School Context
Waverley Park School is a Year 1 to 6 school in Invercargill. The school roll is 297 students, with 40% identifying as Māori and 16% from a range of other ethnic backgrounds. A school enrolment scheme remains in place.
The school states that its vision is for each child to be valued in a safe and dynamic learning community and environment. Its mission is Ora i te Ako/Living the Learning, Kia Kaha/be strong, Kia Maia/aim high, Kia Manawanui/be courageous. Its values are for children to have respect for te ao and te reo Māori and the Treaty of Waitangi, and to show integrity and respect, strive for personal excellence and take responsibility.
The school’s strategic priorities, goals and targets include raising achievement, addressing any disparities, providing a supportive learning environment, and continuing to develop teachers’ expertise in te ao and te reo Māori.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
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reading, writing and mathematics achievement
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a mathematics intervention programme
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aspects of the wider curriculum, such as te reo Māori, the arts, health, physical education and inquiry topics.
Since the 2016 ERO review, there have been very few changes in staff but the board has several new trustees. Since 2016, staff members have participated in professional learning and development (PLD) to build culturally responsive practices. The 2019 PLD focus is on improving teaching and learning in 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 has made measurable progress towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students. Disparities in achievement between different groups in the school have been reduced or no longer exist.
From 2016 to 2018 most students achieved at or above expected levels in reading. Within this group, most students were reading at the expected level and a small number above.
For writing the majority of students achieved at or above the school’s expectations. At the end of 2018, girls were achieving better than boys.
Over the last two and a half years a large majority of students achieved at or above expected levels in mathematics. Again most students in this group achieved at expectations.
Student achievement in other curriculum areas shows that most children achieve at or above the school’s expected levels in science, inquiry learning, the arts, Māori and physical education.
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
The school has been very successful in accelerating the progress of children on individual or small group intervention programmes that occur outside the class programme.
For example, three quarters of the children in literacy interventions made accelerated progress, with a large group reaching their expected level. For mathematics, all the children in a Year 5 intervention and half of the Year 3 group made accelerated progress.
The school did not have information about the sufficiency of progress of other children below expected levels. These children are identified as the school’s target/focus groups.
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 very respectful and caring school culture strongly supports students’ wellbeing and readiness to learn. In this school relationships are seen as paramount. The school is welcoming and inclusive for children and their whānau. The cultural identities of children are celebrated and valued. Very good efforts are made to support the pastoral and wellbeing needs of each child.
Leaders and teachers deliberately foster culturally responsive ways of learning and interacting. Within and beyond the classroom, practices such as ako, tuakana-teina and whanaungatanga are strongly evident. Over time, there has been genuine seeking of Māori whānau voice to determine what and how children learn at school. Māori children know that their culture has mana. They frequently lead cultural experiences and share their knowledge and expertise with others.
All children have frequent and meaningful opportunities to learn about te ao Māori and to hear and learn te reo Maori. The value placed on te ao Māori is evident in the school environment, classroom learning and frequent cultural experiences. Māori children and their whānau value the weekly Ngā Taonga - Māori enrichment programme.
The school has strong systems to identify, support and monitor the progress of children who need extra support to succeed in their learning. Teachers and teacher aides work collaboratively to provide additional support within the classroom. High quality out-of-class interventions have resulted in children making more than expected progress. Parents/whānau are valued partners in supporting their children’s learning.
Teachers are very well supported professionally. Sustained, high quality professional learning about culturally responsive practice has resulted in improved learning and engagement for Māori and other students. Useful curriculum guidelines, clear teaching expectations and learning progressions mean that staff know what is expected of them. Teachers’ inquiries into aspects of teaching have resulted in teachers reflecting on and adapting their teaching to better support learners.
Senior leaders set the positive school tone. They model placing children at the centre of all decisions, and the culture of kindness and care (manaakitanga). They value teachers’ strengths and foster distributed leadership and work constructively with external agencies to best support children and their families.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
Aspects of internal evaluation need to be strengthened so that leaders and trustees have better insight into what is working well, what is not and what changes might be needed. For example, the school is clear about what learning it values and has some useful annual goals. A next step is to better evaluate progress against these valued outcomes.
The analysis and reporting about schoolwide achievement does not include sufficient information about specific groups. This makes it difficult for trustees and staff to know which groups of students need additional support. Similarly, there is insufficient analysis and reporting about the rates of progress students make, especially students identified as needing to accelerate their learning.
Aspects of governance need strengthening. Trustees would benefit from training about their governance role. It is some time since leaders and trustees have consulted with whānau to review strategic and annual goals and ensure that these have shared ownership. Charter targets to accelerate progress need clear baseline information, in order to later show progress.
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 Waverley Park School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.
ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success 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:
- the very respectful and caring culture that strongly supports students’ wellbeing and readiness to learn
- their culturally responsive practices that have led to improved teaching and learning
- rich opportunities for students to learn about te ao and te reo Māori
- sound practices to identify and support students who need to accelerate their learning
- leadership that has a relentless commitment to provide the best for all students.
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in strengthening:
- evaluative practices so that trustees and leaders can better identify what is most effective in making a difference for students
- the analysis and reporting of student achievement and rates of progress to better know about outcomes for all groups of students
- aspects of governance so that trustees have better understanding and oversight of school operations.
Actions for compliance
ERO identified non-compliance in relation to:
- the staff appointments policy and procedure.
In order to address this, the board of trustees must:
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ensure the school’s appointment procedures reflect the requirements of the Vulnerable Children’s Act, with respect to safety and identity checks of staff.
[Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014]
Areas for improved compliance practice
To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:
- review the school’s behaviour management guidelines to include reference to bullying or any other forms of harassment
- ensure any personnel or other matters are discussed in the public excluded section of board meetings and suitable confidential minutes kept
- ensure it receives improved health and safety and compliance reporting.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services Southern
Southern Region
10 December 2019
About the school
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Location
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Invercargill
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Ministry of Education profile number
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4047
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School type
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Contributing (Years 1-6)
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School roll
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297
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Gender composition
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Female 52%
Male 48%
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Ethnic composition
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Māori 40%
NZ European/Pākehā 44%
Pacific 6%
Asian 6%
Other ethnicities 4%
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Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)
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Yes
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Provision of Māori medium education
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No
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Review team on site
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October 2019
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Date of this report
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10 December 2019
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Most recent ERO reports
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Education Review May 2016
Education Review February 2013
Education Review May 2009
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