Wilson School

Education institution number:

1574

School type:

Special School

School gender:

Co-Educational

Definition:

Not Applicable

Total roll:

117

Website:

http://www.wilson.school.nz

Telephone:

09 489 5648

Address:

1A St Leonards Road, Hauraki, Auckland

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Wilson School - 04/10/2018

04 Oct 2018

School Context

Wilson School provides individualised programmes for students aged five to 21 years of age. These students have high health and complex needs, learning needs and physical disabilities. At the time of the review there were 90 students on the roll, with 13 percent identifying as Māori.

The base school is located in Takapuna, Auckland. Nine satellite classes operate in five other schools that cater for students from primary through to secondary school. All students are funded by the Ministry of Education Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS). The school currently employs five specialists who provide therapy support for students and staff. In addition, the school provides a Wilson School Specialist Teacher Outreach Service to support ORS students enrolled at their local schools.

The school’s mission statement for students is to ‘achieve the best they can physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially for life’. The vision for the school is to be ‘widely recognised as a place of excellence in the field of education’, and to set high expectations for all. School values include a safe environment, effective communication, dignity and respect.

Since ERO’s 2015 evaluation, the board and staff have successfully managed the school through a period of change in leadership and staff personnel. At the end of 2017, the longstanding respected principal retired. A new principal was appointed in Term 1, 2018.

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

health and safety of students and staff
student achievement in relation to numeracy and literacy
students’ progress in relation to their individual goals
appropriate resourcing to cater for students’ health, medical needs and learning needs.

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 effective in achieving equitable outcomes for its students. Staff make very good use of personalised information gathered from families. This information is used very well to develop individual education plans (IEPs), and for older students, individual transition plans (ITPs).

Leaders and teachers have thorough systems and processes for tracking and monitoring students’ holistic progress. This information is used to report formally and informally to parents and whānau.

Students achieve well in relation to other valued outcomes. Students:

use individual systems of communication effectively
work towards achieving individual goals and outcomes
develop a sense of belonging to Wilson School as a learner
are well supported to meet parent and whānau aspirations.

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

All students are priority learners. The school effectively ensures students, including Māori and Pacific learners, are making progress at the pace appropriate to their individual strengths and needs.

Students and teachers benefit from the multi-disciplined teams available to guide and support them. Therapists provide essential high quality expertise to enhance equity and excellence in valued outcomes for students. Teacher aides are an integral part of the teaching team, working collaboratively with teachers to support student wellbeing, mobility and learning.

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?

Effective leadership is creating a positive environment where diversity is valued and students’ learning and wellbeing are promoted. Leaders have refined and developed many aspects of school-wide processes and practices that foster equity and excellence. These include:

the school charter and curriculum
increasing flexibility and responsiveness of programmes
consulting widely to inform new developments
assessment tools to develop greater consistency in the use of data.

These developments are increasing opportunities for staff to work in a collaborative culture that supports the development of shared understandings across the school.

Students are engaged and learn in calm and nurturing environments. They know their routines and experience positive and respectful relationships with adults. These interactions support students’ sense of belonging and safety. Adaptive staff expertise supports students to achieve their potential physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. Leaders agree it is timely to promote more opportunities for children to have choice and a voice in programme activities.

The responsive school curriculum incorporates connections to students’ lives, prior understandings and out-of-school experiences. The curriculum is broadly based on The New Zealand Curriculum. It allows teachers to capture incremental steps in learning. Staff use a wide variety of programmes to create a rich curriculum. Students have many opportunities to take part in excursions, adding to the richness of the curriculum.

Staff are strongly committed to including students’ cultural context in programmes. This includes support from the wider community in providing te reo Māori and kapa haka opportunities for students. Leaders have identified that success for Māori students as Māori is an ongoing area for development.

Teachers collaborate with specialists and teacher aides to develop IEPs and ITPs. These plans are used effectively to guide teaching and learning. Staff value the aspirations that parents and whānau have for their children. Families have opportunities to work in partnership with the staff to develop appropriate goals. Staff are responsive to each student’s learning goals and care needs.

Daily communication books for each student provide a very good record over time of children’s routines, learning activities, celebration of successes and new learning. Parents who spoke to ERO affirm the effectiveness of this communication tool. Information technology is widely used and effectively supports students’ communication.

Flexible class placements allow students opportunities to extend their social skills. Students between the ages of 17 and 21 years attend transition classes. These classes provide a significant focus on life skills that support students transferring into the community.

