- ERO evaluates and reports on the education and care of children and young people in early childhood services and schools.
Pekerau School is located in the northern outskirts of Te Awamutu. It provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school roll of 293 students includes 141 Māori students. There is a very small number of children who come from a range of other diverse cultures.
The school’s vision is ‘Aspiring Attitudes, Inspiring Actions’.
The school’s culture is based on the core virtues of:
turangawaewae/belonging
hiranga/excellence
kotahitanga/unity
mana/pride
ngākau/integrity
manaaki/respect
wairua/spirit.
The school’s strategic goals focus on improving student learning, particularly for Māori and Pacific students and those with special education needs. Goals are also prioritised for supporting future focused environments and curriculum, digital learning and strengthening home and school partnerships.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
reading, writing and mathematics.
Since the previous review in 2015, there have been multiple changes to the teaching, support staff and leadership teams. There have been two new principals, two emergency staffing principals and numerous changes to senior and team leadership positions. A very small number of staff remain from the time of the last ERO review. The school has established an enrolment zone and the overall roll has decreased over time. The school is still working on many areas identified in the last ERO report.
The school is not achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all of its students. The school’s achievement data from 2015 to 2017 show a large majority of students achieving at or above expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Overall levels of achievement have declined in reading and mathematics over the past three years. There is significant disparity in achievement for Māori students in relation to their Pākehā peers in all areas. This pattern of disparity for Māori has increased over time. Girls are achieving at higher levels than boys in literacy. Girls’ achievement has decreased significantly in mathematics and boys are now performing better than girls. School data shows that children with special needs make appropriate progress in relation to their individual goals.
The school is not accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this. The school’s data shows a small number of Māori and other at-risk students made accelerated progress in writing as a result of targeted intervention. Leaders and teachers identify at-risk students, however leaders are yet to analyse school-wide data to show rates of progress and acceleration for these students.
The new leadership team is working collaboratively. They are focused on improving engagement and learning for students. A comprehensive performance management system has been established. This system is supporting teachers’ inquiry, and targeting at-risk students’ progress and achievement.
Students are actively involved in a range of meaningful classroom learning activities. There are positive and affirming relationships between teachers and students. Prior knowledge is used to encourage students thinking and problem solving. Target students are identified based on assessment information and grouped according to learning needs.
The curriculum provides a wide range of learning experiences for students. Cultural, sporting, camps and events enrich learning for students. There are many opportunities for senior students to develop leadership skills. School values are well known and used to guide positive interactions and relationships. Students with additional learning needs are well identified and provisions are in place to support their learning.
Internal evaluation requires strengthening.
ERO and leaders agree that priority should be given to:
reviewing and implementing annual targets that focus on all students whose learning needs acceleration
strategically monitoring and reporting on students rates of progress over time to inform school improvement
inquiring into the effectiveness of programmes and initiatives to accelerate learning
reviewing and implementing behaviour management practices to ensure consistency across the school.
There is a need to develop clear school-wide expectations and guidelines to improve teaching practice.
Leaders and teachers need to implement and embed systems and practices for:
planning and assessment
teachers and students use of learning progressions
deliberate acts of teaching to accelerate learning and reduce disparity for Māori students and boys.
Aspects of stewardship require urgent attention.
The board needs to:
undertake comprehensive policy review to ensure it meets all areas of compliance and legislation
develop a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities in relation to governance and management for trustees, leaders and teachers
continue to gather student, teacher, parent, whānau, community and iwi views and aspirations to inform school planning and direction.
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.
ERO identified non-compliance in relation to board administration, curriculum and health, safety and welfare.
In order to address this, the board of trustees must:
maintain an ongoing programme of self review in relation to policies, plans and programmes, including evaluation of good-quality assessment information on student progress and achievement
[NAG 2(b)]
report to the school’s community on the progress of students as a whole, on the progress and achievement of groups (including those students at risk and with special needs) and on the progress and achievement of Māori students against school plans and targets
[NAG 1c, NAG 2d]
ensure compliance with legislation, including non-discrimination
[Human Rights Act]
in consultation with the school’s Māori community, develop and make known to the school’s community, policies, plans and targets for improving the progress and achievement of Māori students
[NAG 1(e)]
adopt a statement on the delivery of the health curriculum, at least once in every two years, after consultation with the school community
[section 60B Education Act 1989]
develop policy and procedures for dealing with smoking, drugs and alcohol
[NAG 5]
develop policy and procedures on surrender and retention of property and searches of students by the principal, teachers and authorised staff members
[sections 139AAA to 139AAF of the Education Act 1989 and the Education Surrender, Retention and Search Rules 2013]
make minimising physical restraint policies and procedures available to all parents and caregivers and provide a clear complaints process on physical restraint and alternatives to seclusion in accordance with the Ministry of Education guidelines
[sections 139AB to 139AE Education Act 1989, Guidelines for Registered Schools in New Zealand on the Use of Physical Restraint].
To improve current practice, the board of trustees should ensure policies and procedures follow all Ministry of Education guidelines.
Priority should be given to reviewing and implementing:
the school’s behaviour management practices
discipline procedures
cross cultural awareness
policies and procedures linked to health and safety.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
leadership that is aware of the next steps for continuous school improvement.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
internal evaluation processes and practices for identifying what is working well for student learning and where improvements are needed
[ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop for trustees and senior leaders.]
targeted planning to accelerate learning
[ERO will monitor and discuss progress with the school.]
building teacher capability to achieve equity and excellence particularly for Māori students and boys
policy review to support a safe physical and emotional environment for all
strengthening consultation and communication for improved school development.
ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education and New Zealand School Trustees Association provide support for the school in order to bring about improvement in:
internal evaluation and targeted action to accelerate learning
policy review and compliance matters to meet legislative requirements
understanding of roles and responsibilities for governance and management.
ERO intends to carry out a process of ongoing external evaluation to support development over the course of one-to-two years.
Adrienne Fowler
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
30 August 2018
|
Location |
Te Awamutu |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
1893 |
|
School type |
Contributing (Years 1 to 6) |
|
School roll |
293 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 53% Girls 47% |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 48% |
|
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) |
Yes |
|
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
|
Review team on site |
June 2018 |
|
Date of this report |
30 August 2018 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review May 2015 |