1 Charles Street, Weston
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Weston School
Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Weston School working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz
Context
Weston School is situated in North Otago and caters for students from Years 0 to 8. The school operates in a mix of single cell and open plan learning environments. They are an Enviroschool which underpins much of the way the school operates. The school is part of the Whitestone Kahui Ako.
Weston School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
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implementing a localised curriculum based on student needs and community strengths
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coherent teaching and assessment practices across the school with a particular focus on Structured Literacy.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Weston School’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the implementation of a localised curriculum that responds to the needs and aspirations of ākonga, whānau and community, including enhancing literacy teaching and learning.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
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to make stronger connections to ākonga lives, identities, prior understandings and real-world contexts
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to foster a sense of belonging for all ākonga and their whānau
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promoting equity in literacy learning for all ākonga.
The school expects to see:
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increased student engagement and sense of belonging through relevant, authentic and contextualised learning programmes
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consistency, coherence and effectiveness in the way the curriculum is delivered and evaluated across the school.
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for students, parents and whānau to be actively involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of a local curriculum.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths in its goal to implement a localised curriculum:
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effective consultation with ākonga and whānau to inform school values, curriculum design and implementation
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Reflective and improvement focused leadership team who actively monitor school systems and processes and encourage collective ownership and accountability.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
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developing contextually and culturally responsive teaching and learning programmes, drawing on community resources
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ongoing collection of whānau and ākonga perspectives on the effectiveness of the curriculum and using this voice to inform next steps.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
7 December 2022
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Weston School
Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2021 to 2024
As of June 2021, the Weston School board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
Board Administration
Yes
Curriculum
Yes
Management of Health, Safety and Welfare
Yes
Personnel Management
Yes
Finance
Yes
Assets
Yes
Further Information
For further information please contact Weston School, School Board.
The next School Board assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.
Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
7 December 2022
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Weston School - 30/06/2017
Summary
Weston School has a roll of 230 children, 36 of whom identify as Māori.
Since the 2013 ERO review, the school has:
- introduced a range of well-planned initiatives to lift the achievement of any children working below the National Standards
- extended its focus on the vision of developing ‘skilful thinkers’ and ‘life-long learners’.
How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?
This school responds well to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. There are a number of processes and practices that are effective in supporting children to have equitable opportunities to be successful in their learning. The school has effective internal evaluation processes to identify areas that need to be strengthened.
Key strengths of the school include:
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the commitment of the school’s leaders to ongoing improvement using current education research
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a shared responsibility for children who need extra help to succeed.
At the time of this reviewchildren were achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Equity and excellence
How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?
This school responds well to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.
School information for the past three years shows that most children have achieved at or above the National Standards in writing, mathematics and reading. However, there is disparity between the levels of achievement for some groups of children. The school is yet to lift Māori children’s achievement to that of their peers in writing and mathematics.
School progress information shows that over a two-year period many children, including Māori children, whose achievement was at risk made accelerated progress in their learning.
The school has strong moderation and assessment practices. Teachers are well supported to ensure the reliability of their judgements in relation to children’s progress and achievement.
School conditions supporting equity and excellence
There are a number of processes and practices that are effective in supporting children to have equitable opportunities to be successful in their learning.
What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?
Children benefit from a very responsive curriculum. Key strengths are its local content, strong science focus, and flexibility. The ‘skilful thinker’ focus has helped children better understand their progress, achievement and next learning steps.
Teachers and leaders know the children very well as individuals and as learners. They take collective responsibility for their wellbeing and learning. There is a culture of high expectations of both children and staff.
Teachers, school leaders and trustees make very good use of assessment information when making decisions. Priority learners are carefully tracked and monitored, and quickly responded to.
Children with high needs benefit from well-planned and high quality support. There is also a strong focus on children’s wellbeing, so that they are able and ready to learn.
Senior leaders provide strong professional leadership. They model a commitment to ongoing learning. Leaders’ and teachers’ inquiries are relevant to improving children’s learning and engagement. Staff benefit from high quality professional learning and development.
Trustees are very well informed about student progress and achievement. They are strongly committed to improving teaching and learning for all learners.
Sustainable development for equity and excellence
The school has effective internal evaluation processes that identify areas that need to be strengthened.
What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?
The school needs to:
- achieve equity in achievement for Māori children, especially in writing and mathematics
- evaluate the impact of decisions made as a result of internal evaluation.
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:
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emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
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physical safety of students
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teacher registration and certification
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processes for appointing staff
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stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students
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attendance
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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 for Weston School are to:
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lift the achievement of Māori children, especially in writing and mathematics
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better evaluate the impact of decisions made as a result of internal evaluation.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Te Waipounamu)
30 June 2017
About the school
Location |
Weston, North Otago |
Ministry of Education profile number |
3864 |
School type |
Full primary |
School roll |
230 |
Gender composition |
Boys: 50% Girls: 50% |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 16% |
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
Review team on site |
May 2017 |
Date of this report |
30 June 2017 |
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review July 2013 |
Weston School - 15/07/2013
1 Context
What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?
