Summary
Ilam School has a roll of 505 children, 39 of whom are Māori. Children from a wide range of ethnicities other than Māori and New Zealand European make up 52% of the school roll. A significant number of children are English language learners (ELL). At the time of this review, the school had four international students.
The school has addressed the recommendations from the 2013 ERO review. Some aspects of internal evaluation still need to be improved. The school is well led and the board of trustees is committed to continuous improvement.
The school has maintained strong levels of student achievement in the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics over time. The school is actively addressing disparity, identified in 2017, for Pacific children.
How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?
The board, leaders and teachers effectively respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. This school is very responsive to the individual needs of children and is working well to reduce disparity to provide equitable outcomes for all.
The processes that are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence include:
-
a strong commitment to equity and excellence for all learners
-
leaders and teachers working in inclusive and respectful ways with the diverse learners and cultures within the school
-
language, culture and identity of children, families and whānau being highly valued and respected
-
positive community engagement in reciprocal learning-centred relationships
-
a strong focus on knowing the child and whānau well to enrich learning for all.
At the time of this review learners were achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress towards achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.
The school has introduced many useful processes to achieve equity and excellence. A number of these are still being embedded. In order to support sustainable equity and excellence, the school needs to continue to:
-
align strategic documents to values, vision and targets
-
further develop internal evaluation processes
-
refine achievement reports to the board
-
develop understandings of te ao Māori
-
align curriculum areas with the school’s newly-developed vision and values
-
strengthen appraisal practices and processes.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Equity and excellence
How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?
The board, leaders and teachers effectively respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.
Children achieve well at this school. The last three years of data show that most students achieve at or above National Standards in mathematics. Reading and writing results were a little lower. Leaders understand why there was a small drop in the 2016 data and are responding to this. Māori children achieve at similar levels to other groups.
There is a small disparity recognised for Pacific children. The school is actively addressing this through a range of specific interventions.
Children with additional learning needs are responded to very well. There are high numbers of children who are English Language Learners and others with identified learning challenges at this school. The school identifies the needs of these children early and provides high quality support programmes to accelerate their learning and promote equity and excellence for all.
The school is able to clearly show the progress of individual priority students. Leaders and teachers take collective responsibility for children’s progress and achievement. Effective moderation and assessment practices are in place.
School conditions supporting equity and excellence
What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?
At this school leaders and teachers are strongly committed to equity and excellence for all learners. The school has many effective processes to progress the learning and achievement of all children. Leaders and teachers work in inclusive and respectful ways with the diverse learners and cultures within the school. The language, culture and identity of children, families and whānau are highly valued and respected.
Deliberate actions from senior leaders are building leadership and teacher capacity. Targeted professional development is focused on improving learner outcomes and increasing teacher capability.
Student learning, wellbeing and progress are the core concerns and collective responsibility of the board, leaders and staff. The school and the community are engaged in reciprocal learning-centred relationships. There is a strong focus on knowing the child and what they bring to their learning. This is helping to enrich the learning for all. Students experience positive and supportive transitions to, within and from school.
Trustees, leaders and staff promote a bicultural learning environment that positively benefits Māori and all children. Professional development is helping to build culturally responsive practices across the school.
Leaders have given increasing emphasis to developing ways of working successfully with Pacific children and their families. Specific resourcing and strategic appointments enhance the learning for children and support culturally responsive relationships with Pacific communities.
Leadership actively develops and pursues the school’s vision and goals with a clear focus on continuous improvement and building reflective practices. Distributed leadership promotes relational trust and supports learning programmes to enhance sustainability.
The board actively serves the school. Trustees are well informed about student achievement and school priorities. They are committed to building knowledge and skills across the school to provide equity and excellence for all children.
Sustainable development for equity and excellence
What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?
The school has introduced many useful processes to achieve equity and excellence. A number of these are still being embedded. In order to support sustainable equity and excellence the school needs to continue to:
-
align strategic documents to values, vision and targets to ensure clear and consistent practice
-
further develop internal evaluation processes to build sustainable practices
-
refine achievement reporting to the board
-
develop understandings of te ao Māori to build on culturally responsive practices across the school
-
align all curriculum areas with the school’s newly-developed vision and values
-
strengthen appraisal practices and processes to build teacher capacity.
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:
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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
Provision for international students
The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.
At the time of this review there were four international students attending the school.
The school is highly effective in providing pastoral care, good quality education and ESOL tuition for its international students. Children and their parents are included and well supported to integrate into the school and local community. The school is continuing to develop its internal evaluation processes. Outcomes of internal evaluations related to international students are regularly reported to the board.
Going forward
How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?
Learners are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices. The school needs to continue to:
-
align strategic documents to values, vision and targets
-
develop internal evaluation processes
-
refine achievement reporting to the Board
-
develop understandings of te āo Māori
-
align all curriculum areas with the school’s newly developed vision and values
-
strengthen appraisal practices and processes.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Te Waipounamu)
6 October 2017
About the school
|
Location
|
Christchurch
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number
|
3384
|
|
School type
|
Primary (Years 0-6)
|
|
School roll
|
505
|
|
Gender composition
|
Boys: 52%
Girls 48%
|
|
Ethnic composition
|
Māori: 8 %
Pākehā: 40%
Pacific: 4 %
Asian: 33 %
Other Ethnicities: 15%
|
|
Provision of Māori medium education
|
No
|
|
Review team on site
|
August 2017
|
|
Date of this report
|
6 October 2017
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review: February 2013
Education Review: October 2009
|