Te Kura o Pātiki Rosebank School

School Context

Rosebank School (Auckland) caters for students in Years 1 to 6. Currently 13 percent of the roll are Māori, 34 percent Samoan, and 12 percent Tongan. There are smaller groups from other ethnic backgrounds.

The school’s mission is “To raise student achievement through enhancing teacher capability within a reflective learning culture.” Its vision of “moving forward as successful lifelong learners” is underpinned by the school values of Manaaki mai (Respect self), Manaaki atu (Respect others), Manaaki i te taiao (Respect the environment).

The school’s strategic focus is on developing teacher capability, strengthening partnerships with parents and the community, and providing inspiring, learning-centred classrooms. Providing a positive and safe emotional and physical environment, and continual school improvement are other goals.

The school sets achievement targets in reading, writing and mathematics, with a specific focus on increasing the engagement, progress and achievement of Māori and Pacific learners. The school’s Māori and Pacific bilingual classes, Te Whānau and Tupulaga, have increased their numbers.

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

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in mainstream and bilingual classes
• achievement for students with additional learning needs and for English Language Learners
• progress and achievement in relation to school targets
• programmes including positive behaviour for learning, reading recovery and literacy
• student and staff wellbeing.

Since the 2015 ERO evaluation, a new principal was appointed in Term 4, 2017. He has been instrumental in guiding changes needed to address the development priorities noted in the 2015 ERO report.

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 uses a variety of strategies to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for students. Achievement information shows the majority of students achieve at or above expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics.

2018 achievement information shows the school is working more successfully towards achieving equity for some groups of students. In particular, there are positive signs that the school’s longstanding disparity in achievement for boys and Māori students in literacy is reducing.

Students achieve well in relation to the school’s broader valued outcomes. Most students:

• understand and value their own cultural identity and that of others
• understand that they are members of a wider global community, and respond to others with compassion and care
• are active learners who are striving to maximise their potential
• recognise the uniqueness of their school, and are learning to take care of their own and others’ physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing.

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

The school can now demonstrate evidence of successful acceleration for different groups of learners. Leaders have been more deliberate and focused in their recent responses and approaches to support students whose learning and achievement needs acceleration. These approaches include:

• defining acceleration and producing visual examples of what this looks like so that teachers have shared understanding
• creating a data wall to ensure transparency about student achievement across the school, and explicit expectations that all children should make sufficient progress and achieve
• an increased focus on knowing the learner, their languages and cultures.

These increasingly successful approaches are helping teachers to positively respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

2018 achievement information shows greater equity for all groups of students in mathematics. Overall mathematics achievement has been steadily lifting for all groups of students over time.

Teachers, learning assistants and leaders know students well as individuals. Target students and those requiring additional support are identified, tracked and monitored. Leaders and teachers could more deliberately document in planning for reading, writing and mathematics, the rate of accelerated progress (within a specific timeframe) expected for each target student.

Students respond positively to a range of initiatives to increase their engagement, self-advocacy and learning success. For example, students’ work as ‘reading coaches’ is equipping them with skills as both learners and teachers. Through improved parent and community involvement, parents are also building and sharing their skills to support their children’s learning at home.

Students with additional learning needs are identified and carefully monitored through individual learning plans and learning support network meetings. Multi-layered approaches support their wellbeing and ensure that their learning needs are well catered for.

Learning programmes for English Language learners (ELL) are supporting students’ capacity to speak and write in English. Leaders and teachers should consider how these programmes could better support ELL learners’ access to the broader curriculum. Providing programmes that better reflect students’ prior knowledge, interests, cultural stories and strengths would improve their understanding and learning progress. Leaders should evaluate the effectiveness of programmes, including student feedback, to guide ELL curriculum improvements.

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?

Trustees have a strong educational vision and values. This, together with the board’s strategic goals and high expectations for every student, provides a sound platform for enhancing equity and excellence.

Stewardship practices are effective, and trustees are highly committed to their governance responsibilities. Through ongoing board training trustees have developed expertise in their roles. They have successfully navigated the school through a period of change and the appointment of a new principal. The board’s focus on improving the school’s internal evaluation will help trustees to monitor progress being made towards the charter’s goals and achievement targets.

The new principal has worked proactively with the leadership team, teachers and staff. Together they have enhanced the school environment, and built partnerships and relationships with whānau, family and the school community. Leaders are explicitly focused on maintaining a respectful school culture, high expectations of teaching practice, and improving outcomes for learners.

A deliberate priority has been placed on the languages and cultural identities of all learners and their whānau/parents. Structural changes in Te Whānau and Tupulaga bilingual classes to vertical groups and formalised leadership roles is evidence of this prioritising. These changes are contributing to improving conditions for equity and excellence.

