1. Ngā Whakaaturanga
“Ko te tamaiti te mea nui”
Ko Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawātea tētahi kura o te tatauranga hāpori ōhanga whā, ā, he kura tāone tēnei ki Kirikiriroa. Nō te tau 1994 te kura i whakatū ai, ki te whakatutuki i ngā wawata o te whānau i hiahia ai ki tētahi kura e noho pūmau ana ki te whakatutukitanga angitu o ngā ākonga, mā te rumakina ki te reo Māori.
He auau te whakawhiti kōrero atu, te hui ngātahi hoki a te poari ki te whānau whānui. Kei te poari te kawenga ki te tiaki me te maru i te āhuatanga motuhake o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawātea, me te whakatutuki hoki i ngā hanganga ture e hāngai ana ki ngā poari ā-kura. E whakatutuki ana te poari i te haere tonutanga o te arotake whaiaro, hei whakamōhio i ngā whakamāhere me ngā whakawhanaketanga, puta noa i te kura. Ka whakatutukihia hoki te arotake haere o te āhua o ngā mahi ki te tātari me te pūrongo i ngā mōhiohio e pā ana ki ngā paetae ākonga, ā, he wāhanga tonu tēnei o te whai wāhitanga o te kura ki te whakamātautanga o te whakatinanatanga o Ngā Whanaketanga.
He nui ngā tūmanako o te whānau o kura kia eke angitu ngā ākonga, ā, e whakapono mārika ana ki tō rātou pūmanawa tūturu. Ka whakanui, ka whakamana, ka poipoi hoki rātou i te motuhake me te mana āhua ake o ia ākonga.
E āta mārama ana ngā mema o te poari ki ō rātou tūranga kāwanatanga, ā rātou kawenga kāwanatanga hoki. E arahina paitia ana, e whakahaere paitia ana te kura e tētahi tumuaki e whakapuaki ana i ngā tūmanako nui mō ngā akoranga a ngā ākonga me ā rātou whakatutukitanga, ā, mō te ngaiotanga hoki o ngā kaiako.
He pakari te ngana atu a ngā tamariki ki te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo wheako whakaakoranga, akoranga hoki, i roto i ngā akomanga e mārie ana, e tau ana hoki. Ko te reo Māori te reo tohutohu, te reo whakawhiti kōrero hoki, puta noa i te kura. E eke ana ngā ākonga ki ngā taumata e tika ana i roto i te reo matatini me te pāngarau.
He nui hoki ngā tūmanako o ngā ākonga mō rātou anō, kia eke angitu rātou, me te whai wāhi mātātoa atu ki ō rātou hāpori. He manawa whakahī tō rātou mō tō rātou kura, ā, ko rātou hoki e kawe ana i te whakatakotoranga me te tiakitanga o te taiao.
Pērā tahi ki ō rātou whānau, e wātea ana ngā ākonga ki te whai wāhi atu ki te whānuitanga o ngā wheako hihiri, whakaongaonga hoki ki ō rātou akomanga, me ngā horopaki ā-hāpori, ā-rohe, ā, o te ao hoki. He whakaute, he ratarata, he māia hoki rātou hei ākonga.
Te Mahi ā Meāke nei
Ko te arotake anōtia e te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i roto i ngā tau e toru.
2. Te Marautanga o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawātea
Ka pēhea te marautanga o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawātea e whai hua ana ki te whakanui i ngā akoranga a ngā ākonga – te tahuritanga ki te ako, te ahunga whakamua, me ngā whakatutukitanga?
Te horopaki o te kura me te arotake whaiaro
Ko Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawātea tētahi kura o te tatauranga hāpori ōhanga whā, ā, he kura tāone tēnei ki Kirikiriroa. Nō te tau 1994 te kura i whakatū ai, ki te whakatutuki i ngā wawata o te whānau i hiahia ai ki tētahi kura e noho pūmau ana ki te whakatutukitanga angitu o ngā ākonga, mā te rumakina ki te reo Māori.
He auau te whakawhiti kōrero atu, te hui ngātahi hoki a te poari ki te whānau whānui. Kei te poari te kawenga ki te tiaki me te maru i te āhuatanga motuhake o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawātea, me te whakatutuki hoki i ngā hanganga ture e hāngai ana ki ngā poari ā-kura.
