Kimbolton School

Kimbolton School - 10/06/2019

School Context

Kimbolton School is located in a rural setting of the Northern Manawatū, near Feilding. Of the 65 students from Years 1 to 8, 11 identify as Maori.

The school’s vision statement is Working together with friendship-mahi tahi I roto I te hoa tanga, me te whanaungatanga. This supports the valued virtues that include: compassion, respect, courtesy, consideration, tolerance, honesty, excellence, teamwork, communication, independence and cooperation.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to The New Zealand Curriculum
  • progress and achievement over time in reading, writing and mathematics.

Leadership and the teaching team remains settled at Kimbolton School. Since the August 2016 ERO report the school roll has fluctuated.

In response to the need for upgrading some areas of the school, property developments have been completed over the past year.

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?

Data from 2018 shows that most students achieve at or above expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori students achieve very well with all achieving at or above expectations in writing and mathematics, and nearly all in reading. Disparity of achievement is evident for New Zealand European/Pākehā students and for boys.

In 2018, all Year 8 leavers were at or above expectations for reading, most for mathematics and the majority for writing. Achievement levels have remained similar over time, with a small decline in writing.

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

The school identifies a group whose learning needs acceleration and supports these students through in class and external interventions. In 2018, only a small number of these students accelerated in reading and mathematics, with no acceleration evident in writing.

2019 achievement targets have been developed in response to 2018 student achievement information.

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?

Positive relationships across the school community support and promote students’ wellbeing and an environment that encourages learning. Leaders and teachers know students well. Parents, whānau and community are welcome and well involved in school activities as respected and valued partners in their children’s learning. They contribute to rich and authentic opportunities for learning.

Teachers use appropriate assessment tools to identify and respond to individual learning strengths and needs of students. They use informal and formal assessment processes to deliver deliberate, well planned lessons matched to learning needs. Teachers identify focus students aligned to the school achievement targets and they inquire into the effectiveness of their response to these learners.

The school leader has a clear vision for the school and oversees the implementation of a curriculum that reflects that vision. Collaboration within the school and with the community is promoted.

The enrichment programme for Year 6 to 8 students effectively allows them to follow their strengths and learn at their own pace or from each other. This part of the curriculum is used as a way to develop key competencies.

Students with diverse learning or health needs are well supported through appropriate initiatives and interventions, including using external agencies and specialists.

Trustees are regularly informed about student achievement and curriculum focuses. They provide good levels of resourcing for teaching programmes, with a priority on supporting and enhancing learning for students. They are very supportive of staff and their wellbeing. Provision of schoolwide professional learning and development is well aligned to school goals and priorities.

The curriculum is responsive to the language, culture and identity of Māori students. Review of practice contributes to ongoing improvement and high levels of achievement for Māori students.

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

Trustees, the principal and teachers should more closely focus on and monitor the progress of target students, using evaluation to know about what works, what does not and what needs to change to accelerate their 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 Kimbolton 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:

  • leadership, that is consistent in its vision for high achievement outcomes for all students
  • teaching practices and learning environments, that support student collaboration, participation and engagement
  • collaborative practices by trustees, that supports decision making focused on student outcomes.

Next steps

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

  • strengthening understanding and use of effective internal evaluation processes and practices to determine what is working well for students’ learning and where improvements are needed.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

10 June 2019

About the school

Location

Kimbolton

Ministry of Education profile number

2379

School type

Full Primary (Year 1 - 8)

School roll

65

Gender composition

Male 33, Female 32

Ethnic composition

Māori 11
NZ European/Pākehā 54

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

May 2019

Date of this report

10 June 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review August 2016
Education Review September 2013
Education Review September 2010

Kimbolton School - 25/08/2016

1 Context

Kimbolton School is a rural school catering for students in Years 1 to 8. Located north of Feilding, the school has 71 students enrolled, 10 of whom identify as Māori. The roll has increased since the September 2013 ERO review.

