Waipahihi School

Education institution number:

2065

School type:

Contributing

School gender:

Co-Educational

Definition:

Not Applicable

Total roll:

345

Website:

http://www.waipahihi.school.nz

Telephone:

07 378 6455

Address:

20 Parata Street, Waipahihi, Taupo

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Waipahihi School - 12/07/2019

12 Jul 2019

School Context

Waipahihi School is a contributing primary school located in Taupō, catering for students in Years 1 to 6. It has a roll of 432 students, 151 of whom identify as Māori.

The school’s vision is for students to be ‘Immersed in Learning’. Values are described as CORE: courage, ownership, respect, empathy.

The school’s strategic goals for 2019 include developing:

collaborative and professional teaching practices across the school that provide a foundation for the delivery of an enriching, connected and blended curriculum
multicultural appreciation and understanding.

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 report in 2015, there have been changes to the senior leadership team. A new principal began at the end of 2015 and a new deputy principal and assistant principal have since been appointed. Several new trustees have joined the board and the chair was new to the role in 2018. The school has also undergone significant classroom redesign and students are now learning in open-plan spaces.

The school is a member of the Taupō Community of Learning (CoL)|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?

The school is achieving excellent outcomes for most students but is not yet achieving equitable outcomes for all students.

The school’s achievement data for 2018 shows that most students achieved expected national curriculum levels in reading and writing, and the large majority of students achieved expected national curriculum levels in mathematics. These levels of achievement have been consistent over time.

The school’s data for 2016 to 2018 shows a pattern of significant disparity for Māori students who achieve at lower levels than their Pākehā peers in reading and mathematics. There is also disparity of achievement in writing for Māori students. The achievement level of boys and girls is comparable in mathematics. There is some disparity of achievement in reading where boys achieve less well than girls. Significant disparity of achievement remains for boys in writing; however, the level of disparity has reduced over time.

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

The school is effectively accelerating the learning of some students who need this.

The school’s achievement data from 2017 to 2018 shows that, in reading, the school accelerated the learning of approximately half of the students who needed this, including Māori students. In writing, just over one quarter of the students who needed to make accelerated progress did so. The school is yet to effectively accelerate the learning of at-risk students in mathematics.

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?

Students learn in a collaborative and inclusive environment. The school’s CORE values are visible in classrooms. Students are co-operative and collaborate to support one another’s learning. Relationships between teachers and students are positive and respectful. There is an holistic approach to student wellbeing and initiatives such as the ‘Play, Eat, Learn’ timetable structure support students’ readiness for learning. Students with additional needs are well supported in class through targeted resourcing and a collaborative team of special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCO). Parents who spoke with ERO said that each child’s uniqueness is supported by the school.

The classroom environment is conducive to learning. Students are supported to participate and engage, and are encouraged to take risks in their learning and challenge themselves. The curriculum is responsive to students’ interests and they are supported to self-manage through clear routines and expectations. Teachers actively engage with and respond to students through differentiated learning activities and strategies to scaffold and support learning.

Leadership builds relational trust and effective school-wide collaboration. The school vision and values were reviewed and redeveloped following consultation with the school community. Leaders have fostered a transparent team culture that values accountability and professional reflection. There is a clear commitment to growing leadership capacity across the school and implementing systems and processes for coherent and sustainable practice.

The board is strongly focused on pursuing positive outcomes for learners. Trustees are committed to enabling the school vision and supportive of the direction of the leadership team. The board values and models aspects of tikanga Māori in their governance roles. Trustees are proactive in the pursuit of positive outcomes for students and have developed some innovative approaches to wellbeing and inclusion. The board regularly receives and scrutinises information on student achievement, curriculum implementation and teaching practices.

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

Leadership should continue to build collective capacity to:

understand the impact and effectiveness of initiatives and interventions through the development and implementation of robust school-wide internal evaluation processes
increase student agency with a focus on effective formative assessment practices and students being able to identify their learning needs and goals
reduce levels of disparity for Maori and boys in reading and mathematics.

