Kaniere School

Kaniere School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report 

Background

This Profile Report was written within 16 months of the Education Review Office and Kaniere 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 

Kaniere is a semi-rural ‘Enviroschool’ providing for children in Years 0 to 6 in Hokitika. They are a part of the Manaiakalani cluster and have adopted the Ako-Learn, Hanga-Create, Tohatoha-Share Kaupapa. The school’s vision through this Kaupapa is that ākonga/learners will be empowered to take action and achieve success for a sustainable future within a respectful, safe and inclusive learning environment.

Kaniere School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • quality teaching and learning - Manaakitanga/ Rangatiratanga- providing a high-quality local curriculum with te reo Māori and te ao Māori embedded. Learning environments that are future focused, responsive and identify, accelerate and extend the learning capacity of all learners with respect to their diverse needs
  • relationships - Whanaungatanga - fostering strong relationships to enhance our school using current whānau, students, the wider community and local iwi
  • sustainability – Tautaiao - develop further sustainable practices that contribute to the social, cultural, economic and environmental well-being of our school that also considers ways of te ao Māori world view.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively the design and implementation of a school-wide local curriculum, including partnerships with local iwi, so that all ākonga/learners experience success in their language, identity and culture.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is: 

  • to strengthen teachers’ cultural capability knowledge and practice
  • to develop ākonga/learners’ understanding and knowledge of Te Tai Poutini history and to respond to ākonga/learners’ culture, language and identity
  • to develop a school-wide learning progression framework of the school’s local curriculum
  • to connect learning between school and home in culture, language and identity.

The school expects to see: 

  • all ākonga/learners’ connected to and proud of their language, culture and identity
  • increased teacher capability in delivering the school’s local curriculum in an authentic context
  • integration of the school’s local curriculum focusing on local pūrākau/narratives
  • a continued working partnership with the local iwi.

Strengths 

The school can draw from the following strengths to support it in its goal to evaluate how effectively the design and implementation of a school-wide local curriculum, including partnerships with local iwi, so that all ākonga/learners experience success in their language, identity and culture.

  • a forward thinking, committed and reflective senior leadership team who are focused on continuous improvement.
  • a dedicated staff who are focused on positive ākonga/learner outcomes and who respond to students’ culture, language, identity and success.
  • high expectations of ākonga/learner progress, achievement and acceleration, continually striving towards equity and excellence.
  • ongoing professional learning that prioritises effective collaboration and builds consistent culturally responsive practice.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise: 

  • strengthening partnerships with local iwi through continued involvement in the Kāhui Ako.
  • continuing professional development through Manaiakalani kaupapa with the school’s local curriculum
  • developing a school-wide learning progression framework of the school’s local curriculum. 

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

30 January 2024 

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

Kaniere School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025 

As of September 2022, the Kaniere 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

Further Information

For further information please contact Kaniere School, 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

30 January 2024 

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

Kaniere School - 16/10/2019

School Context

Kaniere School is a Year 1 to 6 school located in the small rural township of Kaniere, near Hokitika. The current roll is 126 students, including 21 students who identify as Māori.

The school’s vision is ‘Success for all learners through, learn, create, share’. The vision is supported by the values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, rangatiratanga and kaitiakitanga.

The school’s four strategic aims are in the areas of curriculum, pedagogy (teaching practice), relationships and sustainability. 2019 achievement targets are in writing, mathematics and reading.

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

  • reading, writing and mathematics (for targeted students and schoolwide)
  • wellbeing
  • Manaiakalani programme data related to digital learning.

Since the May 2016 ERO review, there have been several staff changes, including the appointment of a principal and two teachers. The board includes four recently elected trustees.

School leaders and teachers are participating in a schoolwide programme which focuses on developing a ‘learn, create, share’ pedagogy. The school is a member of the Westland Kāhui Ako and the Toki Pounamu cluster.

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 working steadily towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all students.

Achievement information for 2017 shows that:

  • most students achieve at or above curriculum expectations for reading

  • the large majority of students achieve at or above curriculum expectations in mathematics and writing.

Achievement information for 2018 shows that most students achieve at or above curriculum expectations for reading, writing and mathematics. Maori students achieve at levels similar to their peers.

