Mauku School

School Context

Mauku School is a rural contributing school located west of Pukekohe. It caters for students from Years 1 to 6. Students are drawn from the surrounding rural and urban area. The current roll is 144 including 40 who identify as Māori and 13 students from Pacific nations.

There have been several changes to the teaching team, an additional teaching space constructed and significant landscaping completed since the 2015 ERO review.

The school’s charter vision states that ‘if we care for ourselves, others and our environment then we contribute to the world and together we conquer our challenges and achieve our dreams.’

The strategic goals are:

• to be a sustainable learning community
• to grow teacher capability
• to embrace inclusiveness and diversity

The teaching and leadership team have been involved in professional learning and development in culturally responsive and relational practice, mathematics, writing and positive guidance.

The board has responded positively to the 2015 ERO review.

The school belongs to the Pukekohe Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• reading, writing and mathematics

• attendance.

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 working towards equitable outcomes for all students. Achievement information for 2018 shows that most students are achieving at expectation in reading, writing and mathematics. Approximately a quarter of the students are achieving above expectation in reading and mathematics.

2018 achievement information shows:

• boys and girls are achieving at similar levels in reading, writing and mathematics
• the majority of Pacific students are achieving at expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics
• there is disparity for Māori in reading and mathematics and achievement is now comparable in writing.

School achievement information from 2016 – 2018 shows that:

• all students including Māori have shown improvement in reading and writing and achievement in mathematics has remained consistent.

Students with identified learning needs are making progress against their individual learning goals.

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 students who need it.

2018 achievement information shows:

• significant acceleration for Māori and Pākehā in writing
• effective acceleration for those who need it in mathematics and reading.

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 board of trustees has a strong focus on enabling all students to achieve success. A mix of experienced and new trustees actively represent and serve the school community. Student learning, wellbeing and progress are the core focus of trustee’s decision making. The board scrutinises achievement information and engages in discussion with school leaders about student progress and achievement. They identify school-wide priorities and resource these strategically.

Leadership successfully builds teacher capability by actively promoting professional learning and development. There is strategic allocation of resources to support teacher’s professional growth. This has supported accelerating achievement for those who are most at risk with their learning. Leaders have established clear expectations for strengthening teaching practices designed to support learning and teaching.

Leaders and teachers have established an environment that actively supports students. The school is an inclusive learning environment for those with diverse learning and social needs. Appropriate support is accessed for students with identified needs. The school culture supports student wellbeing and values and recognises diversity.

The school’s curriculum is holistic and supported by well-resourced classroom and playground environments. Education outside the classroom is a feature of this holistic approach. There is also a strong emphasis on reading, writing and mathematics. Classroom teachers know students and their families well and plan programmes to accelerate the progress of students at risk of underachieving.

Positive and productive home/school partnerships are evident. There is significant involvement in school activities and events. Parents feel well-informed about their children’s progress and achievement and value the approachability of staff. Parents of children whose learning is at risk feel well supported by the school. The school and parents continue to grow a reciprocal learning partnership to support positive outcomes for children.

2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?

The school now needs to:

• develop specific school-wide targets focused on accelerating the achievement of all at-risk students.
• enable students to be self-managing learners through the understanding and use of learning progressions in key curriculum areas
• strengthen bicultural practices across the school to naturally integrate tikanga and te reo 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:

• board administration

• curriculum

• management of health, safety and welfare

• personnel management

• finance

• 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.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

• governance that provides clear direction for school improvement focused on those at risk of not achieving
• leadership that builds and supports a culture of learning and achievement especially for those students who are at risk with their learning
• a school curriculum that strongly reflects the community values and enables all students to achieve
• partnerships between home and school that support learning and achievement for all students to reach their potential.

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:

• establishing school-wide targets to enable more effective monitoring and resourcing of students whose learning needs accelerating

• continuing to embed learning progressions to build student assessment and learning to learn capabilities

• developing a sequential school-wide approach to strengthen te reo Māori in classroom programmes.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

17 December 2018

About the school