Natone Park School

Education institution number:
2923
School type:
Contributing
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Bilingual Year 7 and Year 8 School
Total roll:
93
Website:
http://www.natone.school.nz
Telephone:
04 235 8248
Address:

6 Kokiri Crescent, Waitangirua, Porirua

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Natone Park School

Findings

Natone Park School has made progress in addressing its priorities for improvement. There is a genuine culture of care for students and their whānau. The school is establishing useful classroom teaching and learning practices and programmes. Processes have been developed and are building key school practices to support an improvement focus likely to further improve and sustain student progress and achievement. 

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Natone Park School is located in Porirua and caters for students in Years 1 to 8. The roll of 92 students is made up of many cultures, predominantly Māori and Samoan.

This report outlines Natone Park’s progress in addressing the areas for review and development in ERO’s 2020 report.

At the time of the last ERO review in 2020 a permanent principal had recently been appointed. The school continued to be governed by a commissioner alongside a whānau advisory group. A community board of trustees is now governing the school.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

The 2020 ERO report identified that the school needed to improve the following areas:

  • use of student achievement information
  • teaching practice
  • curriculum development.
Progress

The school is making good progress in addressing the areas identified for improvement in ERO’s 2020 report. The principal is building teaching and learning foundations for the school to improve students’ learning progress and achievement. There is a genuine culture of care for students and their whānau.

The school is implementing sound practices and processes to gather dependable and consistent student learning information across the school. These assessment practices and processes include the use of school-wide progressions, considered use of nationally standardised assessments and teachers working collaboratively to make achievement judgements.  

Use of Student achievement Information

Leaders and teachers have continued to improve their analysis and use of achievement information.

The board receives full achievement reports for reading, writing and mathematics. Reports include comparison data between current and previous years, and an analysis for year levels and gender groups. School assessment data from mid-year 2020 through to the end of 2021 shows significantly higher proportions of students now achieving at or above school expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.

Targets to lift achievement levels are set and are well supported by wide-ranging action plans. The school met its 2021 achievement targets. It has identified that the 2022 targets could focus on all students needing to accelerate their rates of progress.

Reporting to parents on their children’s progress and achievement has been improved. There is now ongoing reporting through the school’s student management system.  Students told ERO they enjoy discussing their learning with their parents. Teachers say that the use of the reporting system is developing stronger partnerships between home and school. Parents are more regularly discussing their children's learning with teachers. 

Teacher practice

Teachers have continued to build their capacity and understanding of good quality teaching practice. The strengthened teaching practices are successfully promoting positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for students. The principal has high expectations for teachers and learners. There is a

well-considered approach to responding to the professional needs of the teachers. This includes:

  • relevant and targeted professional learning and development
  • the principal actively acting as the professional and curriculum leader for the staff
  • effective teaching strategies and structures modelled to teachers
  • clear established guidelines for teaching and learning.

Teachers work collaboratively to plan programmes of work and regularly reflect on their teaching following the set guidelines. There is school-wide use of the learning progressions. These are displayed in classrooms. Students, especially the older students, have awareness of how to use them and know what they mean. Teachers use the progressions to monitor, identify and record progress, and identify next learning steps. Students feel well supported. They know that their learning and achievements are important. 

Curriculum Development

A coherent curriculum is being developed that is responsive to students’ needs and the local context. The curriculum aligns to the charter statement and includes expectations of inclusiveness. 

It outlines time allocations for literacy and mathematics, and which parts of the other subject areas are to be taught over a two-year cycle. A set of topics allow students to learn about their community. The curriculum guidelines and processes are being embedded through external and internal professional learning and development. The school is aware of the need to continue to develop its curriculum.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school is well placed to continue to bring about the necessary improvements in teaching and learning.

A school board has been elected. Board members have undertaken some training and are growing their confidence and understanding of governance. The goals in the strategic plan relate to the school’s identified priorities. There is alignment from the school’s priorities to the annual goals leading to related actions, principal’s performance goals, teacher appraisal, and classroom programmes. Staff understanding of school policies and procedures has increased. The school has improved its practice regarding the analysis and reporting of student attendance.

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
  • processes for appointing staff
  • stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
  • attendance
  • school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014

Conclusion

Natone Park School has made progress in addressing its priorities for improvement. There is a genuine culture of care for students and their whānau. The school is establishing useful classroom teaching and learning practices and programmes. Processes have been developed and are building key school practices to support an improvement focus likely to further improve and sustain student progress and achievement. 

The school has made sufficient progress to transition into ERO’s Evaluation for Improvement process. 

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini

20 December 2021

About the school

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.

Natone Park School - 18/06/2020

Findings

Natone Park School has made some progress in creating a positive school culture, growing collegial relationships and working productively with whānau. Ongoing support is required for the school to respond to the areas identified in this report.

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO‘s overall evaluation judgement of Natone Park School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Needs development.

ERO will maintain an ongoing relationship with the school to build capacity and evaluate progress.