Trustees demonstrate deep commitment to the school that encompasses accountability and an improvement focus. They strategically resource operations at all levels. Students and staff benefit from trustees’ knowledge and understanding of the students’ unique complexities and challenges. School policies and procedures are comprehensive, fit for purpose, and regularly reviewed.

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

The curriculum, school-wide assessment tools, and student portfolios have been recently reviewed and now provide clear guidelines for all school personnel. A key next step is to embed the use of these documents and practices. They could also be used to enhance reporting to the board about student achievement and progress, by providing greater clarity and information on trends and patterns.

The school is moving towards more clearly articulating expectations around bicultural practice in all documentation. This should further enhance staff and board commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi.

Leaders have introduced a framework to support ‘teaching as inquiry’. Leaders have identified that embedding this framework is a next step. Another identified next step is increasing opportunities for teachers to work collaboratively, including sharing teaching practices between the base school and satellite classes.

Leaders are adopting a new direction for the school. They have identified the need for different roles and responsibilities, and expanding opportunities for staff. These developments could further strengthen leadership in the school.

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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

respectful relationships between teachers and students that support a sense of belonging in a safe environment
collaborative team approaches and strong connections with the wider community to promote effective partnerships
effective organisational processes and systems
highly effective use of resources, including specialist personnel, to support equity and excellence for students
an inclusive, student-centred culture that supports children’s diverse learning requirements.

Next steps

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

embedding recent initiatives, including ’teaching as inquiry’, assessment practices and bicultural practices
considering ways of using staff strengths and aspirations to promote distributed leadership.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Violet Tu’uga Stevenson

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

4 October 2018

About the school

Location	Takapuna, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1574
School type	Special School
School roll	90
Gender composition	Boys 58% Girls 36%
Ethnic composition	Māori 12 Pākehā 47 Korean 9 Chinese 5 other European 4 other ethnic groups 13
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)	Yes
Provision of Māori medium education	No
Review team on site	August 2018
Date of this report	4 October 2018
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review July 2015 Education Review June 2011 Education Review January 2008

Wilson School - 06/07/2015

06 Jul 2015

Findings

Leaders and staff at Wilson School have high expectations that students with significant needs can learn and make progress. Collaborative approaches with staff and specialists ensure learning programmes are meaningful and appropriate for each individual student. Ongoing improvements through self review and project inquiries will continue to improve outcomes for students.

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

1 Context

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

Wilson School provides education and therapy programmes for students from five to twenty-one years of age. Students have complex learning needs, physical disabilities, and high health needs. All students are funded by the Ministry of Education Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS).

The base school is located in the grounds of the Wilson Home Trust Takapuna, Auckland with eight satellite classes in four North Shore schools. Satellite class teachers are an integral part of the base school’s community, professional learning and ongoing review. The school provides an outreach service to support ORS students who are in the mainstream and whose school has chosen to use the Specialist Teacher Outreach Service. The outreach teachers work with student, teacher and teacher aide.

Since the 2011 ERO review, significant roll growth is impacting on property, space and resourcing at both the base school and in satellite classes. Plans are underway to create a further double satellite at an additional North Shore school to address this roll growth. The board, principal and school leaders are effectively managing these challenges with the support of the Ministry of Education. The school roll is 52% New Zealand European/Pākehā and 10% identify with Māori heritage. It has a growing number of Korean and Indian students and the rest of the students identify with at least 10 other ethnicities.

The school’s mission and vision encapsulates the school’s purpose and provides a strong foundation for its operation. The vision captures the notion of excellence in the field of special education. School practices and programmes reflect this vision very well.

The school’s culture is one where students, staff, therapists and other specialists work collaboratively to ensure students achieve the best they can physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially in preparation for their adult lives.

ERO’s 2011 report identified high quality respectful interactions between adults and students. It also noted the strong cohesive leadership supporting clearly defined curriculum and pastoral responsibilities. These strengths continue as specific features of this school context. Leaders have improved assessment practices and plan further bi-cultural development work this year.

2 Learning

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

The school uses achievement information effectively to foster students’ engagement, progress and achievement. School leaders and staff are strong advocates for student wellbeing and progress. They share the belief that all students can experience success. They can show that each student is making progress in relation to the school’s assessment indicators. These indicators include a range of tailored assessments, key competency, and curriculum and therapy assessments.

Student achievement is celebrated in the school. Through a collaborative team approach, teachers, therapists and specialists use a variety of well moderated assessment processes to identify these achievements and to track student progress. Relevant planned sequences of learning support this monitoring process. Achievement decisions take into account multiple pieces of information.

