Orewa Primary School

Orewa Primary School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 6 months of the Education Review Office and Orewa Primary 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 

Orewa School caters for children in years 1 to 6 and is on the Hibiscus Coast in Auckland. The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are focused on empowering students to achieve personal excellence in a learning culture that values all. The school motto, "where everybody is somebody" is well understood by children and the school community.

Orewa Primary School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • Relationships (Whanaungatanga). With the belief that relationships are at the heart of a community, we will provide shared experiences and work together to give people a sense of connectedness and belonging.

  • Curriculum (Marau Mātauranga). The school will design and deliver a future focused and inclusive curriculum that identifies, accelerates, and extends the learning capacity of all learners/ākonga.

  • Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Pedagogy (Ako). The school will provide teaching and learning that is reciprocal where knowledge and understandings grow out of shared learning experiences and teacher practice is both deliberate and reflective, informed by the latest research.

  • Leadership (Te Kaiarahi). The school will assure quality teaching and learning, providing opportunities for those aspiring to become leaders.

  • Well-being (Hauora). The school will ensure every learner/ākonga has a safe, healthy, and supportive learning environment, where they are accepted and respected, and their identity, language, and culture, and those of their family and whānau are valued.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how the use of evidence-based assessment, inquiry and knowledge building approaches can further improve teaching, learning and assessment practices and encourage students/ākonga to be active participants in their learning. 

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • ensure all teachers have a shared understanding of best practice for accelerating all learners

  • encourage ākonga to be more actively engaged in their learning and from this gain confidence in what they are expected to learn and what they need to do to improve.

The school expects to see equitable and excellent outcomes for all ākonga and continued development of strategic teaching and learning programmes.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate how the use of evidence-based assessment, inquiry and knowledge building approaches can further improve teaching, learning and assessment practices and encourage students/ākonga to be active participants in their learning. 

  • current professional capability and collective capacity to use assessment, inquiry and knowledge building for continual improvement

  • current processes to refine targets and strengthen monitoring

  • ability to adapt to and apply the assessment expectations of the revised curriculum as it is developed

  • teacher collaboration and developed understanding of moderation to support the learning and achievement of all learners.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • adapting assessment practices to meet the refreshed curriculum and the Better Start Literacy Approach - Te Ara Reo Matatini

  • a biannual review of evidence-based moderation and assessment.

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

2 June 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

Orewa Primary School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2023 to 2026

As of March 2023, Orewa Primary 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 Orewa Primary 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

2 June 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 

Orewa Primary School

Provision for International Students Report

Background  

The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

Findings

The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

2 June 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

Orewa School - 18/01/2017

1 Context

The school has a positive ERO reporting history. The board comprises a mix of experienced and new trustees who have useful skills and expertise. Teachers have participated in professional learning and development that has focused on collaborative teaching and learning practice. Since the 2013 ERO external evaluation, internal evaluation processes have been strengthened and now better inform the school's goals to improve teaching and raise achievement levels for all children.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are focused on empowering students to achieve personal excellence in a learning culture that values all. The school motto, "where everybody is somebody" is well understood by children and the school community.

The school’s achievement information shows that just over ninety percent of children achieve National Standards for reading, writing and mathematics. There is little disparity when comparing Māori and Pacific learners with all children.

A focus on accelerating the achievement of the few children who have not yet reached National Standards remains a school priority. Trustees, leaders and staff are also aware of children achieving at National Standards but requiring support to realise their potential. School analysis of achievement information in mathematics has identified the need to support girls who could be achieving above national standards.

Children with learning needs progress well towards National Standards. Their view of themselves as successful learners is enhanced in the way they have a sense of control over their lives and learning. Teachers adapt their practice to accommodate these children’s preferences. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) reflect shared goals formed by parents, teachers and children that are measurable.

