build their professional practice and cultural competency. To reduce disparity of outcomes for students it is critical that this focus is sustained.

Assessment practices have been revised and are in place for 2019. Leaders and teachers should improve tracking and reporting of the progress of targeted students at class and school-wide levels. This would support better decision making to further support the progress of these learners.

Teachers and leaders are reflective and focused on improved outcomes for students. They spontaneously consider hunches and new initiatives. Reviews are development focused, informed by whānau and iwi voice and used well to inform decisions at leadership and board levels. ERO identified that areas of internal evaluation could be strengthened. This includes making better use of data to show the impact of changes in practice on outcomes for student learning and wellbeing.

Leaders identified a need to continue to implement and embed the newly developed bicultural curriculum and raise teachers’ cultural competency.

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 Featherston School | Te Kura o Paetūmokai’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:

• delivery of a culturally responsive curriculum that supports students’ sense of value and belonging
• collaborative practices that are consultative and culturally responsive
• strong leadership that is improvement focused and places students learning at the centre of decision making.

Next steps

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

• tracking of and reporting on the progress of targeted students to better inform decision making
• deepening understanding of internal evaluation to better identify the impact of practices and decisions on student outcomes
• continuing to embed culturally responsive practices to respond to students’ culture and identity.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

25 November 2019

About the school

Findings

The school has worked with ERO in an evaluation process over the last two years. Under the leadership of the board chair and new principal, school operations have been strengthened and positive relationships established with staff, parents and whānau. Continuing to accelerate the progress of underachieving students is a school priority.

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

1 Background and Context

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

Featherston School caters for students in Years 1 to 8. At the time of this ERO review, 82 students attend the school, 50 of whom are Māori. Teachers at the Featherston School technology centre provide technology education for students in Year 7 and 8 from this school and other South Wairarapa schools.

In June 2013 the Ministry of Education appointed a Limited Statutory Manager (LSM) to improve the educational performance and operation of the school, including support for raising student achievement. Since mid-2013 there has been almost a complete change of staff.

The January 2015 ERO report identified issues that were continuing to have a negative impact on student outcomes. The school began a second evaluation process over a period of 1 to 2 years with ERO.

A new principal and two teachers began at the start of 2015. At this time, the Limited Statutory Manager was supporting the board of trustees in their governance role. She continued in this role until September 2015.

In 2015, under the leadership of the new principal, teachers participated in professional development working with a Student Achievement Function (SAF) practitioner who led a change team development. Senior leaders and teachers also worked with a leadership and assessment facilitator, focusing on assessment, with emphasis on writing. In 2016, the school signed up to the Accelerated Learning in Literacy professional development initiative (ALL).

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

In May 2015, the following priorities were agreed:

• to increase staff capability and improve student engagement, progress and achievement
• to focus on strengthening school development and operations
• to strengthen relationships with staff, parents and whānau.

An action plan to address these priorities was established.

Progress

Staff capability and student engagement, progress and achievement

Good progress has been made with increasing staff capability through school leaders’ and teachers’ participation in focused professional learning and development (PLD). As part of this PLD, teachers inquire into the effectiveness of their teaching, and the facilitator and principal observe teaching and give feedback. A capability matrix is used to support teachers’ reflections.

Useful systems have been established for the collection and use of assessment data to inform teaching. Teachers are using assessment data well to inform their planning and practice, differentiating their teaching to meet individual and group learning needs. Those students who are under achieving are identified as target students, along with those students who are gifted and talented. The progress of individual students is closely monitored.

End of 2015 data showed that most students were achieving at and above the National Standards in reading. The number of students achieving at and above the mathematics National Standards was slightly less and writing was an area for school-wide development. Māori students were achieving at similar or higher levels than their non-Māori peers.

Student achievement has improved. Mid-year data for 2016 shows that some students have made good progress since the beginning of this year in writing, mathematics and reading. Continuing to accelerate the progress of those students who are underachieving is appropriately identified by the school as a priority. The development of a shared understanding of acceleration should support this. Sharing teaching strategies that have successfully promoted student progress will continue to build teacher capability across the school.

The principal and teachers regularly discuss individual students and their progress. The school has systems for data management and record keeping and these are used effectively. Regular reports to the board of trustees inform schoolwide targets and resourcing.

Students are involved in setting their own assessment criteria for their work. They take a leading role in parent/teacher discussions about their progress and achievement. Continuing to develop student knowledge and ownership of their learning is a next step identified by the school and agreed by ERO.

Well-established classroom routines and relevant learning contexts promote student engagement. The documented school curriculum includes learning area statements and useful guidelines for teachers. A next step is to bring the various aspects relating to the curriculum together and define the overarching local curriculum at Featherston School.

School development and operations

Considerable work has been undertaken to strengthen school development and operations. The board chair and principal have worked closely together to lead this development, which has included aligning the charter, strategic goals and annual plan.

The charter was reviewed in 2015. Consultation with parents and whānau led to the revision of the school vision and values to increase their relevance. Charter goals and values are now suitably reflected in teacher planning, in the school environment and in the school community.

The board is reviewing policies at some of its meetings. Streamlining the policy review process is a next step for development. With newly elected board members, it is important to continue training so that all board members have a sound understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

The principal and board chair are making good use of evaluation to guide ongoing development. A next step is to work with other staff and trustees to develop a shared understanding of evaluation for improvement.

Relationships with staff, parents and whānau

A focus on building positive relationships within the school and with parents, whānau and the wider community is clearly evident.

The principal communicates effectively with staff. Teachers work collegially and are involved in shared decision making. A recent survey has shown that parents and whānau are pleased with the communication they receive from their children’s teachers.

A useful appraisal process has begun to be implemented. Establishing this process for all staff is an urgent priority.

Trustees support and acknowledge the work of the staff. The board has discussed the school values - respect, responsible and resilience- and how they can enact these values in their work. The board has recently begun a newsletter to increase its communication with parents and whānau.

The principal is leading a strong focus on building and maintaining relationships with whānau, iwi and the local community. Staff have increased their knowledge of culturally responsiveness teaching and knowledge of the Ngāti Kahungungu education strategy through working with local iwi.

Strong links have been established with whānau and iwi. Puna Kainga, an early childhood playgroup funded by the MoE and Kahungungu ki Wairarapa, has been established at the school site. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are very evident in the school curriculum. Views of whānau have been welcomed at whānau hui.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

Featherston School is well placed to embed and build on new initiatives, and to continue to improve its performance. The school has:

• benefited from external support to develop leadership and teaching capability
• developed a sustainable cycle of planning and improvement, strengthening school development and operations
• developed its capacity to reflect, plan, act and report student achievement information
• built the capability to continue to improve student achievement
• established a foundation of values, leadership, tone, climate and relationships likely to sustain and improve student learning - engagement, progress and achievement.

Key next steps are:

• to build on progress and embed new initiatives
• to continue to accelerate the progress of those students who are underachieving
• for the principal and board chair to work with other staff and trustees to develop a shared understanding of evaluation for improvement.

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

The school has worked with ERO in an evaluation process over the last two years. Under the leadership of the board chair and new principal, school operations have been strengthened and positive relationships established with staff, parents and whānau. Continuing to accelerate the progress of underachieving students is a school priority.

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

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

17 October 2016

About the School