Porirua Activity Centre

Education institution number:
6127
School type:
Activity Centre
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
0
Telephone:
Address:

28 Kenepuru Drive, Porirua

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Porirua Activity Centre - 21/11/2017

Background

Introduction

Porirua Activity Centre is one of 14 activity centres in New Zealand that cater for secondary school students (Years 9 to 13) who are at risk of disengaging from mainstream schooling and at risk of low educational, social and vocational outcomes.

Activity centres provide a specialised learning programme which will lead to increased attendance, engagement and achievement at school, social outcomes and successful transition rates. Registered teachers support students to increase their achievement and engagement in education guided by an Individual Learning Programme (ILP) which is responsive to the needs of each student.The ILP details the student’s learning goals and is developed in partnership with the student, teacher, parents/whānau and enrolling school.

A key component of the programme for activity centre students is to successfully transition back into the enrolling school or move on to further education or employment.

Tawa Collegeis the managing school for this activity centre. The school Board of Trustees holds governance responsibility for the activity centre and is responsible for providing high quality educational service in a physically and emotionally safe learning environment.

Terms of Reference

This review is based on an evaluation of the performance of Porirua Activity Centre in relation to the terms of reference developed with the Ministry of Education. The terms of reference are:

  • management and governance practices including planning, internal evaluation and professional capacity building

  • the use of information to plan and implement individual programmes for, and with, students, and to monitor their progress

  • support for students to achieve improved social and educational outcomes

  • educational and social outcomes for students, including the extent to which students’ learning has been accelerated

  • students’ experience of interagency support for them and their families

  • transitions in and out of the activity centre.

The key evaluative question is:

How effective is this Activity Centre at achieving positive outcomes for students?

Context

Porirua Activity Centre provides education for up to 20 students in Years 9 to 11 who require personalised support to re-engage in learning. Seven of the current twelve students identify as Māori and two as Pacific.

Since the 2012 ERO review, Tawa College has replaced Aotea College as the host school. Five secondary schools in the Porirua Basin enrol students in the activity centre. Three of these schools have relatively recently appointed principals. A principal group meets termly to consider strategic and ongoing matters related to the activity centre.

There have been significant recent changes to staffing. In 2017, the acting-director and teacher are new to the centre. Familiarising themselves with centre practices and building relationships with schools and external agencies to ensure effective support for the wellbeing and learning of students has been an ongoing challenge.

Since the previous ERO review, facility development has included creating an onsite art and technology area, constructing an all-weather surface for physical activity and upgrading the digital technology infrastructure.

The previous ERO report identified necessary development areas linked to curriculum, assessment practices, ensuring learning is responsive to individual needs and the level of involvement of some enrolling schools. In 2017, these areas are yet to be responded to effectively. Further development is required to allow the centre to be well placed to sustain and improve its performance.

Findings

How effective is the Activity Centre at achieving positive outcomes for students?

Although many students engage more positively with learning while in the activity centre, relatively few (approximately 25% in 2016 and 2017) transition back into school. Some move onto a pathway that provides further educational opportunities outside a school environment. Successes of some students, once they leave the centre, are known anecdotally and are celebrated. Data reported by the activity centre in 2016 and 2017, indicates many students do not make demonstrable progress in literacy and numeracy.

Adults focus on supporting students to attend regularly and develop competencies that will support sustained learning. Centre values of Kotahitanga (Togetherness), Manaakitanga (Caring), Akoranga (Lifelong learning) and Te Ara Whakatia (Making things right) are an integral part of daily practices. Students share and extend their understanding of these attributes as part of re-engaging with learning.

Some information is collected to show attendance, literacy and numeracy achievement and the development of social skills. Progress in these areas is commented on in reports completed by the director. Regular attendance and therefore continuity with learning, remain an issue for some students. More in-depth analysis of data related to the extent of progress, especially in literacy and numeracy, is needed to evaluate the impact of various strategies and the curriculum.

What is the quality of governance and leadership of the Activity Centre?

The managing board receives regular reports on the functioning of the activity centre. Reports include comments on attendance, engagement and achievement, but there is limited evidence-based evaluation of the impact on learners. Reporting should focus more on how well the activity centre is responding to the needs of students. This would enable the board to contribute more to improving outcomes for students.

The director has established goals for improvement of activity centre practice and identified actions to support these. There has been some review of outcomes. Greater use of outcome and progress data as part of reporting and review, including feedback from stakeholders, would support more evaluative consideration of effectiveness.