Teachers make good use of moderation processes to determine how well children are achieving in relation to National Standards. Overall teacher judgements reflect the breadth of the National Standards and are informed by children's ongoing learning and nationally referenced assessment tools.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has:

  • improved systems and processes to support teachers and teacher aides to accelerate the progress of learners at risk of underachieving
  • strengthened partnerships with parents/whānau that are focused on improving learning
  • supported staff to explore and implement collaborative teaching and learning practices in order to develop children’s capability to direct their learning. 

3 Accelerating achievement

How effectively does this school respond to Māori children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school responds well to the needs of Māori children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration. The school is able to demonstrate the difference it has made to the achievement of the few Māori children that require accelerated progress.

Māori children who are at risk of not achieving are well identified through the use of thorough, school-wide tracking and monitoring processes.

The learning needs of these Māori children are catered for through:

  • a strong sense of whanaungatanga that supports Māori learners to have a sense of connection to the school, to each other, and to their teachers
  • high levels of collaboration and trust among staff to successfully support the transition of Māori learners as they progress through the school
  • the promotion of children's confidence in their learning helps accelerate the progress of Māori children who are at risk of not achieving.

Achievement targets that expect accelerated progress are set by the board of trustees for Māori children who are at risk of not achieving. Regular reports to the board about how well Māori children are progressing, help trustees to ask questions about achievement trends and patterns in order to target resources effectively.

Senior leaders and teachers have high expectations of all children succeeding in relation to the National Standards. Teachers skilfully support Māori children’s progress by helping them develop their confidence and leadership skills.

How effectively does this school respond to other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school responds effectively to other children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

The number of Pacific children in the school is small and therefore it is difficult to summarise the overall achievement levels of this group of learners.

Consistent with principles of accelerating all children’s progress, teachers:

  • provide opportunities for children to apply skills immediately to what they are learning
  • plan active, fast paced, hands-on experiences
  • support children to keep pace with what their peers are learning in order to avoid the sense of needing to catch-up.

Teachers have high expectations for the achievement and learning of children with special learning needs. These expectations support children with high or moderate needs to participate fully in classroom programmes. Provision for these learners is reviewed in an ongoing manner.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and targets for equity and excellence?

The school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices are effective in developing and enacting the school’s vision, values, goals and priorities for equity and excellence.

Senior leaders, teachers and trustees have a common understanding of, and commitment to accelerating children's progress. Teachers personalise programmes and modify their practice to accelerate the progress of children at risk of not achieving.

Broad curriculum themes and meaningful learning contexts support children who are at risk of not achieving. They have good opportunities to build on their interests and capabilities.

The board's ongoing commitment to biculturalism is reflected by initiatives to support teachers to promote te āo Māori in the curriculum and to develop culturally responsive practices across the school.

Positive and caring interactions between children and teachers are enhanced by the knowledge teachers have of children and their parents/whānau. Consultation with whānau helps teachers identify Māori children's capabilities, interests and strengths. Māori children see themselves as successful learners, secure in their Māori identity.

Positive relationships with parents are developed when their children enrol and continue through the time children are at the school. Senior leaders and teachers are receptive to feedback and share with parents and whānau how the school might best cater for their children’s learning and wellbeing. Children who are at risk of not achieving benefit from regular mentoring by key staff members.

The board receives information about the effectiveness of programmes and professional learning and development initiatives in raising children's achievement. Internal evaluation is improvement focused and provides insights about areas that are working well and areas that require further development.

Trustees and senior leaders are keen to enhance and extend professional networking for accelerating the progress of children who are at risk of not achieving. Involvement with the Orewa Community of Learning (CoL) that the school joined in 2015 will support this school priority.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
  • respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
  • regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
  • act on what they know works well for each child
  • build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
  • are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

School leaders and trustees support staff to engage all children in a curriculum that builds on their capabilities and accelerates the progress of those who are at risk of not achieving.

