Omahu School

Education institution number:
2626
School type:
Full Primary
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
23
Telephone:
Address:

22 Taihape Road, Hastings

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Omahu School - 30/04/2019

Findings

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

1 Background and Context

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

Omahu School is a small full primary school of 41 students, located on the outskirts of Hastings. The majority of students are Māori and whakapapa to Omahu and Ngāti Kahungunu.

The February 2012 ERO report, identified that the school needed to significantly improve its performance for students and whānau. This included the need to improve the school curriculum, analysis and reporting of achievement, the quality of teaching, professional leadership and self review.

The October 2014 ERO report, noted some limited progress following external support and interventions. Significant concerns remained, including a number of compliance issues. In response to an ERO recommendation, the Secretary for Education appointed a Limited Statutory Manager (LSM) in 2015 for governance, professional leadership and the use of self review for resourcing decisions to improve achievement.

A commissioner undertook governance functions during 2016 and until a new board of trustees began at the start of Term 4, 2017. ERO has provided progress evaluative feedback about progress in September 2015 and provided trustees with an internal evaluation workshop at the end of 2016.

Since the previous 2014 ERO report, there have been changes in professional leadership. A long serving principal resigned during 2016. An acting principal was in place for the first half of 2016 and a new principal began in Term 3, 2016. Many teachers and staff are longstanding employees.

Since 2014, there has been significant progress in a number of key areas that contribute to more positive student outcomes. This includes school participation in Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L), improving student achievement, better assessment information and a sustained focus on building teaching capacity. Improving the capacity of the board is recognised as a key ongoing next step to ensure the future sustainability of school improvements for students.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

The October 2014 ERO report identified the following key areas for review and development:

  • professional leadership for improving student wellbeing, progress and achievement including:

    • the school curriculum, assessment practice and student achievement

    • lifting the quality of teaching and learning through professional learning and development, appraisal and teacher use of inquiry to better target teaching

    • principal reports on student achievement and to inform board decision making

  • stewardship for improving student outcomes, including:

    • policy and procedure review

    • compliance to meet statutory requirements

  • the use of self review, internal evaluation and inquiry to support and sustain school improvements.

Progress

Strategic and student-centred professional leadership is increasing students’ opportunities to celebrate their language, culture and identity. Well implemented PB4L and tuakana teina approaches contribute to a positive learning environment, where students take responsibility for their learning. More leadership opportunities for students to become positive role models contributes to a sense of belonging and pride.

The school curriculum continues to develop with a clear focus on strengthening culturally responsive learning and experiences for students. This development includes a focus on te reo me ngā tikanga Māori, local history, working with Māori artists and the local marae. Key concepts, including school values, have been developed to inform the framework for the curriculum. Clear expectations for positive behaviours are well embedded schoolwide.

The school reports increased levels of student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics since 2016. Students with additional learning requirements are supported through individual education plans and increased access to external agencies.

The dependability of achievement data has improved through an ongoing teacher focus on strengthening assessment practices. This includes the use of the Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT) in reading, writing and mathematics to plan teaching programmes.

Teachers are participating in schoolwide ongoing professional learning and development that is improving opportunities for students. The teacher appraisal cycle has been completed in 2017 and 2018.

The recent use of an online platform is lifting teachers’ understanding and ownership of evidence for their appraisal. Teachers made a positive start inquiring into how best to target their teaching for some students. These areas remain key priorities for development.

The principal provides the board with useful regular reports on student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. There is a focus on supporting students not yet at the expected level. This data indicates general improvement in achievement and school tone over time.

Key next steps

The principal and staff should continue to:

  • develop the school curriculum and assessment practices to clarify expectations for effective teaching practices to ensure continuity of culturally responsive learning opportunities
  • build teaching capacity, to address the needs of students who require targeted support to have progress accelerated and achieve well
  • strengthen students’ ownership of learning, assessment for learning and the use of digital technologies.

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 developing its capacity to sustain and continue to improve its performance. The board has operated for five terms and in the early stages of understanding their roles and responsibilities. A board work programme is in place and some policy review and procedure development has occurred.

