St Peter Chanel School (Motueka)

St Peter Chanel School (Motueka) - 21/02/2019

School Context

St Peter Chanel is a state integrated, Year 1-8 Catholic school, located in Motueka township. The current roll is 67.

The school’s vision of ‘Founded on faith, living life to the full’, is supported by a set of Gospel values collectively known as CLEAR (Connected, Loving, Excellent, Active, Respectful).

The four strategic goals, which drive planning, are to:

  • further develop the religious education, assessment and reporting systems

  • develop internal evaluation practices and processes

  • develop a visual representation of faith and the school’s multicultural community

  • resource strategically to enhance learning and achievement.

The 2018 targets for reading, writing and mathematics are:

  • for all students to learn and progress to be at or above expectations

  • to identify students who are below expectations and accelerate their progress

  • to extend students who are achieving above expectations.

The school is an active participant in the Motueka Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning (CoL) and the Moutere Hills cluster.

The school has participated in the Ministry-supported Accelerating Literacy Learning (ALL) initiative.

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

  • reading, writing and mathematics.

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 well towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students.

School achievement information for 2018 shows that:

  • most students achieve at or above expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.

A disproportionate number of Māori students are not yet achieving expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. The school has identified this disparity and has put in place a number of programmes and practices to accelerate learning.

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

School achievement information shows that it is successful in accelerating progress for a small number of the students targeted for additional support. The school’s ALL project data shows that a small number of the targeted students made accelerated progress in writing. Similarly small numbers of the target groups of students made accelerated progress in reading and mathematics.

Leaders and teachers have put in place a number of initiatives designed to accelerate learning. These innovations are beginning to have a positive impact on learning.

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 ‘CLEAR’ values are evident in practice, and are contributing to a positive school culture. Teachers work collaboratively and collegially to support student learning. Classrooms are engaging and productive learning environments. Student agency and active involvement in learning is encouraged through teacher-student co-constructed learning, which includes opportunities for students to provide feedback to teachers about learning experiences. Tuakana-teina relationships involve students in learning and creating productive partnerships.

Teacher professional learning is aligned with, and responsive to, identified student need. Regular monitoring meetings provide a forum for teachers to discuss student progress, achievement and teaching strategies. Teachers are involved in a number of professional learning initiatives focusing on effective teaching of writing and mathematics. Changes in practice are aligned with school values, informed by teacher inquiries and emphasise student engagement and relationship-based approaches to learning. The relationship-based approach to teaching and learning is designed to promote and value the language, culture and identity of Māori students.

The board is improvement-focused. Strategic planning and annual planning align well, providing clarity and a shared understanding of school priorities and direction. Trustees have participated in professional development to build board capability.

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

School data needs to be collated and analysed to identify if students, (target students in particular) are making sufficient progress, and to understand the impact of interventions on learning. This information should be presented in a way that clearly shows progress in relation to expectations, and should be regularly shared with the board. The board needs to scrutinise progress and achievement information in order to make informed decisions about planning and resourcing.

Effective internal evaluation is informed by high quality data. To further develop effective internal evaluation and identify which processes and practices are having the greatest impact on learning, school leaders need to:

  • adopt a framework for internal evaluation

  • build knowledge and understanding of evaluative thinking and practice

  • prioritise internal evaluations linked to strategic goals

  • use analysed data to inform internal evaluations.

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:

  • shared values which drive actions and decisions at all levels of school operation

  • the collaborative and innovative approaches to addressing learning needs of students.

Next steps

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

  • managing data in order to identify sufficiency of progress and inform internal evaluation

  • adopting an evaluation framework and building evaluation capability among staff and the board.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

Southern Region

21 February 2019

About the school

Location

Motueka

Ministry of Education profile number

3222

School type

Full primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

67

Gender composition

Boys 35 : Girls 32

Ethnic composition

Pākehā 41

Māori 22

Other ethnicities 4

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

November 2018

Date of this report

21 February 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review May 2015

Education Review December 2011

St Peter Chanel School (Motueka) - 12/05/2015

Findings

1 Context

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

St Peter Chanel is a small, Catholic school for Year 1-8 students. It is situated in Motueka in attractive and well-maintained grounds. The Catholic faith and values are important to the school community. There are very close links between the school and parish.

