Levin East School

Levin East School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 20 months of the Education Review Office and Levin East 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 

Levin East School is located in the town of Levin in the Horowhenua region and provides education for students in Years 0 – 6. The school’s Whare Manaaki space provides comprehensive learning support services for students with additional needs. The school’s local curriculum is iLearn.

Levin East School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • effective teaching, engaged learners: positively focused, actively involved learners

  • inclusive cultures: celebrating and valuing diversity and difference

  • wellbeing, hauora: physical, spiritual and mental wellness.

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

The school is implementing a highly inclusive, responsive curriculum (iLearn) tailored to student interest, identity and need. ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which this curriculum is improving students' learning mindset and engagement, and strengthening equitable learner outcomes.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • to understand the impact that a student-centred curriculum is having on engagement and attitudes to learning

  • the need to understand the impact of improved engagement and mindset on equitable student outcomes in foundation areas of the curriculum (reading, writing and mathematics).

The school expects to see improved outcomes for students resulting from:

  • teachers implementing the iLearn philosophy and teaching poutama to provide students with an engaging curriculum that meets their interests and learning needs

  • teachers using the Levin East progressions to support planning and assessment in foundation areas of the curriculum to address equity

  • students becoming increasingly engaged in and positive about their learning.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to improve learner mindset, engagement and outcomes:

  • robust systems and structures that support student connection, resilience and wellbeing

  • a learning culture that prioritises inclusion and celebrates diversity

  • leadership that deliberately pursues a vision for an inclusive, responsive curriculum.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • developing teacher capability to deliver a student-centred curriculum as described in the iLearn teaching poutama

  • using the Levin East poutama and progressions to track the impact that the responsive curriculum is having on student engagement, mindset and outcomes

  • continuing to refine the responsive iLearn curriculum to improve student mindset, increase engagement and strengthen outcomes.

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.
 

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

14 October 2022 

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

 

Levin East School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of July 2022, the Levin East School Board of Trustees has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

No

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

No

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Actions for Compliance

The board has identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process: 

  • the progress of the following groups has not been reported to the school’s community:

    • groups (identified through NAG 1(c))

    • Māori students against plans and targets referred to in NAG 1(e)

[National Administrative Guidelines 2(d)]

  • the names of staff authorised for the application of physical restraint have not been made available for inspection

(Physical Restraint) Rules 2017 Clause 4

  • copies of physical restraint forms have not been placed in the student’s file and copies have not been provided to the student’s teacher(s), parent(s) and/or caregivers.

(Physical Restraint) Rules 2017 Clause 8

The board has since taken steps to address the areas of non-compliance identified.

Further Information

For further information please contact Levin East School Board of Trustees.

The next Board of Trustees 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.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

14 October 2022 

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

Levin East School - 22/08/2017

Summary

Levin East School has approximately 400 children in Years 1 to 6 and most are Māori. Additional enrolments comprise 20% Pākehā, 9% Pacific children and a growing number of diverse ethnic groups. A significant number of children have additional or high learning needs.

Since the May 2014 ERO report, there have been changes of principal. Changes to the senior leadership are ongoing. Most trustees are new to the board.

Connections with Te Iwi Muaūpoko are valued and supported. The school is a member of Taitoko Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?

Student achievement data over time shows approximately two-thirds of learners, including Māori and Pacific, continue to achieve at or above in relation to the National Standards in all three areas of reading, writing and mathematics. Although some children make accelerated progress, the school recognises there is insufficient evidence of improvement over time for those achieving below National Standards.

Teachers focus on supporting targeted learners through a range of well-considered approaches. Māori children are supported to be successful learners and achieve at expectations.

Good processes and practices are in place for communication and meaningful consultation with the school community on a range of school matters and decision making. There is a considered approach to developing learning partnerships with whānau Māori.

The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for Māori and other children remains.

The school agrees to:

  • develop more targeted planning to accelerate learning for children

  • monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and children’s progress

  • discuss the school’s progress with ERO. 

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?

Targets are set to accelerate student progress in response to achievement data. Some children make accelerated progress. The school recognises there is insufficient evidence of improvement over time for those learners achieving below National Standards.

Student achievement data over time shows approximately two-thirds of children, including Māori and Pacific, continue to achieve at or above the National Standards in all three areas of reading, writing and mathematics. There is continuing disparity for boys in literacy. Pacific children demonstrated good achievement in reading in 2016.

There is a deliberate focus on supporting Māori children to be successful learners and achieve at expectations. In partnership with Muaūpoko iwi, the Tūinga te Koingo initiative was provided. This provides children with targeted support for learning and additional programmes that affirm their culture, language and identity, and build positive learning relationships. There is a considered approach to developing rich learning partnerships with whānau Māori.

