Te Kōmanawa Rowley School

Findings

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Te Kōmanawa Rowley School has had a history of high principal turnover and poor conditions and outcomes for students’ learning and progress. Serious concerns about the school’s performance were identified in the June 2017 ERO review. This led to a longitudinal review process where ERO has maintained an ongoing relationship with the school. A Limited Statutory Manager (LSM), with responsibility for curriculum and employment, was appointed by the Ministry of Education (MoE) in 2018

ERO completed a midpoint evaluation of the school’s progress in November 2018 that focused on governance, leadership, student achievement and teaching and learning. That evaluation identified ongoing serious concerns regarding school leadership, achievement and children’s learning and progress. The mid-point report stated that the school must develop a sense of urgency, and manageably increase the pace of change to significantly improve school organisational conditions and outcomes for all students.

In April 2019 the status of statutory intervention was increased by the MoE to Commissioner. The Commissioner and the MoE negotiated a memorandum of understanding with the Somerfield Te Kura Wairepo board of trustees, which allowed the principal to be released part-time to lead Te Kōmanawa Rowley School. A deputy principal was also appointed to the leadership team to work on site and carry out the day-to-day management of the school. Other increased support for the school includes the provision of specialist teacher staffing from Somerfield Te Kura Wairepo.

In 2018, the two bilingual classes at the school were assessed by the Ministry of Education. They identified many concerns about how well children were being supported to improve their learning and achievement.

Since the last full ERO review in 2017, there have been significant changes in staffing, including the key appointments outlined above. Other appointments include new teachers who joined the school in January 2020.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

The 2017 ERO review and the 2018 mid-point evaluation of the school identified the following areas for review and improvement:

• leadership of the school, curriculum, teaching and learning to ensure equity for all students’ learning, progress and achievement over time

• required and timely reporting by the principal to the board about student progress and achievement information, and other information as requested by trustees

• communication by the principal to staff about required school processes and practices, and in response to their inquiries and requests

• systems and capability for data management and use, including developing and using clear expectations, guidelines and processes for robust assessment and moderation that promote data reliability, consistency and coherence across the school, including in the two bilingual classes

• effective implementation of the school’s appraisal system so that it complies with New Zealand Teaching Council requirements and promotes high expectations for teaching performance in all classrooms

• development and implementation of an effective process of internal evaluation across the school to ensure continuous improvement and sustainability of progress made

• clarification from the MoE regarding the status of the school’s two bilingual classes.

In May 2019, the acting principal undertook a rigorous review of teaching and learning practices. This identified that improving the quality of teaching, and the development of consistently-applied high expectations for student learning and progress were key priorities across all school operations.

Progress

School leaders have now established clear priorities for action. There has been significant progress developing systems that support quality teaching and learning, clarifying student achievement information and providing safe and purposefully-planned learning environments. Leaders have identified the need for, and modelled, high expectations for learners and professional accountability for teachers.

Teaching staff recognise the clear direction provided by leaders. They acknowledge the way leaders have supported and responded to teachers’ needs and requests through a time of significant change. Targeted professional development, and coaching and mentoring by the specialist teachers, are progressively building the capability of teaching staff and teacher aides. A robust, well documented appraisal system is now in place and provides explicit feedback for teachers to improve their teaching practice.

Systems, processes and practices to increase teachers’ data literacy have been established, and in some cases embedded. There is a growing capability and collective capacity to make sense of achievement information to inform targeted responses to student learning needs.

Collaborative planning and agreed approaches to teaching and learning are supporting a more coherent curriculum. This is helping to provide more opportunities for students to learn and connect with their local community. The school enrichment programme is continuing to strengthen links with parents, whānau, aiga and the wider school community.

Leaders provide regular, detailed reports to the Commissioner that clearly identify next steps and provide timelines for ongoing school improvement. An effective leadership inquiry, informed by research, is guiding school improvement and building collective capacity when using internal evaluation. Regular, ongoing self review is informing next steps for improving policies, procedures and strategic planning.

The current leadership structure, resourcing provision and involvement of specialist teachers from Somerfield Te Kura Wairepo coaching staff, has had a positive impact on improving conditions for learning and improved teaching.

Key next steps

While conditions for learning have been significantly improved and achievement information clarified, the Commissioner and school leaders are aware that levels of student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics remain low and inequitable.

To improve student progress and achievement school leaders have identified, and the ERO evaluation has confirmed, that leaders need to continue to:

• strengthen data management practices and data literacy of all staff to effectively identify, support and monitor the progress and sufficiency of progress of all learners

• continue to develop and maintain consistently high expectations and high-quality teaching practices through ongoing professional development, reflection and accountability processes to improve learning outcomes for all students.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

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

The school is better placed to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance.

Leaders have now developed a sustainable cycle of planning, improvement and self review. There has been significant progress developing systems that support quality teaching and learning, clarifying student progress and achievement and the provision of safe and well planned learning environments.

