Puahue School

Education institution number:
1902
School type:
Contributing
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
136
Telephone:
Address:

573 Puahue Road, Te Awamutu

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Puahue School - 06/09/2019

School Context

Puahue School is located near Te Awamutu and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school’s current roll of 146 includes 23 Māori students and a small number of students from a range of other cultural backgrounds.

The school’s vision aims to ‘enable positive Puahue pupils to reach their own potential, contributing to a sustainable future.’ The school’s virtues encourage students to show respect/whakaute, perseverance/hiranga, kindness/atawhai and excellence/rawe.

The school’s strategic goals focus on:

  • raising student progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
  • enhancing learning environments to allow more collaborative teaching and learning opportunities
  • implementing digital technologies into the school curriculum.

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 2016 ERO review a new middle leadership structure has been established with the appointment of an assistant principal. The principal and deputy principal have remained in their roles, while trustees are all new. Leaders and teachers have undertaken professional learning and development in literacy, mathematics and culturally responsive practices. There have also been significant property enhancements in the school.

The school is a member of the Rural and Roses school cluster.

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?

The school is achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most students.

The school’s data for 2018 shows that almost all students are achieving at or above expected levels in reading and most in writing and mathematics. This pattern of achievement has been sustained over time.

Boys and girls are achieving at comparable levels in all areas. Mid-year data for 2019 shows that Māori student achievement has improved significantly in writing and mathematics from 2018. Māori students are outperforming their Pākehā peers in writing and are working at similar levels in mathematics. Significant disparity remains in reading.

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

The school is accelerating learning for some Māori and other students who need it.

Leaders and teachers can show effective acceleration for priority learners in writing and mathematics as a result of school targeted interventions and support during 2019. The school’s achievement information for 2018 also shows effective acceleration in reading and mathematics.

Students with additional learning needs are well supported and make appropriate progress in relation to their individual goals.

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 curriculum promotes high levels of student engagement and success. A wide range of rich learning opportunities develop students’ knowledge and skills in authentic contexts. A feature of the school curriculum is rural school traditions that are valued by parents and the wider community. Students benefit from learning in attractive and well-resourced environments. Opportunities to develop leadership skills and positive tuakana teina relationships support a nurturing and whānau environment.

The school has a highly inclusive culture for learning. Students with additional needs are well catered for in classroom programmes and benefit from individualised planning and learning assistance. Effective liaison with a wide range of outside agencies supports families and students’ learning and behavioural needs. Trustees make informed decisions and provide resourcing to enable equitable opportunities to learn.

Teachers use effective strategies to enhance learning. Students at risk are clearly identified through a range of appropriate assessment information. Individual progress and achievement are closely monitored and tracked over time. Student learning is well supported through explicit planning and appropriate learning activities. Strong communication with parents, families and whānau support positive partnerships. Warm and affirming relationships contribute to calm and settled environments for learning.

Leadership is highly focused on building teacher capability. Professional learning is prioritised to support individual and collective needs. Culturally responsive practices have been strengthened across the school and contribute to a sense of belonging for Māori students. Effective collaboration contributes to a cohesive team culture and a shared approach to raising student achievement.

High expectations and clear guidelines for teaching and learning promote consistency of high-quality teaching practices across the school.

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

Aspects of internal evaluation require strengthening. There is a need to:

  • extend strategic targets to focus on accelerating the learning of all students at risk
  • regularly report to the board on rates of progress over time
  • inquire more deeply into what is making a difference for accelerated outcomes to better inform and align strategic direction and decision making.

Continuing to empower students in their own learning pathways is an agreed focus for the school. Useful frameworks have been developed to support students to understand identified goals and levels of learning. However, there is a need to further strengthen students’ knowledge and reflection on their current learning and next steps, especially for students at-risk of not achieving.

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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Puahue School’sperformance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • leadership for learning that contributes to the sustainability of effective teaching
  • teaching practice that is focused on improving outcomes for all students
  • an inclusive culture for learning that supports individual students’ needs.

Next steps

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

  • student agency to grow fully independent learners
  • internal evaluation and targeted action to accelerate learning.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central Region

6 September 2019

About the school

Location

Te Awamutu

Ministry of Education profile number

1902

School type

Contributing (Years 1 – 6)

School roll

146

Gender composition

Male 54% Female 46%

Ethnic composition

Māori 16%
NZ European/Pākehā 77%
Other 7%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

No

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

August 2019

Date of this report

6 September 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review June 2016
Education Review January 2013
Education Review December 2009

Puahue School - 07/06/2016

1 Context

Puahue School, located near Te Awamutu, caters for children in Years 1 to 6. There are currently 119 children enrolled including 11 who are Māori. Staffing has remained consistent since the 2013 ERO review.

Teachers have been involved in developing culturally responsive practices where children's unique cultural strengths are identified and nurtured to promote a sense of pride and wellbeing. The school is currently establishing relationships with the Parawera Marae whānau. This assists all children to make links and connections with local iwi and experience Māori language, culture and history within a marae context.

Parents actively support the school and work collaboratively with teachers to improve learning opportunities for their children.

The school has a positive ERO reporting history. A new board of trustees' chairperson took up her position in 2015.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are to prepare positive children to reach their potential and contribute to a sustainable future. It is expected that children will always do their personal best, be proud of themselves, others, their school environment and become self-managing learners.