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Natone Park School is located in Porirua and caters for students in Years 1 to 8. The current roll of 84 includes 55 students who identify as Māori; of the 26 of Pacific heritage, 21 are Samoan.

The December 2017 ERO report identified significant concerns about the school’s performance. A commissioner was appointed and continues to work with the school, alongside a whānau advisory group. Ongoing leadership changes have impacted on the school’s capacity to address area of concern. A new permanent principal has now been appointed and took up the role in February 2020.

The school is part of the Porirua East Kāhui Ako.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

The 2017 ERO report identified the following priorities for review and development:

  • establishing a culturally responsive curriculum, supporting all students to have maximum opportunity to learn, progress and achieve

  • building effective teacher capability to promote and accelerate student learning, achievement and progress

  • raising student achievement

  • ensuring the school meets all legislative requirements

  • supporting the whānau advisory group to develop members’ understanding of the roles and responsibilities of school stewardship.

Progress

School achievement information for the end of 2019 shows that the majority of students are now reaching curriculum expectation for their year level in reading, writing and mathematics.

Some progress is evident in teacher capability to use student achievement data to plan teaching and learning programmes. Data is now used to identify target students and to track and monitor their progress. In addition, parents and whānau now receive useful information about their children’s learning and involvement in school activities.

The school’s local curriculum document outlines expectations, including broad guidelines for teaching and learning for all curriculum areas. Professional development and learning has been provided for teachers in mathematics, literacy, assessment and digital technologies.

Teachers use a range of strategies to promote students’ learning. Te reo Māori is regularly used in the delivery of programmes. Specialised programmes are provided to support students with additional and complex needs. However, there continues to be the need to ensure all students are being effectively supported to engage in purposeful learning.

The charter has been reviewed and an annual plan developed for 2020. As a result, priorities for future improvement are now clearly identified. A full policy review has been completed so that policies now more suitably reflect and guide school operation and practice. Appraisal processes for all teachers and the acting principal were completed in 2019.

The commissioner continues to work with the whānau advisory group and has accessed training to support their understanding of the governance role and obligations of trustees. As a result, members are now well informed about a range of aspects of operation and are purposefully involved in the life of the school.

Key next steps

Leaders and teachers need to continue to improve their understanding of the effective analysis and use of schoolwide achievement information. This should include:

  • enhanced reporting of trends and patterns in student achievement, attendance and wellbeing outcomes to better inform governance and leadership decision making

  • greater use of standardised tools to strengthen the dependability of overall assessment judgements

  • reporting clearly to parents and whānau information about children’s achievement and progress in relation to The New Zealand Curriculum expectations.

There is a need to continue to build teachers’ capability and understanding of quality practice to promote positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for students. Aspects to address are:

  • reviewing and aligning schoolwide targets to ensure they focus on accelerating the progress and achievement for those students who need this

  • developing specific action plans for targeted students and regularly reviewing progress for their learning

  • continuing to improve the teaching as inquiry process to support teachers to respond more effectively to students’ learning needs and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies

  • strengthening teacher appraisal processes to include an annual summary that clearly indicates the extent to which the Standards for the Teaching Profession are met and identify areas for improvement in teaching practice.

The review and refinement of the Natone Park School curriculum expectations and guidelines is needed to better support schoolwide engagement in learning. Aspects to address are:

  • documenting localised contexts for learning
  • developing assessment schedules and guidelines
  • establishing shared expectations about effective teaching practice
  • implementing a sequential approach to the teaching and use of te reo Māori across the curriculum
  • promoting success for Pacific students.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school is not well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Ongoing provision of professional support for effective governance, leadership and teacher capability is required.

The newly appointed principal has identified key priorities for ongoing improvement in the 2020 annual plan. Going forward, the principal’s appraisal goals need to clearly align to the priorities identified for improvement in this report.

Establishing an effectively performing, community-based board of trustees is necessary before consideration can be given to concluding external support.

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
  • processes for appointing staff
  • stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
  • attendance
  • school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.

In order to improve current practice, the principal and commissioner should ensure that:

  • information about student attendance, including trends and patterns, is analysed and regularly reported to governors

  • leaders and teachers improve their understanding of school policies and procedures and monitor the effective implementation schoolwide.

4 Recommendations

Recommendations, including any to other agencies for ongoing or additional support.

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education continue the statutory intervention under Part 7A of the Education Act 1989 in order to bring about the establishment of an elected board of trustees.

ERO also recommends that the Ministry of Education provide ongoing specialist support for:

  • the new principal to target and address areas for development identified in this report
  • leaders and teachers to improve the effectiveness of their use of achievement information.

Conclusion

Natone Park School has made some progress in creating a positive school culture, growing collegial relationships and working productively with whānau. Ongoing support is required for the school to respond to the areas identified in this report.

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO‘s overall evaluation judgement of Natone Park School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Needs development.

ERO will maintain an ongoing relationship with the school to build capacity and evaluate progress.

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success is available on ERO’s website.

Darcy Te Hau

Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

18 June 2020

About the school

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.