3 Other Matters

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

At the time of this review there were three international students attending the school. Students are immersed fully in classes, with appropriate language support. An orientation programme is in place and students are encouraged to take part in all school and appropriate community activities.

4 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.

5 ERO’s Overall Judgement

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

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

6 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

collaborative leadership that is focused on building a shared vision and consistent practices
a responsive and inclusive curriculum that provides a holistic approach to students’ learning and wellbeing
stewardship that is focused on improving outcomes for all students.

Next steps

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

effective internal evaluation for strategic improvement
a school-wide approach to building student agency to increase students’ understanding of their next steps in learning.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

review policies and processes for bullying prevention and response to include gender diversity consistent with MoE guidelines
keep evidence of identity credential checks for all new employees.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

12 July 2019

About the school

Location	Taupō
Ministry of Education profile number	2065
School type	Contributing School (Years 1 to 6)
School roll	432
Gender composition	Male 46% Female 54%
Ethnic composition	Māori 35% NZ European/Pākehā 57% Pacific 2% Asian 3% MELAA 2% Other ethnic groups 1%
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)	Yes
Provision of Māori medium education	No
Review team on site	May 2019
Date of this report	12 July 2019
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review May 2015 Education Review May 2010 Education Review May 2007

Waipahihi School - 08/05/2015

08 May 2015

Findings

Waipahihi School continues to provide high-quality educational opportunities for students in an inclusive and caring environment. Highly effective leadership and teaching practice are features of the school. A strong culture of ongoing improvement contributes to a curriculum that is responsive to the changing needs, strengths and interests of students.

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

1 Context

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

Waipahihi School caters for a large and increasingly diverse student population. The roll is 475 students including a small number of international students. The teaching staff has remained constant with low staff turnover resulting in a high level of consistency of teaching and learning for students. There is a strong focus on enhancing teaching practice through targeted professional learning and development, and providing students with rich and meaningful learning experiences. The school continues to place significant emphasis on promoting values of high expectations for learning, students achieving their personal best, and respect for others and the environment.

Students benefit from a strong sense of purpose and direction for the ongoing development of teaching and learning by the principal and deputy principal. New appointments to the senior and wider leadership team, including a new assistant principal, have further enriched the knowledge, skills and expertise amongst school leaders. The board of trustees are strongly supportive of the school and are fully committed to ensuring students succeed and achieve. A family-oriented environment is promoted through warm, caring and respectful relationships at all levels in the school.

Waipahihi School has had a very positive reporting history with the Education Review Office. Notable features of the school highlighted in the 2010 ERO report were strong and effective leadership and governance, high levels of student achievement including for Māori students, and inclusive and supportive relationships with parents and whānau.

2 Learning

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

The school makes highly effective use of student achievement information to promote student progress and achievement.

A broad and holistic view of student success and achievement is taken by the principal and staff. A wide range of assessment tools and approaches are used to identify students’ interests and strengths and to measure their progress and achievement.

Data from 2014 shows that the significant majority of students were achieving at or above National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Assessment data continues to show that there is a consistent pattern of improving achievement as students move through the school. By the time they complete Year 6, a significant majority of students are achieving at and above National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Students use achievement information well to monitor their progress and to set learning goals.

Teachers use assessment information very well to identify and address the specific learning needs of individuals and groups of students. Students who require targeted learning support are quickly identified. These students benefit from in-class teacher support, provision of learning buddies, specialist programmes and assistance from teacher aides. School data shows a significant number of these students make very good progress.

Schools leaders effectively analyse student achievement information to identify trends and patterns of achievement for groups of students including by gender and ethnicity. This information is well used to inform team discussions, enhance teacher practice and guide decisions about their professional learning and development. The data is also effectively used to set appropriate achievement targets, set future direction and to report to the community. The board is very well informed about student achievement and effectively uses this information to make resourcing decisions.

