Kaingaroa School (Chatham Islands)

School Context

Kaingaroa School (Chatham Islands) is a small school for students in Years 1 to 8 that is located on the north-east end of Rēkohu/Wharekauri. The school is the hub of the local fishing village and rural community. It currently has a roll of eight children,all of whom identify as Māori.

The school’s vision is for ‘Learners who are learning to learn, thinking differently, flourishing locally while looking globally’. The school values are rangitiratanga, kopitanga, whanaungatanga and kaitiakitanga. These values are integrated throughout the school’s curriculum.

The board’s current strategic goals are to:

• accelerate the progress of priority learners in English and Mathematics

• integrate the use of digital technologies into the teaching and learning process

• develop and implement a local curriculum that reflects the local environment, local histories, te Reo Māori ne ngātikanga Māori, ka tikani Moriori ta re Moriori and connects students with wider New Zealand and the world

• create and sustain local partnerships that enrich learning across schools and community.

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

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

• student attendance.

The Principal works collaboratively with the other local principals to provide professional learning and development opportunities for teachers. This provision is also used to enhance learning-centred relationships with iwi/imi and the wider Chatham Islands community.

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 is effectively achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most of its students.

Student achievement information from 2018 and 2019 shows that most students are achieving at or above expected national curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics.

All students are well supported and benefit from integrated programmes of learning that develop their understanding of the school’s values and the key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum.

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

The school is effectively accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this.

School information for 2018 and 2019 showed examples of accelerated progress for those students who needed it in reading, writing and mathematics.

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 benefit from warm, respectful and productive relationships with their teachers and their peers. Calm, purposeful learning environments, underpinned by the school values, support students’ engagement in learning programmes and their social/emotional development. There are many varied and interesting opportunities for students to build on their interests and prior knowledge.

Teachers know students and their families well. They promote a positive culture that is welcoming and inclusive. Māori and Moriori perspectives are valued and there is an ongoing commitment to working with iwi/imi to provide culturally responsive programmes. Teachers are responsive to the needs, interests and aspirations of students and their whānau. Individual goals are set for all students and learning partnerships are used effectively to support and monitor progress towards them.

School leadership is improvement focused. The principal proactively seeks, and makes effective use of external expertise and support networks to meet the individual needs of students. Clear and consistent social expectations have been developed to promote student learning and wellbeing.

Reciprocal collaborations with the community enrich opportunities for students and their learning. Very good use is made of the local environment, including resources and experts to extend students’ understanding of the unique context they live in. More regular contact with schools in the surrounding area and the wider community is supporting children’s sense of belonging and understanding of their place in the wider world.

The board has worked closely with students, staff and the community to develop the school’s vision and values. The well-considered strategic plan and provision of appropriate resourcing is focused on meeting the identified valued outcomes for students to be successful learners.

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

To support continued and sustained improvement, school leaders should continue to strengthen:

• the development of a localised curriculum that allows for increased student agency of their learning to participate and contribute confidently in a range of cultural, local, national and global contexts.

• the use of internal evaluation to measure the effectiveness of teaching and learning programmes and innovations to understand what is making a difference for all learners.

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 Kaingaroa School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

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 the:

• provision of rich learning opportunities within and beyond the school that support students to become confident learners
• community collaboration that supports learning and fosters a strong sense of student connectedness to the school and local community
• effective and productive relationships at all levels of the school that effectively support the valued outcomes for learning.

Next steps

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

• localising the curriculum to provide increased student agency and to allow students to participate and contribute confidently in a wider range of cultural, local, national and global contexts
• using internal evaluation to measure the effectiveness of teaching and learning programmes and innovations and to understand what is making a positive difference to student outcomes.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

• continue to engage in professional learning through NZSTA to maximise their effectiveness and to assist them in the appointment of a new principal.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region - Te Tai Tini

5 June 2020

About the school

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.

Findings

The board has established improved systems and processes to support learning and achievement, and sustainable school management and governance. Reports to the board on student progress and achievement show that positive gains are being made. The principal and teacher are working collaboratively and with other schools and the wider community to provide meaningful and effective programmes of learning for Kaingaroa students. The school curriculum and framework for internal evaluation are being progressively improved and/or developed.

