St Joseph's Catholic School (Onehunga)

Education institution number:
1494
School type:
Full Primary
School gender:
N/A - No Boarders
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
177
Telephone:
Address:

125 Church Street, Onehunga, Auckland

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St Joseph's School (Onehunga) - 12/06/2019

School Context

St Joseph’s School (Onehunga) caters for girls in Years 1 to 8 and for boys in Years 1 to 6. The school values its history and heritage. It has strong intergenerational connections and significant links with the parish and community.

The school is culturally diverse. Many children and families in the multi-cultural community speak more than one language.

The school’s motto ‘To love and to serve’ and ‘Saint Joseph’s Principles’ underpin the school’s Catholic Mercy values of respect, justice, compassion, care and service.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

  • achievement in relation to annual school targets

  • additional learning support

  • student attendance information

  • the school’s special character programmes.

Since the 2014 ERO evaluation, the school has:

  • appointed a new principal

  • introduced a new team leadership structure

  • extended the provision of e-learning devices

  • continued to develop an authentic localised curriculum.

The school is a member of the Te Iti Kahurangi Community of Learning l 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 achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all children. Achievement information over the last four years shows that most children are achieving at expected curriculum levels in reading and mathematics, and the large majority achieve at expectation in writing.

The 2018 achievement information shows that leaders and teachers have successfully achieved in-school equity in writing. They continue to identify in-school disparity for specific groups of children, and a variety of initiatives to specifically accelerate progress and achievement are in place.

Children achieve very well in relation to other valued outcomes. Children:

  • experience relationships built on respect, compassion and service
  • demonstrate and live the St Joseph’s values enthusiastically in everyday school life.

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

The school responds well to all children whose learning and achievement needs accelerating.

Leaders and teachers place a high priority on responding to the learning needs of all children who need to make accelerated progress. They maintain a stringent ‘line of sight’ across the progress and achievement of all learners. Leaders now appropriately plan to involve team leaders in the analysis and evaluation initiatives to accelerate children’s progress.

Robust systems for identifying and monitoring children requiring additional support are in place. Achievement data show Māori and Pacific children have made accelerated progress in literacy and mathematics. Numerous in-class and additional learning programmes are successfully supporting these children.

Teachers’ professional learning has supported them to use a range of appropriate teaching strategies to ensure children develop the specific literacy and numeracy skills or knowledge that are required. Leaders, teachers and teacher aides respond well to children with additional learning needs within an inclusive environment. These children are supported well to experience success.

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?

School leadership is effective. Leaders have high expectations for teaching and learning, and a planned approach to building teachers’ capability. Deliberate and well-considered professional learning for teachers in language and individual teaching inquiries are impacting positively on teachers’ practice and outcomes for children.

Leaders ensure an orderly and supportive learning environment that is conducive to children’s learning and wellbeing. They promote high levels of trust with staff, parents, whānau and the community.

A distributed leadership model and structure has been introduced. This is enhancing the teaching team’s collaboration and programme planning. The school’s ‘Māori Improvement Plan’ to build teachers’ and children’s skills and knowledge in te reo Māori me ona tikanga Māori, is being coordinated by a new leader.

The school’s curriculum places emphasis on reading, writing and mathematics. It is inclusive, authentic and relevant. Learning programmes:

  • build children’s oral language, vocabulary and problem solving skills

  • respond to children’s individual learning needs, strengths, and talents

  • connect with children’s lives, experiences, their communities, and prior knowledge.

Children learn in caring and collaborative classrooms that value and affirm their language, culture and identity. A schoolwide system builds children’s self-management skills and their progressive development as self-directed learners.

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

School leaders agree that development priorities include continuing to develop:

  • learner agency, by providing children with more opportunity to take ownership of their learning
  • team leaders’ analysis of achievement information to support their evaluation of initiatives to accelerate children’s achievement.

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.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of St Joseph’s 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:

  • leadership that builds, supports and models high expectations and a culture of ongoing learning
  • a curriculum that continues to evolve to meet children’s needs, strengths and talents
  • caring and inclusive learning environments that are responsive to children’s wellbeing and learning needs.

Next steps

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

  • support new leaders to develop and embed the new distributed leadership structure
  • embed the Māori Improvement Plan to further develop teachers’ bicultural knowledge and skills
  • strengthen internal evaluation by using an evaluative model.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

  • follow the triennial board elections process
  • undertake relevant professional development
  • ensure that policies are reviewed in a timely manner.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

12 June 2019

About the school

Location

Onehunga, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1494

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 -8)

School roll

201

Gender composition

Girls 55% Boys 45%

Ethnic composition

Māori 8%
NZ European/Pākehā 11%
Samoan 32%
Tongan 26%
Filipino 7%
other ethnic groups 16%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

No

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

April 2019

Date of this report

12 June 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review June 2014
Education Review October 2009
Education Review February 2003

St Joseph's School (Onehunga) - 18/06/2014

1 Context

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

St Joseph’s School (Onehunga) is a Catholic integrated school catering for girls to Year 8 and boys to Year 6. The values, beliefs and practices of the Catholic faith, and 150 years of Mercy tradition, underpin the school charter, curriculum, and school life. The values embodied in the mission statement of the school are strengthening faith, developing pride and seeking excellence. These are deeply held beliefs about what is important and desirable in the school community.

The students come from diverse cultural backgrounds. Many students are English speakers of other languages. Four percent are Māori and seventy-nine percent have Pacific Island heritages. The school has built close connections with its Māori and diverse Pacific communities over many years and second generation families now attend the school. This sense of history is valued by the school community.

