Manurewa Central School - 20/02/2012

• On this page:

• 1 Context
• 2 Learning
• 3 Curriculum
• 4 Sustainable Performance
• About the School

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Manurewa Central School is a large, well established, urban school that has served the Manurewa community since 1906. The stable, culturally diverse school roll includes a significant proportion of Maori and Pacific students.

The school has a positive learning environment and a culture of high expectations for student achievement. Mutually respectful relationships are evident between students and teachers. School leaders have developed good relationships with external support agencies and social services. Parents are welcome in the school. Increasing opportunities are provided for community engagement, including opportunities for parents to participate in positive parenting classes.

The school provides students with extensive learning opportunities in an attractive and well maintained learning environment. The curriculum is well resourced. Students have good access to facilities that include a performing arts auditorium, an information and communication technologies (ICT) suite, native bush walks, a swimming pool, and a hockey astro-turf. The school has a history of positive ERO reports and continues to provide high quality education for students.

A significant number of teacher aides support student learning, particularly in reading and ICT. Students have good opportunities for leadership in a range of areas, including tuakana/teina learning. Students’ individuality, expression and creativity are promoted through involvement in the performing and visual arts and a range of challenging sporting activities.

2 Learning

How well are students learning – engaging, progressing and achieving?

Students are engaged in their learning. They are confident, articulate learners who are keen to participate in their learning and are encouraged to express their ideas and opinions. Many teachers promote students’ critical thinking through the use of effective in-depth questioning techniques.

School leaders have developed specific targets for student achievement in relation to the National Standards for reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement data indicate that students are making good progress in these learning areas and the majority of students, including Pacific students, are achieving at levels that are at and above National Standards.

Teachers are continuing to develop assessment practices to promote the consistency and accuracy of their judgements in relation to the National Standards. This process should result in improvements in the quality of information on National Standards provided to the board of trustees and parents about the progress and achievement of all students and of groups of students, including Māori, Pacific, and students who have special learning needs.

How well does the school promote Māori student success and success as Māori?

Māori students constitute twenty-four percent of the school roll. The majority of Māori students are achieving at levels that are at and above National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

Teachers are taking steps to develop a sequential, integrated programme for the teaching of te reo Māori to increase students’ appreciation of and fluency in the Māori language. Māori students are fully involved in school and co-curricular activities and have the opportunity to participate in Whānau Kotahi, the school’s kapa haka group.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The school’s values of respect, integrity, diversity, excellence are successfully promoted through the curriculum.

Teachers collaboratively plan a holistic curriculum that develops students’ social, physical and emotional well being. Parents are well informed about how to support their children’s learning.

The school’s curriculum has a strong focus on literacy and numeracy. Some teachers use effective questioning strategies well to develop students’ oracy skills and their understanding of concepts and lesson content. This skilful questioning provides students with good opportunities to express their ideas and opinions. Teachers monitor students’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics closely and ensure that additional learning support is provided where necessary. A large number of teacher aides provide students with effective learning support, particularly in reading.

Teachers are continuing to develop inquiry learning. Some teachers are integrating inquiry approaches well with other learning areas, including science, technology and enterprise, and are challenging students to analyse and problem solve.

Students’ learning experiences are enhanced by:

• a strong focus on the visual arts
• frequent opportunities for education outside the classroom (EOTC).
• classrooms with good ICT resources
• good quality support for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students.

Part of the school’s vision is to empower the learner. This vision could be further realised by using curriculum review to:

• clarify expectations for consistent use of specific effective teaching and learning strategies
• link these expectations to teacher performance appraisal
• ensure that students understand achievement criteria and know the next steps they need to take to develop their learning
• integrate the use of ICT in classrooms to support students’ learning in curriculum areas
• further encourage teachers to reflect on the effectiveness of their teaching practices in supporting student learning.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

Manurewa Central School is well placed to sustain and improve its performance.

The school benefits from the effective leadership of the principal. The senior management team is committed to students’ wellbeing and models and promotes positive relationships with students, teachers and parents. The school assists the wider learning community by providing long-term practical experience and support for student teachers to develop their teaching skills.

School leaders and trustees have identified the need to formalise self-review processes to further promote students’ learning. Succinct summary reports for the board of trustees about school-wide achievement has the potential to formalise and strengthen school self review practices. Such reports would ensure that the board receives useful information about patterns and trends in student achievement over time.

The board of trustees is justifiably proud of the school. Trustees support the school’s strategic goal of developing an environment in which all children will learn. They generously support equitable outcomes for students and ensure that the school reflects The New Zealand Curriculum’s key principle of inclusion. Trustees are financially prudent, but face increasing costs for property maintenance as a number of prefabricated classrooms are over forty-five years old. It would be useful for trustees to broaden representation on the board by co-opting Māori and Pacific parents.

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
• stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
• attendance.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Makere Smith

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

20 February 2012

About the School