St Mary's School (Mosgiel)

School Context

St Mary’s School (Mosgiel) is an integrated Catholic school that has a roll of 126 Years 1 to 8 students. It is located in Mosgiel, near Dunedin. The school has a stable and experienced leadership and teaching team. There are new and longer serving trustees.

The school mission is that St Mary’s will provide high quality education, with a special emphasis on Catholic values and attitudes. The vision is that students will become confident, reflective, risk taking, life-long learners. The Mercy charism values of justice, compassion, care, respect and service are integrated into all aspects of school life.

Leaders and teachers have been undertaking professional learning to deepen their ability to provide culturally responsive teaching practices. Current professional development is focused on deepening effective teacher practice, to support students to have more self-management in their learning.

The school’s current goals are for leaders and teachers to strengthen students’ engagement in the Religious Education curriculum through the use of new technologies. Leaders and teachers are building capacity through their partnership with Dunedin’s Catholic Schools Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning (CoL).

Leaders report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to the expected curriculum levels

• outcomes related to the special character of the school

• progress and accelerated progress for priority learners

• outcomes related to engagement and wellbeing for success

• student engagement and achievement, in learning areas across the breadth of the New Zealand Curriculum.

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 very effective in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for almost all of its students in reading and mathematics. Over the last three years, over 85% of students have achieved at or above the school’s expected levels in these areas. Most students achieve at or above in writing. Mid-year 2018 school-wide achievement information shows an upward trend in writing.

Reports from standardised assessments show very good school-wide improvement over time in mathematics, and sustained very high achievement in mathematics and reading.

School-wide achievement over the last three years shows that Māori students achieved at similar levels to their peers.

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

The school is very effective in its response to any Māori and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration, including for a number of students with additional learning needs.

As a result of targeted interventions in mathematics, writing and reading, many students make accelerated progress. School information shows that the school has the capability to sustain this progress over time.

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 school has a number of processes and practices that are very effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence.

Children achieve understanding of the competencies, skills and values of the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and the charism of the school. All students who need differentiated teaching strategies to make progress in their learning are identified, individually planned for, and closely monitored by teachers and leaders.

Trustees are very committed to upholding the school’s special character, vision and values. The board has strengthened partnerships with parents, whānau and the community. Together they have redeveloped the vision and values, including a strong focus on culturally responsive practice. Children benefit from learning in a well-managed and well-resourced school. Trustees are well informed about students’ progress, achievement and wellbeing.

The board of trustees, leaders, and teachers prioritise ongoing improvement. There is clear alignment between the strategic priorities and improving positive outcomes for all learners. School leaders ensure ongoing improvement through:

• a deliberate focus on knowing the learner, which is contributing to meaningful relationships for students

• cohesive and useful school-wide systems to support regular monitoring, assessment and use of learner information

• a planned and in-depth approach to building effective teaching practice, which is contributing to positive outcomes for students.

School leaders have built a strong, collaborative culture characterised by respect, high relational trust and shared faith and values. There is a strong focus on students using the key competencies effectively as part of their learning. This approach successfully promotes students’ belief in themselves as successful learners. Teachers plan, monitor and assess learner information collaboratively. Students with additional needs experience a collaborative approach that supports their participation and success.

A broad, responsive curriculum enables children to learn, achieve and progress across a range of topics and subjects. Students access a well-planned coherent curriculum that meets individual student’s social, emotional, spiritual and academic needs. They participate and learn in a caring learning environment. Meaningful contexts support their engagement in learning.

Children enjoy a sense of belonging and connection to the school and Catholic community. Opportunities for leadership and to have their voices heard, are well established.

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

Some areas of the school’s processes need to be strengthened and embedded to increase the effectiveness in achieving equity and excellence. The board and leaders need to:

• strengthen internal-evaluation capability to evaluate the impact of new strategies and initiatives

• analyse more deeply, the sufficiency of rates of progress for groups of children, especially target children.

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 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• effective processes and practices that support a very strong focus on ensuring the capability and effectiveness of teaching

• the strong pedagogical leadership of the principal that maintains high expectations for teaching and learning in the school

• its positive and collaborative school culture that provides for the wellbeing, belonging and inclusion of students and their families.

Next steps

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

• increasing the understanding and knowledge of sufficiency of progress of targeted groups of students

• further developing internal-evaluation practices and processes.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Alan Wynyard

Director Review & Improvement Services Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

10 September 2018

About the school

Findings

Students at St Mary’s School (Mosgiel) learn in a caring and supportive environment. The majority of learners achieve the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement in reading is particularly high. The school’s Catholic character is very evident.

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?

Students at St Mary’s Catholic Integrated School learn in a caring and supportive environment. The values of the school reflect its Catholic character and are well known by adults and learners. These are evident in the family-like relationships across the school (for example, between senior and junior students) and the focus on service in the local and global community.

The school has a very inclusive culture and students with special needs are well supported. Students in Years 7 and 8 develop and demonstrate leadership qualities within the school and parish, including as leaders of whānau groups and school celebrations. Students’ ideas about what happens in the school are valued and students from all year levels meet regularly with the principal to discuss these.

Since the last ERO review, the school has been relocated to a new site. A feature of the new school is its intentional modern-learning design.

Students’ learning and wellbeing are well supported by a close relationship with the local parish and the active involvement of families.

The school has made pleasing progress in addressing some of the recommendations in the 2012 ERO report. Some areas are again identified in this report as needing development.

2 Learning

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

The school makes good use of student achievement information to promote learners’ engagement, progress and achievement.

The majority of learners achieve the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement in reading is particularly high. Writing and mathematics achievement is continuing to improve over time.