There is a pattern of improved achievement in reading, writing and mathematics between 2017 and 2018. Boys achieved less well than girls in writing (2017 and 2018), however the school is working strategically to address this disparity.

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

Achievement information shows that the school is making good progress with accelerating the learning of those students who need this.

The school has accelerated learning in reading for the majority of targeted students, including Māori students who require additional support. Mathematics and writing data shows accelerated learning for approximately 40% of targeted students.

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 have access to the breadth of the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and experience a variety of meaningful opportunities to learn. The curriculum is strongly localised, connects well with the school’s vision, and contains a very strong emphasis on the use of digital technology to support 21st century learning. Learning experiences relate to students’ needs and interests, as well as incorporating priorities for learning about the environment and digital technologies. Elements of bicultural practice are evident in the opportunities students have to develop a personal mihi, participate in kapa haka and learn about the natural environment.

School leaders and teachers value an inclusive learning culture. Students with specific learning needs are identified and their progress is monitored. Their families receive regular communication about learning and progress. External support is sourced to maximise learning opportunities for these children and to provide professional learning for teachers.

There is a strong culture of collaborative learning for improvement among leaders and teachers. It extends to sharing knowledge with local schools, including the high school. The ‘learn, create, share’ pedagogy is evident in planning, teaching as inquiry and reflective practices across the school; it drives curriculum innovation and delivery. Professional learning opportunities for teachers have focused on developing a shared understanding of teaching practice using technology. External expertise provides regular support for leaders and teachers; leaders extend their professional learning alongside teachers.

There is a very deliberate approach to building reciprocal, learning-centred relationships at every level of the school and with the wider school community. Leaders have developed connections with local businesses and local government to extend opportunities for learning partnerships. Leaders and teachers provide constructive support for parents to help with their children’s learning. Technology is used effectively to enable timely and reciprocal communication about students’ learning and wellbeing between school and home. Students provide and receive feedback on their learning from teachers, leaders and other students.

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

Internal evaluation should be further developed to identify which changes to teaching practice are most effective in achieving positive outcomes for all learners, particularly for those children requiring additional support. It is now timely to use evaluation in order to understand which aspects of recent innovations are having the most impact on children’s learning. Leaders need to develop evaluative knowledge and understanding, using a common framework for evaluation. Evaluations should be scheduled, prioritised and linked meaningfully to school strategic priorities.

Aspects of data management and assessment need to be streamlined. It is timely to investigate how well current assessment practices are supporting teaching and learning in all curriculum areas. Analysed assessment information needs to be collated, analysed and reported in a way that clearly shows how well students, including those who require additional support, are making sufficient progress.

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

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance 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:

  • use of technology that supports access to the NZC
  • an inclusive, collaborative learning culture at all levels of the school that maximises opportunities for professional learning
  • positive, learning-centred partnerships that promote a positive school environment.

Next steps

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

  • using internal evaluation to identify those innovations and practices that are most effective in accelerating learning for those students requiring additional support
  • evaluating assessment practices to ensure that sufficiency of progress is clearly understood and reported in relation to the NZC.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

16 October 2019

About the school

Location

Hokitika

Ministry of Education profile number

3393

School type

Contributing (Year 1 to 6)

School roll

126

Gender composition

Girls 55%, Boys 45%

Ethnic composition

Māori                              17%

NZ European/Pākehā        80%

Other ethnicities                3%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

August 2019

Date of this report

16 October 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review May 2016

Education Review June 2012

Kaniere School - 12/05/2016

1 Context

Kaniere is a small, rural school located close to Hokitika. It provides a welcoming and inclusive family-like atmosphere. Children learn in a well-resourced environment. Recent property developments and upgrades include a refurbished and extended library building and renovated classrooms.

The long-serving principal and well-established teaching team work closely together. They have positive links and networks across other schools and with the local community. The principal and teachers are currently involved in extensive professional learning with other local schools. This is focused on increasing the use of digital technology within learning programmes.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes for all children in this community are to learn, care and share. The newly developed school values reflect Māori concepts of rangatiratanga, kaitiakitanga and whanaungatanga. These are still being embedded and are becoming increasingly evident in school documentation, practices and the environment.

