Titirangi School

Summary

Titirangi School caters for children from Years 1 to 6. The roll of 479 students comprises 78 percent Pākehā, five percent Māori, two percent Pacific and a variety of other ethnicities.

Strongly embedded values provide a touchstone for children, teachers and parents. These values and positive relationships are a feature of the inclusive, welcoming school culture.

School achievement levels are considerably higher than national levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Children’s achievement over time in relation to the National Standards has been high for all groups. Māori children achieve at the same levels as the rest of the school population. School data show that high and equitable achievement has been achieved and maintained over time.

Since the 2013 ERO review the school has continued to identify areas for development and improvement. Significant school-wide professional learning and development has had a positive impact on teachers’ knowledge and practice in writing, and on outcomes for children. A culture of ongoing improvement is evident.

The school is a member of the Kōtuitui Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako (CoL).

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?

The school responds very well to Māori and other children whose progress needs acceleration. It has a range of processes that are highly effective in enabling the achievement of equity and excellence. This success is largely attributable to sound governance, highly effective school leadership, robust internal evaluation, a responsive curriculum and effective teaching practices.

Children are achieving excellent educational outcomes. School performance has been sustained over time through well-focused, embedded processes and practices. This school has successfully addressed in-school disparity in educational outcomes.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Equity and excellence

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

The school responds very well to Māori and other children whose progress needs acceleration. The board has a strategic goal to have no ethnic or gender disparity in children’s achievement. Māori children achieve at the same levels as Pākehā children in reading, writing and mathematics. Senior leaders are alert to emerging disparities for small groups of children.

Teachers identify children who would benefit from acceleration in their learning. They closely monitor children’s progress and respond to their individual needs. Teachers and parents work in partnership to support children’s learning. As a result, the school has good evidence of children’s progress being accelerated effectively through appropriate interventions.

Teachers and leaders know children very well and appreciate the prior knowledge and attitudes that they bring to their learning. Teams of teachers use data to identify learning areas that they need to focus on. Regular professional conversations between teachers contribute to team inquiries that focus on enabling children to experience equity and excellence.

Children with additional learning needs are well supported to achieve their goals. Collaborative partnerships with parents build on the school’s ethic of care and expertise. External agencies provide appropriate advice and guidance to help teachers work in the best interests of the child. Children benefit from the inclusive culture of the school.

The school wants learners to be well rounded, respectful, connected thinkers and achievers. These valued outcomes are well supported in practice and shared by the whole school community. Children, teachers, leaders and parents regularly use these values as reference points. Effective systems are in place for children and teachers to evaluate their progress towards achieving these outcomes.

Senior leaders are actively engaged with the school’s assessment processes and practices. Together with syndicate leaders and teachers they monitor and track the progress of individual children to ensure robust judgements are made for all children’s achievement.

Teachers’ participation in moderation across the school and with some other schools, also strengthens the assessment process. Leaders expect that the school’s involvement in the Kōtuitui CoL will also add to the consistency of teachers’ assessment judgements.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

The school has a wide range of processes that are effective in enabling the achievement of equity and excellence.

The board provides very good governance. Trustees are united and committed to the school’s vision for education. This vision is strongly focused on children and their wellbeing. Trustees bring expertise and knowledge to their governance roles and ensure they are well informed about school operations. They support the principal and senior leaders to maintain and extend the school’s performance.

School leadership is highly effective. The principal and senior leaders have a clear vision for teaching and learning that promotes equity and excellence across the school. They have ensured there is an ongoing commitment to improvement. Senior leaders promote leadership for others. They expect and encourage teachers and children to take these opportunities.

The school has robust internal evaluation systems and practices. Internal evaluation occurs at all levels of school operations. A culture of review and reflection contributes, and is integral to decision making. The ideas and opinions of parents, teachers, children and the wider community are valued.

Teachers have a professional approach to teaching. They hold high expectations of themselves and children in their classes. Teams of teachers are improvement focused and work closely together to meet the needs of children by inquiring into the effectiveness of their practice. Teachers are responsive to the clear direction that is held for the school, and to the opportunity to bring their personal style to its implementation. Strong positive relationships are evident between children and teachers.

Senior leaders and teachers have designed a rich and balanced curriculum that provides children with many opportunities to build on, and extend their interests and abilities. The school’s community has defined success for children in broad and holistic terms. The school’s curriculum is well aligned to promote the outcomes that are valued for children.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

The school has very good processes in place to sustain practices that promote equity and excellence for all children. The school’s key next steps in extending its good practices are to:

• further refine achievement targets to focus on particular children whose learning could be extended and those who could achieve better
• continue to grow bicultural practice by drawing on the strengths and expertise within and beyond the school
• continue to develop future-focused teaching practices that promote student agency, collaboration and the use of digital technologies.

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

• 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. 

Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

Children are achieving excellent educational outcomes. School performance has been sustained over time through well-focused, embedded processes and practices. This school has successfully addressed in-school disparity in educational outcomes.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Violet Tu’uga Stevenson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

7 August 2017

About the school

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Titirangi School, located in West Auckland, provides a high standard of education for students from Year 1 to Year 6. The roll continues to grow and the school enjoys very good levels of community support and engagement.

