Waingaro School

School Context

Waingaro School is a rural, full primary school located near Ngaruawahia. It caters for students from Years 1 to 8. At the time of the review the current roll of 34 include 10 Māori students.

The school mission states they will guide students to become well-rounded, co-operative, thinking and learning members of society. Core values and beliefs defined as the “Waingaro Way” are promoted through perseverance, self motivation, independence, honesty, initiative and developing a positive confident attitude. Responsibility, leadership skills and qualities through co-operation, foster and build team and school spirit.

The main strategic goals identified in the 2019 charter are to:

• improve writing quality and levels across the school, including Māori, with particular focus in the junior area

• integrate conversational and functional te reo Māori more effectively across the school

• continue to develop self-directed learning and independence

• all students including Māori to show progress in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the year working towards being at expected level and beyond.

The school experienced a high turnover of students in September 2018, one third of students at the school are new since then. The board of trustees has had changes since the last review. The board chair has remained the same, and some of the board of trustees are new to their role. Teaching staff have remained stable since the last ERO review in 2016.

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

• reading
• writing
• mathematics.

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 working towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all students. Achievement information in 2018 shows that almost all students are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading. In writing and mathematics most students are achieving at or above expected levels. Māori students achieved proportionally at slightly higher levels than their Pākehā peers at the school in reading, writing and mathematics. There is some disparity with girls achieving better than boys in reading, writing and mathematics.

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

The school is accelerating learning for students who need it. The school achievement information in 2018 shows effective acceleration in reading and writing. Students with additional needs made progress in relation to their individual learning goals.

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?

A rich curriculum effectively engages students in their learning. The curriculum is underpinned by the school values. Relevant and authentic contexts are woven through the curriculum and programmes. Students are encouraged to direct their own learning through the use of learning progressions. They confidently set their own goals and identify their next learning steps. Targeted students have clear plans and expectations in place to accelerate their progress. A range of assessment tools are used to consistently inform programme planning. There are well established routines that promote a high level of engagement for learning.

Parents and families are welcome and actively involved in all aspects of the school. They feel well informed about their children’s progress and learning. The school is responsive to community aspirations. An extensive range of leadership opportunities across the school support students to develop confidence in themselves and their skills. There are regular opportunities for both formal and informal communication between parents, students and teachers. This fosters effective transitions for learners beyond the school.

Collaborative leadership effectively guides teaching and learning. The principal has developed strong relationships between teachers and with the community which builds partnerships for learning. The principal and teachers have regular and ongoing professional discussions that deepen the understanding of responsive practice, leading to improvement of teacher knowledge and capability. There is a strong focus on raising student achievement for all students, including those at risk.

Teachers are highly responsive to the learning needs of all students. They know the learning needs of each student, and effectively work towards raising their achievement. Innovative strategies implemented by teachers ensure success for the most at-risk learners. Students have opportunity to share their learning with their peers in collaborative classroom environments. Positive relationships and attitudes for learning underpin all aspects of classroom practice and are highly evident across the school.

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

There is a need to refine school-wide targets to further focus on accelerating the achievement of all at-risk students. This should include:

• strengthening the reporting of ongoing trends and patterns of student acceleration to trustees to better inform decision-making and resourcing

• further evaluation of the impact of the strategies, initiatives and interventions that promote accelerating learning.

Continue to strengthen bicultural practices across the school to naturally integrate te reo and tikanga Māori.

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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Waingaro 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:

• leadership for learning that is focused on school improvement
• a curriculum that effectively enables high levels of student achievement and engagement
• teaching practice that improves outcomes for students.

Next steps

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

• developing specific school-wide targets to support a more aligned approach to accelerating achievement
• evaluating strategies and interventions designed to accelerate achievement to inform decision making
• strengthening bicultural practice to promote success for Māori as Māori.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

18 July 2019

About the school

1 Context

Waingaro School is located in a rural setting west of Ngāruawāhia and caters for students in Years 1 to 8. Since the 2013 ERO review there have been no changes to leadership or teaching positions. A new board chairperson was elected in 2014. Professional development has focused on integrating digital learning in all classrooms. The school continues to benefit from a supportive community. Some families maintain intergenerational connections with the school. The school will celebrate its 125 years in 2017.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are to guide students to become well rounded, cooperative, thinking and learning members of society who reach their full potential. The community, trustees, staff and children support and enact the 'Waingaro Way', which identifies the values of respect, perseverance, humility, resilience, humour, honesty, self motivation and responsibility.

