Tapawera Area School

Tapawera Area School - 01/02/2019

School Context

Tapawera Area School is located in Tapawera, near Nelson, and provides education for students in Years 1 to 13. Junior students move to the senior school in Year 9. There are 193 students and a small number of adult students enrolled.

The school’s vision is to ‘empower capable, confident learners’. Its values of friendship, integrity, respect and effort underpin its vision.

The current aims for improvement and learner success include:

  • raising achievement in mathematics

  • raising achievement and engagement in writing

  • striving for the highest leaver NCEA qualification level.

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

  • school leaver qualifications

  • outcomes related to wellbeing for success

  • student achievement in relation to school assessment guidelines

  • achievement within the NZQA framework.

The whole school has taken part in three Ministry of Education funded programmes in the last three years for writing, mathematics and student wellbeing.

Since the last review in August 2015, the Board of Trustees and Senior Management team have been stable. There has been several changes in the teaching staff.

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 achieves positive outcomes for most students as school leavers. Overall the school has a good retention rate of students to age 17. Almost all students leave with a qualification, most with NCEA Level 2. Almost all Māori school leavers in the last five years have gained a minimum of NCEA Level 2.

In Years 9 and 10 standardised assessment in aspects of reading shows that the majority of students achieve at expected levels. Standardised assessment in mathematics shows that less than half of all students achieve at expected levels.

In Years 0 to 8, school achievement information shows most students, including Māori, achieve well in reading. In writing, standardised assessment for 2016/2017 shows overall low achievement across the school, particularly for boys. There was overall low achievement in standardised assessment for mathematics across the school in 2016/2017.

Children with additional learning needs are well supported to make progress in their learning.

The school reported that improved behaviour has led to a greater engagement in learning.

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

Intensive schoolwide professional development for literacy over two years from 2017-2018 has resulted in significant shifts in writing achievement in 2018. At the time of this review, further analysis of data was required for the school to know who had made accelerated progress and which groups of students had made the most improvement in their learning, including Māori students.

At the time of this review leaders could not show schoolwide improvements in mathematics achievement over the last two years. However, leaders report schoolwide professional development for mathematics in 2018 has improved student motivation and engagement in their 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 school has a well-formed vision and strategic direction which is understood by trustees, leaders and teachers. The vision and goals:

  • effectively guide decision making and practice to improve student learning and wellbeing in identified areas

  • are aligned to professional development priorities and related systems such as appraisal and teaching as inquiry.

As a result of sustained schoolwide involvement in a programme for student wellbeing, the school has clear expectations for student engagement and participation based on the school values. These are visible throughout the school environment, and are well known, understood and enacted by students and teachers, leading to improved behaviour and an increasingly positive school culture.

Two years of schoolwide involvement in professional development for literacy has led to an increased focus, engagement and achievement in literacy at all levels of the school. In the senior levels of the school there is a greater integration of literacy into other curriculum areas. There have been shifts in teacher practice resulting in greater confidence and collaboration amongst teachers and leaders. Leaders and teachers have developed clear expectations and shared understandings of effective literacy practices and student progress.

Teaching as inquiry is becoming an effective tool for targeted action to accelerate the learning of those who need it. This collaborative approach is helping leaders and teachers focus on improving teaching and learning and student outcomes in other curriculum areas.

Students’ learning benefits from a localised curriculum which is responsive to their interests and strengths within the school and local community contexts. There are a variety of individualised educational pathways for senior students including academic, supported learning, vocational and trades options.

All students with additional learning or pastoral care and wellbeing needs are closely tracked and monitored throughout the school. They are well supported by a wide range of individualised interventions and support.

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

The principal and senior leaders need to continue to focus on sustaining changes in teaching and learning across all curriculum areas as demonstrated in the progress made in building literacy practices and improving outcomes.

Teachers are increasingly reflective. They inquire into how new learning about effective literacy impacts on classroom practice and programmes. A key next step would be to develop this practice further to understand how changes in their classroom practice impact on student outcomes.

The principal and senior leaders need to set clear targets to accelerate the learning of students at risk of underachievement. A stronger focus on measuring and documenting the impact of actions and initiatives should further enhance leaders’ capability to evaluate practice and inform decision making.

Trustees require information from the principal about student progress and achievement that is easy to access and interpret. Better analysed learning information, and effective internal evaluation practices should enable the board to better monitor the progress and achievement of groups and cohorts of students. This information will assist the board to make well-informed decisions.