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?

Kaingaroa School (Chatham Islands) is a very small school for students in Years 1 to 8. Located on the north-east end of Rēkohu/Wharekauri, the school is the hub of the local fishing village and rural community. It currently has a roll of eight children, almost all of whom identify as Māori.

At the time of the last ERO review in 2016, the school had a relieving principal and many new board members. They were working to re-establish systems and processes to support the school’s operation, including records of teaching and learning. 

Since that time, the school has continued to make positive changes and sustainable improvements. A new principal was appointed in 2017. A relief teacher regularly supports classroom learning. A new chair leads the board of trustees. An experienced local person is employed to keep school records. Some significant refurbishment of classroom, administration, swimming pool and toilet areas have been made.

2 Review and Development

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

The school is effectively addressing most of the areas identified as needing review and development.

Priorities identified for review and development

ERO’s 2016 review report identified that while teaching and learning for children was being well addressed there was still much needing to be done. School-wide systems to support student achievement had not been sufficiently established. Areas needing development included the moderation of assessment judgements with other schools, setting of specific targets for raising the achievement of identified students, regular reporting of achievement information to the board of trustees, aspects of curriculum design and a robust programme of internal evaluation.

ERO recommended that New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) provide training for the board to understand its governance role, and that the Ministry of Education provide support for the new principal to ensure the learning needs of all children are effectively met.

The 2016 ERO review also identified several areas of non-compliance relating to the reporting of student achievement to the school community, career education for students in Years 7 and 8 and consultation with the school community on the health curriculum. This ERO review in 2018, has found that the school has adequately addressed these areas of non-compliance.

Progress

The principal, with teachers and board of trustee members:

• have adequately built their knowledge of the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
• place a strong focus on meeting the needs of children and providing the necessary conditions for raising and/or accelerating their achievement
• have consulted with the local community to develop a vision for education and valued outcomes for Kaingaroa School children to equip them for leaving the school and island at the end of Year 8
• are working in collaboration with schools, on and off the island, to promote best teaching and assessment practices and to provide wider, meaningful opportunities for students’ learning
• are developing an authentic, relevant place-based curriculum, that links closely with the island context and the aims of the school community
• are seeking to extend board membership.

Key next steps

The principal, with support from board of trustee members, needs to:

• report more frequently to parents and the board, information showing student progress and achievement
• ensure student achievement in mathematics is assessed against all strands of the mathematics curriculum, and not solely against numeracy
• continue to build the board capacity and capability, to support effective succession of board members and sustainable self-governance practice
• further develop the positive working relationships formed with other island schools to provide wider opportunities for children’s learning and improved outcomes
• strengthen ways to support all children to achieve the school’s valued outcomes for being confident, life-long learners, who are technologically literate, socially prepared and resilient.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

Children, including those needing to make accelerated progress, are making positive gains in their learning and achievement. They are provided settled, well-supported and well-resourced environments for learning, in and out of the classroom.

The principal and relief teacher work positively with each other and with parents to promote children’s learning. They are collaborating with other schools on and off the island, to improve teaching and assessment practices and to broaden opportunities for students’ learning. 

The school has established meaningful partnerships with its local community and other island stakeholders. This includes positive relationships with local iwi/imi, and the inclusion of Māori/Moriori perspectives in the school’s curriculum.

The board has established more useful systems and processes to support school management and governance. Strategic planning is in place and a framework to support school review and improvement established. Trustees are building their knowledge of their roles and responsibilities for effective governance.

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.

4 Recommendations

Recommendations, including any to other agencies for ongoing or additional support.

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education consider providing support for the board in order to bring about the following improvements:

• trustees have a shared understanding of the trustee role and responsibilities, including as a board who evaluates the effectiveness of the school in achieving its plans.

Conclusion

The board has established improved systems and processes to support learning and achievement, and sustainable school management and governance. Reports to the board on student progress and achievement show that positive gains are being made. The principal and teacher are working collaboratively and with other schools and the wider community to provide meaningful and effective programmes of learning for Kaingaroa students. The school curriculum and framework for internal evaluation are being progressively improved and/or developed.

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

Alan Wynyard
Director Review & Improvement Services Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

15 October 2018

About the School