To further strengthen school performance the board, in discussion with ERO has identified that its own internal evaluation processes could be strengthened. This development would be consistent with the significant developments since the 2013 ERO review in the way senior leaders and staff evaluate the impact of their work on improving outcomes for children.

The school has also identified that it would be timely to develop a set of expectations for staff in regard to the capabilities required for effective collaborative teaching practice. This set of expectations would complement the recently formed expectations for children as collaborative learners.

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

6 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 the following:

  • board administration

  • curriculum

  • management of health, safety and welfare

  • personnel management

  • 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

  • processes for appointing staff

  • stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions

  • attendance

  • compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014

  • provision for international students

7 Recommendation

The school should continue with its pursuit of learner-centred education goals by building on the current development of collaborative teaching and learning practices. Further developing internal evaluation processes and identifying valued teacher capabilities is likely to support the school's strategic direction.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

18 January 2017

About the school 

Location

Orewa, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1407

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

385

Number of international students

1

Gender composition

Girls 52% Boys 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Asian

South African

Pacific

other

9%

68%

13%

5%

1%

4%

Review team on site

October 2016

Date of this report

18 January 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

February 2014

February 2010

November 2007

Orewa School - 14/02/2014

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Orewa School is a Years 1 to 6 school located on the Hibiscus Coast in Auckland. The school’s significant roll growth since the 2010 ERO review has been successfully accommodated through efficient use of space and staffing.

The school’s guiding principles and values promote an inclusive environment where students experience success, and enjoy and value learning. Students are respected as individuals and capable learners. There’s a settled, affirming tone in classrooms across the school and a clear emphasis on learning. These features enable new students to transition positively into the school.

Some leaders and teachers are very long-serving and the majority have been working at the school for several years. Staff have good knowledge and understandings of students, families and staff. As a result appreciative, supportive partnerships and relationships are maintained between parents, teachers and leaders that focus on what is best for children.

The board, principal and staff have made good progress over the past three years in developing curriculum practices and resources that reflect the changing needs of learners. They also continue to manage ongoing issues with the school’s property. Further work is required with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to rectify weather tight issues with most buildings.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

Teachers and leaders continue to develop their use of achievement information to make positive changes to students’ learning. The school's information indicates that most students, including Māori students, achieve or exceed National Standards in mathematics, reading and writing.

Achievement information is used to evaluate student progress and to set relevant annual targets for raising student achievement. Student progress is monitored and shared with students, parents, the board and the community. Senior leaders plan to develop further moderation of assessment to help ensure the reliability of judgements made about student achievement.

Parents appreciate the partnerships they have with teachers to support their children’s learning. Regular reporting informs them about their children’s progress in relation to National Standards.

Leaders and teachers use achievement data to guide class programmes to cater for students' diverse learning needs and abilities. Additional learning programmes are helping low-achieving students to improve their progress.

Teachers are continuing to develop teaching approaches that enable students to take responsibility for their own learning and progress. They support students to understand the purpose of learning activities and of how to succeed in their learning. Students appreciate the frequent opportunities for interactive learning and are motivated to participate, contribute and achieve. Students demonstrate the skills and confidence that should enable them to benefit from increasing opportunities to direct their own learning.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The school's curriculum is effective in promoting and supporting student learning. Curriculum documents and classroom practices align with The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). Teaching and curriculum developments continue to focus on the school’s vision of enabling students to become ‘self-managing, connected, actively involved life-long learners’.

An emphasis on thinking, inquiry and research strategies underpins the school’s integrated curriculum. These skills are introduced in the junior classes and progressively built on in later years. Meaningful contexts for learning help students to make links to their own experiences and real life situations. Students are supported to make connections between integrated topics to help them to broaden their knowledge and understanding of overarching learning objectives.

Students have access to a wide range of resources and curriculum opportunities. The board, leaders and teachers continue to build infrastructure, equipment, and teaching approaches to enable students to integrate information technologies in their learning.

