Papatoetoe Central School

School Context

āPapatoetoe Central School is a large contributing (Year 1 to 6) school in South Auckland. The majority of students are Indian, 16 percent are Mori and 15 percent are Pacific students. Most students are bilingual and many are new learners of English. The school’s roll has continued to increase significantly since ERO’s 2014 review.

The school’s vision is to create conditions for students to develop as lifelong, inquiring and independent learners. This is reflected in the school’s whakataukī ‘Hei anō te whetū e tū nei, kotahi ā tātou tamariki’ (there is only one star shining – our children). This vision is underpinned by values of perseverance, challenge and success.

New Zealand Curriculum Papatoetoe Central School aims to create a curriculum that aligns with the(NZC), celebrates students’ cultural backgrounds and builds on and extends their interests. The intent is to develop students’ relational and personal skills including attributes such as honesty, determination and responsibility.

Leaders and teachers regularly report schoolwide information to the board about student outcomes in the following areas:

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
• literacy and mathematics achievement for specific groups of students
• progress and achievement in relation to school targets
• engagement and wellbeing for success.

The board consists of newly appointed and experienced trustees and an experienced chairperson. Trustees have undertaken training to develop in their governance role.

Since 2014, teachers have participated in professional learning in writing and culturally responsive teaching. The principal is also involved in the Māori Achievement Collaborative principals’ professional group.

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?

Papatoetoe Central School is achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most students in reading and mathematics. Achievement data show a positive upward trend over the past three years. Most students achieve at the appropriate level in relation to the NZC expectations. Teachers are using robust assessment practices.

The majority of students achieve at expected levels in writing. Teachers have a focus on lifting writing achievement through good planning and a culturally responsive curriculum. Recent data show there is increasing parity in achievement outcomes for those students who require writing support.

Teachers have high expectations for Māori and Pacific students to experience success. The majority of Pacific students achieve very well in literacy and mathematics. Māori students achieve very well in reading and mathematics. Over 50 percent of Māori students achieve at expected levels in writing.

Students achieve very well in relation to other valued outcomes identified in the school’s graduate profile which reflects the NZC key competencies. They:

• are successful learners who are curious about the world
• display a positive attitude and are resilient
• demonstrate empathy, cultural and social awareness and service.

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

Teachers are developing a working definition of accelerated learning to respond to students whose achievement is below curriculum expectations.

School leaders, teachers and staff target deliberate teaching strategies to support students who are achieving below expectations. This, together with teachers’ close monitoring of students’ progress, has resulted in improved teaching practices.

The majority of the students are bilingual and many are new learners of English. Students’ oral language is promoted well and their home languages are valued. Effective teaching strategies are in place to support students who are new learners of English to make progress in their learning. Teachers monitor these students’ progress and achievement to ensure they have full access to the curriculum.

Leaders, teachers and staff respond well to students with additional learning needs. This is helping them to improve and sustain these students’ learning over time. As a result there are positive shifts in these students’ wellbeing, confidence and engagement in learning.

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?

Students benefit from an inclusive and positive school culture. The sense of connection and support they experience within the school promotes a strong sense of belonging.

Established principles of awhitanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga are intentionally promoted. These principles contribute to the calm and respectful school tone and promote purposeful learning.

Students learn in well-resourced learning environments and are justifiably proud of their school. Parents are welcomed into the school and encouraged to take an active role in their children’s learning.

Staff are continuing to build their professional capability to promote students’ success in learning. They participate well in a range of meaningful and responsive professional learning to build their teaching skills. Their self-reflection contributes to enhancing effective teaching practices and improving the curriculum. The comprehensive appraisal processes and emphasis on teachers’ personal passions promotes innovation in teaching and students’ engagement in learning.

Students experience an increasingly responsive curriculum that is connected to New Zealand’s identity and the wider world, both past and present. They participate in rich and broad learning opportunities that engage and challenge them. They are confident and committed learners who actively collaborate, discuss, question and problem solve in a variety of learning areas with their peers and teachers.

Students also appreciate opportunities to learn and extend their experiences through Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC). They are involved in leadership roles that foster their personal skills.

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

School leaders and teachers acknowledge that their next steps are to extend opportunities for students to:

• actively engage in critical and creative thinking in order to develop into highly successful, independent learners and contributing citizens
• use thinking tools to support challenge and clarity in their learning
• experience a sequential te reo Māori programme that promotes increasing levels of language proficiency
• purposefully use digital tools to develop learning competencies
• benefit from further involvement of their whānau and parents to support their learning at home and celebrate their learning success.

Teachers and staff need to continue embedding effective teaching strategies to engage and challenge students in their learning by further:

• increasing student agency, collaborative and interactive learning
• encouraging problem solving, curiosity and discovery
• increasing student leadership opportunities at the junior level and in the curriculum.

Effective internal evaluation processes could be strengthened in key areas of school operations. The use of ERO’s indicators of effective practice and a focus on positive outcomes for students, would strengthen internal evaluation and provide teachers with a clearer direction for ongoing improvement. This should include further developing reports and data analysis of students’ progress and achievement to the board of trustees.

3 Board assurance on legal requirements

ERO Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit ChecklistsBefore the review, the board and principal of the school completed the. 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
• Vulnerable Children Act 2014school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should ensure the effective use of in-committee minutes.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• a positive school culture that supports a strong focus on learning
• the provision of a range of curriculum experiences that contributes to students’ joy of learning
• staff who are committed to engaging students in their learning.

Next steps

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

• improve curriculum design to create a more relevant, meaningful and responsive curriculum
• ensure effective teaching strategies are sustained schoolwide to further improve the level of challenge in students’ learning
• systematically use internal evaluation for ongoing improvement and innovation, and to measure the impact of initiatives on improving student outcomes.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Violet Tu’uga Stevenson

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

4 October 2018

About the school