School Context
King’s High School (Dunedin) is a Years 9-13, state secondary school for boys in South Dunedin. The school has a roll of 1022 students.
The school’s vision is to build men for life through the pursuit of personal excellence. The key values of excellence, respect, integrity, fairness, responsibility, participation and compassion are linked to the valued outcomes of personal excellence, character development and participation.
Key strategic goals and targets for building student success include:
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improving academic performance
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enhancing values education
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continuing to develop leadership and staff capability.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
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achievement in relation to levels of the New Zealand Curriculum
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achievement within the New Zealand Qualifications Framework
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school leaver qualifications and destinations
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outcomes for students with additional learning needs, including gifted and talented students
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outcomes related to engagement and wellbeing for success.
Since the previous ERO review there have been organisational and personnel changes at middle and senior leadership levels.
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 making very good progress in ensuring equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students.
There has been considerable improvement over time in NCEA achievement across all levels. The number of endorsements has increased and there has been a significant increase in the number and subject range of scholarships gained. Almost all students achieve literacy and numeracy to NCEA requirements. Students achieve appropriate industry-related qualifications.
Nearly all students in Years 9 and 10 make sufficient progress to achieve or exceed expected outcomes.
Effective wide-ranging pastoral and support services enable almost all students to develop strategies for success in a number of ways.
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
The school is effectively accelerating the progress of those Māori and other students who need this.
At all levels of the school and across the curriculum, all students whose learning and progress are at risk are identified and monitored. They are comprehensively supported through individually-tailored interventions and programmes. Students with additional learning needs are very well supported.
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?
The school has a shared vision which is embedded, valued and enacted. The vision drives and underpins decision-making, resourcing and behaviour expectations. A highly inclusive school culture promotes a sense of belonging and empowers individuals to have confidence in their own identity. The clearly-articulated and lived values, including respect, can be seen through the strength of relationships at all levels of the school. Highly evident is a strong sense of pride in the pursuit of personal excellence.
The school’s curriculum is highly effective in promoting and supporting students’ learning. It is broad and responsive to the passions, interests and needs of students. The valued outcomes of personal excellence, character development and participation are incorporated, along with a wide range of leadership opportunities. Students have well-structured access to meaningful pathways within the school and through external providers. There is regular celebration of achievements through all age levels and across the curriculum.
Senior leaders drive and manage systems which are robust and consistent, yet flexible, in accommodating all student needs and interests for equity. A strong alignment of purpose and a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities ensure positive outcomes for students. The senior management team has high expectations for students and staff, is highly visible and leads by example. There is a clear intention to build sustainable leadership capability across all areas of the school.
School leaders model and enact comprehensive and cohesive internal evaluation processes and practices to ensure ongoing improvement. Decision-making is based on highly effective use of data, both qualitative and quantitative.
Trustees and senior leaders have a deliberate focus on student and staff wellbeing. Open lines of communication and collective responsibility create a circle of care which meets the needs of all students. The rector and senior management team actively connect with the pastoral network. A well-established culture of relational trust encourages students to be open, honest and compassionate. Trustees make informed decisions to prioritise resourcing that will improve outcomes for students.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
The school has developed some useful resources and processes to support a greater recognition of the bicultural nature of Aotearoa New Zealand. School leaders need to continue to develop and refine the understanding and visibility of tikanga and te ao Māori.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
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emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
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physical safety of students
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teacher registration and certification
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processes for appointing staff
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stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students
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attendance
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school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
Provision for international students
The school is a signatory to theEducation (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 27 international students. The school occasionally hosts short stay students.
The school has reviewed its policies and procedures to be assured they are in line with the new Code.
International students are suitably welcomed and supported to be very well integrated into the life of the school, including activities outside the classroom. Key staff members work with the students to identify their goals. Teachers support students to improve their English language skills where necessary and achieve their learning goals. Pastoral support staff members monitor students’ wellbeing and help them to have a positive experience at the school.
4 Going forward
Key strengths of the school
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
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a shared vision which is embedded, valued and enacted
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comprehensive and cohesive internal evaluation processes and practices to ensure ongoing improvement
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the development of sustainable leadership capability across all areas of the school
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a pastoral care system which creates a circle of care that meets the needs of all students.
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are to:
ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in four-to-five years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review & Improvement Services Southern
29 October 2018
About the school
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Location
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Dunedin
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Ministry of Education profile number
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383
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School type
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State Years 9-13
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School roll
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1022
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Gender composition
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100% Boys
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Ethnic composition
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Māori 17%
Pākehā 65%
Pacific 7%
Asian 5%
Other ethnicities 6%
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Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)
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Yes
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Provision of Māori medium education
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No
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Review team on site
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September 2018
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Date of this report
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29 October 2018
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Most recent ERO reports
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Education Review: June 2014
Education Review: May 2011
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