Te Puna School

School Context

Te Puna School is located in Te Puna, a semi-rural village north-west of Tauranga City. It caters for 259 students from Years 1 to 8, including 114 who identify as Māori. The school offers Māori medium education and 50 students are taught in the immersion unit (Te Puna Mātauranga).

The school’s vision for learners includes six values: ‘Be heard – Korokoro tui’, ‘Give it a go – Hoea’, ‘Aim high – Te rangituanehu’, ‘Honour our heritage – O tatou taonga’. ‘Be yourself – Oku tapawae’, ‘I care – Pa harakeke’. The school’s strategic goals are aligned with these valued outcomes for students.

School achievement targets at the time of this ERO review were focused on reading and mathematics, with aims to accelerate the learning of students through specific teaching interventions. The board reports that many students entered with low levels of achievement during 2016/17.

Recent professional learning opportunities for teachers have included ‘Assess to Learn’ workshops and initiatives to accelerate learning in literacy and mathematics. Junior school teachers are currently undertaking professional development in play-based learning.

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

• reading, writing and mathematics.

Since the previous ERO review in 2015, there has been one change to the senior leadership team with the appointment of a new team leader in 2018. The board has a mix of experienced and new trustees.

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 not achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all students. A large majority of students are achieving expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. However, Māori students are achieving at significantly lower levels with approximately half achieving expected levels in reading, writing, and mathematics. There is significant disparity between Māori and Pākehā achievement. Girls are achieving at significantly higher levels than boys in reading and writing. This pattern of disparity for Māori students and boys has remained consistent over the last three years.

In the Māori medium classes, the majority of students are achieving expected levels in all areas. There is significant disparity for boys, who achieve at much lower levels than girls. This disparity has remained consistent over the last three years.

The school’s entry data shows an increasingly large proportion of students entering each year are below expected levels in literacy.

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

The school is not yet sufficiently accelerating the learning for those Māori and other students who need this. However, achievement data shows that focused interventions are successfully accelerating the progress of some identified at-risk learners.

Leaders are collecting and analysing data for some students who are underachieving. They are yet to collate and analyse this data at a school-wide level to show the rates of progress for all students whose learning requires acceleration.

Leaders and teachers need to regularly analyse the achievement data of students in the Māori medium programme in order to respond appropriately to those whose learning requires acceleration.

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 leadership team is working collaboratively to prioritise student learning. Senior leaders have a clear understanding of the current picture of achievement, in English medium classes and planned strategies are in place to reduce disparity through acceleration of learning for at-risk students. Recently developed frameworks enable leaders to identify, respond to, and monitor these students. Relevant professional learning and targeted programmes have been accessed to support improved achievement outcomes for students. Leaders have reviewed and strengthened the teacher appraisal process and expectations around teaching as inquiry. This is supporting continuous improvement of professional practice.

The school’s curriculum is broad and inclusive. There are opportunities for students to learn in a range of engaging contexts, across all learning areas. Community and environmental projects promote productive connections in the local area, and support links between the English medium and Māori immersion curricula. The school’s values reflect Māori cultural perspectives and are visible in the environment and well articulated by students, teachers and leaders. Values are embedded in meaningful ways inside and outside the classroom. ERO observed positive relationships between teachers and students. Students with additional learning and behavioural needs are supported through clear and appropriate processes and practice.

Te Puna Mātauranga is providing students with authentic learning opportunities. Teachers have good knowledge of local iwi, history and tikanga. There is a strong focus on language learning through teacher modelling and the physical environment. Students are developing sound knowledge and understanding of te reo Māori through waiata, kapa haka, pūrakau and the marau.

Trustees provide supportive stewardship. They have a wide range of relevant expertise and skills. There are responsive governance practices for policy review and trustees undertake community consultation to inform development of the school charter. Trustees access beneficial training for their roles and seek relevant external support when needed.

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

Leaders and teachers need to continue to build instructional capability for acceleration of students’ learning, especially Māori and boys. Priorities are in:

• consistent implementation of assessment practices to develop students’ understanding of their learning and next steps, including the use of learning progressions
• assessment and moderation processes and practices in Te Puna Mātauranga.

Leaders need to analyse achievement data to show the rates of accelerated student progress.

Internal evaluation processes need to be fully implemented. Leaders and teachers should undertake internal evaluation to:

• determine the impact and effectiveness of targeted interventions on student achievement
• respond to trends and patterns of underachievement, particularly for boys and Māori students.

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 broad curriculum that provides an holistic approach to learning and development.

Next steps

The school and ERO agree that for sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:

• building collective capacity to improve levels of student achievement
• internal evaluation processes and practices

[ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop for trustees and senior leaders.]

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Adrienne Fowler
Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

10 October 2018

About the school