Students learn in a positive and supportive environment. Caring for school pets and the garden provide students with additional practical learning opportunities.

Over time, the roll has decreased. Recent trends show that an increasing number of students arrive from, or move to other primary schools.

There have been three changes of principal in the last two years. As a result, self review and further development of the curriculum, identified in the 2011 ERO report, still need to be addressed. A new principal was appointed in 2014 and a new board chairperson was recently elected.

2 Learning

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

The school makes very good use of achievement information to identify and respond appropriately to students’ needs. The school’s data indicate that most students achieve at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

Students are well supported by their peers and teachers. They work well together and learn from each other. Additional support is available for students when needed.

Students have good support to set their goals and next steps in learning. Teachers are reflective and continue to seek the most effective ways to help students reach the school’s annual targets. Specific indicators of what the school has defined as an excellent reader, writer or mathematician, provide good information about what students are expected to achieve. Students, teachers and parents refer to these indicators often as a way of tracking progress.

Students use a good range of technologies to extend their learning. Older students have dedicated times with technology equipment in preparation for high school.

School leaders and teachers have a well-developed assessment overview that supports and guides practices across the school. Teachers effectively use students' assessment information to inform them of their next teaching steps.

Area for review and development

Parents are well informed about their children's achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. School leaders and teachers now need to report to parents and students in all areas of the curriculum.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum clearly reflects the community’s values, vision and special character.

Curriculum guidelines give suitable emphasis to clarifying expectations for teaching and learning. There is a strong focus on literacy and mathematics. Teachers appropriately sought students’ views in the development of the curriculum. As a result, students' interests are well catered for through the well-planned programmes.

Senior students have increasing choices over the direction of their learning and leadership opportunities. These factors contribute to high levels of student engagement and involvement in the school’s wider curricular programmes.

Attractive, purposeful classroom environments reflect the school’s key areas of learning.

Areas for development and review

The school leaders and teachers now need to:

  • complete the curriculum statements for all learning areas
  • work more with other schools to share effective assessment practices
  • report students’ progress and achievement in all curriculum areas to the board.

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

Māori students are well supported to experience success as Māori. Most Māori achieve at similar rates to their peers.

Some effective initiatives have been put in place for promoting Māori students’ success as Māori. These include:

  • a whānau environment that is inclusive, positive and caring
  • a learning environment where students have some good opportunities to use te reo and tikanga Māori
  • opportunities to be involved in cultural activities such as kapa haka, waiata, himene and karakia.

The school responds and values ideas and suggestions presented by parents and whānau. Staff and students are well supported by community experts in learning te reo and tikanga Māori.

Area for development and review

Teachers could further strengthen their programmes by increasing opportunities for all students to develop a greater awareness of the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa/New Zealand.

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.

A knowledgeable and well-informed board maintains a focus on student achievement, wellbeing, and on the school’s progress towards meeting its goals. Trustees are developing effective systems to assist with their governance roles. These include:

  • undertaking regular policy reviews
  • developing clear roles and responsibilities
  • undertaking training
  • establishing good communication links between the board, parent community and parish
  • planning for prospective parents to seek election as board members.

The school leaders effectively promote a collaborative, positive school culture that is clearly improvement-focused.

Areas for development and review

ERO has identified that improvements in the following areas are needed to further increase the board’s capacity to govern the school. This includes:

  • developing self-review practices and procedures that support the school’s focus on ongoing improvement
  • planning for regular curriculum and strategic self review
  • refining the school targets to clearly show the expected progress over time of a specific group of students
  • strengthening the strategic plan to indicate the board’s priorities over a 2-3 year period of time.

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

St Peter Chanel in Motueka is a small, Catholic school for Years 1-8 students.

The Catholic faith and values are important to the learning community. The school’s information shows most students achieve at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. A new principal and board chair are establishing a collaborative, supportive school culture that is clearly improvement-focused.

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

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

12 May 2015

About the School

Location

Motueka

Ministry of Education profile number

3222

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

57

Gender composition

Girls; 30 Boys; 27

Ethnic composition

NZ European

Māori

Pacific

Other Ethnicities

35

17

3

2

Review team on site

March 2015

Date of this report

12 May 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

2011

2008

2005