He nui ngā tūmanako o te whānau o te kura kia eke angitu ngā ākonga, ā, e whakapono mārika ana ki tō rātou pūmanawa tūturu. Ka whakanui, ka whakamana, ka poipoi hoki rātou i te motuhake me te mana āhua ake o ia ākonga.
He tirohanga ngātahi tā te whānau o te kura, mō ngā ākonga e pūmau ana ki te pono, e hihiri ana, e whai angitu ana, ā, e tū pakari ana hoki i roto i ngā horopaki ā-hāpori, ā-motu, ā, o te ao hoki. Ko te tirohanga, ngā uaratanga, me te tikanga o te kura e noho pūmau ana ki ngā kaupapa here, ngā tukanga, me ngā whakaritenga. Ka kaha arotake, ka kaha whakawhiti kōrero hoki i te tirohanga me te aronga o te kura ki ngā huihuinga ā-tau o te poari me ngā kaimahi, ngā hui ā-whānau o ia wāhanga, me ngā hui kaimahi e tū auau ana.
Kua hono rautaki atu ki ngā ratonga mātauranga, ngā pākihi, me ngā tari kāwanatanga ki te hāpori. E whai hua ana te whakamahinga o ngā ratonga, ngā rauemi, me ngā mātanga o-waho, hei hāpai i ngā whakaritenga me te aronga mō ngā wā kei te haere mai.
Ka whakanui, ka whakamana, ka poipoi hoki te whānau o te kura i te motuhake me te mana āhua ake o ia ākonga. Ka poipoia, ka whakawhanakehia hoki te whakawhanaungatanga, ā, ka āta ākina te whānau ki te whai wāhi ki ngā haerenga i roto i Aotearoa, ā, ki ngā whenua hoki o te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa. Ka tū ētahi huihuinga ā-tau hei whakaatu, hei whakanui hoki i ngā pūmanawa me ngā whakatutukitanga takitahi a ngā ākonga. Ko te wairua mauritau ki te kura e hāpai ana i ngā ākonga katoa ki te ako.
Ngā wāhanga e pai ana te whakahaere
He mārama ngā mema o te poari ki ō rātou tūranga, ā rātou kawenga hoki i roto i te kāwanatanga. E whai hua ana rātou ki te tautoko i te tumuaki i roto i tana tūranga hei kaiwhakahaere, hei kaiārahi hoki o te kura, ā, ka ū tonu ki te aronga mārama mō te painga o ngā ākonga. Ka whakamahia ngā whakaritenga rautaki hei ārahi i te poari ki te hāngai ki ā rātou whāinga i tāutuhia ai, tae atu anō hoki ki tētahi tirohanga ‘whakaaro hōhonu’ ki te kura, i whakawhanakehia ai e te poari, te whānau, me ngā kaimahi. Ko ngā kaupapa e whā o te māhere rautaki, ko te:
- aronga ki ngā paetae ākonga;
- whakatinana i te raupapa o te āhua o te ākonga kua puta i te kura, me ōna tino āheinga;
- whakapakari, me te whakarahi ake i te āheinga ki te whakaako mā te kounga teitei; me te
- whakapūmau i ngā rauemi, ngā mātanga, me ngā mōhiotanga e tika ana, ki te whakapai tonu i te kounga o te taiao mātauranga.
E whakapuaki ana te tumuaki i ngā tūmanako nui mō ngā akoranga a ngā ākonga me ā rātou whakatutukitanga, ā, mō te ngaiotanga hoki o ngā kaiako. Ka whakamahi ia i tētahi aronga ngātahi ki te whakawhanake me te whakatinana i te marautanga. E akiaki ana tēnei i ngā kaimahi ki te whai wāhi auau atu ki ngā whakawhitinga kōrero ngaio me ngā whakaaro huritao e pā ana ki te hōtaka akoranga, ngā rautaki whakaako, te ahunga whakamua a ngā ākonga, me ngā whakatutukitanga.
