Howick Primary School

Howick Primary School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 10 months of the Education Review Office and Howick Primary 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 

Howick Primary School is in east Auckland and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The Board appointed a new principal in Term 4 2022. The school’s vision is ‘Inspiring confident lifelong learners’.

Howick Primary School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • Wellbeing focused: ensuring a safe, diverse, and inclusive environment.

  • Teacher, learning, and assessment focused: accelerate learner progress through quality teaching, learning and assessment.

  • Partnership focused: highly effective partnerships are nurtured with our community.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school conditions support the development of student agency to raise outcomes for all learners.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • empower students to be actively engaged in the learning process

  • develop understanding of culturally sustaining practices across the school and incorporate this knowledge into teaching, learning and assessment

  • continue to strengthen data literacy among teaching staff to inform planning that meets students’ individual learning needs.

The school expects to see:

  • students able to articulate their strengths, progress and next steps to enable them to achieve and be successful in their learning

  • teachers using culturally sustaining practices that promote student agency and accelerate students’ learning to facilitate equitable and excellent outcomes for all

  • whānau and families of all students actively and meaningfully engaged with the school to support their child’s learning journey.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to develop student agency and raise outcomes for all learners:

  • the school learning climate is consistently positive for students with respectful relationships and restorative practices well embedded through their Positive Behaviour for Learning framework

  • students with diverse learning needs are well supported to progress and achieve in their learning

  • leadership effectively and collaboratively develops and promotes the school vision and values and is continually adapting the implementation of the school’s strategic priorities.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • developing shared understanding and expectations of student agency among students, staff and whānau/families to support active engagement in the learning process

  • providing professional learning opportunities that promote culturally sustaining practices and build consistency in teaching, learning and assessment

  • using evaluation, collaborative inquiry and knowledge-building approaches to continue to strengthen data literacy and raise outcomes for all learners.

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  

9 May 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

This school has a Montessori class.

Howick Primary School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of September 2022, the Howick Primary 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

Actions for Compliance

ERO has identified the following area of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

  • establish a regular and consistent cycle of staff appraisal to assess the performance of teachers.

[s 599 Education and Training Act 2020 and relevant Collective Employment Agreement]

The board has since taken steps to address the area of non-compliance identified.

Further Information

For further information please contact Howick Primary 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

9 May 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

Howick Primary School

Provision for International Students Report

Background

The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

Findings

Howick Primary School has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

At the time of this review there were two international students attending the school, and no exchange students.

International students are included in the school community and can participate in different activities such as sporting and cultural events outside the classroom. The school monitors and supports international students’ learning and wellbeing. Parents are kept informed of student progress and achievement through the school’s reporting procedures. School leadership recognises the importance of strengthening systems and processes for planning and reporting on the provisions for international students.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools  

9 May 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

Howick Primary School - 18/01/2017

1 Context

Howick Primary School in East Auckland is a contributing (Year 1 to 6) school, with students from 22 different ethnic backgrounds. The current board consists of new and experienced trustees. During 2016 one member of the senior leadership team changed and several new teachers were appointed. Two Montessori classrooms are integrated into the school, with a new teaching team appointed since ERO's 2013 evaluation.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are captured in the school's vision, 'Inspiring Confident Life-Long Learners'. The school values respect for self, respect for others and respect for environment.

The school’s achievement information shows that over the past three years children have achieved well in relation to the National Standards in reading. An increasing number of children achieve well in writing. Recent professional development for teachers has resulted in increased progress in literacy. The school has identified a slight dip in mathematics in the 2015 school data. However, specific strategic goals in 2016 were in place to address this. Māori children achieve at similar rates to non-Māori in all areas. Pacific children's achievement in relation to the National Standards is very high.

School leaders track achievement data closely to monitor progress. All teachers target and monitor specific children who are at risk of not achieving. Leaders report to the board about the effectiveness of teaching practices that are aimed at accelerating achievement.

Teachers make good use of moderation processes to determine how well children are achieving in relation to the National Standards. Overall teacher judgements about children's achievement across the National Standards are informed by ongoing learning progress and nationally referenced assessment tools.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has :

  • strengthened the reliability and use of school data to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning
  • refined and enhanced school-wide systems
  • participated in internal and external professional development to improve formative teaching practices.

3 Accelerating achievement

How effectively does this school respond to children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school responds effectively to children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. Senior leaders and teachers have a common understanding of and commitment to accelerating children's progress.

Teachers know their children well, identify target groups and use data to plan appropriate programmes of learning and report about children's progress. Leaders and teachers engage in regular, useful discussions about the progress of children who are at risk of not achieving. There are effective school-wide systems to track and monitor progress and achievement.

