Tikokino School

Tikokino School - 01/05/2019

School Context

Tikokino School, located in rural Central Hawke’s Bay, has students in Years 1 to 8 and a roll of 52.

The school’s vision and values were extensively reviewed in 2018, in consultation with the school community. The stated vision for students is ‘Preparing for the journey: Developing Resilient Motivated Learners’. The school’s values are ‘respect, determination, pride and responsibility’.

In 2019, the school’s annual targets are to raise achievement in reading, writing and mathematics for those achieving under school expectations and to increase students’ understanding of themselves as learners.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to the levels of the New Zealand Curriculum

  • interventions in reading.

Professional learning and development in literacy has been undertaken in 2018. Continuing this work and deepening understanding of student agency is a current focus for teachers.

The school is part of the Ruahine Kāhui Ako.

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?

Most students continue to achieve well. At the end of 2018, the school’s achievement data showed that almost all students achieved at or above curriculum expectations in reading and mathematics. Most students achieve at or above curriculum expectations in writing. Māori students achieve as well as their peers in the school in all three areas.

The school has had a deliberate focus on addressing the disparity for boys in writing. This has reduced over time.

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

Students whose learning requires acceleration are well known to the teaching team.

Of those students targeted in reading in 2018, most accelerated their learning as a result of specific interventions. All target students in writing and mathematics made progress.

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?

Strong relationships contribute to a positive learning environment. Interactions between students and with adults are respectful. Teachers know the students and their families well and take a collaborative approach to supporting all learners. Strong community involvement is a feature of the school. There is a deliberate strategy to strengthen communication between teachers, parents and whānau to promote student learning.

Teachers are responsive to the needs of individual learners. They use a range of strategies to engage students well in learning. The considered use of digital technology in classrooms supports students to make decisions about what and how they learn. Students work well together and support each other in their tasks. The recently revised school vision and values clearly identify valued outcomes for students and promote their identity as successful learners.

A range of authentic learning opportunities, experienced through the enacted curriculum, are responsive to the strengths and interests of students. Literacy, mathematics and physical activity are given priority. The school’s rural context is well reflected. Many community members volunteer their knowledge and skills to enhance the curriculum. Activities are regularly undertaken that enable students to interact socially and build relationships with peers in the wider community.

Trustees work collaboratively to serve the school and community in their stewardship role. They are well informed about school operation and overall student achievement. They use this to make decisions for school development and resourcing.

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

Staff have identified, and ERO’s evaluation affirms, that strengthening assessment processes and practices is a priority. They are taking steps to address this. Further development should include:

  • gaining a deeper understanding of the purpose, analysis and interpretation of data to inform teaching and learning and support accelerated outcomes
  • strengthening processes to track, monitor and report the progress of target students over time.

The documented curriculum needs to be further developed to reflect the school’s revised values and local context. In particular, attention should be given to clearly describing:

  • alignment to the principles of the New Zealand Curriculum
  • expectations for effective teaching
  • culturally responsive practices
  • inquiry learning.

Monitoring of actions towards strategic goals is regularly undertaken. To support future development, trustees and the principal should identify priorities for ongoing improvement through the strategic plan. Annual planning to meet these aims should be strengthened by developing indicators of success against which progress can be monitored.

A useful framework is in place to support internal evaluation. Strengthening shared understanding and use of effective internal evaluation remains an area for development. This should help trustees, the principal and teachers to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of programmes, teaching practices and interventions for coherency of change to improve outcomes for 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 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO‘s overall evaluation judgement of Tikokino School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

  • a responsive enacted curriculum, that promotes good levels of achievement

  • a culture of collaboration among leaders, teachers, parents and community that enables a positive learning environment throughout the school

  • a board of trustees that is knowledgeable and committed to advancing the school vision and values.

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:

  • analysis and use of data, to better inform decisions about teaching and learning

  • documenting the school curriculum, to ensure shared understanding of expectations for effective teaching practice within the context of the school

  • strengthening understanding and use of internal evaluation, to better measure the effectiveness of actions on learner outcomes and inform ongoing decision making.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

In order to address this, the board of trustees must ensure:

  • a child protection policy is in place
  • that appointment procedures and practices clearly document safety checking of the workforce.
    [Vulnerable Children Act 2014, Sections 18 and 19; State Sector Act Section 77A]

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should strengthen processes for review of policies and procedures to ensure all current requirements are met. This work should include attention to:

  • the complaints procedure
  • the anti-bullying and internet use procedures to include a focus on the prevention of all forms of bullying
  • full recording of in-committee minutes by the board of trustees.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

1 May 2019

About the school

Location

Tikokino

Ministry of Education profile number

2704

School type

Full primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

52

Gender composition

Female 29, Male 23

Ethnic composition

Māori 5
Pākehā 47

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

No

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

February 2019

Date of this report

1 May 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review June 2016
Education Review June 2013
Education Review May 2010

Tikokino School - 10/06/2016

1 Context

Tikokino School is a full primary school (Years 1 to 8) in Central Hawke's Bay. Established in 1866, the school is celebrating its 150 year jubilee later this year. The school has 58 students enrolled, of whom 11 are Māori. The first time principal was appointed at the beginning of 2015. All teaching staff have been newly appointed over the past year. Trustees and staff promote a safe environment where students are provided with a range of challenging opportunities for physical activity.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are '100% Tikokino (today, tomorrow, together)' and respect for selves, others, property and the environment. These underpin expectations for teaching and learning for staff and students.

