Midhirst School

Midhirst School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report 

Background 

This Profile Report was written within 6 months of the Education Review Office and ​Midhirst 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 

Midhirst School is located in a rural setting near Stratford, Taranaki. The school caters for students in Years 1 to 8. 

​Midhirst School​’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are: 

  • raising achievement through enhanced learning, transitions and supporting the learner through coaching 
  • strengthening cultural understanding and partnerships with parents and the community 
  • enhancing learning by strengthening networks that consistently foster the development of wellbeing 
  • enhancing learner agency within localised curriculum. 

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well delivery of the localised curriculum achieves equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners.  

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:  

  • leaders have guided and continue to implement changes in delivery of their literacy, mathematics, and culturally responsive practice. ERO and the school will work together to evaluate the impact of these changes to teaching, learning and outcomes for learners. 

The school expects to see: 

  • a well-designed curriculum reflecting national and local priorities that achieves equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners 
  • effective teacher practice matched to the school’s shared expectations in delivery of literacy, mathematics, and culturally responsive practice 
  • implementation of a schoolwide te reo Māori strategy. 

Strengths 

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for learners: 

  • school conditions encourage positive learner engagement  
  • organisational processes and practices support a collaborative response in meeting the needs of learners 
  • identified and established curriculum priorities are well considered, suitably lead, and appropriately resourced to support implementation and impact positively on outcomes for learners 
  • leaders, staff, and trustees demonstrate their collective pursuit in achieving their shared community vision for learner success. 

Where to next? 

Moving forward: 

  • leaders will continue to provide professional learning and development for staff aligned to their identified priorities in literacy, mathematics, and culturally responsive practice 
  • leaders and teachers will further develop processes and practice to support reporting against year level progressions aligned to implementation of their Korowai curriculum 
  • ongoing inquiry evidence will be gathered over time to support systematic evaluation into the impact of changes to teacher practice and outcomes for learners. 

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.  

​Shelley Booysen 
Director of Schools 

​14 December 2023​   

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

Midhirst School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report ​2023​ to ​2026​

As of ​July 2023​, the ​Midhirst School​ Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements: 

Board Administration 

​Yes

Curriculum 

​Yes​

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare 

​Yes​

Personnel Management 

​Yes​ 

Finance 

​Yes​

Assets 

​Yes​

Further Information 

For further information please contact ​Midhirst School​, School Board. 

The next School Board 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. 

​Shelley Booysen​
Director of Schools​

​14 December 2023​   

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

Midhirst School - 11/06/2018

School Context

Midhirst School is located in a rural setting near Stratford, Taranaki. Of the 109 students from Years 1 to 8, a small number identify as Māori.

The school vision strives to develop students in a supportive and caring environment to be confident, connected, actively involved lifelong learners. The meaning of the school motto “Our best always” has been revisited and in consultation with parents and whānau has been translated to, “Ka eke toku pai”.

The valued outcomes for students are strongly aligned to the key competencies outlined in the New Zealand Curriculum.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to school expectations
  • impacts of behaviour management plans
  • engagement and wellbeing.

Since the June 2015 report, the school roll has continued to grow and there have been changes in leadership, staff and the board.

In 2017, the school has introduced a play-based approach to teaching in Years 1 to 3. Classrooms have been adapted to accommodate this initiative.

The school is part of the Central Taranaki Kāhui Ako.

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?

Achievement data, since 2015, indicates that most students achieve at or above the school’s expectations in reading and mathematics. The large majority of students meet expectations in writing.

Reported data in 2017 shows disparity for boys in reading and writing. Māori students achieve slightly less well than their peers in writing and mathematics. High levels of achievement are evident for nearly all students in Year 8.

1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?

The school does not currently report on accelerated progress. Changes in leadership and teachers have meant there is an incomplete picture of accelerated progress over time for those students whose learning and achievement need it.

School data collated by ERO does show that some students make progress towards expectations. The principal acknowledges that improving moderation practices is important to ensure more accurate data.

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?

Positive relationships across the school community support and promote students’ wellbeing and an environment that encourages learning. Teachers know students well. Parents, whānau and the community are welcomed and frequently involved in school activities. They are valued partners in their children’s experiences.

Students with diverse learning or health needs are well supported through a range of initiatives and interventions. Those with additional learning needs are identified and well supported with a range of resources appropriate to their individual needs.An holistic approach is developing to assist students with academic, health and behavioural needs. Clear plans are in place and teachers monitor progress, learning and wellbeing of these learners.

Trustees are regularly informed about student achievement and curriculum emphases. They use this information to inform their decision making. Trustees work together collaboratively and are supportive of staff. The board seek to maximise their effectiveness through ongoing training, sharing responsibilities and succession planning.

The school has an increasing commitment to building teacher capability to ensure a greater awareness of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Teachers’ capability is supported through involvement in school cluster professional learning and development to support positive outcomes for all students.

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

It is timely to review the school’s curriculum. Accurately recording teaching and learning expectations, and continuing to develop teachers’ capability and capacity to support a culturally responsive curriculum for Māori learners is important. This should also ensure that the local community and the bicultural nature of Aotearoa New Zealand are reflected.

Trustees and leaders should define and clarify the position and responsibilities of the school leadership team in order to improve processes that support senior leaders to develop the quality of their practice.

Documentation to support an appropriate appraisal system is evident. Appraisal needs to be fully implemented for all teachers and regularly monitored to ensure positive outcomes for children. It should also:

  • be improvement focused
  • set measurable goals aligned to schools strategic direction and teachers’ personal goals
  • include observation of teacher practice to support teachers’ professional growth
  • have links to Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners.

Leaders and teachers are reflective and most are improvement focused. Further developing a shared understanding and use of robust internal evaluation, should better determine what works and what is needed to support and sustain ongoing improvement for equity and excellence of outcome, for all children.

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:

  • pastoral care, that responds to students’ needs and promotes their wellbeing and learning for success
  • collaborative practices by trustees, that supports decision making focused on student outcomes
  • levels of involvement of parents and families in the life of the school.

Next steps

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

  • reviewing the school’s documented curriculum to ensure it is current, localised and reflects the bicultural aspect of Aotearoa New Zealand
  • strengthening the implementation of the appraisal process to support teacher and leader development
  • effective leadership practices, to improve processes that support senior leaders to effectively carry out their roles and responsibilities
  • strengthening teachers’ use of data and targeted planning, that better respond to students’ learning and accelerate the progress and achievement of those students who need it [ERO will monitor and discuss progress with the school]
  • building effective internal evaluation processes and practices to know the impact of initiatives in improving equity and excellence for all learners

[ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop for trustees and senior leaders.]

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

11 June 2018

About the school

LocationStratford
Ministry of Education profile number2198
School typeFull Primary (Years 1 to 8)
School roll109
Gender compositionFemale 53%, Male 47%
Ethnic compositionMāori 6% 
Pākehā 86%
Other ethnic groups 8%
Provision of Māori medium educationNo
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)Yes
Review team on siteMay 2018
Date of this report11 June 2018
Most recent ERO report(s)Education Review June 2015
Education Review June 2012
Education Review February 2009