Peachgrove Intermediate

School Context

Peachgrove Intermediate is located in Hamilton East. It has a diverse ethnic roll of 475 students, including 187 Māori students. The school has a bi-lingual unit, Tīma Tahi, which caters for 45 students.

The school’s mission is to provide emerging adolescents with the best educational experiences to cater for their needs – Kia whāngaihia te hunga taiohi ki ngā whakaakoranga e hāngai pū ana. The school vision is ‘Learning without Limits– He akoranga kairangi’. The values system (PRIDE) aims for students to be:

• Positive in attitude - Ngākau Hīhiko

• Respectful of self, others and property - Manaakitanga

• Inclusive of all - Kōtahitanga

• Determined to do their best – Upoko Pakari

• Engaged in their learning - Ū ki ngā akoranga.

Strategic aims for 2018 include:

• ensuring that all students have access to the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and experience accelerated learning outcomes

• sustaining positive behaviour for learning (PB4L) practices within a creative, flexible and culturally responsive learning environment

• embedding quality and effective teaching, learning and assessment practices across the school

• growing and strengthening effective leadership capacity in all areas of the school.

Leaders and teachers gather and report to the board school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• reading, writing and mathematics

• attendance and behaviour aligned to the school’s PRIDE values

• learning support initiatives.

Since the previous ERO review in 2015, there have been changes to the school leadership structure and personnel. The senior leadership team comprises an experienced principal and deputy principal, and a newly appointed assistant principal. Three leaders of learning roles contribute to school leadership. The board of trustees bring a wide range of experience and knowledge to their governance roles. A new chairperson has been recently appointed.

The school is a member of the He Piko He Taniwha Community of Learning (CoL) | Kāhui Ako, and the principal is the lead principal of this CoL.

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?

Raising overall levels of achievement is an ongoing priority for the school. The school’s achievement data shows that a significant number of students enter the school at Year 7 below expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Data from 2017 shows that less than half of all students, including Māori, achieved at expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Less than 30% of Pacific students achieved at expected levels in writing and mathematics.

Māori and Pacific students achieved at significantly lower levels than their Pākehā peers in all areas. Boys achieved at lower levels than girls in reading and writing. These patterns of disparity have been consistent over time.

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

The school’s comparative data over two years, from 2016 to 2017, shows that the school has effectively accelerated the progress of students. Between 40 to 50% of the Māori students who were underachieving in reading, writing and mathematics made accelerated progress. A majority of the Pacific students who were underachieving in writing and mathematics made accelerated progress, and almost half made accelerated progress in reading. Approximately half of the boys who were underachieving made accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Analysis of the acceleration of at-risk students is carried out regularly by leaders of learning with team teachers.

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?

The school’s curriculum is responsive and inclusive. Students work in settled environments and experience positive relationships with their teachers. Parents and whānau have opportunities to be involved in school life and their children’s learning. Students participate in and lead tikanga Māori, and bi-cultural aspects of the curriculum are visible and contextualised. Students’ language, culture and identity is celebrated and strengthened in the bi-lingual class, where they receive good quality te reo Māori instruction. The school provides appropriate assistance for students with additional learning and behavioural needs. There is an authentic and effective approach to integrated learning in the technology and arts curriculum.

A collaborative leadership team has developed and sustained supportive conditions for learning. There has been a focus on culturally responsive practice and positive behaviour for learning strategies. The school’s leader of learning model centres on coaching and mentoring of teachers. Leaders have revised and strengthened the appraisal process in response to the 2015 ERO report. New procedures have been developed in 2018 to provide for teacher professional development and its delivery. Internal review of some areas of school operations has led to initiatives that are resulting in positive learning outcomes for students.

Trustees actively support equitable opportunities for student learning. The board has a clear commitment to having whānau representation, and includes Māori and Pacific trustees. Resourcing is prioritised to provide for students with additional learning needs, including those students for whom English is a second language. The board also provides funding and resourcing to enable all students to participate in school activities, including the provision of significant digital technologies.

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

Developing teacher capability and consistency of practice should now be a priority. Leaders and ERO agree that this should include:

• differentiated learning opportunities that cater for students’ individual needs

• the use of learning progressions to support students’ understanding of where they are at and what their next steps are

• effective formative assessment practice.

Aspects of internal evaluation need further development. The use of data for strategic, targeted action to raise student achievement needs to be more explicitly aligned to:

• charter achievement targets

• tracking, monitoring and reporting of acceleration of at-risk learners by teachers and leaders

• teachers’ inquiries and professional development.

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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to theEducation (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016(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 two long stay international students attending the school. An additional seven students were also enrolled in short stays. The school has effective systems and processes in place to support the pastoral care and individual learning of international students. International students are well integrated into the life of the school and have many opportunities to develop positive relationships with other students and participate in all aspects of the curriculum.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• a curriculum that supports students’ wellbeing and sense of belonging

• leadership that promotes a structured and supportive environment conducive to student learning

• school stewardship that supports equitable opportunities for students.

Next steps

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

• targeted action to accelerate learning and raise student achievement

• internal evaluation to support continuous improvement.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Adrienne Fowler

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

26 October 2018

About the school