Reremoana Primary School

1 Context

Reremoana School opened as a new school in 2006 and caters for children from Years 1 to 8 in a relatively new suburb in Manurewa. The majority of children are Pākehā with increasing numbers of Māori and Pacific children attending the school. They are joined by a diverse mix of other cultures including Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern. Approximately one quarter of children at the school speak languages other than English. The school continues to experience roll growth.

The school's positive learning culture is supported by a committed staff and board of trustees. A good number of teachers and support staff are new to the school since ERO's last review in 2011. An existing senior leader was appointed to the principal's position in 2013 and a new deputy principal joined the school in 2014. In addition, a new board of trustees has been recently elected to govern the school.

Improvements to the school's facility including classroom refurbishment were completed at the end of 2015. The school continues to collaborate with other local Manurewa schools to promote equitable outcomes for Māori and Pacific learners.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school are for all children to learn, grow and succeed in an environment that supports them to contribute to society and be good citizens of the future. The school's learning language forms the foundation of teaching and learning programmes throughout the school. It is clearly understood by children, parents and staff, and aims to support children as self-managing learners.

The board, principal and staff aim to build positive relationships with children and whānau and with each other. The school identifies that these relationships are the cornerstone of promoting children's wellbeing and accelerating their learning and achievement.

The school's achievement information shows that by the end of Year 8 the majority of children at Reremoana School, including Māori and Pacific learners, achieve at or above the National Standards. Achievement information for 2015 showed that 98 percent of Year 8 children achieved at or above in reading, and 95 percent in writing. Mathematics achievement for Year 8 children was slightly lower at 88 percent.

School data show that overall children at Reremoana School achieve close to 80 percent in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. These achievement numbers include the 25 percent of the school's children who receive English language learning funding from the Ministry of Education.

Around 60 percent of Māori children are achieving at and above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Pacific children in the school achieve similarly. There are some good examples of groups of children making accelerated progress and of reduced disparity between cohorts over time.

In response to the analysis of their data, school leaders and teachers identify the need to accelerate the progress of children's writing, especially for boys. This is a charter target and an area of leadership inquiry for 2016. Teachers' professional learning for 2016 includes a strong focus on accelerating learning in literacy.

Since the school's 2011 ERO report teachers have participated in various professional learning contracts including visible learning, learning with digital technologies and positive behaviour for learning. Teachers' professional learning in digital technologies has supported increased learning opportunities for children using their own digital devices. To ensure equitable access to digital learning, the school provides access to devices for children who do not bring their own.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has accessed external support to enhance leadership capability throughout the school and to improve teacher appraisals. The school has also further developed curriculum implementation plans for all learning areas and has improved systems and programmes for supporting English language learners.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The school responds effectively to Māori children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. Leaders, teachers and other school staff know children and whānau well. They apply appropriate and effective learning interventions that are based on children's achievement information and their interests and dispositions. The school's data show that these interventions are successful in accelerating children's achievement over time.

Leaders and teachers evaluate the impact of various interventions on improving children's learning engagement and achievement. This good approach includes teachers regularly discussing children's achievement data, and reflecting on and changing their practices to best meet learners' needs.

School leaders ensure that student achievement information is increasingly accurate and valid. Teachers work alongside each other and with teachers from other schools to strengthen the overall judgements they make about children's achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.

At all levels of the school, staff build strong and supportive relationships with parents that promote children's learning and wellbeing. These positive connections include teachers and leaders working with parents and children to set and evaluate learning goals.

The board of trustees and school leaders consult meaningfully with Māori whānau and are responsive to their opinions and ideas. School leaders have made very good use of resources such as Hautū: Māori Cultural Responsiveness Self Review tool for Board of Trustees and Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners, to seek the views of Māori children and make further improvements to the bicultural aspect of the school's curriculum. Improvements include the establishment of kapa haka, increasing use of te reo and te ao Māori in classroom programmes, and a formal plan to raise Māori children's achievement.

These features of the school provide a secure environment for Māori children and their whānau, where their potential is recognised and their mana promoted.

School leaders and the board of trustees recognise that key next steps include:

• working closely in partnership with whānau to accelerate children's achievement
• strengthening staff understanding of Māori success initiatives and their use of te reo and tikanga Māori.

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

The school responds very effectively to other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration, including students with special educational needs and increasing numbers of children for whom English is an additional language. Leaders and teachers maintain strong relationships with other professionals to enhance outcomes for children with diverse learning and wellbeing needs.

School leaders and teachers use data effectively to ensure that programmes and interventions are personalised and purposeful for children. Professional learning for teachers and teacher aides is accessed strategically to best support students' particular learning requirements. Children have increasingly good understanding of their own learning and achievement. They work alongside their teachers and parents to set and evaluate their learning goals and next steps.

The school responds well to Pacific parents' views about the school and has established a Pacific cultural group and a raising achievement plan as part of its approach to be culturally responsive. The board of trustees and school leaders are keen to work in partnership with Pacific parents in making decisions about and leading Pacific initiatives. This positive next step could include aligning decisions made to the school's strategic plan.

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 targets for equity and excellence?

The school's curriculum is highly effective in developing and enacting the school's vision, values and goals. It is broad and encompasses all learning areas alongside an appropriately strong focus on literacy and mathematics. Children take good advantage of the varied sporting, cultural and creative co-curricular experiences available. They ably fulfil leadership roles offered, especially in the senior part of the school.

Children have many opportunities to learn about and in their local area. Learning experiences encourage creativity and authentic problem solving. Teachers plan rich learning programmes that enhance children's confidence and motivation and promote their social values. They skilfully adapt programmes to meet children's changing learning needs, focus on their interests and strengths, and encourage meaningful use of digital devices. Teachers are innovative in their own practices, and they encourage children to take risks in their learning.

Teachers are valued as professionals and are committed to promoting ongoing improvements for children. As a result, children are highly engaged and respond well to the high expectations teachers and staff have for their learning and behaviour. Teachers' professional learning has a positive impact on improving practice, and is particularly enhancing boys' motivation and enjoyment in learning and accelerating their achievement.

In partnership with a very capable senior team, the principal provides highly effective professional leadership. Together, leaders have built a trusting and caring framework that underpins the school's professional work. They focus on promoting equity and excellence for Māori, Pacific and all other learners. As strategic leaders, they have deliberate and considered approaches to managing change, including providing good opportunities for teachers to lead initiatives and programmes.

The school has high quality internal evaluation processes that allow leaders and teachers to evaluate the quality of their curriculum design and delivery. As highly reflective practitioners, they value and respond to critique and are continually enhancing positive outcomes for children. Achievement targets and professional learning goals are well aligned to the school's high quality teacher appraisal system.

The board of trustees is very well led, and provides significant strategic support for the school. Trustees are very well informed about all aspects of school operations. This good knowledge alongside sound financial management allows the board to resource initiatives and programmes in response to children's and staff needs.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

Leaders and teachers:

• know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
• respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
• regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
• act on what they know works well for each child
• build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
• are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

As a result of strong school leadership and clear vision, staff morale and parent engagement in the school is high.

Going forward, the board, school leaders and ERO agree that further embedding of school wide initiatives would deepen opportunities for children to learn, grow and succeed as good citizens and life-long learners. This next step includes working in partnership with Māori and Pacific whānau to further enhance equitable and excellent outcomes for their children.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five 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.

7 Recommendation

ERO recommends that the school continues with its improvement-focused approaches that promote high quality outcomes for Māori, Pacific and all other children. 

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

7 September 2016 

About the school