Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Thornton School working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz
Context
Thornton School is a rural primary school located near Whakatane and provides education for students in Years 1 – 8. Our supportive school community and our children’s positive attitudes to school life are an important and valued aspect of our school culture.
Thornton School strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
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to embed effective schoolwide assessment and internal evaluation practices
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to ensure high expectations of equity and excellence for meeting the learning, cultural, and wellbeing needs of all learners
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to enhance learning partnerships with family, whānau and community that promote and support authentic and culturally responsive learning opportunities.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Thornton School website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the effectiveness of schoolwide processes and systems for assessment and evaluation that support and promote outcomes of equity and excellence for all learners.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
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to ensure all learners have maximum opportunity to learn and achieve at their appropriate level
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the opportunity it provides to strengthen systems and processes that support rigorous and collective practises for assessing, monitoring and responding to student learning progress and needs.
The school expects to see enhanced and sustainable processes and systems of assessment and evaluation that support and promote high quality responsive teaching and learning practices, resulting in improved outcomes of equity and excellence for all learners, particularly in the area of writing.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to improve internal evaluation practises that promote high quality responsive teaching and learning practices:
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A clear, precise plan that clarifies actions and provides indicators of success.
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Collaborative leadership and staff who understand the need for, and are committed to, improving outcomes for all learners.
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Literacy leaders with expertise to facilitate and support staff improvement.
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Learners who enjoy school and are excited about learning.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
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professional learning to improve schoolwide consistency in teaching and learning practices, and assessment
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the establishment of tools to support clarity and coherency of learning progression and achievement
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strengthening sustainable practises of collective responsibility for monitoring and responding to student learning needs
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enhancing reciprocal partnerships with family, whānau and community to support authentic and culturally responsive learning opportunities.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
1 August 2022
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home