Waipara School

Waipara School - 28/09/2017

Summary

Waipara School is a small, rural, full primary school with a roll of 52 children.

There have been some recent significant changes to staffing and to the board. The principal and the long serving experienced senior teacher provide consistency for children and families, and effective support for new staff and board members.

The school has maintained high levels of student achievement from 2014 - 2016. Most children achieve at and above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have accessed external PLD to further support achievement in mathematics.

Since the ERO review in 2013 the principal and teachers have implemented school-wide internal evaluation processes to evaluate the impact of programmes and teaching strategies on children’s learning to guide ongoing improvements.

The school is part of the Tipu Maia Kāhui Ako | Community of Learning.

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

The school responds very effectively to children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. Teachers provide a well-planned and well-monitored approach to accelerating the learning of children that require additional support.

The school has many effective processes that are enabling achievement of equity and excellence. Strong school leadership promotes the school’s vision, values and learning qualities to foster an inclusive and caring school culture, positive relationships and a sense of community. Strategic and annual planning are well aligned to school priorities and focus on high expectations for teaching and for children’s learning and wellbeing.

At the time of this review learners are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.

Agreed next steps are to:

  • continue to develop the board’s collective capacity and internal evaluation capability

  • extend moderation practices across schools

  • develop a strategic approach to building on bicultural practices and te āo Māori perspectives

  • strengthen appraisal practices.

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

Equity and excellence

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

The school responds very effectively to children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

Most children achieve at and above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

Teachers have identified that there is some disparity in boys’ writing and mathematics. They provide a well-planned and monitored approach to accelerating the learning of children that require additional support.

Specific resourcing and professional development help teachers deliver personalised, flexible approaches to successfully meet a range of learning needs. Useful school-wide assessments and well understood in-school moderation processes guide the provision of targeted teaching. Individual children’s progress is well tracked and monitored.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

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

The school has many effective processes that are enabling achievement of equity and excellence.

Strong school leadership promotes the school’s vision, values and learning qualities. These foster an inclusive and caring school culture, positive relationships and a sense of community.

Strategic and annual planning are well aligned to school priorities and focus on high expectations for teaching, children’s learning and wellbeing.

The board, principal and staff encourage collective responsibility for the children in their community. They consult with and value the contributions of parents, whānau and children.

The school curriculum is clearly focused on effective teaching and engaging children in a wide range of learning opportunities within and beyond the school. There is good provision of physical and sporting activities and an increasing emphasis on digital technologies.

The principal and teachers are strengthening their focus on bicultural perspectives and practices. This includes good modelling of the use of te reo Māori in ways that are respectful of the Māori culture.

The board has good processes in place to guide governance responsibilities and the operation of the school. The principal and board work well together to make informed decisions about the resourcing of children’s learning needs, including targeted professional development to build teacher capability.

Useful internal evaluation processes help teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and programmes and reflect on next steps to continually improve outcomes for children’s learning. Children with additional learning needs are well supported within an inclusive learning environment and responsive curriculum.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

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

The school has many good quality systems and processes in place. To ensure sustainability, leaders and the board should prioritise:

  • developing a strategic approach to sustaining and building on bicultural practices and te āo Māori perspectives in all aspects of the school

  • extending the consistency and rigour of moderation practices to include moderating some work with other schools

  • building on the board’s collective capacity and internal evaluation capability

  • strengthening appraisal practices.

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 well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.

Agreed next steps are to:

  • continue to develop the boards collective capacity and internal evaluation capability

  • extend moderation practices across schools

  • develop a strategic approach to building on bicultural practices and te ao Māori practices

  • strengthen appraisal practices.

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

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer-Southern (Te Waipounamu)

28 September 2017

About the school

Location

Waipara North Canterbury

Ministry of Education profile number

3576

School type

Full primary

School roll

52

Gender composition

26 Girls

26 Boys

Ethnic composition

Māori 6

Pākehā 46

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

July 2017

Date of this report

28 September 2017

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review March 2013

Education Review December 2010

Waipara School - 10/12/2013

1 Context

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

Waipara is a small rural school located in North Canterbury. A positive feature of the school is the strong relationships that are evident between students, teachers, families and the wider community.