The school has a positive ERO reporting history. The board and school leaders are improvement focused and continue to build on innovative practices that promote and support student learning. The recent building development of a library information centre reflects modern learning environments.

The school’s promotion and response to student wellbeing is extensive. There is a positive tone in the school that supports the learning of all students. Strong relationships and connections underpin all practices. Comprehensive pastoral care programmes and access to a social worker for students and families on the school site support students’ wellbeing. Low staff turnover contributes to teachers knowing their students and families well. Students, staff and parents display a strong sense of pride in the school.

2 Learning

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

School achievement information shows that over two thirds of students are consistently achieving at and above the national standards in reading, writing and mathematics. These results compare well with regional and national data in reading and mathematics. The achievement of Pacific and Māori students is higher than that of regional and national cohorts. Good systems are in place to support teachers to make reliable overall teacher judgements in relation to the National Standards.

The board, senior leaders and teachers use achievement information well to make positive changes for learners. Achievement information is used to set school priorities and appropriate achievement targets, and design curriculum programmes. Teachers use achievement information to plan programmes to cater for their students’ different strengths and learning needs. Achievement information is also used by senior leaders and teachers to enquire into the effectiveness of teaching practices and identify suitable professional learning and development opportunities for teachers.

Students’ progress and achievement is closely monitored by teachers, senior leaders and the board. There are high expectations and a shared responsibility for raising all student achievement. Senior managers could now tracks groups of the same St Joseph’s students over their time at the school. This information would give the school more information to identify the value the school makes to student achievement.

Teachers increasingly share assessment information with students. Students are more actively involved in decisions about how to further improve their achievement and they display greater ownership of their learning.

Student enjoyment and engagement in the learning process is clearly evident. Staff have high expectations of students and believe in them as capable, competent learners. Students talk about their learning with confidence and support the learning of their peers.

The school has inclusive and responsive practices and systems to support students with special talents and learning needs. Teachers and learning assistants have a shared commitment to and responsibility for student progress. This shared approach ensures students participate fully in appropriate learning programmes and classroom activities.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum promotes and supports student learning effectively. Since the 2009 ERO report significant developments in design and documentation have strengthened the school’s curriculum. Senior leaders have sought external expertise to support them in their journey of ongoing improvement.

While students continue to benefit from a broad curriculum, oral language is the foundation stone and drives teaching approaches. Emphasis is placed on expanding students’ oral language and vocabulary development. This approach supports authentic contexts for learning as students have opportunities to learn through their own language, culture and identity. These approaches are used across the different curriculum areas.

Other curriculum developments include:

  • explicit linking of the values, principles and key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum to enrich classroom programmes for all learners
  • increased use of student voice in designing the curriculum
  • clear and well connected curriculum documents, such as teacher planning formats, student graduate profile, and effective classroom expectations.

Teachers are well supported to deliver the school curriculum. There are many examples where teachers and learning assistants effectively use strategies that promote linguistically and cognitively rich classrooms. Teachers are reflective of their practice. They share teaching approaches and ideas, and are well supported by professional learning programmes and meaningful teacher appraisals.

ERO and senior leaders identify future priorities for further developing the curriculum could include:

  • greater use of digital devices as tools for learning
  • teachers building on what is familiar and relevant in students’ lives to develop new learning.

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

The school has nine students who are Māori. Students and their parents/whānau value the school’s commitment to building students’ confidence in their individual cultural identity. Māori students have positive attitudes to school and learning. They are achieving at similar levels to other students in relation to the National Standards.

Aspects of Māori culture and language are evident in the environment, learning programmes and school practices. There is a strong delivery of the school’s religious education programme with its component on taha wairua. This aspect provides another dimension for Māori students to achieve success as Māori.

Some teachers successfully integrate te reo and tikanga Māori into classroom programmes. In 2014 the board is resourcing an initiative that gives all students and staff a block of weekly te reo Māori lessons. This initiative aims to build staff confidence in integrating te reo and tikanga Māori into the school curriculum.

Senior leaders have high expectations for Māori students. They are proactive in developing partnerships with whānau, consult with parents individually and in small groups. These respectful approaches enable senior leaders and staff to respond appropriately to the aspirations whānau have for their children.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance and innovative practice.

The board provides effective governance. There is a unity of purpose through the shared school vision and good working relationships between the board and management of the school. Trustees have good systems to ensure school accountabilities are met. They are well informed about curriculum developments and student achievement. Board decision making is strategic and is focused on improving outcomes for all students.

Leadership in the school is highly effective. The principal is instrumental in building leadership capacity across the school. Leadership is nurtured and is evident at all levels. The school provides opportunities for the board, senior leaders, staff, students and parents to provide leadership in ways that enhances school development.

Self review is used well to sustain and improve the school’s performance. The board and school leaders have an ongoing cycle of robust self review that identifies priorities for improvement, develops and implements action plans, monitors progress and evaluates effectiveness of outcomes. Multiple perspectives are gathered as part of the review process, including student voice.

The school is highly effective in engaging parents and families in authentic partnerships to support their child’s learning. The school is committed to children having a good future. Staff think hard about how they can support parents to make it a reality.

The board and school leaders build networks with other schools, make good use of external advice and sound educational research to support improved outcomes for all students.

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.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

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

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

18 June 2014

About the School

Location

Onehunga, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1494

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

232

Gender composition

Girls 51% Boys 49%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Samoan

Tongan

Filipino

Other Ethnicities

4%

7%

38%

37%

5%

9%

Review team on site

April 2014

Date of this report

18 June 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

October 2009

October 2006

February 2003