Papakowhai School

Papakowhai School - 07/06/2017

Summary

Papakowhai School, for students in Years 1 to 8, is situated in Papakowhai, Porirua. The roll of 425, includes 57 students who identify as Māori.

Since the June 2014 ERO report, there has been a period of roll growth. This resulted in the remodelling of a classroom block, the addition of two new classrooms, appointment of additional teachers and provision of new playground equipment.

Teachers have completed professional learning and development (PLD) in writing and mathematics teaching. They are currently involved in PLD to support changes for an innovative learning environment.

Valued outcomes for students expressed in the charter are: aspiring to develop confident learners, well-rounded, socially skilled and highly literate and numerate.

The school is part of the Northern Porirua Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako and is open to the opportunities provided by membership of this group.

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?

Children are achieving excellent educational outcomes. School performance has been sustained over time through well-focused, embedded processes and practices. The school has shown it can successfully address in-school disparity in educational outcomes. There has been a significant improvement in the achievement of Māori and Pacific learners over time.

Data for 2016, shows that 84% of all students achieved at or above in relation to the National Standards in writing. Māori and Pacific student achievement was higher than this. In mathematics and reading the overall percentage was 90%. Significant numbers of students are achieving above the National Standard in each of these areas. The school is working to achieve equity for Asian students as a group and to further raise achievement of boys in writing and girls in mathematics.

Curriculum delivery is well managed and focuses on student engagement, achievement and wellbeing. Leadership is strategic and provides appropriate support for teacher growth and development.

Agreed next steps are to continue to strengthen curriculum initiatives, middle school leadership and appraisal and evaluation practices.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Equity and excellence

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

The school has developed useful systems and processes to respond to students whose achievement requires acceleration. This has resulted in a significant improvement in the achievement of Māori and Pacific learners over time.

Data for 2016 shows that 84% of all students achieved at or above in relation to the National Standards in writing. Māori and Pacific student achievement was higher than this. In mathematics and reading the overall percentage was 90%. Significant numbers of students are achieving above the National Standard in each of these areas.

The school is working to achieve equity for Asian students as a group and to further raise achievement of boys in writing and girls in mathematics. Groups of learners requiring accelerated progress are appropriately identified in school targets. Closer monitoring of students at the margins of standards is required.

Robust processes to ensure consistency of teacher judgements for National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are in place.

Students at risk of not achieving are well identified, their needs recognised and programmes of support are put in place. Progress is monitored and reported to trustees and whānau. Students with specific, additional needs and English language learners are well supported.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

Students are purposefully engaged in learning. They are supported to succeed in a calm and responsive learning environment. Respectful interactions are evident in classrooms.

Management of the curriculum ensures that it is coherent and that students have sufficient opportunities to learn. In response to feedback from parents and students, changes have been made to include more sport and physical education programmes. Strengthening support for student wellbeing is a current focus. Significant progress has been made to integrate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori in the curriculum. External expertise supports the growth of student and staff understanding.

Strategic leadership provides a strong framework for the school’s operation and student achievement. Building teacher capacity and capability, through involvement in tactical professional learning and development, has fostered collaborative practice. It has lifted expectations and supported the development of shared understandings about effective teaching strategies.

Trustees are suitably focused on student learning, wellbeing and achievement. They survey the community regularly and are responsive to the views and information received.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

Many schoolwide systems and processes have been strengthened since the previous ERO review. Leaders acknowledge the need to continue to embed and refine initiatives put in place. Key initiatives to progress are to:

  • sustain the focus on growing and empowering leadership schoolwide

  • continue to develop a localised, future-focused curriculum that incorporates a Māori perspective.

The appraisal system has been strengthened. Inquiry processes are beginning to contribute to the growth of professional practice. Teachers are raising their expectations of students and better reflecting on the strategies that support student engagement and progress. Leaders should continue to refine appraisal to strengthen its alignment with school goals, targets and schoolwide professional learning foci.

There are good examples of student achievement information informing teaching. The progress made by some groups of students is well tracked and reported to trustees and parents. Evaluation and reporting of how well school initiatives and programmes of learning are impacting on students targeted is an area to strengthen.

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

  • 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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

Going forward

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

Children are achieving excellent educational outcomes. School performance has been sustained over time through well-focused, embedded processes and practices. This school has successfully addressed in-school disparity in educational outcomes.

Agreed next steps are to continue to strengthen curriculum initiatives, schoolwide leadership and appraisal and evaluation practices.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

7 June 2017

About the school

Location

Porirua

Ministry of Education profile number

2946

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

425

Gender composition

Boys 54%, Girls 46%

Ethnic composition

Māori 14%

Pākehā 58%

Asian 13%

Pacific 8%

Other ethnic groups 7%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

March 2017

Date of this report

7 June 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review June 2014

Education Review March 2011

Education Review November 2007

 

Papakowhai School - 05/06/2014

1 Context

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

Papakowhai School is located in the suburb of Papakowhai, just north of Porirua. It caters for students from Years 1 to 8. At the time of this 2014 ERO review there were 333 students on the roll, with 14% identifying as Māori and 8% as Pacific.

Since the March 2011 ERO report, there have been changes in senior leadership. These include the appointment of a new principal in 2011. The majority of trustees were newly elected in 2013.

Four new classrooms have been purpose built to support increased student numbers. This growth is projected to continue. The principal and trustees are managing change effectively, supported by a low turnover of teaching staff and syndicate leadership.

Areas for review and development identified in the 2011 ERO report have been purposefully progressed.