Ko te tumuaki e whakarato ana ki te poari me ngā kaimahi, ngā mōhiohio o te wā e pā ana ki te hāpori matauranga, ā, ka whakahaere hoki ia i ā rātou akoranga me ō rātou mōhiotanga. E whakarato ana ia i ngā whai wāhitanga akoranga ngaio, e whakawero ana i te whakaaro tūwhene tōraro, ā, e hāpai ana hoki i te poari me ngā kaiako ki te whakawhanake i te mōhiotanga kei te whai hua ā rātou mahi mā ngā ākonga.
Ka kitea te pūtake mārama mō ngā momo whakaritenga i whakatau ai ki te hanganga o te marautanga me te whiringa o ngā wāhanga akoranga matua e hono ana ki te raupapa i te āhua o te ākonga kua puta i te kura, me ngā āheinga matua. Ka kitea te āhuatanga motuhake o te kura i roto i te tuituitanga ki te hōtaka kura, ngā tikanga
Montessori, te hōtaka e pā ana ki ngā kura tiaki taiao, me tētahi hōtaka uaratanga e hono ana ki ngā āheinga matua i roto i te marautanga o Aotearoa.
Ko te reo Māori te reo whakawhiti kōrero, reo tohutohu hoki, puta noa i te kura. E hāpaitia ana ngā ākonga ki te whakawhanake i tētahi māramatanga pai ki tō rātou tuakiri hei Māori, me ō rātou pūmanawa ki te tū hei tangata whenua o te ao. He pai te aronga ki ngā akoranga o te reo matatini me te pāngarau.
He pakari te ngana atu a ngā tamariki ki te whānuitanga o ngā momo wheako whakaakoranga, akoranga hoki, i roto i ngā akomanga e mārie ana, e tau ana hoki. Ko ētahi āhuatanga o ngā whakaritenga whakaako, ko:
- ngā tūmanako nui ki te ako me te whakahaere whaiaro;
- te pai o te hanganga, te whakatakotoranga, me te rere o ngā akoranga;
- te whakapuaki i ngā koronga akoranga ki ngā ākonga;
- te whakamahi i te whānuitanga o ngā rauemi me ngā taputapu, kia tahuri ai ngā ākonga, ā, hei hāpai hoki i a rātou i ngā akoranga;
- ngā whai wāhitanga mō te ākonga ki te aromatawai i a ia anō, i ōna hoa hoki, i roto i ngā akoranga; me
- te whakamātau i mua, i muri hoki, hei whakatinana i ngā taumata akoranga ka whāia tonuhia.
Ka whai hua ngā rautaki nei ki te āwhina i ngā ākonga ki te noho mārama ki ngā āhuatanga e akohia ana, ā, ki ngā pūtake hoki e ako ana rātou i aua āhuatanga.
E eke ana ngā ākonga ki ngā taumata e tika ana i roto i te reo matatini me te pāngarau. Ia wāhanga, whakaemihia ai ngā hōtuku paetae, hei aroturuki i te ahunga whakamua o te ākonga, o ngā rōpū ākonga hoki. Ka whakamahi ngā kaiako i ngā hōtuku nei hei whakamōhio i ngā māhere me te whakatinanatanga o ngā hōtaka akoranga, whakaakoranga hoki. Ka tāutuhia ngā ākonga takitahi, takirōpū rānei hei hāpai tonu, hei whakawhānui tonu rānei, ā, ka whakawhanakehia ngā māhere e tika ana. Ka whiwhi te poari i tētahi pūrongo ōkawa ā-tau e pā ana ki ngā paetae ākonga, i runga anō i ngā taumata ā-tau i whakaritea ai i te tīmatanga o te tau. Puta noa i te tau, ka whakapuakihia hoki ki te poari ngā mōhiohio e pā ana ki te ahunga whakamua.
He nui hoki ngā tūmanako o ngā ākonga mō rātou anō, kia eke angitu rātou, ā, kia whai wāhi mātātoa atu ki ō rātou hāpori. He manawa whakahī tō rātou mō tō rātou kura, ā, ko rātou hoki e kawe ana i te whakatakotoranga me te tiakitanga o te taiao. Kua whakaritea ētahi māra, ā, e tiakina ana e ngā ākonga. Pērā tahi ki ō rātou whānau, e wātea ana ngā ākonga ki te whai wāhi atu ki te whānuitanga o ngā wheako hihiri, whakaongaonga hoki ki ō rātou akomanga, me ngā horopaki ā-hāpori, ā-rohe, ā, o te ao hoki. He whakaute, he ratarata, he māia hoki rātou hei ākonga.