High levels of parental and community involvement occur in all aspects of school life. There are close links and involvement with nearby schools. The experienced principal is involved in leadership groups for rural schools.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are 'working together with friendship'. These are enacted through the values of 'WAKA-Whanau, Attitude, Kindness and Achievement'. The values underpin the daily operations of the school.

The school’s achievement information shows that most students, including Māori, are achieving at or above National Standards. Achievement levels have remained consistent since the previous ERO review.  The achievement of Māori, as a group, exceeds that of their peers in reading, writing and mathematics.  

Processes and practices are in place to promote the reliability and validity of teacher judgements about student achievement.  However, the school should consider further development in this area.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has:

  • begun to strengthen teacher inquiry by including specific measurable targets
  • implemented a revised place-based curriculum
  • developed success indicators for mathematics and writing to reflect best practice
  • increased opportunities for Māori students to meaningfully experience their culture, identity and language.

The school and ERO agree that these continue to be areas for development.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

Valid achievement information is collated to identify which students are underachieving, identify gaps in their learning and set expectations for accelerated progress. These students are supported by additional learning programmes and planned assistance.  Evidence shows they are making progress towards meeting National Standards. 

A range of assessment data is collected and shared with the board. More purposeful use of data by leaders and teachers is required to:

  • plan to be more responsive to students' needs
  • enable teachers and leaders to better monitor and track specific progress over time
  • clearly show the impact of teaching on outcomes for students.

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?

Trustees work with the school community to establish its vision, values and strategic priorities. The new board is committed to improving outcomes for all learners to become confident, connected, actively involved life-long learners.

Leadership promotes learning-centred partnerships to enhance student achievement and wellbeing. Parents, whānau and the community are welcomed and involved in school activities as respected and valued partners in learning. A range of strategies is used to successfully share information about children's learning with parents and whānau. Written reports include student feedback in relation to their learning goals and suggestions for how parents can help at home.

The curriculum is broad, balanced and embedded in the local environment. Students learn through a variety of activities and a wide range of rich learning contexts. Continuing to refine curriculum guidance and expectations for effective teaching in line with new professional learning should further support teacher capability and responsiveness.

The school is continuing to deepen its response to Māori students' culture and identity. Strong emphasis on the environment provides authentic contexts for learning where students connect to local history, places of significance, people and language. All students have the opportunity to be involved in kapa haka.

Students' wellbeing, engagement and learning is effectively supported through promoting the school values, dispositions, and social skills. Senior students have a range of opportunities to demonstrate leadership in academic, cultural and sporting contexts. Respectful and considerate relationships are fostered. Students cooperate well with each other, collaborate in their learning and are able to
self-manage. There is a strong focus on older students supporting younger students.

Teachers and leaders are collaborative and collegial. Suitable professional development has facilitated some positive changes to teacher practice. Strengthening the current appraisal process will enable leaders to monitor and evaluate changes in teaching practice to further support consistency across the school.

There is a sound framework and process for teacher inquiry. Reflections are well-considered and learner focused. Using internal evaluation, including teaching as inquiry, to make deliberate decisions to improve outcomes for students and to evaluate the effectiveness of these changes is a next step.

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 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.

The school has a small number of underachieving students who are well supported to make progress.  However, key next steps are to:

  • build trustees, leaders and teachers capability to use internal evaluation
  • use evidence to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of actions
  • improve the deliberateness of the schools' responses to ensure positive outcomes for all students.

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.

7 Recommendation

ERO recommends that the school improve its internal evaluation processes and practices to enhance its capacity to measure impact, evaluate effectiveness and take well-considered action. 

Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

25 August 2016 

About the school 

Location

Kimbolton

Ministry of Education profile number

2379

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

71

Gender composition

Female 35, Male 36

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific

10
59
  2

Review team on site

June 2016

Date of this report

25 August 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

September 2013
September 2010
May 2007