Children with special learning needs progress well towards the National Standards. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) reflect shared goals formed collaboratively by parents, teachers and children. The high quality support provided for these children is personalised and regularly reported to parents and the board. Leaders and teachers share with whānau how the school is catering for their children’s learning and wellbeing.

There are effective, well considered processes to support children as they transition into, through and out of the school. Collaboration with whānau, other schools, early childhood services and specialist agencies supports smooth transitions and personalised approaches for children who require extra support in learning.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and targets for equity and excellence?

The school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices have been developed well by staff to provide coherence and alignment with the school's, vison and values and priorities for equity and excellence. The school's curriculum weavesThe New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) through the integrated termly 'concept' work. Children develop depth in their learning through a wide variety of learning experiences.

Children's wellbeing is prioritised. They benefit from a settled and positive school tone, and are confident, friendly and respectful. Children speak with pride about their school and their learning and have good opportunities to take on leadership roles. Teachers recognise and celebrate children's learning successes.

Montessori staff work in partnership with the rest of the school to promote the school's vision and valued outcomes. Achievement and progress information from the Montessori classes is included in the overall school data. The Montessori teachers should continue to explore ways of more explicitly documenting the Montessori 'Journey for Excellence', and its alignment with the NZC.

Leadership in the school is child-focused, distributed and responsive. Leaders establish clear and consistent school expectations that are designed to support teaching and learning. Professional capability is fostered very well through internal expertise and external professional learning. Evidence-based inquiry and evaluation are encouraging leaders and teachers to think and do things differently to foster equity and improve outcomes for children.

Trustees bring a range of expertise to their roles. They have made an appropriate decision to continue participating in external training to support them in their stewardship role. Trustees are reviewing the school charter and agree it is timely to evaluate progress towards strategic goals, as part of this process.

The school has employed a specialist to give guidance to te reo me ōna tikanga Māori programmes. School leaders have begun to plan for greater integration of bicultural practices and perspectives in the school's curriculum and for continuing to build teachers' confidence and capability in te reo me ōna tikanga Māori. Māori children report that these approaches help them feel valued as learners.

Teachers receive very good support from school leaders to make informed and collaborative overall teacher judgements about student achievement. Good systems are in place to monitor the consistency of these judgements. Senior leaders intend to further strengthen this process in collaboration with other schools.

Parents receive clear information about their children's progress and achievement, and have opportunities to contribute to their children's learning. Staff have strategically involved the wider school community to increase the range of ways that parents and whānau are able to actively engage in their children's learning.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

School leaders, staff and trustees are well placed to sustain and make ongoing improvements that impact positively on all children's learning.

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
  • respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
  • regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
  • act on what they know works well for each child
  • build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
  • are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

Leaders have implemented a range of strategies that are having a positive impact on accelerating children's progress and achievement with the National Standards. The board receives reports about children's progress and achievement and uses this information to plan strategically and resource learning programmes.

Leaders and teachers have established very good teacher inquiry and appraisal processes to improve teaching practices and to enhance learning outcomes for all children.

The leadership team acknowledges that to continue successfully accelerating progress and fostering positive outcomes for children, their ongoing development areas could include:

  • embedding curriculum practices and extending the evaluation of their impact on student learning outcomes
  • continuing to explore teaching strategies that support children to lead their own learning.

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

6 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 the following:

  • board administration

  • curriculum

  • management of health, safety and welfare

  • personnel management

  • 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

  • processes for appointing staff

  • stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions

  • attendance

  • compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014

  • provision for international students.

Provision for International Students

The Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) was introduced on 1 July 2016. The school is aware of the need to update its policies and procedures to meet the new code requirements by December 1st 2016.

At the time of this review there was one international student attending the school.

The school has begun to align its policies and procedures to meet requirements for the 2016 Code.

7 Recommendation

ERO recommends that school leaders and teachers embed and extend the use of internal evaluation to promote equitable outcomes for all children.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

18 January 2017

About the school 

Location

Howick, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1319

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

311

Number of international students

1

Gender composition

Girls 51% Boys 49%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Chinese

Indian

British/Irish

African

Samoan

Tongan

other European

other Asian

other

6%

44%

14%

5%

3%

2%

2%

2%

4%

2%

16%

Special Features

Montessori class

Review team on site

October 2016

Date of this report

18 January 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

December 2013

February 2012

February 2009

Howick Primary School - 20/12/2013

1 Background and Context

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

Howick Primary School is a contributing primary school in East Auckland that caters for students from Years 1 to 6. There is wide cultural diversity in the school. A two teacher Montessori unit operates within the school. The Montessori Trust supports this unit and is represented on the school’s board of trustees.

