Pukeoware School

Pukeoware School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within eight months of the Education Review Office and Pukeoware School working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz

Context 

Pukeoware School is located in a rural environment near Waiuku, providing education for students in Years 1 to 8.

Pukeoware School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • prioritising academic acheivement and wellbeing for all students

  • strengthening cultural understanding and practice consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Pukeoware School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively targeted actions improve outcomes for all students in literacy, with a particular focus on raising achievement for boys. Strengthening collective knowledge and capability in evaluation is an ongoing priority for the school.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • the school’s commitment to improving equitable outcomes in literacy for all students

  • the focus on raising achievement in boys’ reading and writing, as identified through analysis of data

  • the importance of strengthening internal evaluation practices and capability for continuous improvement.

The school expects to see increasingly equitable outcomes for learners in literacy.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to raise student achievement and improve equitable outcomes:

  • leadership and experienced teachers that collaboratively support continuous improvement

  • comprehensive systems in place to track and monitor student achievement over time

  • strong relationships with families and the local community that support positive partnerships for learning.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • continuing to implement effective strategies to improve outcomes for all students in literacy, and increase boys’ engagement and achievement

  • strengthening collective capability in evaluation to enable sustainability of practice to further inform continuous improvement.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

27 March 2023

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.  educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Pukeoware School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2023 to 2026

As of February 2023 the Pukeoware School, School Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Further Information

For further information please contact Pukeoware School, School Board.

The next School Board assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.

Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

27 March 2023

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Pukeoware School - 15/05/2019

School Context

Pukeoware School is located near Waiuku and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s current roll of 142 includes 33 Māori students and a small number of students from a range of diverse cultural backgrounds.

The school’s vision aims to provide ‘a positive learning community that empowers confident life-long learners’. It includes a focus on supporting students to develop skills and values to become positive contributors to society. The school’s values encourage students to show kaha, toa, aroha and mana.

The school’s strategic goals focus on:

  • attaining a high level of academic achievement and wellbeing

  • accessing quality teaching and learning

  • supporting learners in a safe, effective and future-focused environment

  • demonstrating values at school, home and in the community.

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

  • reading, writing and mathematics.

Since the 2015 ERO review, there have been significant changes to personnel and trustees, including a new principal appointed at the beginning of 2018 and two new deputy principals soon after.

Leaders and teachers have undertaken professional learning and development in literacy, e-learning and wellbeing. Leaders worked with a Student Achievement Function (SAF) practitioner in 2018 to focus on improving outcomes and raising student achievement.

The school is a member of the Waiuku Community of Learning (CoL)|Kāhui Ako.

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 working towards equitable and excellent outcomes for all students.

The school’s data from 2018 shows that most students are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading and the majority of students in writing and mathematics.

There is significant disparity for Māori students in relation to their Pākeha peers in reading and mathematics and some disparity in writing.

Boys and girls are achieving at comparable levels in mathematics. However, there is significant disparity for boys in reading and writing. This pattern of disparity has remained consistent over time.

Data over the past two years shows significant improvement in reading for all students, including Māori students and boys. Overall mathematics achievement has remained at similar levels, although Māori students have continued to improve in their overall achievement.

Leadership has identified writing as a schoolwide focus in response to the 2018 student achievement data.

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 in reading and writing as a result of school targeted interventions.

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?

Leadership is highly focused on improving outcomes for students. A strategic approach to building consistent schoolwide practices has resulted in improved behaviour for learning. Leaders deliberately strengthen teacher capability through effective professional guidance. Professional learning and development has been prioritised to support assessment capability, moderation and improve the overall reliability of the data. Assessment information guides decision making and high quality internal evaluation contributes to continuous school improvement. Positive collaboration between leaders, teachers and trustees enables continuous school development and a cohesive team culture.

Teachers use effective strategies to enhance learning. Students at risk of not achieving are clearly identified through a range of appropriate assessment information. Detailed planning and targeted action are responsive to individual needs. Ongoing teacher inquiry and reflective practice is highly focused on accelerating progress. Warm and affirming interactions between teachers and students contribute to calm and settled environments for learning.

The school has a highly inclusive culture for learning. Students with additional learning needs are well catered for through individualised planning, in-class support and provision through the Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). Effective liaison with a wide range of outside agencies supports students’ wellbeing, learning and behavioural needs. Trustees make informed decisions for resourcing to enable equitable opportunities to learn. Respectful relationships with families enable positive transition into, within and out of the school.

The curriculum provides a wide range of experiences to support engagement in learning. Students benefit from opportunities to participate in cultural, environmental, leadership, sporting and outdoor education activities. Tuakana teina relationships contribute to positive student interactions across the school. Strong rural values and traditions create a sense of community and belonging for students and their families.