The school’s achievement information shows that Māori children have had consistent achievement levels over the last three years. Māori children are achieving well in reading, with most achieving at or above the National Standards. While the 2015 achievement information for writing is lower than reading, many Māori children have made accelerated progress from 2014 to 2015. Māori children made less progress in mathematics in 2015.

For other children achievement levels have also been mostly consistent, with some steady progress in mathematics. School leaders and teachers have identified writing and boys’ engagement as areas for targeted development.

Since the last ERO review the principal and teachers have made very good progress in addressing the areas identified for development. They have:

  • reviewed the vision and values to reflect Māori concepts and values
  • undertaken professional development to extend their knowledge of and confidence in te reo and tikanga Māori
  • updated the Arts and PE/Health curriculum
  • refined the English curriculum statement.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The board, school leaders and teachers are very responsive to Māori children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration. They know Māori children and their whānau well and value their language, identity and culture.

Teachers are highly effective at identifying, planning and regularly monitoring learning progress and achievement for Māori children. They have clear expectations for children's learning and wellbeing. Teachers are highly responsive to children's individual interests. They use these interests well and adapt their teaching by identifying a number of deliberate and appropriate strategies to engage children in learning. A major focus has been the introduction of digital technologies to provide children with many different approaches to learning.

The board provides additional classroom support to benefit individual and small groups of children. This enables teachers to provide individualised programmes for children most at risk of not achieving. Teachers make very good use of external support and expertise to provide targeted programmes and practices.

Teachers make good use of the many opportunities to deepen their understanding and use of bicultural practices. They are increasingly integrating Māori concepts into their class programmes.

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

The principal and teachers use the same thorough systems and practices for identifying and monitoring learning, progress and achievement of other children at risk of not achieving equitable outcomes.

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 priorities for equity and excellence?

The school’s curriculum, vision and values provide many opportunities for all children to experience equitable learning outcomes. Leaders and teachers have identified that they need to continue to embed the recently revised vision and values across all aspects of the school.

The board, leaders and teachers have a shared focus on ongoing improvement. Trustees are well informed about Māori and other learners’ achievement in relation to National Standards. They are highly responsive and use this information effectively to support learning and teaching. The principal provides the board with regular and useful information about school happenings, initiatives and practices. Trustees have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and undertake professional development to extend their own capacity.

The board and principal agree that the school's strategic plan needs to be extended to show how the school’s priorities will be achieved over a three year period.

The school is well led and managed. The principal has a distributed leadership approach and makes very good use of individual teacher strengths. Teachers are highly reflective and work collaboratively. They have a shared ownership for every child's learning and wellbeing.

Teachers have many opportunities to build their capacity and capability through carefully considered, targeted professional development. They are well supported through a coherent and thorough performance management process that promotes positive outcomes for children.

The principal and teachers actively foster respectful and positive relationships at all levels of the school. They use a wide range of ways to effectively communicate with parents and the community and often seek feedback from whānau and parents. Parents are provided with specific and easy to understand information about their child’s learning and achievement. Teachers are responsive to children's opinions and regularly provide opportunities for them to share their ideas.

Children are provided with a wide variety of learning opportunities within and beyond the school. There is a strong focus on Māori culture, the local area and sustainable practices. Teachers use explicit strategies to ensure children know about and take responsibility for their learning. In Years 3 to 6 the use of digital technologies is purposeful and integrated throughout all learning programmes.

School leaders provide teachers with specific and useful guidelines and expectations for teaching and learning. Teachers use an extensive range of teaching and assessment practices to effectively support children's learning, engagement and wellbeing. This is contributing to consistency across the school.

The principal and teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that the key next steps are to develop a shared understanding and process for evaluation. This should include evaluating and reporting the effectiveness of the:

  • quality of learning and teaching
  • school’s curriculum
  • board’s performance.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children?

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the children who need their 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.

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. 

Chris Rowe
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)

12 May 2016

About the school

Location

Kaniere, Westland

Ministry of Education profile number

3393

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

113

Gender composition

Boys 57; Girls 56

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Pacific

Other Ethnicities

21%

73%

2%

4%

Review team on site

March 2016

Date of this report

12 May 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

June 2012

June 2008

May 2005