Weston School is a Year 1 to 8 semi-rural school in North Otago. It has an inclusive, supportive and respectful culture. Students describe their school as safe and feel that teachers listen and care about them.
The principal and teachers work closely with parents and keep them well informed about their children’s learning. Parents often help with sports, events beyond the school and in other ways. The school is well supported by its wider community.
The school has a strong focus on physical activity, the arts, and education outside the classroom (EOTC). The board has approved building plans to create a 21st century learning environment. This includes flexible learning spaces and furniture to suit the preferences of different students.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
Overall, the school makes effective use of achievement information.
Findings
Most students can talk about how well they are achieving. Older students can talk about how well they achieve against the National Standards. Most students know about their next learning steps and/or goals.
Teachers know their students well and use a good range of assessment information to guide and reflect on their teaching. They share and discuss assessment information to identify teaching gaps for groups and individual students that need extra support. Parents are well informed about their children’s achievement and how they can support them at home.
Senior leaders gather and share useful information about school-wide achievement against the National Standards. This information shows that in 2012, over 80% of the students achieved at or above the National Standards in reading, mathematics and writing.
The board is very well informed about student achievement and regularly requests assurance and evidence that any student below the National Standards is well supported. With senior leaders, they have set useful targets to lift the achievement of some groups of students.
Area for review and development
The next steps for senior leaders are to:
- strengthen the systems for monitoring the progress of all students, especially those not making sufficient progress
- use assessment information to report to the board on the impact of any learning support programme.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
The school is in the process of adapting its curriculum to better meet the needs of its students as 21st century learners. It is too early to comment on the impact of these changes. However, the previous curriculum was broad and teaching programmes have resulted in pleasing levels of achievement.
Findings
The school is redesigning its curriculum to have a greater focus on building skilful thinkers. There is evidence of increased student voice and choice about what and how they learn.
Students enjoy a broad curriculum. In particular, teachers make good use of the local environment and people to enrich learning.
Students who are not achieving at the expected level are identified and well supported. New school guidelines clearly state how teachers should support and monitor these priority learners. Students who have medium or high needs are valued members of their classrooms and full participants in the life of the school.
Students benefit from good to high-quality teaching. Classrooms are well managed and students spoke positively about their learning. At the senior level, many use their own ICT tools at school. ERO observed students working well individually and with their peers.
The school has strong pastoral systems. Teachers and leaders care about their students and families. Teachers go out of their way to keep in touch with parents and involve them in their children’s learning.
Areas for review and development
Senior leaders have identified that their next step is to review the school’s curriculum guidelines so that these better describe how all the different aspects of teaching and learning will develop skilful thinkers.
ERO noted some variability in teaching practices. The school needs to extend self review to evaluate how well guidelines for teaching and learning are implemented. This should include evaluating the impact of the curriculum in developing students as skilful thinkers and 21st century learners. Reviews of different curriculum areas need to have more depth and rigour.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
The school is very focused on supporting its Māori students to succeed in their learning and to be proud of their cultural heritage.
Findings
The school has continued to meet regularly and build positive relationships with its Māori parents. School leaders are responsive to parents’ wishes. The board and teachers are very committed to making a difference for Māori students. This includes working hard to ensure these students succeed academically and enjoy school. They value the students’ identity, backgrounds and strengths.
Teachers and trustees have had ongoing training about ways to better support Māori students and value the place of Māori culture. They want to maintain this focus.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The school is well placed to continue to improve its performance.
Findings
Trustees have a thorough knowledge of their governance roles. They are focused on raising student achievement, asking insightful questions and frequently requesting school leaders to find evidence that teachers are making a difference for all children. They understand the importance of evidence-based decisions. They regularly review the effectiveness of their governance practices.
The senior leaders are innovative and reflective. They are leading the adaption of the school’s curriculum to better meet the needs of their students. Teachers and senior leaders feel very well supported by the board and are encouraged to develop and use their strengths. Teachers appreciate the way adults work together in the school.
The school has developed useful guidelines for self review.
Area for review and development
As noted earlier in this report, self review of teaching and learning needs strengthening. ERO also agrees with senior leaders that they need to improve the quality of their appraisal process.
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 three years.
Graham Randell National Manager Review Services Southern Region
15 July 2013
About the School
Location |
Weston, North Otago |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
3864 |
|
School type |
Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
|
School roll |
202 |
|
Gender composition |
Girls: 51% Boys: 49% |
|
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā Māori British and European Other |
85% 5.5% 5% 4.5% |
Review team on site |
April 2013 |
|
Date of this report |
15 July 2013 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Education Review Education Review |
March 2010 December 2006 August 2003 |