School leaders have responded very well to the 2009 ERO review. They have worked strategically with students, teachers, parents, whānau and local community members to develop a shared understanding of the school’s vision and values. This provides a strong foundation for school success and its educational direction.

The board of trustees is now preparing for the appointment of a new principal. The senior leadership team are well established and committed to ensuring the continuity of school developments while supporting a new school leader.

The leadership of the current principal has played a central role in promoting the ongoing improvement that is a feature of the school. Professional development on learning to learn, National Standards and the shared school vision has enabled teachers, many of whom are long serving, to adapt and update classroom programmes and environments.

The school’s settled and positive tone is underpinned by caring and inclusive relationships. Students are provided with a wide range of opportunities which support their interests. They are very proud of their recent Green Gold Enviro Schools award which reflects the school’s commitment to caring for the environment.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

Achievement information is well used by the school leaders and teachers to progress student learning and achievement. Students are highly engaged in learning. Teachers use a range of effective approaches to inquire into how well their students succeed and use this information to adapt the programmes they deliver.

School achievement information in relation to the National Standards shows that students achieve very well in reading, writing and mathematics, with most performing above national levels. Data also show that while individual Māori students achieve at a range of levels, the overall achievement of these students is slightly below the very high attainment levels reflected in whole-school data. The school closely supports and monitors students receiving additional learning assistance.

Leaders and teachers are using data and other information effectively to target specific groups of learners who are not succeeding as well as others. Students’ learning needs are identified through highly effective monitoring systems and they are well supported to make good progress towards achieving school and individual goals.

Students also use achievement information very well. They participate in ongoing learning conversations with teachers to identify their successes and future learning steps. In Years two to six, student led conferences encourage students to take ownership of their learning and share their progress with families. Students and teachers are now well placed to pursue a range of ways to develop learning partnerships with families.

Students with high and special learning needs are very well supported. An experienced associate principal coordinates key resources and teaching provisions to help students achieve set goals. Student wellbeing is a priority and their sense of belonging is promoted through carefully considered and individualised approaches. External agencies provide additional assistance, as needed.

Trustees are well informed about student progress and achievement. They use reliable information to set achievement targets for specific groups of learners. Extending reporting requirements to include information about the effectiveness of the key initiatives would be a useful next step for the board. This could enhance strategic planning and help with resourcing decisions for some priority learner groups, including those relating to gifted and talented students and students with special needs.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

Titirangi School’s curriculum is very effective in promoting and supporting student learning. It is closely aligned with The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and focuses on the school vision of Ako Tahi: Learning Together.

The school’s broad-based curriculum emphasises the holistic development of students. Learning programmes give priority to literacy and mathematics and increasingly focus on inquiry topics which extend over a range of other learning areas. Māori perspectives are clearly evident in curriculum planning and in classrooms. School leaders could now review each learning area and consider ways to evaluate student success in the learning objectives of the other essential leaning areas.

Teachers are reflective and effective in embedding new ideas. Good systems support teacher development and promote very good quality teaching. The innovative use of pilot programmes supports teachers to try new approaches and to share their learning with colleagues.

Student input is highly valued and used thoughtfully to make learning relevant for students. Further extending opportunities for students to make choices about what and how they learn, and to explore their culture, language and identity within programmes, would be a useful next step. Thinking about how well school organisation helps students make connections in their learning could also promote the school’s vision and values.

ERO and school leaders agree that the school is well placed to gather together and document its expectations for effective professional practice. Linking these expectations with the school vision could then provide a useful framework for reviewing progress towards embedding this vision and school values in the wider school curriculum.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

The school has made good progress in promoting educational success for Māori and as Māori. Its focus and commitment to biculturalism is strategic, well managed and meaningful to students.

Students have good opportunities to participate in powhiri and kapa haka, and other school events. School kawa and tikanga are developing.

Te ao Māori is visible in the school’s vision, values and curriculum. Te reo Māori is taught in classrooms and should progress in complexity over time. Further professional development for teachers is planned so that they have better understanding of the culture, language and identity of Māori. School leaders are using Ministry of Education resources well to promote cultural responsiveness.

Consultation with parents and whānau is used effectively as a self-review tool. Increasing consultation to include more of a focus on school achievement goals could strengthen learning partnerships with whānau. School leaders acknowledge that developing partnerships with local iwi could strengthen the school’s connectedness to the local Māori context.

4 Sustainable Performance

How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?

The school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. Self review is purposeful and ongoing. It informs future actions and leads to improved school performance.

School leadership is highly professional and effective. School leaders are closely involved with teaching and learning. They promote an inquiring and collaborative environment. Positive working relationships and good change management strategies have helped establish a culture of trust and care for colleagues. Leaders use relevant research well to support teachers take leadership roles.

Governance is effective. Trustees make good use of their skills and expertise to govern the school. They are strategic, critical and focused on continual improvement. High quality strategic planning, developed over time, supports school direction and vision. The board is developing its own self review tool to determine the effectiveness of its governance role.

Trustees have well considered and strategic processes to guide their work in appointing a new principal and to ensure there is good succession planning for the board. They are committed to ensuring that the board's policy framework serves the community well.

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.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

18 February 2013

About the School