A recently introduced student leaders’ group is an example of the ways that senior leaders are increasingly enabling students to influence the direction of the school. This group has the potential to provide student perspectives about the effectiveness of teaching and learning programmes.

Teachers regularly share and discuss curriculum programmes and learning initiatives. These practices are helping to build shared expectations of effective teaching. Through recent changes to appraisal processes, teachers are now encouraged to more specifically evaluate how well their teaching practices promote student engagement and learning. These features are making a positive impact on teachers' development as facilitators of student learning.

Senior leaders have identified relevant priorities for the future that include:

  • reviewing the school’s guiding curriculum documents to ensure these reflect the school’s e-learning development and direction
  • developing a sequential te reo Māori programme to enable all students to learn the Māori language and aspects of ōna tikanga Māori.

ERO also recommends more rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching programmes from the perspective of how well curriculum programmes reflect the NZC principles, especially the principle relating to the Treaty of Waitangi.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

Most of the school’s 25 Māori students achieve well in relation to the National Standards. Trustees, leaders and teachers could use the Ministry of Education resources Ka Hikitia, the Māori Education Strategy and Tataiako, Cultural Competencies for teachers of Māori Learners to further support Māori learners.

Aspects of te reo Māori me ōna tikanga are integrated to a varying degree within teaching and learning programmes. Students in Years 5 and 6 have good opportunities to participate in kapa haka and to learn te reo and tikanga Māori. Māori students in this age group have the opportunity to be placed in a class taken by the school’s lead teacher of Māori. Māori language, culture and identity are significantly valued and promoted in this class. The challenge for leaders and teachers is to now ensure that Māori students at all year levels have similar opportunities to have their cultural identity acknowledged and affirmed.

During the past three years, trustees, senior leaders and teachers have not formally consulted with the school’s Māori whānau/community to develop and make known to the school’s community policies, plans and targets for improving the achievement of Māori students. To support the school to do this, the board has recently invited a member of the local Māori community to act as an advisor to the board.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

Orewa School is well positioned to sustain and continuously enhance the quality of education provided for students.

Trustees bring diverse skills and experience to their roles in school governance. The board is appreciative and supportive of the principal and teachers. Trustees value the information that senior leaders provide to guide their decision-making. The board consults with the school community to gauge parent opinion about specific aspects of the school.

Senior leaders work collaboratively with staff to build curriculum leadership capacity and to guide programme planning and implementation. They promote teachers’ expertise and initiative, and encourage innovation to enable students to become confident, self-managing learners. Senior leaders are continuing to develop a reflective teaching culture that promotes flexible, responsive learning for students.

The board acknowledges the need to improve the review of practices for monitoring school operations and for ensuring that the school meets its governance obligations. Improved self review could include:

  • ongoing charter review to track the progress of strategic and annual goals
  • documenting the board’s, leaders’, and teachers’ evaluations of the effectiveness of their practices and the evidence that underpins their evaluation findings.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO 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.

During the review ERO identified two areas of non-compliance. To address these, the board must:

  • consult with the school’s Māori community to develop policies, plans and targets for improving the achievement of Māori students. [National Administration Guideline 1e]
  • ensure that invoices to parents for an annual ‘contribution’ towards the purchase of library books, information technologies and photocopying do not suggest that payment of ‘voluntary donations’ is compulsory. [Education Act s3, MoE Circular 2013/06]

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should also:

  • receive regular reports on health and safety practice
  • formally approve overnight camps or excursions and any trips that involve travel over, or swimming in, water
  • annually document its review of school policies and procedures related to provision for international students.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

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

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

14 February 2014

About the School

Location

Orewa, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1407

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

325

Number of international students

0

Gender composition

Boys 51%

Girls 49%

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā

Māori

British

African

Chinese

Indian

Pacific

Other Asian

Other European

Other

65%

8%

11%

5%

3%

1%

1%

2%

2%

2%

Review team on site

November 2013

Date of this report

14 February 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

February 2010

November 2007

November 2004