Te wāhanga hei whakawhanake, hei arotake
E mārama pai ana te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ki ngā mahi e whakatutukihia ana e te kura, hei kura e whakamātau ana i te whakatinanatanga o Ngā Whanaketanga.
I te wā o te arotake, i whakawhiti kōrero ngā kaiārahi o te kura me te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā wāhanga hei whakawhanake e whai ake nei:
- ko te arotake tonu i te āhua a te kura i tēnei wā, ki te tātari, te whakamārama, me te pūrongo i ngā mōhiohio e pā ana ki ngā paetae ākonga;
- ko te āta whakarite, kia hāpai ai te arotake i te poari ki te tino mārama ki te āhua o ngā whakatutukitanga o ngā ākonga, me ngā whakatutukitanga o ngā taumata i tāutuhia ai, puta noa i te tau; ā,
- ko te tātari i ngā tikanga me ngā tauira o te paetae ākonga, mō te roanga o te wā.
3. Ngā Kupu Tūturu a te Poari mō ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga
I mua atu i te whakahaerenga o te arotake i whakatutukitia e te poari whakahaere me te tumuaki o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea he Tauāki Kupu Tūturu a Te Poarime tētahi Rārangi Arowhai Tātari Whaiaromā te Tari Arotake Mātauranga. I roto i ēnei tuhinga i oati rātou i whāia e rātou ngā huarahi whai take hei whakatutuki i ā rātou herenga ā-ture e pā ana ki:
- ngā whakahaere a te poari;
- te marautanga;
- ngā whakahaere mō te hauora, te haumaru me te oranga tinana;
- ngā whakahaere o ngā kaimahi;
- ngā whakahaere o te pūtea; me
- ngā whakahaere o ngā rawa me ngā taonga
I te wā o te arotake, i whakamātauhia e te Tari Arotake Matauranga ngā āhuatanga i raro iho nei, i te mea he nui te pānga o ēnei ki ngā paetae o ngā ākonga:
- te haumaru aronganui o ngā ākonga (tāpiri atu ki te ārai i ngā mahi whakawetiweti me ngā mahi whakaaito);
- te haumaru ā-tinana o ngā ākonga;
- te rēhitatanga o ngā kaiako;
- te whakaunu, te aukati, te pana me te whakarerenga; me
- te tae ā-tinana atu a ngā ākonga ki te kura.
Kīhai ngā tirohanga a te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i tāutu ai i ētahi āhuatanga āwangawanga.
Te Mahi ā Meāke Nei
Ko te arotake anōtia e te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i roto i ngā tau e toru.
Makere Smith
National Manager Review Services Māori (Te Uepū ā-Motu)
Mahuru 201030
1. The Education Review Office (ERO) Evaluation
“Ko te tamaiti te mea nui”
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea is a decile four, urban based school located in Hamilton. Founded in 1994, the school was established to address the aspirations of whānau who sought a school that was committed to student achievement in a Māori immersion setting.
The board regularly liaises and meets with the wider whānau. It is delegated responsibility for preserving and safeguarding the special character of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea, along with the statutory requirements of school boards. The board undertakes ongoing self review to inform all planning and development throughout the school. Ongoing review of how student achievement information is analysed and reported occurs as part of the school’s involvement in the pilot for National Standards implementation.
The school whānau, has high achievement expectations for students and a strong belief in their inherent potential. They celebrate, values and promote individual uniqueness and diversity.
Board members have a clear understanding of their governance roles and responsibilities. The school is effectively led and managed by a principal who articulates high expectations for student learning and achievement and for teachers as professionals.
Children confidently engage in a wide range of teaching and learning experiences in calm and settled classrooms. Te reo Māori is the language of instruction and communication throughout the school. Students are reaching appropriate standards in literacy and numeracy.
Students have high expectations of themselves to succeed and to actively contribute to the communities they belong to. They take pride in their school and have particular responsibility for designing and caring for the environment. Along with their whānau, students have access to a wide range of interesting and stimulating experiences in their classroom and local, regional and international contexts. Students are respectful, friendly and confident learners.