The managing principal and acting-director of the activity centre are focused on establishing an environment conducive to student learning and wellbeing. Roles and responsibilities of the managing and enrolling schools are documented in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Variable commitment by schools to the priorities and systems included in the memorandum impacts on the overall support individual students receive while enrolled in the activity centre.

The activity centre is well supported by the relationship it has with the managing school, Tawa College. The principal ensures the activity centre has access to suitable resources. He maintains a positive ongoing association with staff. Professional learning for teachers focuses on increasing capacity to respond to the varying and complex needs of students. Ensuring the appraisal process in place is carried out robustly and completed each year, would further assist ongoing teacher development and contribute to improved student outcomes.

The activity centre physical environment suitably provides for the educational, social and recreational needs of students. Systems for ensuring a safe physical and emotional environment need to be fully documented and available for all staff to readily refer to. The managing school should lead a review of current policies, procedures and practices to ensure they are fit for purpose. Centre-based procedures related to bullying and reporting suspected abuse of students need to be reviewed to ensure appropriate guidelines are in place.

How effective are the selection and transition processes?

Most students selected to attend the activity centre settle quickly into the centre and to their learning.

Enrolment guidelines and the transition process are comprehensively documented. The respective responsibilities of all stakeholders are clearly defined. Clear expectations for engagement and respectful relationships are shared with students and whānau. Two school terms are viewed as optimum time to be in the centre, but there is flexibility for individual situations.

Two intake meetings each term involving representatives of schools, discuss potential enrolments and the progress of current activity centre students. Well-considered processes are in place to ensure students are well known emotionally, socially and cognitively. Whānau are welcomed and encouraged to partner with the centre in support of their children.

Some students are enrolled without having a close link to their enrolling school. The associated lack of in-depth knowledge of individual learning strengths and challenges reduces the effectiveness of transition for some students.

Information received from schools during the transition process is of variable quality. The ongoing involvement of teachers from the enrolling school and other agencies once students are part of the activity centre can also be variable. Schools need to ensure they maintain an ongoing active involvement with individual students to maximise the chance of success both in the centre and as they return to school or further education.

How well does the Activity Centre identify the social, emotional and academic needs of each student?

The information the activity centre receives to allow them to know the social, emotional and academic needs of each student in a timely manner is variable. Enrolling schools provide a range of relevant material that includes attendance, agency involvement, behaviour goals, academic achievement (particularly reading and mathematics), school support person(s) and school reports. Students and whānau are encouraged to share their aspirations.

Students emotional and wellbeing needs are effectively supported by both centre staff and external sources. Regular access is available to school counselling services, nurse, dentist and various specialist services. Accessing timely support for some students can be a challenge, particularly in relation to mental health issues and specialist learning support.

How well do the specialised learning programmes meet the needs of each student?

Learning programmes do not always effectively meet the needs of students.

In 2017, formal individual learning programmes (ILPs) have not been completed for all students. Discussion takes place with students, parents/whānau and enrolling schools to consider goals and progress. Some of this is documented, but not to the minimum standard for each ILP as outlined in the MoU.

Formal learning plans should be prepared for each individual student to shape curriculum, track progress and plan for future education, training and employment. The ILP should set challenging and appropriate expectations for learning, social and emotional development for each student. Regular formal review should be carried out in partnership with students and whānau.

The centre is focused on the importance of social and pastoral support as a pathway to improving engagement and achievement of students. Non-teaching staff are an integral part of the programme provided. Adults are caring, collaborative and model inclusive attitudes. The learning environment is managed in ways that support participation.

Teachers employ a range of strategies that promote engagement in learning. There is an ongoing focus on developing and maintaining positive relationships involving students and adults within the centre. Expectations related to individual student behaviours and relationships with others are well-known and regularly shared in group sessions. A restorative approach assists students to reflect on and modify behaviours to those that are more suited to sustained engagement in learning.

Opportunity to learn across a range of curriculum areas is provided. Literacy and mathematics are prioritised. Regularly timetabled classes also include science, technology, life-skills, te reo Māori and careers lessons. Regular excursions and access to external programmes supplements the onsite curriculum. Students are able to maintain involvement in enrolling school cultural and sporting activities.