Trustees have responded well to external feedback to inform their practices, particularly in school finances. The board has made improving stewardship a key priority for 2019, as they are aware they need to move work together with greater urgency to be well prepared for the mid-2019 board elections.

A clear focus on building and sustaining strong historical community connections by the principal and board is evident. Community consultation over key strategic aims has occurred. School strategic goals are meaningful to students, staff and the wider school community and are well reflected in practice.

The formal use of internal evaluation for school improvement is at early stages of development. Some early progress is evident with improved monitoring and tracking of student progress and teachers’ use of inquiry.

Key next steps

The board, principal and staff should continue to:

  • develop their procedural understanding of how the board operates, including meeting records, in-committee records and the review of policies and procedures to keep up with current best practices
  • complete an audit of the governance framework using New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) expertise to ensure the framework is sufficient and robust
  • further develop review, appraisal, teacher inquiry, tracking, monitoring and internal evaluation practices to support and sustain ongoing school improvements.

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.

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to a school excursion, for a small group of students, supervised by staff who do not hold a teacher practising certificate.

  1. No employer may continue to employ in any teaching position any person who holds neither a practising certificate nor an authorisation, if that person is not under the general supervision of a person who holds a practising certificate.
    [Section 350(2) Education Act 1989]

In response to ERO’s longitudineal external evaluation, the principal and board have developed a governance support plan with New Zealand School Trustees (NZSTA). This plan should assist the school to improve practices in the following areas:

  • continue to strengthen their understanding of following the board’s meeting procedures, use of in-committee procedures and including supporting detail in minutes for decision making to improve student outcomes
  • ensure that policy review keeps up to date with ongoing changes in legislation and guidelines, particularly those that affect health and safety and include:
    • Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) policy and procedures
    • records kept of how all accidents are managed to enable analysis and reporting to board reporting of emerging hazards
    • a suitable policy or procedures in place for surrender and retention, physical restraint and managing severe behaviour, police vetting of non-teaching staff and guidelines for non-custodial parents
    • reports to trustees about termly trial evacuations and the regular monitoring and management of hazards
  • strengthen the principal’s reports to the board to regularly include an analysis of attendance trends and patterns, including follow-up of non-attendance
  • strengthen personnel policies and procedures for appointments.

Conclusion

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

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

30 April 2019

About the School

Location

Hastings

Ministry of Education profile number

2626

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

41

Gender composition

Female 22, Male 19

Ethnic composition

Māori
Other ethnic group

40
1

Review team on site

March 2019

Date of this report

30 April 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review Education Review Education Review

October 2014
February 2012
December 2009

Omahu School - 14/10/2014

Findings

Omahu School has made some progress since the February 2012 ERO report. The quality of teaching is developing. Student achievement has improved but for a significant group it remains an area of concern. Governance and leadership need further development. The school is not yet in a position where it has the capacity to continue to improve and review its performance.

ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for improvement?

Omahu School has made some progress since the February 2012 ERO report. The quality of teaching is developing. Student achievement has improved but for a significant group it remains an area of concern. Governance and leadership need further development. The school is not yet in a position where it has the capacity to continue to improve and review its performance.

ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.

1 Background and Context

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

Omahu School, near Hastings, caters for Years 1 to 8 students and all are Māori. It has a roll of 37, a significant decrease since the end of 2011. Most of the students attending the school live in the nearby suburb of Flaxmere.

The February 2012 ERO report identified significant areas for review and development. These included the need to improve: the school curriculum; analysis; use and reporting of student achievement information; the quality of teaching; professional leadership; and self review.

Following that report, an external facilitator worked with the principal and staff to develop an improvement plan to guide development and review over two years.

Evaluation of progress made since 2012 and how well placed the school is to sustain and continue its improvement is stated in this report.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

The aim of the plan was to significantly improve student engagement, progress and achievement for all students.