2 Learning

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

Assessment involves comprehensive collection of data using a valid range of assessment tools. School leaders use data well to determine achievement levels and analyse the performance of specific groups of students, including gender and ethnic groups.

Priorities to support achievement in 2014 have been identified through analysis. Annual targets and supporting plans should be strengthened by being more specific, particularly in relation to groups of students whose learning is a priority.

School reported data at the end of 2013 showed that most students achieved at or above in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

Data shows Māori students made considerable achievement progress in 2013, with most achieving well in relation to the National Standards. School leaders and trustees have given priority to the achievement of mathematics as a focus for Māori learners in 2014.

Teachers are well supported in teams to analyse data when planning for the learning needs of students. Staff work collaboratively to make overall teacher judgements about students' achievement in relation to National Standards.

Parents, whānau and aiga are well informed about student progress and achievement. Class blogs provide parents and the wider community with a ‘window into the classroom’. Learning portfolios, interviews and conversations between teachers and parents promotes a shared knowledge of student achievement.

Parents' input is valued at school with opportunities for them to contribute to aspects of student learning.

3 Curriculum

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

Students experience positive outcomes through their participation in the Papakowhai School curriculum. The schools shared vision aspires to ‘learning together’. Students experience a range of meaningful opportunities across the curriculum to motivate their engagement in learning. Relevant priorities in reading, writing and mathematics are supported by clear curriculum statements for teaching and learning.

Supportive and affirming relationships between teachers, parents, students and their peers promote positive engagement in the school's curriculum. Opportunities for leadership are valued by individuals. Achievement and participation is celebrated in classes and with the wider school and community.

Pacific students achieve successful National Standard outcomes. Aspects of the school's curriculum acknowledge their unique culture and language. Staff should continue to extend these meaningful contexts to further promote Pacific student's cultural identity at Papakowhai School.

The school has introduced ‘bring your own device’ to support student learning and engagement in the senior school and promote the use of information and communication technologies. As this is a new initiative the school intends to review its impact at the end of 2014. This should provide useful information for consideration in relation to impacts on teaching, learning, engagement and achievement.

Students have a strong sense of belonging to the school. They know and demonstrate shared school values and agreed social skills. Key competencies are included as part of the school’s curriculum. Students develop skills to support their inclusion and positive participation in school life.

School initiatives promote a strong sense of belonging among students. Senior students mentor those who are younger. Classes participate together and whānau groups promote positive interaction across year groups.

Senior leaders have a clear understanding of the effectiveness of teaching practice. Participation in professional learning and development (PLD) about writing has had a positive impact on many teachers' practice. It has contributed to clear expectations for delivery of the writing curriculum. School leaders plan to embed the useful strategies gained from PLD through coaching of individual teachers, opportunities to share and discuss practice, and continued involvement of teachers in quality learning circles.

Since the 2011 ERO review appraisal has been strengthened. Teachers ask reflective questions related to their practice. They are prompted to provide evidence using key indicators related to the Registered Teacher Criteria. Feedback is provided about observed classroom practice.

It is timely to consider further strengthening of the appraisal process and how it supports teachers to critically reflect on the impact of their teaching on students' learning.

Students are suitably engaged in the classroom. Examples of effective teaching practice clearly motivate student interest, match their assessed needs, and demonstrate the effective strategies contained in the school’s curriculum statements.

Syndicate leaders are facilitating teacher reflection through regular meetings and observation. Strengthening teacher capability to purposefully review their practice, and thereby increase the effectiveness of strategies used to successfully promote learning, is a useful next step

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

Positive actions have occurred since the previous ERO report to support the inclusion of culturally responsive practice for Maōri learners.

Students experience positive relationships with peers and teachers. They contribute purposefully to all aspects of school life. Many participate in kapa haka. Te reo Māori and some relevant contexts for learning are usefully included by staff.

Consultation with Māori whānau is supporting the school to further develop its curriculum. It is timely for senior leaders and teachers, in partnership with whānau and iwi, to document shared expectations to promote the meaningful inclusion of te ao Māori coherently across the school’s curriculum.

Setting these agreed expectations should also enable school leaders to support teachers in developing their cultural competence and provide a clear basis for review of how well the expectations are being met.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

Papakowhai School is well placed to strengthen its self review and evaluation practice to sustain and improve its performance.

Senior leaders usefully reflect on outcomes. They seek ways to build teacher practice and are promoting sustainable leadership in the school. Syndicate leaders facilitate teacher discussion, regular reflection and administrative organisation. A current school initiative is using external guidance and internal capability to further support the development of leadership across the school.

Trustees bring a range of skills to promote positive school governance. They participate in relevant training opportunities and suitably consult with parents and whānau on aspects of the curriculum.

Strategic planning has been re-developed and trustees regularly review school policies and procedures. They receive assessment information from the principal to support their decisionmaking about resourcing, including deployment of personnel and provision of PLD.

The school has comprehensive planning to guide it strategic and curriculum direction. School leaders, teachers and trustees collect information from a range of sources to reflect on the success of planned actions and initiatives to promote student achievement. Strengthening expected and measurable outcomes in strategic and annual planning should extend the review and evaluation of how well these actions and initiatives benefit students.

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.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

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

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)

5 June 2014

About the School

Location

Porirua

Ministry of Education profile number

2946

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

333

Gender composition

Male 52%, Female 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Pacific

Other ethnic groups

14%

66%

8%

12%

Review team on site

March 2014

Date of this report

5 June 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

March 2011

November 2007

February 2005