The teachers, including the principal, have taught at the school for a number of years. The school has close links with the local community and other schools in the surrounding areas.

The board, principal and staff ensure that the school is maintained to a high standard and well resourced. The active PTA undertakes considerable fund raising to support students and their learning.

Since the December 2010 ERO report, teachers have been involved in a three year information and communication technologies (ICT) professional development programme. The board has supported this by providing considerable funding for additional resources.

2 Learning

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

Teachers collect a wide range of information about individual student achievement. They use this well to help students progress and experience success in their learning.

School achievement information shows most students are making good progress and achieving at or above National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The board and principal make good use of this information to identify the students who need more help from their teachers and experienced teacher aides.

Small class sizes help teachers establish strong relationships with students and their families. The principal maintains regular contact with families to keep them well informed about their child’s learning and wellbeing.

Areas for review and development

The principal provides the board with reports about students’ learning and progress. This information needs to be collated and well analysed to identify why some students are not making expected progress and identify approaches that could be put in place to further improve student achievement.

The principal needs to review the process used to report students’ achievement in Years 1 to 3 in relation to National Standards. The way the school assesses and reports against National Standards needs to be improved. (Action 1)

3 Curriculum

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

The school has a well developed curriculum that effectively promotes and supports students’ learning.

Learning programmes are interesting, varied and include a wide range of experiences within and beyond the local community. Literacy and mathematics are strongly emphasised within the school’s curriculum.

The curriculum document provides teachers with clear guidelines and expectations for teaching and learning. Teachers provide well-planned and organised programmes. They successfully adapt programmes to meet individual students’ needs, interests and home-life experiences.

The school’s vision for a successful learner, referred to as the ‘Waipara Learner Qualities’, effectively underpins all aspects of the school’s curriculum. The learner qualities are well integrated into class plans and programmes, and are explicitly taught. These qualities are age appropriate and well understood by students. They have many opportunities to contribute to the development of class programmes.

Teachers work well together and make good use of their own strengths to promote student learning and interests.

Student leadership is actively promoted throughout the school. Student leaders are fully involved in organising school events. Their opinions are regularly sought and their views are valued and contribute to decisions made about the school.

Students are supportive of each other. Older students take good care of younger students. They work well together within classes and in the playground.

Area for review and development

The principal and teachers need to improve the quality and usefulness of curriculum reviews.

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

At the time of this review the school did not have students enrolled who identify as Māori.

While some Māori culture and language are included in the curriculum, the principal acknowledges that the school needs to increase bicultural perspectives across all aspects of the school.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school has appropriate systems and practices to sustain and improve its performance.

The staff are provided with professional leadership that promotes a strong focus on student learning and wellbeing. They involve the whole community in the life of the school. Teachers have many opportunities for professional development that link well to the school’s planned future direction.

The newly appointed board has recently undertaken training to increase its understanding of governance roles. Trustees are supportive of the teaching team and effectively use student achievement information to provide resources to assist student learning.

Areas for review and development

The board has identified, and ERO agrees, that it should take a more active role in the development and review of the strategic plan.

A better understanding about the purpose and process for self review and how it impacts on student learning is likely to support learning outcomes for students.

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.
Action

An area of non-compliance was identified during the review.

  • The board, with the principal and teaching staff, is required to report in writing twice a year to students and parents about student achievement and progress in relation to the National Standards.

National Administration Guidelines 2A

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

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

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services Southern Region

10 December 2013

About the School

Location

Waipara, North Canterbury

Ministry of Education profile number

3576

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

40

Gender composition

Girls 24 Boys 16

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā

40

Review team on site

October 2013

Date of this report

10 December 2013

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

December 2010

November 2007

June 2004