Future Action
ERO is likely to carry out the next review within three years.
2. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea Curriculum
How effectively does the curriculum of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea promote student learning - engagement, progress and achievement?
School context and self review
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea is a decile four, urban based school located in Hamilton. Founded in 1994, the school was established to address the aspirations of whānau who sought a school that was committed to student achievement in a Māori immersion setting.
The board regularly liaises and meets with the wider whānau. It is delegated responsibility for preserving and safeguarding the special character of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea, along with the statutory requirements of school boards.
The school whānau, has high achievement expectations of students and a strong belief in their inherent potential. They celebrate values and promote individual uniqueness and diversity.
The school whānau shares a vision for students who have integrity, are motivated, successful and confident in local, national and international contexts. The vision, values and philosophy of the school are embedded in policy, procedure and practice. Robust review and dialogue about the school’s vision and direction occur during annual board and staff retreats, whānau hui each term and regular staff meetings.
Strategic networks have been established with local education providers, businesses and government agencies. External agencies, resources and expertise are effectively used to support future plans and direction.
As a whānau, the school celebrates, values and promotes individual uniqueness and diversity. Positive relationships are nurtured and developed and students and whānau are actively encouraged to participate in trips within and around New Zealand and the Pacific Rim. Annual events are held to showcase and celebrate the individual talents and achievements of students. A positive tone in the school supports all students to learn.
Areas of strength
Board members have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in governance. They effectively support the principal in her role as manager and leader of the school and maintain a clear focus on best outcomes for students. Focused strategic planning is used to steer the board towards their identified goals including the ‘rich picture’ vision of the school, developed by board, whānau and staff. The four themes of the strategic plan are:
- focusing on student achievement;
- implementing the graduate profile and key competencies;
- building the capacity and capability for high quality teaching; and
- securing appropriate resources, expertise and knowledge for ongoing improvement to the quality of the educational environment.
The principal articulates high expectations for student learning and achievement and for teachers as professionals. She uses a shared and collaborative approach to curriculum development and implementation. This encourages staff to engage in regular professional discussion and reflection about the learning programme, teaching strategies and student progress and achievement.
The principal provides the board and staff with up to date information from the educational community and facilitates their learning and understanding. She provides professional learning opportunities which challenge deficit thinking and support the board and teachers to develop a sense that they can make a difference for students.
A clear rationale is evident for the choices made in designing the curriculum and in selecting learning areas of emphasis that are linked to the graduate profile and key competencies. The special character of the school is reflected through integrating aspects of Montessori methodology, the enviro-schools programme and a virtues programme that is linked to the key competencies in the New Zealand Curriculum into the school programme.
Te reo Māori is the language of communication and instruction throughout the kura. Students are supported to develop a good understanding of their identity as Māori and their potential as global citizens. Appropriate emphasis is given to literacy and numeracy learning.
Children confidently engage in a wide range of teaching and learning experiences in calm and settled classrooms. Aspects of effective teaching practice include:
- high expectations for learning and self management;
- well-structured, balanced and paced lessons;
- sharing learning intentions with students;
- using a range of resources and materials to engage and support student learning;
- opportunities for students to self and peer assess their learning; and
- pre testing and post testing to inform next learning steps.
These strategies help students to understand what they are learning and why they are learning it.
Students are reaching appropriate standards in literacy and numeracy. Achievement data is collated each term to monitor the progress of individuals and groups. Teachers use this data to inform planning and implementing learning and teaching programmes. Individuals or groups of students who need support or extension are identified and appropriate plans are developed. The board receives an annual formal report on student achievement based on the annual targets that are established at the beginning of the year. Throughout the year, progress information is also shared with the board.
Students have high expectations of themselves to succeed and to actively contribute to the communities that they belong to. They take pride in their school and have particular responsibility for designing and caring for the environment. Gardens have been established and are cared for by the students. Along with their whānau students have access to a wide range of interesting and stimulating experiences in their classroom and local, regional and international contexts. Students are respectful, friendly and confident.
Area for development and review
ERO positively acknowledges the work that the school is currently involved in as a pilot school for National Standards implementation.
