Findings
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Ōpōtiki College’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?
Ōpōtiki College is a coeducational secondary school catering for students in Years 9 to 15 from Ōpōtiki and surrounding areas. There are 353 students on the roll of whom 86% are Māori, the majority of these learners whakapapa to Te Whakatōhea.
A strong partnership exists with Te Whakatōhea. Clear strategic goals outline the college’s and iwi plans to support improving progress and achievement, wellbeing, engagement and participation of students. This positive partnership with Whakatōhea is also supporting the revitalisation of Maurua, the Māori immersion programmes, at the college.
Trustees and leaders have remained in their roles since the 2017 ERO review. A Maurua representative has been co-opted onto the board to be a direct representative for the whānau. There has continued to be changes in teaching and administrative staff.
The school’s vision empowers students to be connected students and confident citizens. The charter outlines aims for students to achieve National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2, or equivalent and have a pathway upon leaving the school, raise the levels of attendance and for Māori students to enjoy and achieve success as Māori.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
- achievement and progress schoolwide
- student engagement
- wellbeing of staff and students
- community partnerships extending learners’ cultures, languages, identities and meaningful pathways
- participation in initiatives and programmes responding to student strengths, needs and interests.
The school is an active member of the Ōpōtiki Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.
2 Review and Development
How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?
Priorities identified for review and development
- continuing to establish a coherent and authentic curriculum
- building leaders’ and teachers’ understanding of the effective use of data to accelerate students’ progress and achievement
- extending leadership capability across the school
- school-wide understanding of effective internal evaluation.
Progress
Continuing to establish a coherent and authentic curriculum is required.
The college’s education leadership team works collaboratively with the senior leadership team to localise the school’s curriculum, raise student achievement and enhance students’ wellbeing. This is leading to:
- improved engagement of learners in meaningful programmes for learning, especially the availability of purposeful pathways for learners in the senior school
- the identification and prioritisation of improvements for consistency and quality of teaching practice
- extending teachers’ knowledge and use of effective planning for appropriate programmes to engage and motivate learners
- ongoing observations and professional conversations to monitor how well new expectations are implemented and where further support is needed.
Leaders’ and teachers’ knowing and understanding culturally responsive and relational pedagogy has contributed to positive shifts in teaching practice. The environment and programmes for learners that reflects tangata whenua and the dual heritage of Aotearoa schoolwide, has significantly improved. Supportive transition processes and programmes for students entering and leaving the school, alongside Whakatōhea, are promoting positive learning behaviours, increasing students’ pride in the school and their better understanding of the school values. Connections with whānau and the community are deepening.
A more collegial and collaborative leadership and teaching team, focused on improving practice to better meet the needs of learners, is contributing to an improving school culture. The ongoing strengthening of processes that promote student wellbeing is supporting engagement and participation in learning programmes. Celebrating success schoolwide and acknowledging achievement continues to enhance learners’ confidence and enjoyment of learning.
Strategically managed professional development is improving the way teachers use achievement information, to plan for and assess student learning. Implementation of a clear framework and vision is providing a strong foundation for the localised and meaningful curriculum for Years 9 to 13.
Building leaders’ and teachers’ understanding of the effective use of data to accelerate students’ progress and achievement.
Most students achieve National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2. These rates, alongside University Entrance (UE) have improved since 2017, especially for Māori learners. Māori and New Zealand European/Pākehā achieve at comparable rates for UE. The disparity has narrowed for Māori learners in NCEA Level 1, 3 and in UE, but is widening at NCEA Level 2. Significant disparity between males and females achievement still remains. The number of students leaving school in Year 11 and 12 has decreased, and more students are leaving having achieved NCEA Level 2.
Strategies and interventions used to accelerate the progress and achievement for learners in Years 9 and 10 have been effective in reading. They have also been effective for Year 10 students in science.
Robust processes for tracking, monitoring and mentoring of senior students have increased learner engagement and participation. More comprehensive achievement information is being gathered and analysed for students in Years 9 and 10 to show progress and achievement across these years.
Staff are more openly sharing practice. They are becoming more skilled and focused at inquiring into their practice to deepen their understanding of the impact of their teaching on targeted learners. They are regularly discussing professional learning and are working together to improve their response to at-risk learners.
Extending leadership capability across the school.
Strong and purposeful leadership is raising expectations for teaching and learning. The principal successfully prioritised changes and persevered with actions to bring about improvements for students. Decisions are now proactive and centre on improving outcomes for every student.
The school’s operating model has been reviewed and restructured to distribute leadership more productively, encourage diversity, increased transparency and enable more teacher involvement in leading and decision making. Roles and responsibilities of leadership have been clearly defined, which is strengthening lines of communication and accountability across the school.
School-wide understanding of effective internal evaluation.
Trustees are confident in their roles and responsibilities, and are focused on supporting and raising outcomes for students. The principal keeps them well informed about students’ progress, achievement, participation and information of developments towards strategic goals.
Leaders effectively combine findings from internal and external evaluation to drive improvements. The school has been highly responsive to an external review of the Year 9 and 10 curriculum. This clearly identified significant planning and teaching issues contributing to poor student engagement.
Considerable informal evaluation has occurred during the development of new systems and processes. Ongoing teaching observations, self and colleague reflections contribute to a rigorous teacher appraisal system. Carefully timed professional development is aligned with the introduction of new appraisal expectations and processes.
Problem solving and inquiry is deepening knowledge of what is working and why. Evidence of effective evaluation is increasing schoolwide. Information from evaluation is now appropriately informing change and improvement.
Key next steps
For ongoing improvement, leaders have prioritised to continue to:
- rigorously implement and monitor the quality of teaching and learning to improve consistence, accountability and student participation
- accelerate students’ progress through:
- develop understanding of the effective use of data to know and show the impact strategies and initiatives have on accelerating progress and achievement for individuals and groups of learners at risk
- identify indicators of success for systems, processes and initiatives to strengthen effective internal evaluation.
3 Sustainable performance and self review
How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance?
Ōpōtiki College continues to develop and sustain its performance. Factors contributing to sustainability are:
- professional leadership which provides a well-considered approach to change and improvement that has grown a positive school culture
- meaningful connections with iwi and community stakeholders that are enriching opportunities for students to be confident, connected and actively involved with their local environment
- processes that support student wellbeing that actively respond to their needs and promote high expectations for all
- a capable and responsive board that is supporting equitable outcomes for all learners
- strong leadership across the school that is growing capability and capacity to improve practice.
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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
Conclusion
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Ōpōtiki College’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
Central Region
16 August 2019
About the School
| Location | Ōpōtiki |
| Ministry of Education profile number | 148 |
| School type | Secondary (Years 9 to 13) |
| School roll | 353 |
| Gender composition | Female 53% Male 47% |
| Ethnic composition | Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other | 86%
10%
4% |
| Special Features | Bilingual immersion classes (Years 9 - 13) |
| Review team on site | May 2019 |
| Date of this report | 16 August 2019 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review
Education Review
Education Review | January 2018
October 2014
June 2010 |