Trustees, leaders and teachers have made little progress in addressing the recommendation in ERO’s 2015 report, which identified that the school needed to undertake further work to better support Māori students and their families. The school needs to review current programmes and practices regarding Māori success to evaluate their effectiveness and develop planning to prioritise goals for improvement. These goals need to be included in the school’s strategic and annual planning.

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:

  • a positive collaborative culture that supports student wellbeing

  • new learnings for teachers and improved teaching practice that is improving literacy levels across the school

  • clear direction setting by the trustees and leaders that is focused on improving student learning and wellbeing.

Next steps

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

  • building effective teaching practice, to enable greater consistency in practice across the school

  • improving bicultural practice through consultation with Māori students and whānau to ensure Māori students’ wellbeing and learning needs are identified, planned for and met

  • improving schoolwide analysis, use and reporting of data to better understand and respond to students’ learning needs

  • building evaluation capability to better know the effectiveness of learning programmes and targeted actions to raise achievement.

ERO recommends that the school seek support from the Ministry of Education in order to bring about improvements in:

  • the use of achievement information.

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 and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

1 February 2019

About the school

Location

Nelson

Ministry of Education profile number

297

School type

Area School (Years 1-13)

School roll

193

Gender composition

Female: 50%

Male: 50%

Ethnic composition

Māori 23%

Pākehā 76%

Other ethnicities 1%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

November 2018

Date of this report

1 February 2019

Most recent ERO reports

August 2015

October 2012

November 2010

Tapawera Area School - 13/08/2015

1 Context

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

The board and staff have focussed on supporting student and staff wellbeing. This has helped the school deal with a number of challenges for both students and staff. The values students use to guide their learning and behaviour have been reviewed. These values are becoming well established and better support student learning. Students are also well supported in an inclusive culture that uses a buddy programme and a house system to link students across age levels. Adult students are also made to feel included.

The school has made good progress in implementing the recommendations for self review and appraisal from the 2012 ERO review. Self review by the board and leaders is successfully identifying next steps for development.

2 Learning

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

Teachers use achievement information well to support students’ learning. They have developed a range of assessment tests that identify learning needs. This helps teachers to plan programmes that best meet these needs. Students’ progress is tracked well.

Students with specific learning needs are well supported within class programmes. These students receive additional support from teacher aides that assists them to learn at the appropriate level within the normal classroom environment. The overall programme for students at risk of not achieving is well organised and managed.

Reported achievement information shows a range of results for NCEA and National Standards. 2014 results for NCEA Level 2 show that the school has met the national target. A greater number of students are staying to Year 13 with many achieving NCEA Level 3 in 2014. Whilst there are fluctuations from year to year, data shows an increase in NCEA achievement levels in recent years.

National Standards information shows most students achieve well in reading. The high number of students with particular learning needs make it difficult for the school to achieve expected National Standards results.

Students are being better supported through a national programme that specifically focuses on improving learning. This school-wide approach is helping students to better understand expectations for learning and behaviour at each level as they move through the school.

Areas for review and development

Leaders and teachers are aware of the need to address low achievement levels for writing in Years 1 to 10. Plans to improve the teaching of writing are being made. To ensure these changes are effective the school needs to:

  • further build teachers’ capacity to teach students effective writing strategies that are likely to improve their achievement levels in writing
  • extend moderation of writing practices between teachers and include opportunities to share practice with other schools
  • identify specific groups of students who need most support and establish expected levels for their achievement.

The board receives regular information about achievement across the school. This information would be more helpful to trustees if:

  • reports about students with special learning needs evaluate the overall results.
  • the impact of programmes and initiatives for students at risk of not achieving is clearly identified.

Leaders have identified the need to extend practices that support the learning of all students. To ensure these practices are effective teachers need to continue to develop individual learning plans for students that will help them use their interests and strengths to learn and achieve at the appropriate level.

3 Curriculum

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

The school is making some progress in developing its curriculum to promote and support learning.

Recent initiatives to improve engagement of students at Years 7 and 8 are helping to build collaborative learning approaches between teachers and with students. Leaders report that these approaches are impacting positively on students’ learning and behaviour.

Learning and vocational pathways have been successfully extended to give increased choice to senior students. These include academic and trades options, and a programme to re-engage and promote successful outcomes for a small group of senior students. Practical aspects used in the trades academy programme are successfully supporting increased levels of engagement. The education programme outside the classroom provides a further course option. The programme makes effective use of the local environment to extend learning opportunities and experiences for senior students.