During the course of the review, school leaders and ERO discussed the following areas for development:
- continue to review how the school presently analyses, interprets and reports student achievement information;
- seek to ensure the review supports the board to clearly understand how well students are achieving and identified targets are being met throughout the year; and
- analyse trends and patterns of student achievement over time.
3. Board Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the board of trustees and principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea completed an EROBoard Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:
- board administration;
- curriculum;
- management of health, safety and welfare;
- personnel management;
- financial management; and
- asset management.
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on students’ achievement:
- emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment);
- physical safety of students;
- teacher registration;
- stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions; and
- attendance.
ERO’s investigations did not identify any areas of concern.
Future Action
ERO is likely to carry out the next review within three years.
Makere Smith
National Manager Review Services Māori (Te Uepū ā-Motu)
30 September 2010
About the Kura
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Location
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Glenview, Hamilton
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Ministry of Education profile number
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282
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School type
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Māori Immersion Full Primary (Year 1-8)
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Decile
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4
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School roll
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89
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Gender composition
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Girls 46, Boys 43
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Ethnic composition
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Māori 89
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Review team on site
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June 2010
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Date of this report
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30 September 2010
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Previous three ERO reports
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Education Review, June 2006
Accountability Review, December 1999
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To the Parents and Community of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea.
“Ko te tamaiti te mea nui”
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea is a decile four, urban based school located in Hamilton. Founded in 1994, the school was established to address the aspirations of whānau who sought a school that was committed to student achievement in a Māori immersion setting.
The board regularly liaises and meets with the wider whānau. It is delegated responsibility for preserving and safeguarding the special character of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakawatea, along with the statutory requirements of school boards. The board undertakes ongoing self review to inform all planning and development throughout the school. Ongoing review of how student achievement information is analysed and reported occurs as part of the school’s involvement in the pilot for National Standards implementation.
The school whānau, has high achievement expectations for students and a strong belief in their inherent potential. They celebrate values and promote individual uniqueness and diversity.
Board members have a clear understanding of their governance roles and responsibilities. The school is effectively led and managed by a principal who articulates high expectations for student learning and achievement and for teachers as professionals.
Children confidently engage in a wide range of teaching and learning experiences in calm and settled classrooms. Te reo Māori is the language of instruction and communication throughout the school. Students are reaching appropriate standards in literacy and numeracy.
Students have high expectations of themselves to succeed and to actively contribute to the communities they belong to. They take pride in their school and have particular responsibility for designing and caring for the environment. Along with their whānau, students have access to a wide range of interesting and stimulating experiences in their classroom and local, regional and international contexts. Students are respectful, friendly and confident learners.
Future Action
ERO is likely to carry out the next review within three years.
This report has been prepared in accordance with standard procedures approved by the Chief Review Officer.
Review Coverage
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of kura performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to student achievement and useful to this kura.
If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the kura or see the ERO web page, http://www.ero.govt.nz.
Makere Smith
National Manager Review Services Māori (Te Uepū ā-Motu)
General Information About Reviews
About ERO
ERO is an independent, external evaluation agency that undertakes reviews of schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.
About ERO Reviews
ERO follows a set of standard procedures to conduct reviews. The purpose of each review is to:
- improve educational achievement in schools; and
- provide information to parents, communities and the Government.
- Reviews are intended to focus on student achievement and build on each school’s self-review.
Review Focus
ERO’s framework for reviewing and reporting is based on three review strands.
- School Specific Priorities– the quality of education and the impact of school policies and practices on student achievement.
- Areas of Specific Government Interest– information about how Government policies are working in schools.
- Compliance with Legal Requirements– assurance that this school has taken all reasonable steps to meet legal requirements.
Review Coverage
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of school performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to student achievement and useful to this school.
Review Recommendations
Most ERO reports include recommendations for improvement. A recommendation on a particular issue does not necessarily mean that a school is performing poorly in relation to that issue. There is no direct link between the number of recommendations in this report and the overall performance of this school.
School deciles range from one to ten. Decile one schools draw their students from low socioeconomic communities and at the other end of the range, decile 10 schools draw their students from high socio-economic communities. Deciles are used to provide funding to state and state integrated schools. The lower the school’s decile the more funding it receives. A school’s decile is in no way linked to the quality of education it provides.