Leaders have established a settled and inclusive school tone. Respectful relationships between staff and students underpin the culture of the school, and promote purposeful expectations for learning. Students experience environments that support their learning participation and engagement. Their cultures and languages are valued, and they have opportunities to make connections to authentic and real world contexts.

Leaders and teachers are building relational trust and collaboration with parents, whānau and the wider community. This is creating learner-centred opportunities for students’ wellbeing and achievement. Students, teachers and adults benefit from these reciprocal relationships that are educationally focused. Links to other education and community agencies are also enhancing these partnerships. 

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

Senior leaders agree it is a priority to continue reviewing the school’s curriculum delivery so that it better reflects the principles of the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). Ensuring students experience a broad, challenging curriculum, with explicit expectations that promote their creativity and innovation would support them to become successful lifelong learners.

To sustain and further support equity and excellence, trustees and leaders should now use achievement information to:

• scrutinise data to identify priorities for improvement
• monitor the implementation of improvement actions, and evaluate their impact on outcomes for students
• evaluate progress towards strategic and annual goals, and the impact of actions taken, so that this information can be used for ongoing improvement.

A more strategic approach to evaluation would support trustees and leaders to gauge the extent to which all learners are experiencing success. It would enable them to determine which improvement initiatives are most effective for learners.

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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
  

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board should document the response it follows with regard to any complaint received, so that there is an evidential trail to show how policy and procedures have been followed.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• school leadership capability to guide strategic and well-considered change management
• respectful relationships between staff and students that underpin the culture of the school and promote purposeful expectations for learning
• educationally powerful connections and relationships with parents, whānau and community that support student wellbeing, and positive social and academic outcomes
• school governance that actively and very effectively represents and serves the school and community, and communicates a clear direction for the school.

Next steps

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

• reviewing, designing and implementing a broad curriculum that reflects the NZC principles, provides students with appropriate challenge, promotes their creativity and innovation, and supports them to achieve their potential as lifelong learners
• continuing to widen leaders’ and teachers’ knowledge and use of achievement data to increase their capability to identify and address learning disparities.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region

14 February 2019

About the school 

Findings

There is a strong sense of pride and belonging at Rosebank School that is shared by staff, students and wider school community. Students are respectful and learn in an inclusive, culturally affirming environment. Central to school decision making is the emphasis on bilingual Māori and Samoan learning and best outcomes for children. 

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?

Rosebank School provides a welcoming culture for its predominantly Māori and Pacific students. The school’s overarching vision “for children to be successful and stand proudly in their own and in a global world” is enacted through caring relationships and practices within a positive school environment. Since ERO’s 2013 report the diversity of students has increased and many students have home languages other than English.

The school’s commitment to providing Māori and Samoan language bilingual classes, Te Whānau and Tupulaga, remains. A special feature of the school setting is the Community Hub which promotes, and has the potential to strengthen, learning relationships between the community, school, parents, whānau and children. Other features of the school setting include the onsite Home Interaction Programme for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) programme, the spacious well-resourced library and productive school gardens. These facilities are well used to enhance students’ learning and community participation.

The school is led by an experienced principal and a committed board of trustees. Significant staff professional development has been targeted towards improving outcomes for students. ERO’s 2013 report noted the inclusive school culture, the meaningful home-school partnerships and a well-considered approach to professional learning. These positive features have been sustained and further developed.

2 Learning

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

The school uses achievement information well to promote student learning. School leaders and teachers monitor school-wide achievement and progress. Trustees use achievement information to ensure that resources are focused on the areas of greatest learning need.

Students are confident and enjoy affirming relationships with each other as well as with the staff. They are highly engaged and work independently and collaboratively. Increasingly they can talk about their achievement and are supported to set learning goals. Attractive classroom environments support and celebrate students’ learning.

The school’s National Standards data indicates students achieve well in reading and mathematics, including students in the bilingual classes. Writing achievement information is a little lower, but still shows that over 50 percent of students meet the National Standards. Māori and Pacific student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics is similar to that of other students in the school.

Senior leaders use assessment data to monitor target students and ensure that students receive the help they need to progress in reading, writing and mathematics. They work with teachers to put in place support programmes that are carefully matched to the needs of identified students and monitor the progress students make while on these programmes. A next step for senior leaders is to report to the board about how well these programmes are promoting student learning. They should also use their sound assessment analyses to better meet Ministry of Education (MoE) reporting requirements.

