Matua School, located in a coastal suburb of Tauranga has a positive ERO reporting history. School personnel work collaboratively to maintain a positive school culture and high expectations for behaviour and learning. There are focuses on twenty-first century teaching and learning practices, and catering for students requiring extension challenges.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Matua School is situated in Matua, which is a coastal suburb of Tauranga. Of the 396 students on the roll, eight percent identify as Māori. A further 15% of students are from families who come from other countries. The school hosts 12 international fee-paying students who come from South Korea and New Caledonia.
Matua School has a positive reporting history with ERO. As noted in the 2011 ERO report, and confirmed by this review, students and teachers work in attractive and well-resourced learning environments. Visual art work and an attractive library are positive features. Many effective teaching practices are identified and there are respectful relationships between teachers and students. The board is well-led, with teachers committed to ongoing professional learning and development and successful outcomes for students. The principal successfully promotes a collegial, high trust approach to the development of a reflective culture for learning.
Since the 2011 ERO review, senior leaders have responded positively to areas identified for improvement. There have been focuses on strengthening assessment practices, Māori perspectives, information and communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure and use, and performance management. New initiatives have included developing collaborative and team teaching, reflective use of modern learning environments, enhancing staff understandings about gifted and talented education, and providing further strategies for teachers to reflect on their practices. Self-review processes have been refined to focus more specifically on positive outcomes for students.
A safe and inclusive culture for learning is underpinned by the agreed characteristics of the Matua Learner. Students feel that they have a high level of ownership of their school and benefit from a range of leadership opportunities. Older students support and assist younger students in a variety of contexts. Parents appreciate the welcoming school environment and the ready availability of the principal and staff. An active parent-teacher association raises significant funds to support specific projects and purchase designated resources. A calm and settled tone is evident throughout the school.
School leaders and teachers use achievement information effectively to group students for instruction, monitor progress, and identify students requiring additional learning support or extension challenges. School leaders analyse school-wide achievement trends and patterns for discussion at team meetings, and track the progress of year-level cohorts as they move through the school. The school’s overall analysis of achievement information indicates that many students achieve at or above National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.
Team leaders assist teachers to identify strategies for accelerating the progress of targeted students who are at risk of poor educational outcomes. Teachers use a wide range of assessment information to guide teaching and learning. They regularly give students constructive and specific feedback about their work. Targeted students in each class are identified by school leaders and are often the focus of teacher’s inquiry into the effectiveness of their teaching strategies.
Parents use achievement information to participate in goal-setting with students and teachers. They contribute to 'Learning Journey Journals', which are likely to become learning blogs in the near future. Students are beginning to use assessment information to set specific personal goals. The board continues to use reports on school-wide achievement trends and patterns to guide the provision of resources for raising student achievement.
Recent professional learning and development has strengthened the school’s identification of gifted and talented students and increased teachers’ capacity to cater for these students within class programmes. The special needs education coordinator ensures that relevant interventions and external expertise are accessed to address the needs of students requiring extra learning support.
The school’s next steps are to continue to develop expectations for assessment practices with attention to further enhancing:
Matua School’s curriculum effectively promotes and supports student learning and engagement. School leaders and teachers maintain appropriate expectations for developing literacy and mathematic skills within meaningful real-life contexts. The curriculum is underpinned by the values of the Matua Learner and are linked to the key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). The curriculum also reflects the school’s vision and values, which are based on consultation with staff and parents. A wide range of learning experiences is provided in response to students’ personal learning interests, teachers’ strengths and expertise, and the requirements of NZC. Recent focuses have included the increasing use of computers as tools for learning, and researching best practice for collaborative team teaching within upgraded modern learning environments.
High expectations for learning and behaviour are evident throughout the school. Effective teaching practices include establishing positive, inclusive and respectful relationships, maintaining high quality learning environments that reflect and celebrate students’ work, using an appropriate range of teaching strategies, and providing relevant and interesting learning activities. Teacher aides support students to improve their progress within targeted teaching programmes. Classrooms are well resourced and students are purposefully engaged in learning.
The school is continuing to review and revise its curriculum in order to integrate recent initiatives, further cater for the needs and interests of students, and continue to meet the requirements of NZC. A planned approach to this work would bring clarity about direction, process and timing for all involved.
Matua School effectively promotes educational success for Māori as Māori. Students with Māori heritage achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics and benefit from engagement in leadership roles. Māori parents support their students’ learning through formal and informal discussions about progress and achievement.
In recent years there has been a focus on explicitly recognising Māori culture, language and identity. The school has appointed a new kaumatua who is enthusiastic about local traditions and history. A well-known legend from local iwi is incorporated into the concept of the Matua Learner. Many students participate in strong kapa haka performances. Students, staff and parents engage in marae visits, hangi, and tikanga Māori days. Some staff have strengths in te reo and tikanga Māori.
School leaders recognise that while considerable progress has been made in increasing the integration of Māori language and perspectives throughout the school, there is now a need for a planned approach to continuing this development.
The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance because of the following positive factors:
The school’s enhanced technology capacity provides opportunities for senior leaders to continue to ensure that there is frequent and specific communication and consultation with parents and students about school initiatives, developments and reviews.
Continuing to strengthen the school’s appraisal process is an annual goal for the principal. Specific documentation of constructive appraisal feedback and teachers’ agreed next steps, with associated resourcing, will assist in developing staff capacity to integrate new curriculum developments.
The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. At the time of this ERO review there were twelve international students attending the school.
The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.
ERO’s investigations confirmed that the school’s self-review process for international students is thorough. All students live with members of their families. The school provides pastoral care for students and families as needed and facilitates opportunities for international students to participate in the life of the school. English language tuition is provided within class programmes and through regular individual English lessons. The school is beginning to use the English Language Learning Progressions provided by the Ministry of Education, as a basis for assessment and teaching.
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:
Matua School, located in a coastal suburb of Tauranga has a positive ERO reporting history. School personnel work collaboratively to maintain a positive school culture and high expectations for behaviour and learning. There are focuses on twenty-first century teaching and learning practices, and catering for students requiring extension challenges.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
29 May 2015
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Location |
Tauranga |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
1820 |
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School type |
Contributing (Years 1 to 6) |
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School roll |
396 |
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Number of international students |
12 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 48% Boys 52% |
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Ethnic composition |
Pākehā Māori Asian Other European Indian Pacific Other groups |
77% 8% 6% 5% 2% 1% 1% |
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Review team on site |
March 2015 |
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Date of this report |
29 May 2015 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Education Review Education Review |
November 2011 October 2008 November 2005 |