The school’s achievement information shows that nearly all Māori children were achieving at or above in relation to National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. School achievement information for other children in the school shows that 13 achieved below the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. A higher proportion of these children who were not achieving were boys. The proportion of children underachieving has decreased over the past four years in all areas.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has accessed professional learning in writing and mathematics to enhance their practice and to better respond to the specific learning needs and interests of children. An external consultant has worked closely with teachers to develop their writing programmes, with a focus on increasing children's ownership of their learning and progress. In addition, the mathematics lead teacher has supported other teachers to reflect on and improve their practice. These developments enable teachers to more effectively target the specific learning needs of children needing extension or extra support.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

Teachers have developed effective and useful processes and practises to respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration in reading, writing and mathematics.

An appropriate range of assessment tools are used to monitor and accelerate the progress and achievement of identified children. Leaders and teachers use the information well to develop individual goals and strategies to support and assist children. This approach has led to improved levels of student achievement particularly for those children below expected levels. The school's special education needs coordinator (SENCO) works effectively with teachers and teacher aides.

Other factors that have contributed to the accelerated progress of children include:

  • board allocated funding for teacher professional development and learning support and resources
  • promoting a range of high quality teaching practices such as co-operative learning, quality questioning about learning strategies, and differentiated teaching for individuals and groups of children
  • positive and respectful relationships between teachers and parents, which includes regular informal discussions about their child's strengths and needs
  • opportunities for children to take leadership roles in areas of personal strength
  • the appropriate use of outside agencies and specialists.

The school has identified that some targeted children made expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics in 2015. Of the 12 children who were specifically targeted for support interventions in reading and mathematics during 2015, most made accelerated progress by the end of the year. No children made accelerated progress in writing and the school needs to identify strategies to improve this. Children with identified special needs benefitted from individual learning plans and made progress in their learning. Many school and classroom practices are improving learning outcomes for Māori and other learners.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and priorities for equity and excellence?

The school curriculum and other organisational processes and practices are partially effective in the development of the school's vision and values.

School conditions supporting ongoing improvement are:

  • trustees adopting outside expertise to review the effectiveness of the school's focus on the learning, wellbeing, achievement and progress of Māori children and other learners
  • trustees are well informed about student achievement and make appropriate decisions about resourcing to promote equity and excellence for children
  • school leaders set clear goals and targets to accelerate the learning of children at risk of under achievement. They strategically plan professional learning to support the accelerated progress and achievements of Māori and other learners
  • teachers use effective questioning skills to develop children's understanding about how and what they are learning
  • to support children with special needs to participate in learning opportunities that provide them with appropriate challenges and opportunities
  • parent and whānau contributions to school-wide activities and their strong support for children's learning through participating in productive conversations with their children and teachers.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children?

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
  • respond to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
  • regularly evaluate how teaching is working for these children
  • do not always or systematically act on what they know works for each child
  • have a plan in place but have not yet built teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children.

Strengths of the school include:

  • leaders and teachers use of information to develop individual goals and strategies that address identified needs of individual children
  • teaching practices that promote high levels of child engagement
  • the many opportunities for children to assume leadership roles, experience success and to learn about their natural environment and sustainable practices.

Further school improvement is to review:

  • the charter and ongoing school direction, goals and priorities to align with outcomes in appraisal and self-review processes
  • regularity and approach to communication with the community about school direction, priorities and ongoing operations
  • the school's curriculum to reflect best teaching practice and contexts relevant to Puahue School children and community
  • and continue to strengthen the quality of implementation and sustainability of the te reo and tikanga Māori teaching and learning programme that aims to build teacher capability and confidence
  • the consistency of the analysis of student achievement school-wide by senior leaders, to specifically inform planning for individuals and groups of children
  • and promote opportunities for children to take ownership of their learning, including self-assessment and identification of next steps using clear criteria
  • the staff appraisal process to meet the legislative requirements of the Education Council.

Action: The board, principal and teachers should use the findings of this evaluation, the Effective School Evaluation resource, the Internal Evaluation: Good Practice exemplars and the School Evaluation Indicators to develop a Raising Achievement Plan to further develop processes and practices that respond effectively to the strengths and needs of children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated.

As part of this review ERO will continue to monitor the school’s Raising Achievement plan and the progress the school makes. ERO is likely to carry out the next full review in three years.

6 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 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

  • processes for appointing staff

  • stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions

  • attendance

  • compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014

In order to improve practice trustees must:

  • ensure appraisal of teaching staff by the professional leader of the school is based on the Practising Teacher Criteria established by the Education Council for the issue and renewal of practising certificates. The endorsement process must be completed by the professional leader to provide assurance to the teachers and board of trustees.

7 Recommendations

ERO recommends that school leaders develop a coherent approach to self-review with systematic and manageable evaluation aligned to school priorities and those children most at risk of underachieving as outlined in this report.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

7 June 2016

About the school

Location

Te Awamutu, Waikato

Ministry of Education profile number

1902

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

119

Gender composition

Boys 52% Girls 48%

Ethnic composition

Pākehā

Māori

South East Asian

Indian

Other European

84%

10%

2%

1%

3%

Review team on site

March 2016

Date of this report

7 June 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

January 2013

December 2009

February 2007