Oxford Area School is a rural Years 1 to 15 school in North Canterbury. At the time of this review it had 478 students, approximately one third of whom are in Years 9 to 13. The school roll has become more ethnically diverse. A number of students enter or leave the school within the year, however the roll remains stable.
Since the last ERO review in 2014, a new principal and deputy principal have been appointed. There have been other staff changes, including several middle leaders. The board, leaders, teachers and other staff have made considerable positive progress and changes in response to ERO’s last review. This has included embedding and extending the improvements identified in the 2014 ERO report.
Most trustees have served on the board for four or more years. The school opened a new collaborative learning space in 2017 (Aotahi) for students in Years 5 to 13.
The school states that its vision and valued outcomes for its learners are:
The school has identified the core beliefs that underpin its valued outcomes and the desired teaching practices to achieve them.
Oxford Area School’s key aims and goals for its students are to achieve personal, academic and cultural excellence. Other strategic aims are to further strengthen teaching, learning programmes, partnerships with the community, and to enhance students’ learning environments.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
The school is a member of the Tipu Māia Community of Learning |Kāhui Ako.
The school is moving positively towards equity and excellence for all its students.
Most of the students in Years 1 to 8 achieved at or above the school’s expectations in reading, writing and mathematics between 2014 and 2017. Overall achievement was highest in reading. Māori students, overall, are not achieving quite as well as their peers at the school in reading and more recently in writing. However, in 2017 greater proportions of Māori students achieved at/above the school’s expectations in mathematics. The school-wide picture for boys’ and girls’ achievement shows that greater proportions of girls are achieving at/above the school’s expectations, particularly for reading and writing.
The school’s Year 9 student achievement information in aspects of literacy and mathematics shows that fewer than half of these students are achieving at the school’s expectations. Year 10 information indicates more than half of students are achieving the school’s expectations in aspects of literacy. Almost all Year 10 students achieve success in the school’s Attitude to Learning (ATL) programme.
Over the last three years the majority of Years 11 and 12 students have achieved Levels 1 and 2 NCEA, respectively. Years 11 to 13 students’ achievement in NCEA shifted positively between 2016 and 2017. This is more marked for Year 13 students in Level 3 NCEA. The proportion of school leavers with an NCEA qualification is increasing. However, the overall trend in NCEA literacy and numeracy attainment is decreasing. The school can show, however, that all Year 11 students who complete the academic year achieve both numeracy and literacy at Level 1. More students are remaining at school until their 17th birthday. Some senior students are achieving vocational pathways awards.
The school is accelerating learning for targeted students increasingly well.
Over half of the Māori students who were part of an accelerated literacy programme in 2017 made accelerated progress.
Between 2016 and 2017 the school can show that it accelerated the progress for at least 40% of those learners targeted in Years 1 to 8 in reading and writing. This can also be seen for those learners targeted for mathematics improvement in 2017. Acceleration trends in Years 1 to 8 reading, writing and mathematics are increasing positively for targeted groups.
Since the on site stage of the review the school has provided ERO with an additional analysis of accelerated achievement for targeted students in Years 9 and 10. This information shows that these students are being very effectively accelerated in writing and effectively accelerated in reading.
The school’s comprehensive, systematic approach to improving outcomes for students is enabling the school’s movement towards equity.
Students at risk in any aspect of their learning are meticulously supported and monitored. This includes carefully adapted learning plans. Learning mentors closely support all students in their progress. Information technology is being used very effectively as a tool to record, monitor, track and share students’ learning information and progress. Professional learning and development for teachers is specifically focused around building teachers’ capacity to better support students to succeed in their learning. Middle leaders and teachers comprehensively evaluate outcomes for students in Years 9 to 13, in relation to their departmental programmes.
Oxford Area School’s valued localised curriculum, strong community links and local partnerships are effectively supporting students and their learning. Many educational opportunities for students are meaningful, integrated, well-linked to the local environment and responsive to their needs and interests. Recent curriculum changes have included a play-based learning programme for new entrants, authentic integration of mathematics, social sciences and technology, and a programme to support students as they develop and progress towards adulthood. Such programmes make good use of teacher capabilities and willingness to try different approaches.
The school’s enduring positive and productive relationship with the local rūnanga, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, is supporting the school’s culturally responsive curriculum. Very good use has been made of the local Māori history and stories to enhance all students’ learning. The kaiako Māori successfully leads meaningful, frequent and regular hui with Māori whānau. This and other practices are enabling Māori students to see that their language, culture and identity are valued and celebrated at the school.
Leaders are strategically and progressively strengthening a culture of learner-focused collaboration and professional practice amongst staff. Key stakeholders are being involved in decision-making, creating greater ownership of change. There are clear expectations and frameworks to support teachers to inquire into the effectiveness of their teaching. The principal and other senior leaders are deliberately building a reflective culture amongst staff, which is very evident in the school’s revised appraisal process. There are clear accountabilities around this and other system expectations. Departments specifically identify what is and is not working for students and plan what needs to be improved.
Leaders and teachers need to continue their relentless focus on improving outcomes for learners. This should include raising student achievement and accelerating progress for learners who require acceleration so the school achieves equitable outcomes.
Continuing to seek and implement the best ways to meet learning needs will be particularly important for students:
Leaders and teachers should extend the analysis and collection of learning information, with particular reference to the sufficiency of progress students and specific groups of students are making. This should better inform the school’s internal evaluation and strategic decision making and resourcing.
It is timely for leaders and teachers to review and clarify the school’s expectations across the curriculum for achievement and progress for students from Years 1 to 10.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
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. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.
At the time of this review, there were seven international students attending the school.
International students are welcomed and are well supported to integrate into the school and local community. These students receive a high level of pastoral care. The school has effective systems for orientation, homestay arrangements and for managing individual concerns. International students’ wellbeing and achievement are monitored effectively and parents receive regular reports.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are:
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
18 May 2018
|
Location |
Oxford, North Canterbury |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
310 |
|
School type |
Composite (Years 1-15) |
|
School roll |
478 |
|
Gender composition |
Girls 52% |
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā 75% |
|
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
|
Review team on site |
February 2018 |
|
Date of this report |
18 May 2018 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review May 2014 |