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu – The Correspondence School (Te Kura) programmes are not currently being used. Consideration should be given to using these programmes to enable the range of student abilities and interests to be responded to more effectively.

Overarching guidelines to support assessment, teaching and learning within the activity centre context are limited. The Porirua Activity Centre curriculum should continue to be developed and documented to provide a framework for personalised learning and a basis for monitoring and evaluating progress.

How effectively are students prepared for their future pathways?

Few students transition back to school. The destination of some other students is not well known.

The centre needs to evaluate the success of programmes in preparing students for future pathways. Review should focus on how well students are supported to re-engage with their school or move to another pathway after being in the centre. This should include consideration of engagement, attendance and academic progress. In addition, formally tracking students beyond their time in the centre would assist internal evaluation of the effectiveness of a range of activity centre practices.

Transition plans are put in place for students as they move back into school or onto further education. Information about students’ progress while in the centre and the support they require is shared. Some students participate in tertiary provider ‘taster’ courses to assist them to decide tertiary training opportunities they may wish to commit to. Possible future pathways are regularly considered in association with whānau.

Processes to maintain communication with schools have been strengthened. Weekly reporting includes comments related to learning behaviours, attendance, social skills, whānau involvement and the curriculum programme within which students are involved. Students’ eventual transition from the activity centre would be assisted if comments also included more detail about progress in literacy and numeracy.

Recommendation

ERO recommends that the managing school board of trustees and centre director regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum, using evidence of student outcomes, to determine what works and what needs to change to promote success for all.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

21 November 2017

About the Activity Centre

Location

Porirua

Ministry of Education profile number

6127

Activity Centre roll

12

Gender composition

Male 9, Female 3

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific

7
3
2

Review team on site

August 2017

Date of this report

21 November 2017

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review
Special Review
Special Review

March 2013
January 2009
June 2005

Porirua Activity Centre - 11/03/2013

1 Background

Introduction

Porirua Activity Centre is one of 14 activity centres in New Zealand that provide alternative schooling for students in Years 9 to 11.  Students are referred by their enrolling schools to activity centres because they are likely to benefit from a specialist programme that will meet their social and educational needs. 

Once accepted at an activity centre, students remain on the roll of the enrolling school, and attend the centre for periods that vary in length depending on students’ readiness for a successful return to schooling.

The programme of learning for students at an activity centre should improve:

  • the attendance of students
  • students’ academic achievement
  • students’ personal and social skills, through a programme that is based on the core competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum or the graduate profile in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

A key component of the programme is the successful and planned transition back into enrolling school or on to further education for activity centre students. 

The host school’s Board of Trustees is responsible for the governance of this activity centre.

Terms of Reference

This review is based on an evaluation of the performance of Porirua Activity Centre in relation to the terms of reference for this review.  The terms of reference are:

  • educational and social outcomes for students, including the extent to which students’ learning has been accelerated
  • the use of information to plan and implement individual programmes for, and with, students, and to monitor their progress
  • management and governance practices including planning, self review and professional capacity-building
  • support for students to achieve improved outcomes
  • students’ experience of interagency support for them and their families
  • transitions in and out of the activity centre. 

2 Context

Porirua Activity Centre provides education for up to 20 students in Years 9 to 11 who require personalised support to re-engage in learning. They receive personal, social and academic mentoring until they, their parents and their teachers determine that they are ready to return to mainstream schooling or move on to further education and training. Twelve of the current 17 students identify as Māori and four as Pacific.

There are two intake meetings a term, involving representatives from the five local colleges and relevant community agencies. Decisions about placement are made collegially, based on students’ needs. The extent to which enrolling schools maintain an interest in and responsibility for students in the centre is highly variable. 

The centre operates as an attached unit of Aotea College which, as host school, has overall responsibility for governance. The centre director moved into the role after the 2009 ERO review. She works closely with the recently appointed principal of the host school, the guidance counsellors of enrolling schools and a range of external support organisations.

In March 2012, the centre moved in to the present building, after a long period of unsatisfactory accommodation.  The new building has been extensively refurbished to provide a suitable, attractive environment for teaching and learning.

Students work mainly on Te Kura (The Correspondence School) programmes in the morning, supervised and supported by staff. The curriculum also incorporates opportunities for students to learn in the community or through supplementary programmes provided at the centre, such as food technology.

