6537 Ohura Road, Stratford
View on mapMarco School is a full primary located in the small rural community of Whangamomona, an hour from Stratford in Eastern Taranaki. There are 18 children on the roll.
The school’s CAREER values relate to: Communication and participation; Ambition and confidence; Respect and consideration; Excellence and innovation; Ecological awareness; and Reliability and integrity.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas: reading, writing and mathematics.
A teaching principal was appointed in 2019. She works alongside a part-time teacher, also recently appointed. Board of trustees’ membership has been consistent.
The school is part of the Enviroschools network. It is also part of the Central Taranaki Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning. Close relationships are maintained with other schools in the wider area, including cross-school sporting and cultural events.
Achievement data from 2016 to 2018 shows that most students are achieving at or above The New Zealand Curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.
Accelerated learning is not evident. Teachers implement specific teaching and support for the few children who are currently at risk of not achieving. These are documented in the school’s 2019 raising achievement plan. While these students are making progress, it is not yet accelerated progress.
A positive environment for learning is clearly evident. Children have good relationships with their teachers. Tuakana teina relationships between siblings and older and younger peers are well promoted in the mixed-age setting. Student confidence, choice and inquiry are actively supported. Students capably use digital tools and virtual learning classrooms to connect with children in other rural schools.
Learning experiences include a strong emphasis on physical challenge and horticulture which are well supported and resourced. Students are proud of their school environment and their involvement in maintaining and sustaining it. Local stories and students’ sense of place and belonging are affirmed and celebrated.
Students benefit from a well-established and strongly embedded sense of community. This is purposefully maintained and promoted by the teachers and board.
Teachers know each child’s interests, learning strengths and next steps, and monitor their progress. To engage the children in their learning, and support those at risk of not achieving, they implement deliberate teaching strategies, make effective use of resources, use authentic and meaningful contexts for learning, access external support and write individual learning plans.
The new teaching team works well together. Appropriate appraisal processes and support networks have been put in place to promote ongoing professional development.
The board accesses appropriate guidance from relevant agencies to grow understanding of trustees’ role. In 2019 trustees are engaging in further professional learning in this area.
Strengthening and documenting a localised bicultural curriculum in liaison with local iwi and through the school’s Kāhui Ako has begun. ERO evaluation confirms this next step as a positive development for all children. The school’s current emphasis on learning through the local natural setting and resources is a positive foundation for this work.
The board acknowledges that a number of policies and procedures require review, to reflect current legislation and effectively guide operations and practice. Work has begun in this area. The board and staff should ensure that policies and procedures are consistently reflected in practice and well documented.
The board is currently reviewing financial records from the last two years to improve its future financial management.
Evaluation is an area requiring development. As new school practices become embedded, a next step will be to build practice at all levels for rigorous, documented internal evaluation. For the board, this should include asking good questions to monitor the effectiveness of the school in achieving valued student outcomes.
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:
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Marco School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.
ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
ERO identified non-compliance in relation to consultation on the health curriculum.
In order to address this, the board of trustees must:
To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:
Phillip Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services Central
Central Region
11 June 2019
|
Location |
Stratford |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
2191 |
|
School type |
Full primary (Years 1 to 8) |
|
School roll |
18 |
|
Gender composition |
Girls 7, Boys 11 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 3 Pākehā 15 |
|
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) |
No |
|
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
|
Review team on site |
April 2019 |
|
Date of this report |
11 June 2019 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review May 2015 Education Review July 2012 |
Although Marco is a small, isolated rural school, students’ learning and opportunities are not constrained. Teachers support and challenge each student to reach their potential. Students are actively engaged through stimulating and varied lessons. Strengthening review of teaching, learning and school operations is a next step.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Marco School is located in the small rural community of Whangamomona, an hour away from Stratford, in Eastern Taranaki.
Although isolated, the board and teachers enable students to participate in the wider Taranaki region. It is part of the Central Eastern Taranaki School cluster. These schools meet regularly for cultural and sporting events. The principals meet for support and to generate new ideas. Most students participate in Saturday sports in Stratford. Often there are whole school cultural trips to Stratford and New Plymouth.
The physical environment is well presented and utilised. A range of fruit trees and the well-tended vegetable garden support the making of preserves as part of the curriculum.