School data for 2015 shows ongoing improvement from previous years with the vast majority of students achieving at and above National Standards. A small number of Māori students had not achieved the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. A small number of other children had made accelerated progress in literacy and mathematics in relation to National Standards, with some boys requiring support to achieve in literacy. Boys and girls achieve at similar levels in mathematics.

Since the previous ERO evaluation the school has made some progress in assisting students to take more responsibility for their learning. Teachers have participated in professional development to increase their knowledge and understanding of integrating digital technology to enhance student learning. This has resulted in children sharing their learning more widely with families and whānau. The board of trustees allocates funding for additional learning support to assist children who are yet to achieve National Standards in literacy and mathematics.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The school has several strategies to respond to children whose learning and achievement need accelerating. School data shows that some children at risk of not achieving the relevant National Standards do make improvements. Each student requiring support to accelerate their learning has an individual education plan. The education plan identifies learning required in order to progress the child's achievement, and is monitored by the child and classroom teacher.

School leaders need to set clear expectations for teachers to inquire more consistently into the effectiveness of their teaching. This should include planning and teaching more deliberately to understand how well strategies are working for accelerating the progress of children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration. There is benefit for teachers to further develop ways to share specific goals and expectations with children and families to strengthen the learning partnership for these children. This helps make learning and progress more visible.

In addition, it is important for the principal and teachers to develop agreed, school-wide practices and strategies that accelerate the progress of children who are yet to achieve in relation to National Standards.

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 targets for equity and excellence?

The school's curriculum requires further development to reflect the local area and further align with The New Zealand Curriculum and the principles and outcomes expressed in Ka Hikitia Accelerating Success 2013-2017 and Tātaiako, Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners. There is a need to further develop internal evaluation practices and processes that support the school to sustain and improve its performance, and which promote equity and excellence for children whose learning needs accelerating.

Children are able to demonstrate their understanding and enactment of the 'Waingaro Way'. This is evident in the way they are beginning to manage their own learning, support their peers, take leadership responsibilities and express their positive views of the school. Children and families are enthusiastic about the many and inclusive opportunities for learning in meaningful local contexts and through trips into the wider community.

The collaborative teaching team have established positive and trusting relationships amongst trustees, families and children. There are effective systems, both formal and informal, for communication and information sharing. The school's community is regularly consulted and their views taken into consideration. Teachers maintain constructive networks with other local schools. These factors contribute to a strong sense of belonging and wellbeing for children and their families and whānau.

5 Going forward

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

Leaders and teachers:

• know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
• need approaches that effectively meet the needs of each child
• need to ensure the school is well placed to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it.

There is a need for trustees, the principal and teachers to:

• review and undertake professional development in the use of nationally referenced assessment tools and to review guidelines to align with current theory and best practice
• review and further develop the performance management system for the principal and teachers so that it meets regulatory requirements and is effective in improving leadership and teaching practice
• further document expectations for teaching as inquiry to show how teachers are planning and reflecting on strategies, particularly for those children not accelerating their progress
• further refine the school's curriculum
• develop, document and implement a framework for the effective internal evaluation of school initiatives, curriculum and operations.

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 full 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

ERO found matters of compliance that require attention.

1. The school's appraisal system needs to ensure that the principal is appraised against the professional standards. The principal, as a practising teacher, also requires an appraisal based on the Practising Teacher Criteria.
[State Sector Act 1988 s77C; New Zealand Education Gazette and relevant Collective Employment Agreement]

2. Ensure that appraisal of teaching staff by the professional leader of the school is based on the Practising Teacher Criteria and that teachers maintain adequate records to inform the basis of attestation.
[Part 31 Education Act 1989, State Sector Act 1988 s77C; New Zealand Education Gazette and relevant Collective Employment Agreement]

7 Recommendation

ERO recommends that the board seeks support in order to bring about the following improvements for those children not achieving in aspects of:

• school-wide assessment
• performance management
• curriculum development and review
• culturally responsive teaching practices. 

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

20 July 2016

About the school