Students enjoy the afternoon programmes, which consist of a range of recreational activities aimed at increasing their physical and social wellbeing. Community groups and organisations make a valued contribution by providing resources, personnel and opportunities for learning. Teachers recognise that there are as yet unexplored avenues for enriching the curriculum by making greater use of the strengths and interests of teachers in both the centre and enrolling schools.

The January 2009 ERO report recommended that managers of the host school support the director to strengthen aspects of centre management, curriculum planning and finance. There has been some progress towards addressing these areas for improvement. However, the centre is not yet well placed to sustain and improve its performance.

3 Findings

The centre's supportive, caring environment is a strength. A major factor in this is the director’s dedication to meeting students’ individual needs and providing personal support. A clear focus on wellbeing is evident in the relationships that adults demonstrate in their interactions with students.

The centre's tone is calm and secure. Positive relationships are evident between students and adults. Staff know students well and model respect and empathy in their interactions with them and each other. Students who spoke with ERO said that they enjoy being there and feel well supported by teachers and other adults. They trust staff to help them personally and to call on community agencies when appropriate.

Success and achievement are celebrated in a variety of ways. Through restorative practices and personal development programmes, students learn about the triggers and consequences of their behaviour and how it affects other people. A rewards system reinforces positive effort and change. The attendance of most students improves significantly while they are at the centre.

Students are well supported when they arrive at the centre. A range of information is collected to assist with planning individual, personalised programmes. Transitions out of the centre are well planned in consultation with the student, teachers and the enrolling school or training provider.

Māori students benefit from the centre's supportive environment and holistic care approach. Staff demonstrate culturally responsive practices in day-to-day routines and interactions.

Collation and analysis of assessment data are not yet sufficiently comprehensive or robust, and measures of students’ social and personal development are yet to be well defined. Teachers rely largely on Te Kura for assessment and monitoring of students’ achievement. The expected role of centre teachers is to interpret the information for students and closely monitor the suitability of learning resources for each individual. Details of the specific learning needs of each student, however, are not systematically gathered and used to guide teaching and learning.

Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for students in the centre are not well developed. Consequently, teachers are not yet in a strong position to use achievement information effectively to promote students’ engagement and learning.

The quality and value of reports on students’ achievement are constrained by the limited assessment and analysis practices. The director provides updates to the host school board, and enrolling schools receive reports on how individual students are progressing. Parents and whānau gain some knowledge of students’ progress through the IEP process, and written reports are sent out in Term 4.

There is a trend for more students to remain at the centre for part or all of Year 11. Teachers now need to develop systems for monitoring, using and reporting achievement information about progress towards National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA).

Levels of student engagement in learning are highly variable. ERO’s evaluation found that some students are motivated, while others lack focus. Teachers should take greater care to ensure that the curriculum is responsive to the individual student's interests, strengths, goals and needs. A flexible approach is needed to ensure that the programme successfully promotes each student’s engagement in learning. Greater focus on engaging students as active, independent learners is likely to increase their self-motivation and support them to take increased responsibility for their own progress.

The director’s aim to develop closer links with local iwi and marae is reflected in the draft annual plan. Specific actions and timelines for bringing this about, however, are not identified.

To promote educational success for Māori students as Māori, key steps for continued development are:

  • incorporation of Māori perspectives in IEP processes
  • separate analysis of the achievement of and outcomes for Māori students
  • use of the Ministry of Education's framework Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners

In order to improve outcomes for students, the host school recognises the need to develop and implement effective governance systems and processes, including:

  • self review
  • strategic and annual planning
  • appraisal
  • monitoring health and safety requirements.

In addition, enrolling principals and the director need to ensure that they have a shared understanding of and commitment to the vision and priorities of the centre.

4 Future Action

The board of trustees of the host school, Aotea College, has included the activity centre's planned future development in the school's strategic plan. ERO acknowledges this planning and will evaluate progress during the Arotake Paetawhiti Review of Aotea College.

ERO is likely to carry out a cluster review of Activity Centres, including Porirua Activity Centre, in three years. 

Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services
Central Region (Acting)

11 March 2013

About the Activity Centre 

Location

Porirua

Ministry of Education profile number

6127

Activity Centre roll

17

Gender composition

Male 14, Female 3

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pacific
NZ European/Pākehā

12
  4
  1

Review team on site

October 2012

Date of this report

11 March 2013

Most recent ERO reports

Special Review

Special Review

Accountability Review

January 2009

June 2005

May 2001