Study leave and promotion opportunities for school leaders between 2010 and 2012 resulted in the school being lead by four different principals, the current leader being appointed in mid 2011. EROs 2012 review found that although school programmes and operations were maintained during that time, the lack of stable school leadership had resulted in a loss of direction and momentum for school progress. The 2012 ERO report identified the need for an improved strategic approach to plan for and manage effective change at all levels of the school.

The leadership and collaboration of the new, current principal with trustees, staff, students and parents has re-focused the school on making the necessary improvements to programmes and practices. Since 2012 the board and principal have implemented a number of programmes and strategies to address identified areas for review and development. School leaders and staff have continued to work effectively together, and with external expertise, to support improvements.

Priorities identified for review and development

ERO’s 2012 report identified a need to further improve the school’s systems and processes for ensuring that:

  • teachers’ knowledge of student progress and achievement is informed by evidence
  • Māori students’ success is promoted in school programmes and practices
  • a robust, regular process for self review is developed and implemented by the board of trustees.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

The school is effectively addressing its priorities for review and development.

The principal and deputy principal are leading a well-managed and considered process of change. They have made very good use of external professional learning and development, and have implemented sound systems to support effective teaching and learning practices. School leaders now monitor and use good quality progress and achievement information to improve learning. They analyse and interpret data to inform strategic planning and to identify school strengths and where improvements should be made next.

Significant progress has been made in the use of evidence to inform teachers’ knowledge of student progress and achievement. Teachers now use a variety of assessment tools and processes effectively. They have developed greater understanding of the National Standards which has helped to improve the quality of overall teacher judgements. Teachers identify individual students’ learning needs and personalise programmes to accelerate their progress. Parents receive clear reports about their children’s progress and achievement in relation to the National Standards.

Achievement information and next learning steps are increasingly shared with students. Relationships between teachers and students are positive and learning focused. Students are engaged in learning and independently access resources to guide to their learning.

Good practices in assessment have provided a sound foundation for reviewing the school’s direction. The principal and deputy principal are now coordinating a collaborative whole-school approach to developing the school’s curriculum.

Fostering greater success for Māori students is becoming an increasing focus in school programmes and practices. There is commitment from senior leaders and the board to strengthen bicultural practices at all levels in the school. Recent developments include:

  • using external expertise to increase school leaders’ knowledge of local Māori kaupapa
  • employing an external facilitator to build teachers’ cultural competencies and to enhance te reo Māori me ōna tikanga within classroom programmes
  • raising the profile and authenticity of kapa haka in the school.

School leaders have strategic plans for continued development in this area, including consultation with whānau of Māori children, and continued development of te reo me ōna tikanga in the school.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school is well placed to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance.

The board and leadership team are working together effectively to achieve school goals. Trustees are committed to improved outcomes for all students. Self review is based on sound evidence and is improvement focused. The board now receives good quality student achievement information from the principal and senior leaders. Trustees reflect on and use this information strategically to support the school’s learning-focused direction.

The board of trustees consists of both long serving and new members. Good strategies for transition and succession planning have been implemented. The new board chair is providing strong governance leadership and provides positive support for school leaders. Trustees are continuing to strengthen their understanding of their governance roles. They have made good use of external training and guidance. They are focused on continually evaluating and improving their own practice.

The board is currently seeking feedback and information from parents, staff and students in a number of areas including the school’s curriculum and vision for learners. The board is developing strategies so that their consultation includes different community voices. Trustees value the contribution that parents make to the school’s planning for the future.

Clear expectations and an increased focus on improving student outcomes have contributed to greater consistency of teaching and learning practices across the school. School leaders are planning strategically to extend and embed current initiatives. They are providing increased opportunities for staff to take on leadership roles in areas for development. Teachers from the Montessori unit are increasingly involved in curriculum development and professional learning opportunities.

Well considered external professional learning and development is effectively supported by school leaders. Teachers have opportunities to reflect on their practice and share ways to implement strategies that promote student-led learning. Leaders are refining appraisal processes to align with ongoing professional development, and to ensure that school strategic goals continue to be realised.

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.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

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

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

20 December 2013

About the School

Location

Howick, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1319

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

302

Number of international students

1

Gender composition

Girls 52%

Boys 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Chinese

Indian

African

Samoan

British/Irish

Filipino

Middle Eatern

Fijian

Japanese

Other Pacific

Other Asian

Other

6%

49%

13%

5%

5%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

1%

7%

Special Features

Montessori Unit

Review team on site

October 2013

Date of this report

20 December 2013

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

February 2012

February 2009

January 2006