Findings
Hagley Community College occupies a unique position in education within and beyond Christchurch. An innovative and creative curriculum design provides multiple pathways and opportunities that stimulate interest, promote engagement and motivate students to achieve success. Support for students’ wellbeing and learning needs is high quality. Leadership of the college is a significant strength. Achievement, engagement and retention are continuing to improve.
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?
Hagley Community College has a longstanding reputation for innovation, creativity and inclusion. Located in central Christchurch, the college attracts students from a wide geographical area. The philosophy, vision and mission of the college are strongly focused on re-engaging young people and adults in successful learning, inspiring students and transforming lives.
A very diverse, multicultural and mixed-age student population, together with multiple pathways and extended school days for students, contribute to the unique position the college occupies within and beyond Christchurch. In this regard, the board has applied to the Ministry of Education for Hagley College to be considered as a school of special character. Evidence gathered by ERO during the current review process supports this application.
The college is involved in, and contributes to, many school improvement initiatives and projects at local and wider levels. These are focused on continuing to investigate and implement strategies and programmes that are likely to have the greatest impact on positive outcomes for all learners. In 2014, the college was a recipient of the Human Rights Commission NZ Diversity Award for an outstanding contribution to cultural diversity.
The high quality leadership, vision and sustained commitment of the principal has made a major contribution to the successful development of the college over many years. He has recently advised the board of his intention to resign at the end of 2015. The board chair and trustees have been proactive in identifying priorities for effectively managing this change. They have also begun a process to ensure that the re-building of parts of the school in 2017 is managed effectively.
2. Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
The college uses achievement information very effectively to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement.
Well-analysed achievement information provided by the college shows that there has been increasing annual improvement across senior levels since the 2011 ERO review. The data also shows that the college has met, or is on track to achieve, the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) targets by 2017. This includes targets for Māori and Pacific achievement. The data provided by the college takes into account the many students who enrol for parts of the year. In 2014, the college received national recognition for its achievement that year.
School engagement and retention information also shows positive trends in these areas, over time.
The school’s processes for school-wide data analysis and use are robust and extensive. This information is used to establish students’ learning needs, recognise their strengths, set priorities for achievement and report to the board and parents. The board receives well-analysed student achievement information from the senior and middle leadership teams.
Strong links are evident across the school’s pastoral, academic and vocational operations. Student achievement and wellbeing information is used by pastoral staff and teachers to ensure that transitions into and out of the college provide effective support for students. Students told ERO that pastoral staff and teachers are very supportive of, and committed to, their wellbeing and learning needs. ERO saw considerable evidence of this.
Area for review and development
ERO acknowledges the steps the board, leaders and teachers are continuing to take to maximise opportunities for disengaged adolescent and adult learners. ERO also recognises the steps taken by the college to provide for the learning needs of a very large, culturally diverse student population. These steps could be further strengthened by continuing to refine the way targets are set. This would help to ensure that there is a more precise focus on groups of students who need the most support to meet their own and the school’s achievement goals.
3. Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
The school’s broad and innovative curriculum strongly reflects the vision and mission of the college in action, and very effectively helps to promote and support student learning.
The curriculum is designed to stimulate interest, promote engagement and motivate students to achieve success that will lead onto further study or employment. A wide range of rich curriculum choices for students provides extensive, high-interest opportunities for them to pursue their learning in areas that are of the greatest relevance and interest. Learning programmes and pathways continue to be expanded in response to the needs of students and the direction of the local and national economy.
Strong links between the college and local businesses, tertiary providers, community members and youth support teams continue to strengthen curriculum choices and opportunities for students. An example of this is the way the college, in conjunction with the University of Canterbury, runs a foundational literacy programme to support student entry into university study.
Student wellbeing is actively prioritised, monitored and supported across the college. Students who need additional help receive high quality pastoral and enhanced learning support. Their progress and achievement is well tracked across the year levels by staff who are strongly committed to students’ learning improvement and success. Support for students who are learning English as a second language is high quality.
Increasing integration of a range of technologies into teaching practice is benefiting students’ learning. The considerable expertise in the college is contributing to ongoing developments in this area.
All teachers are involved in a process of teaching inquiry aimed at continuously improving students’ learning. A collaborative culture among teachers of reflecting on, and sharing, good practice is well embedded. ERO observed many purposeful, calm learning environments, a wide variety of teaching practices and respectful relationships among and between teachers and students.