The school’s achievement information shows that most students, including Māori, achieved at and above National Standards expectations in reading, writing and mathematics 2015. Over the past three years the number of Māori students achieving below National Standards has reduced.

Reading is a strength across the school. Boys achieve lower than girls. In response to the school's 2015 review of curriculum provision and student achievement data, staff are implementing new programmes, systems and processes to support learning for all students. Further work is needed to make sure the improvements respond to and accelerate the progress of students working below National Standards expectations.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has:

  • improved teacher inquiry processes to have a greater focus on raising achievement for target students
  • reviewed the appraisal system
  • worked to strengthen relationships with parents and community.

The board and staff have addressed many of the recommendations identified in the June 2013 ERO report. They continue to work on other identified priorities.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The school clearly identifies students at risk of underachievement, including Māori. Trustees and staff provide programmes aimed at increasing engagement, motivation and learning for all students. Teachers should investigate and review how well they are using these to effectively accelerate the progress and learning of target students.

Improved use of assessment information is required to ensure a comprehensive response to students whose achievement needs acceleration. To improve the response to these students teachers and trustees should:

  • revise annual achievement targets and align relevant actions, including reporting to the board, to support accelerated outcomes for identified learners
  • strengthen teachers and leaders capability to moderate, analyse and interpret data for the purpose of teaching, learning and evaluation.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and priorities for equity and excellence?

Processes and practices are being strengthened to promote equity and excellence for students.

Trustees receive useful information about student achievement, school practices and operation in relation to strategic goals. They use this data to inform decision-making for improving student outcomes. The board is managing the performance of the principal though an external facilitator. Development goals are aligned to the school's priorities and strategic direction. Trustees continue to improve their understanding of governance and their responsibilities as a good employer.

The principal is establishing a supportive environment conducive to promoting student learning and wellbeing through:

  • a cohesive teaching team
  • increasing community collaboration and partnerships
  • building teacher capability and consistency of practice across the school.

Staff have respectful interactions and relationships with students. Teachers use a range of purposeful strategies, programmes and resources to engage students in their learning. Increasing the consistency of high quality practice should assist in accelerating achievement. This year the school has introduced a range of initiatives to support learning in mathematics, health, the arts and te reo Māori. Student use of digital technologies to support engagement in learning has been strengthened.

The principal has identified and ERO agrees that it is timely to undertake an in-depth internal review of the curriculum to evaluate how well it responds to:

  • New Zealand's bicultural heritage
  • the context of the school and community
  • conditions that support 21st century learners.

As part of this process, learning statements in reading, writing and mathematics should be redeveloped to determine effective practices and expectations for teaching and learning.

The appraisal process has improved to include teaching as inquiry. Goals are well aligned to the school priority of accelerating student progress. Teachers' deliberate inquiry into the impact of their practice should assist more systematic gathering and recording of evidence to explore:

  • what works, why and for whom
  • teaching strategies that support accelerating progress for identified students, including Māori.

It is timely to establish and use internal evaluation to sustain improvement.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children?

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
  • have not yet developed approaches that effectively meet the needs of each child
  • have not yet ensured the school is well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

To improve learning outcomes and achievement trustees and staff should:

  • further refine target setting and reporting so that a clearer picture about progress and the extent of acceleration for target groups is established
  • target deliberate actions to help improve achievement outcomes for students
  • strengthen internal evaluation across all levels of the school to systematically plan, monitor and measure effectiveness
  • undertake an in depth review of the curriculum.

Action: The board, principal and teachers should participate in an internal evaluation workshop. They should use this workshop, ERO exemplars of good practice and the School Evaluation Indicators to address the findings of this evaluation and develop a Raising Achievement Plan that includes a significant focus on building teacher capability to accelerate learning and achievement.

As part of this review ERO will continue to monitor the school’s Raising Achievement Plan and the progress the school makes.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

6 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 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.

  • Processes for appointing staff.

  • Stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions.

  • Attendance.

  • Compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

7 Recommendations

Trustees, leaders and teachers should use ongoing coherent internal evaluation to prioritise and develop plans to strengthen targeted action that improve student achievement, curriculum responsiveness and teacher capability.

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

10 June 2016 

About the school

Location

Central Hawke's Bay

Ministry of Education profile number

2704

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

58

Gender composition

Male 31, Female 27

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

11

47

Review team on site

April 2016

Date of this report

10 June 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

June 2013

May 2010

May 2007