Orautoha School

School Context

Orautoha School is situated in a rural valley, 15 kilometres northwest of Raetihi. Ngāti Uenuku and Tamakana are recognised as mana whenua. Of the 32 students on the roll, 24 identify as Māori. The majority of students travel from Raetihi.

Since the June 2017 ERO report, there has been significant change to school personnel. Continued roll growth over the past 18 months has resulted in the employment of a second teacher. A new principal was appointed to her position at the beginning of 2018. Most trustees are new to the board this year.

The school’s overarching vision is to nurture and promote students’ learning and development to support them ‘to reach their individual potentials as confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners’. The valued outcomes are for students to be ‘respectful, manage themselves and work positively with others’.

The 2019 achievement target is to accelerate the learning of students who have been identified as being below their expected learning levels in mathematics.

Leaders and teachers have reported to the board, schoolwide information about students’ mid-2019 progress and achievement in reading.

Orautoha School is part of the Ruapehu 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?

The school is yet to achieve equity and excellence for all its students.

School data for the end of 2018 shows that the majority of students achieved at or above expectation in mathematics. Less than half of students achieved to expectation in reading and writing. The school could not provide a breakdown for specific groups of students.

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

The school is developing effectiveness in responding to children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

End-of-2018 data analysis by the school, of achievement outcomes in mathematics, identified a small number of students to be specifically targeted in a mathematics intervention. Mid-year data indicates a few of these students have made accelerated progress.

Mid-2019 data for all children in reading, shows that some made accelerated progress and there has been an overall increase in achievement for most students.

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 support students to engage in learning. The learning and teaching environments are characterised by respect and cooperation. Staff know their learners and community well. Parents and whānau are valued participants in a wide variety of school activities. A range of appropriate, informal and formal communication strategies and tools successfully support whānau to engage in their child’s learning.

Opportunities enrich student learning through the use of and access to school, local and wider community resources and personnel. Authentic use of the local environment builds students’ knowledge and supports them to develop understanding of science and sustainable practices. Commitment to upholding and promoting the language, culture and identity of all students is evident and includes the weaving of te ao Māori through school protocols and programmes.

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

Improved assessment, monitoring and evaluation processes to accelerate students’ progress and achievement is an immediate priority. Teachers, the principal and trustees should strengthen their focus on accelerating the progress of those Māori students and others achieving below expected levels. This includes the need for improved target setting by leaders to assist in relentlessly pursuing goals for accelerating the progress of those students who need this.

Strengthening processes to monitor and report student progress should support teachers and leaders to know what is working, and why, and identify next steps for teaching and learning. Regular, analysed reports to the board on progress towards the strategic achievement goals, should support trustees to better monitor and evaluate the impact of interventions, teaching and the curriculum interventions.

A key next step is documenting a coherent and culturally responsive local curriculum that responds to students’ strengths, interests and needs. This development should encompass: a closer alignment to the school’s vision, values and goals; and reflect the context of the school and local community. The development of clear expectations for the consistent implementation and use of effective teaching strategies across the school, should be part of this curriculum development.

Building governance and leadership capability, needs to focus on promoting positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for all students, particularly those identified as being at risk. Trustees and staff need to develop and consistently implement policies, systems and processes to support and guide school operation, effective leadership and teaching practice.

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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Orautoha 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.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• an environment that supports students’ access to a wide range of learning opportunities
• a culture of collaboration amongst staff, trustees and the community that promotes student wellbeing and supports their learning
• commitment that upholds and promotes the language, culture and identity of all students.

Next steps

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

• developing targets to ensure leaders and teachers keep their focus on accelerating learning for those students at risk of underachievement
• effective teaching practice and improved use of data to make decisions about students’ learning
• developing and documenting an overarching localised curriculum to reflect expectations, current teaching focuses and connections to place and context
• ensuring achievement information is reported to and discussed by trustees to inform decision-making
• building governance and leadership capability to promote positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for all students, particularly those identified as being at risk
• developing and consistently implementing policies, systems and processes to support and guide school operation, effective leadership and teaching practice.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to:

• curriculum
• personnel
• student health, safety and welfare
• board administration. [National Administration Guidelines 1, 2,3,4,5]

The board of trustees should take urgent action to ensure the school meets its legislative requirements. Priority must be given to developing procedures and practices related to the health, safety and welfare of students, governance, personnel and the delivery of the curriculum to promote student achievement.

Recommendations to other agencies

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education consider intervention under Part 7A of the Education Act 1989 in order to bring about improvements in:

• governance roles and obligations to support student achievement and wellbeing
• student achievement
• curriculum development and delivery.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

3 February 2020

About the school

Findings

Students benefit from effective teaching, focused on individual needs and next steps. They are highly engaged in their learning in an inclusive environment. Respectful relationships are clearly evident. School leadership focuses on improving student outcomes. A growing effective partnership between home and school supports learning. Trustees continue to build their understanding of governance.