Areas for review and development
Since the 2011 ERO review, significant steps have been taken to re-design curriculum programmes and pathways for students. As senior leaders continue to pursue the challenge of extending the curriculum, it will be important to ensure that:
- there is curriculum cohesion, coherence and balance across academic, vocational and other programmes
- the nature and effectiveness of support for curriculum leaders is regularly reviewed to make sure that the role of middle management, and related communication and decision-making processes, are contributing to effective curriculum planning and development
- teachers have increasing opportunities to contribute to setting priorities for professional learning programmes in ways that extend current research-based understandings and practices.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
The achievement of senior Māori students has steadily increased since the 2011 ERO review with achievement now exceeding national targets. A cross-curriculum whānau group meets regularly to develop, promote and share a range of practices that are responsive to the cultural needs of Māori students.
A board member with extensive cultural knowledge and experience provided a number of professional learning sessions for staff in 2014. These have been helping to build further understanding and capacity about the language, identity and culture of te ao Māori.
The whānau of Māori students are provided with opportunities to meet with staff to discuss ideas and priorities for ongoing development and improvement.
Area for review and development
It is now timely for the board, leaders and teachers to further develop formal planning for strengthening success for Māori, as Māori, within the school. In consultation with all relevant groups, the board and school leaders should:
- review current provisions, programmes and practices regarding success for Māori, as Māori
- use the outcomes of this review to identify priorities, goals and guidelines for improvement
- implement a regular cycle of review and reporting to the board, whānau and the community about progress towards these identified goals.
4. Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The college is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance.
Trustees, including a new board chair and some new members since the previous ERO review, ensure that students are at the centre of the school’s strategic thinking and planning. They bring a good level of expertise and skills to their roles and have a sustained focus on working to achieve the college’s vision and mission.
The board receives high quality, comprehensive reports across all areas of the school’s operations. They use this information to inform planning, decision making and allocation of resources.
Positive relationships between the board, principal and senior leaders reflect strongly shared and clear strategic directions for the college.
Leadership of the college is high quality. The principal and senior leaders model and lead a culture of high expectations for, and innovative approaches to, teaching and learning. The structure of the school’s major long-term planning and portfolios provide many leadership opportunities for staff.
The robust framework for self review reflects and promotes a sustained focus on continuous improvement so that all students benefit. Self-review practices across the school are well developed and embedded. These practices continue to evaluate what is contributing most effectively to positive outcomes for students.
The involvement of parents, whānau and the community in the life of the college is an ongoing focus. Regular newsletters and electronic access to information about student learning is helping to keep parents well informed. A large number of parents attend celebrations of students’ achievement and success.
Areas for review and development
Given the significant developments that are planned to occur at the college over the next few years, the board and ERO agree that continuing to strengthen and build the capacity of the board remains an important, ongoing priority.
The board has recently developed a process for evaluating its effectiveness as a board. To further progress this, the board, as a good employer, should provide all staff with regular and meaningful opportunities, such as anonymous surveys, to provide feedback about their wellbeing and matters of greatest importance to them.
Provision for international students
The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989.
There were three international students attending the school at the time of the onsite stage of the review.
The school has met the annual review requirements. Teachers keep thorough documentation that shows students’ progress over their time at the school. Students spoken with by ERO were very positive about their experiences at the school and the support they receive for their learning and wellbeing.
The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the code. ERO’s investigations confirmed that the school’s self-review process for international students is very good quality.
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
Hagley Community College occupies a unique position in education within and beyond Christchurch. An innovative and creative curriculum design provides multiple pathways and opportunities that stimulate interest, promote engagement and motivate students to achieve success. Support for students’ wellbeing and learning needs is high quality. Leadership of the college is a significant strength. Achievement, engagement and retention are continuing to improve.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
Chris Rowe
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)
17 July 2015
About the School
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Location
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Christchurch
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Ministry of Education profile number
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336
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School type
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Secondary (Years 9 to 13)
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School roll
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2205
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Number of international students
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4
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Gender composition
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Girls 60%
Boys 40%
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Ethnic composition
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NZ European/Pākehā
Māori
Pacific
Other ethnicities
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68%
4%
1%
27%
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Special Features
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Host to satellite class – Van Asch School for the Deaf
Responsibility for an off-site education provision - Hagley
Adult Learning Classes
Attached personnel – RTLB, SWIS
Itinerant teachers of music – 32
Adult Community Education (ACE) facility – on-site and community-based
Other facility - Preschool
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Review team on site
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May 2015
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Date of this report
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17 July 2015
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Most recent ERO reports
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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May 2011
October 2007
June 2004
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