Teaching within the school’s curriculum is being enhanced by a professional development programme that helps teachers improve their teaching approaches. Good practice is shared and some teachers are asking students to help them evaluate the outcomes.

Teachers in the junior school are supporting children and their families to make a successful transition into school. Parents are given opportunity to bring their children into classrooms between ages four to five years. This helps them to become familiar with school programmes and routines.

Areas for review and development

School leaders and ERO agree the next step is to carry out a thorough review of the school’s curriculum. Key review areas should focus on how well the current curriculum reflects:

  • the school’s unique context, vision and values, and the principles and key competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum
  • the views and aspirations of Tapawera Area School students, staff, parents and community
  • current good practice for curriculum delivery
  • the range of vocational pathways that adequately meet student interests and needs
  • bicultural perspectives and the school’s cultural diversity
  • how well the careers programme is meeting the needs of students, particularly at Years 7 and 8.

Leaders have recently considered how the school’s curriculum should be managed and evaluated. To improve these functions they have re-established curriculum teams. To ensure these teams are effective there should be clear terms of reference established for this group.

Leaders and teachers are increasing opportunities for students to express their thinking. Student voice would be further strengthened if they could be given more opportunity to tell teachers what best supports their learning.

Leaders are aware of the need to improve the engagement of students in Years 9 and 10. They should work with teachers to ensure that there is:

  • collaboration between teachers and with students with a focus on improving learning
  • ongoing evaluation of initiatives and changes to make sure they support student learning and wellbeing.

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

Students have opportunities to learn about Māori culture and participate in cultural activities within the school and during marae visits. Course options for senior students provide opportunities for students to extend their learning in tikanga and te reo Māori.

Further work is needed to best support Māori students and their families. This includes:

  • reviewing current programmes and practices regarding success for Māori as Māori to determine their effectiveness
  • using the outcomes from this review to identify and develop planning that prioritise key areas and goals for improvement and include these in the schools strategic and annual planning.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is implementing practices that better place it to sustain and improve its performance. ERO and the board agree that appropriate external support will enable school improvement to continue.

Trustees have a good understanding of challenges that have confronted both board and staff. They have supported leaders and teachers to maintain a positive culture for students and staff. Effective relationships between the board and senior leaders are helping to provide appropriate support for student wellbeing.

The principal effectively leads a senior leadership team that works collaboratively. There is a strong focus on continuous school improvement. The principal is extending the opportunities for growing leadership, particularly for curriculum development and improving teaching practice.

There is regular self review at school-wide level. Teachers are improving their reflection and review. This is enhancing consistency across primary and secondary levels.

Appraisal has been considerably strengthened through a new approach that is providing teachers with more feedback about learning and teaching in their classrooms.

The school has many supportive contacts within the parent and wider community. Trustees are aware of the need to extend consultation and effective communication with the community.

Areas for review and development

Trustees have identified the need to further consult with the parent community to make sure it supports the school’s vision and direction. This consultation should help the board to:

  • review and further develop the school’s charter
  • extend annual planning to identify priorities and tasks that are manageable each year
  • identify reporting guidelines for the principal and staff.

Good progress has been made with evaluation and self review. The next step to strengthen self review is to monitor and evaluate the changes made as a result of review.

Trustees know there are changes likely in board membership over the next year. To ensure succession is well managed and trustees have sufficient knowledge to govern the school, the board should seek guidance and training for all trustees.

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.

Recommendations to other agencies

The Ministry of Education should continue to work closely with the board and principal to ensure the school is appropriately supported to address the areas for review and development identified in this report.

Conclusion

Tapawera Area School has made good progress in extending support for student learning and wellbeing. Self review is providing direction for further school improvement. This includes increasing learning pathways for senior students, and strengthening learning and teaching in writing for junior students. Further consultation with the parent community will assist the board to review the school goals used to guide future developments.

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

Chris Rowe

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)

13 August 2015

About the School

Location

Tapawera, Tasman

Ministry of Education profile number

297

School type

Composite (Years 1 to 13)

School roll

195

Gender composition

Boys: 52%

Girls: 48%

Ethnic composition

Pākehā 79%

Māori 13%

Other ethnicities 8%

Review team on site

May 2015

Date of this report

13 August 2015

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review October 2012

Education Review November 2010

Education Review October 2007