Findings
Te Pāpapa School provides an inclusive learning environment that promotes student achievement and wellbeing. The school’s curriculum effectively responds to students’ needs and interests. School leaders seek improvement through effective ongoing school review and consultation. The engagement of family and whānau in learning partnerships contributes to successful outcomes for students.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
1 Context
What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?
Te Pāpapa School is located in the Auckland suburb of Onehunga and caters for students from Years 1 to 6. Students are mainly of Pacific (73%) and Māori (23%) descent. Samoan, Tongan and Cook Island are the school's predominant Pacific groups. The school has made ongoing progress and improvement since ERO’s 2011 review.
The school has a strong commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and an inclusive culture that celebrates children’s diverse backgrounds. The involvement of families and multi-agency collaboration supports children’s learning. Teachers have the skills and expertise to support children with special learning needs and those with English as an additional language.
The principal’s leadership over the past six years has positively transformed the school. Supported by a collaborative management team, the principal has maintained a persistent focus on children’s learning and achievement. Approaches to teaching and learning are cohesive and well understood.
The school is an asset in the local community. The buildings and grounds are maintained to a high standard. Children’s work personalises classroom and school displays. The gardens and trees provide an attractive setting. Parents and whānau are made welcome and work together with teacher aides to support learners.
A major innovation since 2011 has been the establishment of an early childhood education centre on the school site. This facility has strengthened the school’s partnership with its community. Stable leadership provided by school leaders and trustees contributes to well selected initiatives that are impacting positively on student engagement and achievement.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
Students are highly engaged in their learning. They make good progress and generally achieve well. Students work collaboratively with their teachers and their parents to understand their own learning. As a result, they are able to establish and review personal learning goals.
Teachers are very skilled in the use of achievement information. They collect reliable information about student achievement and meet regularly to monitor student progress. Achievement information is used to set targets for all students in relation to the National Standards. There is a particular focus on students who are currently achieving below expectations. Teachers are implementing successful approaches to bring about accelerated learning. Analysis of data is used well to determine programme overviews and daily learning intentions.
The principal oversees school-wide student progress and achievement. She and the school’s senior leaders examine achievement information critically and work with teachers to help ensure students’ learning needs are met. Parents receive very good information about their children’s learning, progress and achievement through conferences and written reports. School data is also compared with data from similar schools locally, regionally and nationally. This helps the board and leaders to measure progress and to monitor the wider effectiveness of Te Pāpapa School in progressing student learning.
The principal and senior leaders have been strategic and intentional in the use of initiatives to give added value to children’s learning. Initiatives that are bringing about positive changes to learner’s engagement, progress and achievement include;
- extra staff to provide professional coaching for teachers
support for the very effective parent partnership programmes, such as Mutukaroa, HIPPY, Little Learners, Reading Together and the twice a term mathematics workshops with parents.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
The school’s curriculum supports student learning very effectively.
Curriculum review has been purposefully targeted to respond to students’ identified learning needs and interests. Learning programmes are designed to foster literacy and numeracy in a framework of inquiry-based learning. Students contribute to the selection of topics and explore learning through questioning, reading, writing, sharing and presenting information. Teachers interweave children’s home language, culture and identity within daily teaching and learning programmes.
The school’s culture and values promote success for all students. Well managed programmes and in-class support for children with special learning and behaviour needs is a feature of the school curriculum. The school-wide programme for positive behaviour promotes students’ engagement in learning. Positive relationships and restorative practices enhance students’ wellbeing, self worth and sense of belonging.
Consistent standards of teaching practice have been achieved through the complementary skills and shared expertise of curriculum leaders who work together with classroom teachers. Literacy and numeracy leaders collaborate with the special needs coordinator and team leaders. Professional learning groups provide opportunities for teachers to discuss information that guides their planning. Teachers respond positively to the cultural needs of children.
The curriculum encourages students to become self managing and to take responsibility for their own learning. As students gain confidence as learners they can share their progress with each other and with their parents. Curriculum expectations are displayed in all classrooms. Students discuss their learning with their teachers and set goals related to their own rate of progress.
The curriculum is varied and fun. Programmes include sustainability and the environment, particularly relating to gardening and food production. Art, music, and cultural experiences such as pōwhiri are regular and planned events. Students also achieve well in sports, including swimming and team games. They participate with enthusiasm. Support by adults for the roles of tuakana and teina allows younger and older students help one another to learn.
Senior leaders are considering how the curriculum could become more future focused and could further broaden students' learning experiences. They are also exploring options for extending the use of e-learning. These are appropriate next steps in helping students to become lifelong learners.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
The school promotes educational success for Māori students as Māori very effectively.
School practices and procedures are based on the values of mana, manaaki and mahi tahi. Teachers are using Ministry of Education resource documents to develop a much deeper understanding of how to make a positive difference for Maori students.
Tikanga Māori is guided by mana whenua. School leaders consult regularly with whānau Māori and the wider Māori community. Students lead daily mihimihi, karakia and himene using the many different languages of the school community. Te reo Māori is proudly used throughout the school. As a result, there is increased engagement with whānau, Māori students are achieving well, and there is a strategic goal to reinforce options for the learning of te reo Māori. At this school, tikanga Māori is the norm.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The school is very well placed to sustain and maintain its performance.
There are clear and shared understandings of expectations, school vision and direction. School leaders foster a culture of self reflection, improvement and innovation. They have managed change effectively over recent years. The principal is an experienced and capable professional leader, who promotes high expectations for staff and students. School leaders promote collaborative practice and are building the leadership capacity of all staff across the school. They are leaders within many professional networks where they share their innovative practices.
The board of trustees supports the school’s focus on student achievement well. It is led by an experienced chairperson and elected trustees. Co-opted representatives bring a wide range of skills and experience to the governance role. They share a strong commitment to effective partnerships with parents and whānau. The board’s strategic plan is closely aligned to school operations, and school leaders use high quality self review to evaluate progress towards the annual goals and targets.
Reflective practice and decision making that is focused on continual improvement are evident at all levels of the school. A range of formal and informal reporting practices ensure that the board is well informed. The principal regularly reports against the school’s goals and targets. School leaders and trustees communicate and consult with the community well. They use information from parents, staff and students to inform strategic decisions.
Sound foundations have been established and the school is well positioned to continue refining its governance, leadership and teaching practices. The board is considering ways to strengthen its strategic planning processes to ensure ongoing improvement and sustainability.
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
Te Pāpapa School provides an inclusive learning environment that promotes student achievement and wellbeing. The school’s curriculum effectively responds to students’ needs and interests. School leaders seek improvement through effective ongoing school review and consultation. The engagement of family and whānau in learning partnerships contributes to successful outcomes for students.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
19 December 2014
About the School
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Location
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Onehunga, Auckland
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Ministry of Education profile number
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1534
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School type
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Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
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School roll
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260
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Gender composition
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Boys 53% Girls 47%
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Ethnic composition
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Maori
NZ European/Pākeha
Tongan
Samoan
Cook Island
Niue
other
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26%
1%
26%
25%
12%
5%
5%
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Review team on site
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November 2014
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Date of this report
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19 December 2014
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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January 2012
November 2008
September 2005
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