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

1 Background and Context

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

Orautoha School is a sole charge school, situated in a rural valley 15 kilometres northwest of Raetihi. Of the 22 students on the roll, 15 identify as Māori. The majority travel from Raetihi and Ohakune.

Since the June 2015 ERO report, there has been significant change to school personnel. The present principal was appointed to her position soon after the 2015 review. There has been steady roll growth over the past eighteen months.

Following the previous review, ERO supported the principal to develop and evaluate a plan in response to the areas identified for improvement. The principal has led trustees in making the necessary changes.

The principal and trustees have continued to work with the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand School Trustees Association to support them in their leadership, management and governance roles. Orautoha School is one of a group of schools working within a Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.

This ERO report evaluates the progress made since 2015 and how well placed the school is to sustain continuous improvement.

2 Review and Development

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

Priorities identified for review and development

An action plan outlined key priorities for development. The actions taken and outcomes achieved as a result of planning, were monitored throughout the process.

The overall goal was to build staff and trustees capability to provide conditions to promote learning, progress and achievement of all students. The actions that support this have been to:

• improve the quality of teaching
• improve the use of student achievement information
• review and develop the school’s curriculum
• build trustees' capability in their governance role and in meeting their statutory responsibilities, including policies, appraisal and use of internal evaluation.

Progress

The school has made significant progress, evident in schoolwide documentation that supports teaching to promote positive learning outcomes for students.

The principal has established effective teaching expectations, with an appropriate focus on literacy and mathematics. Staff access relevant professional learning and development that builds their capability and improves practice. Students have suitable and meaningful opportunities to learn. Respectful and productive relationships assist students to be actively engaged in their learning in a positive, inclusive environment. Recently implemented Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) outline each student’s learning goals for reading, writing and mathematics. Senior students contribute to the development of these, supporting them to take more control of their learning.

Trustees receive useful information about student learning, including progress over time and end of year National Standards data. End of 2016 data, indicates an increased percentage of students achieving at and above in relation to National Standards in reading and mathematics. The school has established appropriate targets to raise achievement in response to writing data, where 50% of students achieve below expectation.

The principal uses data effectively to inform planning and provision of learning opportunities responsive to identified needs. The information is appropriately used to report to parents and whānau about progress and achievement in relation to National Standards. Students share their learning and celebrate their successes with their parents.

Trustees need to continue to build their understanding and capability in scrutinising student achievement data. This should further support them to make informed decisions about resourcing to promote learning.

A well-considered, measured approach has led to significant development of the school’s curriculum. Consultation with whānau to ascertain their aspirations for their children is ongoing. The curriculum now clearly aligns with the priorities of The New Zealand Curriculum and appropriately focuses on literacy and mathematics. The principal has identified the need to continue to develop the curriculum to reflect the context of the school and its community, including a shared vision, values and beliefs.

The principal has a relentless focus on building relationships with parents, whānau and the community. This has led to their increasing involvement in a range of school and communal activities and events. Parents and whānau as respected and valued partners in their children’s learning.

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 sustain and continue to improve its performance.

The principal has supported the board to address areas identified in the 2015 ERO report. They are working effectively together to focus on student learning outcomes and lead the school forward.

The board are well informed about student achievement, curriculum development and school priorities. Trustees have undertaken targeted training. They have an increased understanding of their roles and responsibilities. It is important that they build on this and use their knowledge to more effectively be involved in the development and implementation of the school’s strategic goals.

Continuing involvement in professional learning and development effectively supports staff to promote positive learning outcomes for students. An appropriate performance appraisal process, focused on reflection and improvement, is now in place. It provides a clear framework and expectations. It is important that the process is fully implemented to further improve effective practice and growth.

Teachers continue to provide an inclusive, caring and stable environment. They promote positive and considerate relationships with students, based on mutual trust and respect. Students develop a connection to their surroundings.

Self review is at an early stage of development. Trustees regularly review and update school policies. Schoolwide student achievement information is reviewed to set strategic goals and targets. Internal evaluation should to be improved by strengthening the emphasis on evaluating the impact of teaching on student learning.

The board and staff should embed the developments identified in this report to further accelerate student learning, progress and achievement.

The school has requested that ERO provide them with an internal evaluation workshop. 

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.

Conclusion

Students benefit from effective teaching, focused on individual needs and next steps. They are highly engaged in their learning in an inclusive environment. Respectful relationships are clearly evident. School leadership focuses on improving student outcomes. A growing effective partnership between home and school supports learning. Trustees continue to build their understanding of governance.

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

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

7 June 2017

About the School