The board of trustees and school leaders use school-wide achievement information to set appropriate annual goals. For example, their current school-wide goal is to lift achievement in mathematics. Achievement information is used effectively to identify groups of learners and individual learners in need of extra support, and to identify gaps in learning that need additional focus and development.

Trustees prioritise funding for a range of learning-support initiatives. These are aimed at accelerating the progress of students at risk of not achieving. One good example is the funding of release time for a mathematics leader to support classroom teachers. This has resulted in better use of achievement information to:

• plan for curriculum delivery
• identify the specific learning needs of students
• reflect on and improve the effectiveness of teaching strategies.

School leaders and teachers closely monitor learners’ progress and achievement. They create individual action plans to respond to the needs of learners. These are regularly reviewed and updated. Some action plans could better show the strategies teachers intend to use to lift achievement.

Teachers have continued to improve the quality of their assessment practices. They use a range of assessment practices and tools to gather information on learners’ progress and achievement. They have made significant progress since the last ERO review on developing their school-wide expectations for achievement and progress in writing and mathematics. This is supporting greater accuracy and consistency in teacher judgements. Teachers are starting to develop ways of sharing these with students so that students can play a more active role in monitoring and directing their own learning.

Areas for development

Trustees receive regular reports on student achievement in mathematics, writing and reading. These need to have a clearer focus on showing rates of progress and need to be more evaluative. This will better support trustees to monitor how well the school is achieving its goal of accelerating progress for learners that need it.

Other next steps include:

• having higher expectations such as in school targets, for the proportion of students who will make accelerated progress
• ensuring students have a better understanding of their progress, achievement and next learning steps, and take greater responsibility in assessing their own and others’ work
• reviewing assessment practices to identify and grow consistent and high-quality practices.

3 Curriculum

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

The curriculum at this school is effective in promoting and supporting student learning.

Students experience a broad curriculum with a wide range of learning experiences within and beyond the school. The school’s mercy values of justice, compassion, care, respect and service are strongly integrated throughout the curriculum.

Other positive features include:

• the way students’ and parents’ views about what is important in the curriculum are sought and responded to
• school-wide planning that supports coherence across curriculum levels
• improved opportunities for all students to learn about aspects of Māori language and culture
• increasing integration of digital technology as a teaching and learning tool in classrooms
• a range of learning-support initiatives within and alongside classroom programmes
• the way students’ achievements in and outside of school are recognised and celebrated.

Areas for development

The school and ERO agree that it is timely to review its curriculum to better reflect the school’s current priorities for learning. Areas to clarify and develop include:

• the school’s approach to inquiry learning and related student skills
• understandings about modern-learning methods that might realise the potential of the school’s new modern-learning environment
• school-wide expectations for the use of digital technology in teaching and learning.

The school community is about to review its vision for its learners. This will provide a good opportunity to ensure there is strong alignment between curriculum guidelines and expectations, teaching practices and desired outcomes for learners.

There is a need to improve the quality of curriculum review. Presently there are no guidelines for self review. Reviews should be:

• more evaluative, including asking how well desired practices are in place
• extended to include other aspects of teaching and learning.

The principal needs to support staff to develop a better understanding and use of `teaching as inquiry’ (looking deeply at teaching strategies and the impact of these on student achievement).

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

The school is developing its awareness of and capability to promote educational success for Māori, as Māori. School leaders and teachers have undertaken professional learning to increase their understanding and capability to support the success of Māori learners, as Māori.

The principal has sought the views of Māori whānau and developed specific action plans to support the achievement of Māori learners.

Māori learners experience aspects of their language and culture in the school curriculum. Karakia and waiata are a regular part of religious instruction and other practices and celebrations in the school. ERO saw some examples of students’ work that showed aspects of Māori culture being explored in different learning areas.

School leaders and teachers closely monitor the achievement and progress of Māori learners and ensure learning support is put in place to respond to needs.

Next steps include:

• an ongoing focus on lifting the achievement of Māori learners
• improved reporting to the board on progress towards lifting Māori achievement and towards goals identified in the Māori achievement action plan
• improved reporting back to Māori whānau on student achievement, and on progress in implementing the Māori achievement action plan.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

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

Trustees are strongly focused on maintaining and improving high levels of student achievement. They have prioritised resourcing for targeted-learning programmes for students at risk of not achieving success in their learning, and professional learning to support high-quality teaching.

Trustees regularly consult with members of the school community. Findings are reported back to the community and used to inform planning.

Trustees understand their governance role well. They continue to build their governance capability through participation in training. Induction processes and governance guidelines are in place to support new trustees.

The principal has created a positive and collaborative staff culture and made good use of teachers’ strengths. Over the last three years he has overseen the relocation of the school to a new site and a number of ongoing building projects. It is now time to strengthen the focus on professional leadership.

Areas for development

Points discussed with the school include ensuring that:

• strategic and annual plans are more focused on strategic priorities (as opposed to the day-to-day running of the school)
• trustees receive regular reports about progress against all of the school’s strategic and annual goals
• reports to the board are more evaluative
• the school's policy and procedure framework is simplified and shared with all staff.

While teacher appraisal processes have been reviewed and strengthened, these should include a much stronger focus on student achievement outcomes and teacher development. The principal’s appraisal needs to be more clearly aligned with the school’s strategic goals, particularly around student achievement and leading teaching practice.

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

Students at St Mary’s School (Mosgiel) learn in a caring and supportive environment. The majority of learners achieve the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement in reading is particularly high. The school’s Catholic character is very evident.

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

Chris Rowe

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)

22 December 2015

School Statistics