The school has continued to seek ways to involve whānau and families in their children’s education. Mutukāroa, the school’s partnership programme, is a new initiative. Teachers work closely with families to develop and review individual learning programmes in order to enhance learning partnerships with whānau and families. Parents value this initiative and appreciate the availability of resources to support their children’s learning at home.

To strengthen current practice and further promote positive outcomes for students, trustees and senior leaders agree it would be useful to:

• set more relevant and meaningful charter targets that reflect the specific needs of groups and individual students who are at risk of not achieving
• assist teachers to more deeply evaluate the impact of their teaching practice on students’ achievement
• increase students’ understanding about their own learning so they can take more ownership of it
• continue to extend steps to help parents and whānau support their children to make accelerated learning progress.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s culturally responsive curriculum effectively promotes and supports student learning. The curriculum appropriately prioritises student wellbeing as well as their literacy, mathematics and science learning. Bilingual programmes affirm students’ home languages and cultural identity.

Learning programmes are relevant and flexible. They feature a natural integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance learning opportunities for students. A wide range of co-curricular activities, leadership, sports, cultural programmes, environmental experiences and education outside the classroom helps ensure students engage in meaningful learning contexts. School leaders recognise that a sequential te reo Māori programme should be developed to enhance the Māori dimension of New Zealand’s cultural heritage.

Teachers are highly collegial and willingly share their expertise. They are committed to strengthening their practice and have benefited from well-focused professional development that has included the use of both internal and external expertise. The school’s coaching and mentoring approach is also assisting teachers to further develop subject expertise and associated teaching strategies. This approach has much potential as a model to develop the consistency of expected teacher practices across the school.

School leaders recognise that being more evaluative when reporting to the board about the effectiveness of initiatives is an important next step for curriculum development.

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

Māori students comprise 14 percent of the school roll. Tīkanga Māori is well respected and has a place within the school. Māori students proudly participate in school powhiri, with senior students leading karanga, whaikōrero, waiata and haka. Te Whānau provides a cultural setting where students involved are enriched in tīkanga Māori. Extending opportunities for Māori students in the mainstream classes to participate in kapa haka is a natural next step for promoting Māori success.

Trustees and school leaders are using the Ministry of Education’s Māori education strategy
Ka Hikitia - Accelerating Success 2013 – 2017, to further develop their understanding of what educational success as Māori means. Working together with whānau to create a strategic education plan could provide a more coordinated approach to raising success for Māori students. This planning could specify even higher achievement targets and identify whānau and student aspirations for success as Māori. The New Zealand School Trustee Association’s resource, Hautū, could be a useful self review tool to guide the development of such a plan.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The inclusive school culture and committed staff, trustees and community provide a strong foundation for sustaining and improving student learning.

The experienced senior leadership team is continuing to build shared leadership approaches to support curriculum development. This helps teachers to participate in, and build collective accountability and responsibility for, student progress and curriculum improvements. The principal recognises the need for teacher appraisals to be more evidenced based to demonstrate how well teachers are meeting the new Education Council expectations.

The school community is loyal and supportive of the school. It values the way in which teachers’ know children and families well. Clear, regular communication could help the community to be better informed about school practices and developments.

Trustees are committed to supporting the school’s ongoing development. The new board chair is keen to improve the quality of governance systems and processes. The board should review its operations and give higher priority to its role in setting, evaluating and monitoring strategic and annual goals. The principal could now adapt her reporting to focus on the progress of these goals.

ERO affirms the school’s next steps to review the charter and strategic plan. A collaborative approach to self review that includes input from the board, staff, students and school community could provide ongoing valuable information to guide and affirm the school direction.

The board and school leaders acknowledge the need to develop and implement an effective process for robust self review to support ongoing improvement. A well planned review cycle could help to ensure that appropriate emphasis is given to reflecting on school direction and the effectiveness of improvements. The board could now consider accessing external training to support trustees and school leaders in the school’s next phase of development.

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.

In order to comply with current legislation the board must ensure that:

• in consultation with the school’s Māori community, it develops and makes known the school’s policies, plans and targets for improving the achievement of Māori students
• an ongoing programme of self-review of policies, procedures and practices is maintained
• an analysis of variance between the school’s performance and the relevant aims, objectives, directions, priorities, or targets set out in the school charter is completed annually.

National Administration Guideline (NAG) 1 (e), 2 (b), 8

Recommendations to other agencies

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education offers the school support and guidance to help strengthen governance practices and processes.

Conclusion

There is a strong sense of pride and belonging at Rosebank School that is shared by staff, students and wider school community. Students are respectful and learn in an inclusive, culturally affirming environment. Central to school decision making is the emphasis on bilingual Māori and Samoan learning and best outcomes for children. 

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

Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

12 November 2015

About the School