Key next steps

To sustain improvement, school leaders have identified, and the ERO review has confirmed, that leaders need to carry out regular and purposeful community consultation to:

• clarify valued outcomes for student learning, and localise the curriculum to ensure it reflects the uniqueness of the community and its people, places and aspirations
• improve levels of student attendance, agency and engagement
• develop meaningful, authentic relationships with parents, whānau and aiga that are focused on learning
• support the further development of culturally responsive practices to reflect the unique character and cultural richness of the school and its community.

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
• school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.

To comply with the Education Act 1989 and the National Administration Guidelines the school needs to:

1. Consult with the school community to adopt a statement on the delivery of the health curriculum (as per Section 60B Education Act 1989)

2. Consult with the school’s Māori community to develop and make known the school policies, plans and targets for improving the progress and achievement of Māori students. (NAG 1e)

3. Give priority to regular, quality physical activity that develops movement skills for all students, especially in years 1-6. (NAG 1a)

4 Recommendations

Recommendations, including any to other agencies for ongoing or additional support.

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education provides support for the school in order to bring about improvement through planned consultative practices with the school community, in particular in relation to the Pacific community.

Conclusion

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO‘s overall evaluation judgement of Te Kōmanawa Rowley School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Needs development

ERO will maintain an ongoing relationship with the school to build capacity and evaluate progress.

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success is available on ERO’s website.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region - Te Tai Tini

7 February 2020

About the School

Summary

This school has 97 children, 60% of whom identify as Pacific and 19% as Māori. Some children are English language learners (ELLs). There are two bilingual-language classes. Children in these classes learn in English and te reo Māori or Samoan.

The school had three principals in two years before a new principal was appointed in Term 3 2015. The new chairperson is an experienced member of the board. Two new trustees were elected at the last election. Trustees represent the diverse ethnic groups in the school.

The school has made some progress in addressing the recommendations of the 2014 ERO report.

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?

The school does not effectively respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

The school has few effective processes to enable children to achieve equity and excellence.

There is a caring and respectful school culture, and children’s cultures and languages are valued.

Further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence.

School leadership and core school systems and practices are not providing the guidance and framework needed to ensure equity and excellence for all children.

ERO intends to carry out a process of ongoing evaluation to support the school’s development over the next one-to-two years.

Equity and excellence

How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school does not effectively respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

School leaders and teachers do not have a shared understanding of how to use achievement information to inform decision making about learning and teaching. This includes information about the learning and achievement of Māori children, and about other children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

School data indicates that most junior children (78%) made progress in their learning during their first two years at school. The data does not show on-going progress from year three onwards.

Leaders and teachers do not have systems that are rigorous enough to accurately identify how well children are achieving against the National Standards. They do not use robust systems to be assured about the quality of their judgements and have not worked with other schools or external experts to moderate teachers’ overall judgements.

There is no assessment information about children’s learning in the bilingual Māori and bilingual Samoan classes. Tools for assessing literacy and mathematics learning in these classes are not in place.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

The school has few effective processes to enable children to achieve equity and excellence.

Children have good opportunities to learn about their culture and heritage. They experience important aspects of their culture in meaningful contexts.

The principal and teachers are strongly focused on providing pastoral care and using positive strategies to promote children’s attendance and engagement in learning.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

Significant developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence.

School leadership and core school systems and practices are not providing the guidance and framework needed to ensure equity and excellence for all children.

School leaders must:

• adequately address the disparities in children’s learning, progress and achievement

• develop effective strategic and annual plans, and provide adequate leadership within the school to improve the quality of learning and teaching

• analyse and use assessment information effectively to identify, support and monitor individual children or groups of children who need to make accelerated progress

• implement a rigorous appraisal process that clearly links appraisal goals to lifting children’s achievement

• ensure ongoing and meaningful internal evaluation of curriculum implementation, teaching and learning.

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

• 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.

Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

At the time of this review, this school was not well placed to provide conditions for children to achieve educational excellence, or to address in-school disparities. The main areas of concern are:

• low levels of progress and achievement for some children in literacy and mathematics

• poor analysis of achievement information, monitoring and reporting of children’s progress

• leadership capability

• lack of internal evaluation processes

• strategic and annual planning.

Leaders and teachers:

• have not yet adequately built their knowledge of the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated

• have not yet established necessary conditions to effectively accelerate learning and achievement

• are not well placed to achieve and sustain accelerated achievement for all children who need it.

ERO intends to carry out a process of ongoing evaluation to support development over the course of one-to-two years. 

Recommendations

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education considers intervention under Part 7A of the Education Act 1989 in order to bring about the following improvements:

• increased progress and achievement for groups of children in literacy and mathematics

• better analysis and use of achievement information, including the monitoring of children’s progress and achievement over time

• improved leadership of the school

• implementation of effective internal evaluation practices

• improved strategic and annual planning.

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education and New Zealand School Trustees Association consider providing support for the school in order to bring about the following improvements:

• increased progress and achievement for groups in literacy and mathematics

• improved school leadership of learning and teaching practices and processes

• strengthened strategic planning and internal evaluation

• continued strengthening of school governance. 

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern/Te Waipounamu

15 June 2017

About the school