The school is an important part of this small community. Relationships are strong and supportive. This is evidenced by the successful fundraising and high levels of voluntary support. The local play group shares the school’s facilities.
The school has a sound ERO reporting history.
The principal and teachers use student achievement information to make positive changes to student learning.
A range of standardised assessment tools is used to identify students’ strengths and learning needs. Teachers also maintain comprehensive anecdotal records to complement test information. Together these inform teacher judgements about student achievement. Teachers know their students well and design teaching strategies that target need.
Most students achieve at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. According to school data they progress well through the year. Mathematics and reading levels are good. However, the school has identified writing as an area in need of continued development. Teachers use a range of strategies to improve writing quality and continue to reflect on their impact on student achievement.
The reports to parents about student achievement are appropriate. They outline National Standards information and progress made. Clearly documented plans to facilitate students’ progress and useful suggestions for families to support at home are made.
The few Māori students at the school achieve at a similar level to non Māori. These students are both challenged and supported.
The curriculum, which is suitably aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum, is very effective in promoting and supporting student learning. The small size and remote location of the school do not constrain students’ participation in a wide range of learning experiences.
The spacious physical environment reflects the range of student learning. Art, enviro schools, science, tikanga Māori, horticulture and history are clearly visible and maintained with pride.
The board has continued to invest in information and communication technologies (ICT) to support students’ participation in distance learning. This includes opportunities to learn Mandarin and French languages. Students also use ICT for research as part of their inquiry learning. They have opportunities to have a wider group of peers to connect with. Years 7 and 8 students are part of the Rural Group that includes students in small, rural New Zealand schools. They get together in their virtual learning classroom.
Students are actively engaged in their learning. They interact well, settle to tasks quickly, work independently, and engage for sustained periods.
Teachers are well organised. They plan for each student and closely monitor progress. The stimulating and varied lessons maintain students’ interest. Teachers provide regular useful written and oral feedback to help students understand their next learning steps.
A well-considered programme facilitates students’ easy transition from this small rural school to high school.
A bicultural perspective is evidenced through programmed te reo Māori lessons, and displayed language prompts and artefacts.
Māori students have a sense of belonging and wellbeing. Teachers have an understanding of Māori views and the role of whānau. Activities, stories, and events that have connections with Māori students enrich the curriculum and empower them in their learning. The next development step is for the school community to consider what constitutes success for Māori as Māori at Marco School.
The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance.
The trustees take their role seriously and conscientiously govern the school. Board policies and procedures are well considered and provide a sound basis for effective governance. Their regular review supports the induction of new trustees and reminds longer serving members of school expectations. The board should develop a schedule to ensure timely reports are provided so it can be assured it is meeting all its obligations.
The charter and annual plan appropriately outline the school direction. However, the key achievement target set for writing should challenge all students to make accelerated progress, as well as focusing on the few who are at risk of not meeting the National Standards.
The principal regularly provides trustees with student achievement information and shares the outcomes of the many activities students participate in. Analysis of achievement information has improved. However, the principal needs be assured the trustees have a clear understanding of the student achievement information to better support their decision making.
In 2012, ERO reported that the appraisal processes for staff and the principal needed to be further developed. The board was advised to give priority to ensuring the principal’s appraisal is completed annually. Although some progress has been made, this remains an area of non-compliance. The board must ensure that the principal and all staff are annually appraised and all teachers are assessed against the Registered Teacher Criteria.
The 2012 ERO review also recommended the school make better use of self review in relation to measuring the quality of operation. Since that time some useful reviews have taken place. However, this is still an area for the board and principal to strengthen.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
During the course of the review, ERO identified three areas of non-compliance. In order to address these, the board of trustees must ensure that:
[s77A State Sector Act 1988; Education Action Act 1989 s78]
Although Marco is a small, isolated rural school, students’ learning and opportunities are not constrained. Teachers support and challenge each student to reach their potential. Students are actively engaged through stimulating and varied lessons. Strengthening review of teaching, learning and school operations is a next step.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
18 May 2015
|
Location |
Stratford |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
2191 |
|
|
School type |
Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
|
|
School roll |
13 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Male 8, Female 5 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
10 |
|
Review team on site |
April 2015 |
|
|
Date of this report |
18 May 2015 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2012 |