Actions to achieve the goals were to:

  • strengthen links between the Omahu School curriculum, The New Zealand Curriculum and programme planning and delivery
  • improve the use of student assessment data to plan and identify students whose learning and progress was of concern
  • improve the board’s use of student information for making decisions about resourcing
  • develop the principal’s professional leadership
  • implement effective, documented self-review processes focused on continuous improvement.
Progress

The external facilitator has recently led, with staff, the development of an appropriate school curriculum framework that links to The New Zealand Curriculum, the Omahu community, local whānau and environment. This is increasing opportunities for students to learn within authentic, local contexts. A graduate student profile includes values and attributes staff and families want students to leave with.

Broad expectations for guiding teaching and assessment across the year levels have been established. There is some evidence of improvement in student engagement with learning. Teachers have an increased understanding of the need for students’ learning to be linked to their prior knowledge and experiences.

All teachers have made positive changes to their practice in response to professional learning and development. This is particularly evident in the junior and middle classes.

School-reported data shows some students made progress in 2013 in relation to the National Standards in reading writing and mathematics. However, the achievement of a third of all students remains below in relation to the Standards. These students receive support from external agencies and teacher aides.

Teachers demonstrate an increased understanding and knowledge of students’ different stages of learning and the need to plan programmes that are responsive to student needs. Teachers regularly discuss assessment data and identify students of concern or at risk of not progressing or achieving. Teachers choose teaching strategies that could make a difference to these students’ progress.

A useful self-review framework, based on the six dimensions of a successful school, has been developed with an external facilitator. Strategic and annual plans identify priorities and actions for teaching, learning and student achievement. The framework should be used to evaluate progress toward the goals.

Whānau receive reports about their children’s progress in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Including more detail about students’ skills and knowledge in each of the learning areas should give families more information about their child’s strengths and needs.

There is growth in board understanding of how students learn and the need to use student achievement information to make decisions about resourcing.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

Priorities identified for review and development

The board has engaged in training to build its knowledge about self review. There is still the need to increase understanding of evidence-based review to inform evaluation of progress against school goals and targets.

The school is not yet in a position where the board and principal demonstrate the capacity to sustain and improve performance. Development is needed in:

  • the principal's knowledge and understanding to lead and sustain improvement for promoting student progress and achievement
  • the frequency, regularity and clarity of reports to the board on student progress, particularly in relation to achieving the National Standards
  • using assessment data effectively to monitor and promote student progress and set targets
  • evaluation of the impact of programmes and interventions on outcomes for students
  • review of school policies and procedures
  • use and documentation of effective, evidence-based self review.

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.

There is a lack of knowledge and understanding of some legislative requirements and procedures within the school. ERO has identified areas of non-compliance. The board of trustees must ensure that:

  • procedures for regularly police vetting non-teaching employees and contractors are established and implemented
    [Education Act 1989 Section 78C to 78D]
  • the principal has an annual performance agreement and that it carries out a process of appraisal against this agreement and the professional standards for principals every year
    [Education Act 1989 State Sector Section 77C]
  • if the principal wants a student to be absent from school for disciplinary reasons, or wants a parent to remove a student from school for disciplinary reasons, he may bring about the absence or the removal only by standing-down or suspending the student under the appropriate legislative procedures.
    [Education Act 1989 Section 14(1)]

In order to improve practice the board need to:

  • ensure staff are annually attested against the Registered Teacher Criteria
  • ensure all policies are reviewed on a regular schedule.

4 Recommendations

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

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education consider intervention under Part 7A of the Education Act 1989 in order to develop and improve:

  • the board’s understanding of effective governance, in particular the use of evidence-based self review to evaluate the impact of resourcing decisions on student progress and achievement
  • the principal’s professional leadership of the school.

5 Conclusion

Omahu School has made some progress since the February 2012 ERO report. The quality of teaching is developing. Student achievement has improved but for a significant group it remains an area of concern. Governance and leadership need further development. The school is not yet in a position where it has the capacity to continue to improve and review its performance.

ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services Central Region

14 October 2014

About the School

Location

Omahu, Hastings

Ministry of Education profile number

2626

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

37

Gender composition

Males 21, Females 16

Ethnic composition

Māori

37

Review team on site

August 2014

Date of this report

14 October 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Supplementary Review

Supplementary Review

February 2012

December 2009

December 2008