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

There is a need to continue to review and strengthen:

  • achievement targets to focus on accelerating learning for all students at risk

  • communication and consultation with parents, whānau and community to gather views and aspirations and develop a shared vision for the direction of the school.

Leaders and teachers should consider ways to further:

  • improve strategies to accelerate learning for students at risk, particularly in writing

  • develop a consistent schoolwide approach to student agency

  • strengthen partnerships for learning to support progress and acceleration

  • enrich Māori language, culture and identity in classroom programmes.

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 Pukeoware School’s performance 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:

  • collaborative leadership that provides effective guidance and strengthens teacher capability
  • teaching practice that prioritises raising student achievement
  • an inclusive culture that supports the individual needs of students.

Next steps

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

  • targeted action to accelerate learning and achieve equity for Māori students and boys
  • empowering students and their families to develop positive learning pathways.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to curriculum. In order to address this, the board of trustees must:

  • in consultation with the school’s Māori community, develop and make known to the school’s community policies, plan and targets for improving the progress and achievement of Māori students
    [NAG 1e].

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

15 May 2019

About the school

Location

Waiuku

Ministry of Education profile number

1454

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

142

Gender composition

Female 52% Male 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori 23%
NZ European/Pākehā 68%
Other 9%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

No

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

March 2019

Date of this report

15 May 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review June 2015
Education Review August 2012
Education Review May 2009

 

 

 

 

Image removed.

Ko te Tamaiti te Pūtake o te Kaupapa

The Child – the Heart of the Matter

Pukeoware School - 23/06/2015

Findings

Pukeoware School serves a rural community. Students are proud of their school and parents have many opportunities to be involved in their children’s learning. Staff and trustees have a strong commitment to the school. Senior leaders are focused on improvement and are working to ensure that teachers’ practice is aligned to current best practice.

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

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Pukeoware School, near Waiuku, caters for students in Years 1 to 8. An enrolment scheme established in 2005 prioritises enrolment of students who live in the school zone.

Parents report that they choose to enrol their children at the school because of its rural setting and its ‘family feel’. An active Parent Teacher Association (PTA) supports the board and school initiatives. The wider parent community has many opportunities to be involved in the school.

The school and classrooms have a positive tone. Parents spoke to ERO, expressing their confidence in the direction of the school’s new charter and the curriculum. The senior leadership team is leading the new direction. External and internal resource people and professional learning opportunities are supporting leaders and teachers to implement the new initiatives.

The long serving staff is collegial and knows the local community well. The recently appointed assistant principal contributes expertise in modern junior class teaching and is confident to promote te ao Māori.

The 2012 ERO report identified some areas of good practice. Some progress has been made in addressing areas identified for development.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

The school uses appropriate assessment tools to evaluate students’ learning. Teachers use relevant assessment tools to gain a deeper understanding of students’ learning needs. There is growing consistency in the way that teachers use student achievement information to inform their planning.

Senior leaders have established good systems and frameworks to support teachers to monitor and track the progress of their students. Teachers are beginning to use these systems to identify and help them plan for students in their class who need to make better progress. Increasingly teachers are being expected to share and reflect on the extent to which their teaching practice meets the needs of their students.

Ongoing professional development is helping teachers to build their knowledge of assessment and improve their use of achievement information. This is supporting them to refine their processes for making overall teacher judgements (OTJ) about student achievement in relation to the National Standards.

The school has been part of trialling the Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT) for mathematics. Teachers are now aware of the breadth of information to be considered when making OTJs. As a result, senior leaders are more confident that National Standards data in mathematics accurately reflect student progress and achievement. ERO and senior leaders agree that more robust moderation will help to ensure the reliability of student achievement data in reading and writing.

Students are confident and articulate in discussing what they are doing. They are ready to be given greater responsibility for setting goals for their learning and planning ways to achieve them. To do this, they require further support from teachers to help them understand more about their progress and achievement.

ERO and senior leaders agree that it is necessary for teachers to review and improve their practice, in relation to:

  • providing information and feedback to students so that they know what they are learning, why it is worth learning, and how well they are progressing and achieving
  • ensuring students have greater ownership of their learning through increased choice, and better opportunities for setting individual learning goals and reflecting on their progress and achievement
  • improving the accuracy and consistency of OTJs made in relation to the National Standards.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

Students are enthusiastic about their school and willingly engage in learning programmes. Positive relationships are generally evident between students, and between teachers and students. These relationships underpin teaching and learning.