Teachers work collaboratively to support targeted learners through a range of well-considered approaches, including:

  • establishing and building on strong relationships with the student and their whānau

  • providing additional strategies and tools for learning

  • careful scrutiny and regular monitoring of student progress

  • sharing and reflecting on teacher practice for improving student outcomes.

Further use of achievement information to promote, measure and evaluate the accelerated progress of all children at risk of poor educational outcomes is a next step.

Children with additional learning needs are well provided for. Considered processes and systems support their learning, development and wellbeing. Inclusion is promoted and highly evident across the school.

The school has developed useful matrices to measure student progress and guide learning for each curriculum area. Progress in relation to National Standards is tracked by teachers and discussed in team meetings.

Moderation for writing has occurred to strengthen teachers’ judgments about achievement. A next step is to develop consistent schoolwide practice and clear systems for making valid and dependable judgments in relation to National Standards in all three areas, including regular internal and external moderation. The Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT) is being explored by leaders to support teacher judgments. 

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

Children are well supported to participate positively in school life and be successful in their learning. Positive relationships facilitate children’s confidence and a strong sense of belonging. Wellbeing is an important focus, supported by effective systems and practices. Staff nurture and care for children.

There is a strong commitment to working effectively in partnership with families to promote positive outcomes for all children. Good processes and practices are in place for communication and meaningful consultation on a range of school matters and decision making. Iwi participation in curriculum and school life is welcomed, nurtured, and well established.

The school is responsive to children’s emerging needs through carefully considered curriculum initiatives. These are well supported by staff professional learning and development and appraisal.

Teachers are responsive to learners’ interests, strengths and needs. They provide meaningful learning experiences for children that connect to their world, cultural identities and prior learning. Teachers work to build children’s understanding of Muaūpokotanga and te ao Māori perspectives, including links to local, significant landmarks.

There is a strong focus on collaboration as teachers build a shared understanding of effectiveness. They share their learning and successful strategies to improve practice. Teachers’ strengths are identified and developed through a range of leadership opportunities. A comprehensive, robust and supportive appraisal process supports teacher development and capability.

Trustees represent and actively serve the school community. They foster and facilitate positive, productive partnerships with community leaders, iwi, agencies and organisations. Board practices and processes are appropriately guided by a comprehensive guidebook and strategic planning.

The board receives good information about school activities and achievements, and curriculum initiatives. Student achievement information is properly scrutinised. The board should seek better analysed data to inform decision making.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

A new senior leadership team is being built. Further developing their capability and shared understanding of their role in promoting equity and excellence is part of this team building. Leaders’ focus on improving outcomes for children should include:

  • deeper analysis and inquiry into data to promote equitable outcomes and evaluate the effectiveness of actions in accelerating achievement

  • a greater understanding of and systematic approach to inquiry and internal evaluation to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives and inform decision making

  • monitoring and promoting of coherent and consistent practice schoolwide. This should include the development of appropriate procedures to guide health and safety practices. 

TheNew Zealand Curriculumprinciples are embedded. There is ongoing promotion of student agency and future focus aspects of the curriculum through the use of digital tools. Staff should continue the development of curriculum by providing an overarching document to record valued outcomes for learners, guide teaching and learning and support internal evaluation.

Next steps include:

  • further use of student achievement information to promote, measure and evaluate the accelerated progress of all children at risk of poor educational outcomes
  • development of an overarching curriculum document to articulate valued outcomes for learners, guide teaching and learning and support internal evaluation
  • fostering a cohesive approach and shared understanding of the role leaders and trustees have in promoting equity and excellence
  • building understanding of and establishing a systematic approach to inquiry and internal evaluation.

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

  • 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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014. 

Actions required

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to consultation with the community about the health curriculum. In order to address this:

the board must adopt a statement on the delivery of the health curriculum, at least once in every two years, after consultation with the school community. [Section 60B Education Act 1989; Sexuality education: a guide for principals, boards of trustees, and teachers, 2015]

To improve current practice, an immediate priority for the board of trustees is to ensure that health and safety policies align with the school’s culture, values and practices.

Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

The school has capacity and capability to accelerate learning for all children. However, disparity in achievement for Māori and other children remains.

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated

  • need to further build teacher capability to accelerate children’s learning and achievement.

The school agrees to:

  • develop more targeted planning to accelerate learning for children

  • monitor targeted planning, improved teaching, and children’s progress

  • discuss the school’s progress with ERO.

The school has requested that ERO provide them with an internal evaluation workshop.

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

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

22 August 2017

About the school 

Location

Levin

Ministry of Education profile number

2886

School type

Contributing Primary (Years 1-6)

School roll

411

Gender composition

Male 52%, Female 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori 58%
Pākehā 20%
Pacific 9%
Asian 4%
Other ethnic groups 9%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

June 2017

Date of this report

22 August 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review May 2014
Education Review January 2011
Education Review, October 2007