3 Curriculum

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

The school has a well-developed and documented curriculum that is highly responsive to the needs, strengths and interests of its students. It clearly reflects the unique local context and the values, aims and aspirations that are important to the school community. Particular features of the curriculum include:

the Waipahihi Kakariki project with a focus on ‘Greening Taupo’ that integrates curriculum areas into meaningful learning contexts about conservation and environmental sustainability
students’ active participation in a wide range of rich experiences including sports, cultural events, e-learning, kapa haka and education outside of the classroom. A strength is the high level of enthusiasm and enjoyment that students demonstrate in their mathematics learning
students’ transition to school, which is strongly supported by an innovative and thoughtfully planned programme, where teachers work together to provide familiar learning experiences for new entrant children
students’ strong ownership and management of their learning. They have established highly respectful learning relationships with each other and their teachers
parents who are well informed and invited to be actively engaged in their child’s learning.

Highly effective teaching practices are evident across the school. Teaching practice is informed by current research and teachers enthusiastically participate in ongoing school-wide professional learning and development. There is a well-established process of ‘teaching as inquiry’ where teachers are critically reflecting on their classroom practice to improve outcomes for students. A professional culture of ongoing sharing and discussion about effective strategies is promoting student engagement and achievement.

School leaders plan to continue to enhance the curriculum by ensuring students experience a depth of coverage in all essential learning areas.

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

School achievement data shows that many Māori students are achieving well and experiencing success. National Standards data for 2014 shows that Māori students overall were achieving similarly to other students in mathematics but below other students in reading and slightly below in writing.

Māori students have a strong presence in the school in ways that recognise their cultural distinctiveness. Teachers have increased their cultural awareness and have used Ministry of Education documents such as Tataiako and Ka Hikitia to enhance their understanding and responsiveness to Māori learners. A school-wide te reo Māori programme has been developed by a teacher with appropriate skills and knowledge, and two teachers are participating in a te reo course.

Whānau hui are well supported and attended and provide a useful forum for parents to share and discuss their views, aims and aspirations for their children.

A next step for the school is to fully integrate and document the stories, culture and understandings of Māori, particularly Ngāti Tūwharetoa into the school curriculum. This approach would further enhance and broaden students’ knowledge and appreciation of the unique history and knowledge of Māori in the Taupo and wider region. Consideration should also be given to ensuring the te reo programme is sustained and embedded by teachers within normal classroom programmes.

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 because:

the principal, ably supported by the deputy principal, continues to provide high-quality and distributive professional leadership to the school and its community. The leadership team bring a range of complementary skills and expertise to their roles and have a shared understanding and agreement about school priorities and decision making
robust and rigorous self review lead to improved outcomes for students
there is a climate and team culture of collegiality, collaboration, innovation and professional growth and building leadership capability
students continue to experience a supportive culture that has a holistic approach to their learning and development. Warm and positive relationships among staff and students are underpinned by the school’s emphasis on key competencies and virtues that promote values for successful living and learning
trustees bring a range of skills, experience and expertise to their roles and responsibilities. They are committed and highly focused on improving student learning, wellbeing and progress and achievement.
the curriculum is well developed and documented and provides clear guidelines and expectations for ongoing review and teacher practice.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

At the time of this ERO review there were 2 international students attending the school.

The school attests that it provides a high level of provision of pastoral care, quality of education, student involvement and integration into the school community. It also states that there are good monitoring systems to ensure the effective provision of education and support for international students. Evidence of these attestations was seen by ERO.

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.

Conclusion

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

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

8 May 2015

About the School

Location	Taupō
Ministry of Education profile number	2065
School type	Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
School roll	475
Number of international students	2
Gender composition	Boys 56% Girls 46%
Ethnic composition	Pākehā Māori Other Pacific	61% 33% 5% 1%
Review team on site	March 2015
Date of this report	8 May 2015
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	May 2010 May 2007 June 2004

In May 2019 ERO published an Exemplar Review

Please read it here Exemplar Review - Waipahihi School - Mathematics - May 2019