Since the last ERO review the school has worked to develop and document a local curriculum. Trustees, teachers and parents contributed ideas to this school curriculum. Te Akonga o Pukeoware identifies useful skills and attitudes for students to develop while at the school. It provides a basis for updating teaching and learning programmes in line with The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). However, the learning possibilities outlined in the curriculum documents are yet to be fully realised for students.

Teachers cover the broader curriculum by identifying an overarching concept for each term. Teams of teachers then more closely define aspects of the concept that will be particularly relevant to students. Teachers are trialling an inquiry approach to learning in science, social studies and technology. These approaches should help make the curriculum meaningful for students and actively engage them in learning.

Literacy and numeracy are strongly emphasised and teachers group students for instruction in both reading and mathematics. The school day is designed around four blocks of learning time. This arrangement can result in considerable downtime for students as they return to and resettle in their classrooms. School leaders have plans that will support teachers to better maximise students' learning time.

Classroom environments generally reflect what students are learning and in some classrooms there are visual displays that are likely to help students understand their learning. Students have good opportunities to participate in sports and activities beyond the classroom. Many of these activities are led and well supported by parents.

ERO and senior leaders agree that to fully realise the intent of the NZC, it will be necessary for teachers to:

  • understand and fully implement the key elements of programmes that are aligned to the school’s curriculum
  • provide good quality opportunities for students to use information and communication technologies (ICT) across the curriculum to support, research and present their learning
  • embed the use of inquiry learning approaches to promote students' lifelong learning skills.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

The school is finding ways to promote educational success for Māori, as Māori.

Making te reo and tikanga Māori part of their teaching practice has been challenging for some teachers. A recently adopted appraisal process, based on the Registered Teacher Criteria (RTC) and Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners, has the potential to help them address the challenge. This appraisal process appropriately emphasises the importance of all teachers planning for and promoting te ao Māori.

A recently appointed leader is leading initiatives to raise the visibility of tangata whenua within the school. These initiatives should help the school to better honour its obligations to the Treaty of Waitangi. Māori students who spoke with ERO had positive suggestions about how the school could act on its bicultural commitment.

Teachers, senior leaders and the board of trustees should consider how to further promote Māori students’ confidence as tangata whenua and promote bicultural practice for all students.

4 Sustainable Performance

How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?

The board of trustees is well led. Trustees bring experience and expertise to their roles. They have had training to increase their understanding of school governance. As a result, the board now works more cohesively and is better able to respond to the school community.

Trustees recently contributed to the development of the school charter for the first time. They saw this as worthwhile process. It helped them to clarify their understanding of the school’s vision and their role in school governance. As a result, there is improved alignment between school documentation and reporting.

Trustees should now develop better self review. This should be designed to give them assurance that the board and school meet regulatory and other requirements. Self review should also enable the board to evaluate its progress towards, and achievement of charter and strategic goals. Findings from self review will assist trustees to make well-informed decisions.

The senior leadership team is knowledgeable and committed to improvement. They collaborate well. Senior leaders recognise teachers’ strengths and capabilities. They ensure teachers have opportunities to grow their skills in line with current best practice and expectations.

ERO considers it is urgent for senior leaders to:

  • review how effectively students’ learning time in school is being maximised
  • implement and embed expectations about how teachers are to deliver the school’s curriculum effectively.

In order to improve practice trustees should ensure:

  • policy review is robust and that the board can be assured its policies are guiding school operations
  • there are well-documented and implemented policies and processes to do with keeping in-committee minutes, handling complaints and dealing with privacy issues
  • full documentation is retained about student stand downs, suspensions and exclusions.

Senior leaders have developed an action plan to address the areas identified for improvement in this report, and have forwarded the plan to ERO. Acting on this plan should support the principal and board to develop and embed strategies for ongoing improvement.

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:

  • board administration
  • curriculum
  • management of health, safety and welfare
  • personnel management
  • financial management
  • asset management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:

  • emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
  • physical safety of students
  • teacher registration
  • processes for appointing staff
  • stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
  • attendance.

Conclusion

Pukeoware School serves a rural community. Students are proud of their school and parents have many opportunities to be involved in their children’s learning. Staff and trustees have a strong commitment to the school. Senior leaders are focused on improvement and are working to ensure that teachers’ practice is aligned to current best practice.

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

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

23 June 2015

About the School

Location

Waiuku

Ministry of Education profile number

1454

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

186

Gender composition

Boys 50% Girls 50%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

British

Indian

Other

13%

77%

5%

2%

3%

Review team on site

April 2015

Date of this report

23 June 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

August 2012

May 2009

September 2006