Learning for all students is guided and closely monitored by goals set in individual education plans (IEPs). These appropriate goals reflecting students’ abilities and their developmental and social needs are developed collaboratively between teachers, specialists and parents/whānau and caregivers. Increasing student involvement in this goal-setting process, for students who are able to take an active part in this, is a suggested next step for the school.

Parents/whānau and caregivers are involved in their child’s learning. Beyond their involvement in IEPs, the use of daily notebooks enhances home and school communication. As the school continues to develop its information and communication technologies (ICT), it should be even better placed to create a richer partnership with parents/whānau and caregivers, and increase their contribution to their child’s learning.

Progress and achievement information is formally reported to parents twice a year in relation to their children’s IEP goals. Further opportunities are available for parents to attend meetings midyear to discuss progress. Reporting includes achievement in relation to The New Zealand Curriculum key competencies. Narrative assessments also align students’ learning within some areas of the NZC.

In 2014, targets were developed for an identified group of students experiencing complex learning difficulties and disabilities. Through careful analysis and observations, senior leaders identified a need to focus on play and engagement. They have since developed a play assessment tool, as part of the Early Learning Programme, for trialling, planning and monitoring the progress of these students. Positive progress outcomes for these students were identified and new targets set for 2015.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum is effective in promoting and supporting student learning. Programmes arise from senior leaders’ fine-grained analysis of data and their extensive inquiries into student’s needs and interests. Leaders guide teachers to seamlessly integrate IEP goals into a range of curriculum key competencies.

A strong emphasis placed on communication in the curriculum is well supported by visual aids, ICT and specialist programmes. Students experience a wide variety of programmes including early learning programmes, adapted literacy programmes, therapy and education outside the classroom. Extensive external agencies and networks support students’ health and wellbeing.

A transdisciplinary approach helps the school provide an effective curriculum. The collaboration between teachers, teacher aides, therapists and school leaders results in a calm atmosphere in which students have space and time to engage and learn at their own pace. Responsive teaching practices and a strong element of professional care promote student learning.

Base school provides students with well equipped and resourced classrooms complemented by attractive and purposeful play areas. Students have opportunities for physical, sensory and interactive exploration. Satellite classes and teachers benefit from host school environments. Students have opportunities to socialise and learn alongside mainstream students.

Transition processes are thoughtfully considered and sensitively managed throughout each student’s pathway to, within and from the school. The transition for older students preparing for their adult lives is focused on building life and community skills.

The board and principal acknowledge that a review of te ao Māori within the school’s curriculum could help support the school’s bicultural developments. It could continue to strengthen how the school uses culturally responsive approaches in leading, teaching and learning.

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

Wilson School has developed a few distinctive strategies to promote educational success for Māori as Māori. The school has nine Māori students. All students have access to Takapuna Grammar’s kapahaka group which practices at Wilson School, and the base school students perform a welcome for visitors. Students, particularly, in satellite settings, take an active part in a variety of bi-cultural activities.

The school reflects the Treaty of Waitangi by valuing the unique position of Māori in the community. It has undertaken a cultural survey. As a result of a 2014 survey the school’s strategic plan now identifies the need to provide further staff development on Māori protocols. The board and principal agree there would be value in using Ka Hikitia, the Ministry of Education strategy for educational success as Māori, as part of their future strategic planning and bi-cultural development.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

Wilson School is well placed to sustain and build on improvements made over the last four years.

The principal’s dedication to special education and high levels of professional leadership ensure that the school’s vision is promoted within the school and the wider community. She participates in and shares her knowledge and experience with local and global education networks.

The senior leadership team are reflective and innovative. Through their collaborative approaches they ensure learning programmes are meaningful and appropriate for each individual student. New leaders undertake their roles with enthusiasm. They report regularly to the board about curriculum developments and teaching and learning initiatives. Including a greater focus on outcomes for students in these reports would support board decision making.

Trustees bring an extensive range of expertise to their board roles. They are strong advocates for students and parents. Trustees are very supportive of the principal and value the work of teachers and support staff. Together, trustees and staff are highly focused on the challenges of securing appropriate buildings for a rapidly growing school population.

The school’s goals are defined under seven strategic pillars aligned to specific actions in the annual plan. A greater outcomes focus in strategic and annual planning, and enhanced self review against these outcomes is now recommended.

The board agrees to take steps to ensure ongoing improvement in the effectiveness and efficiency in board roles. These steps could include trustee induction and ongoing training to ensure that the board is meeting the full range of its responsibilities. The board should ensure that performance agreements are completed for all senior leaders.

The board agrees that continuing to build evaluative capability and capacity with all staff should help to further sustain and embed school improvement.

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 three years.

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

6 July 2015

About the School

Location	Takapuna, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1574
School type	Special School
School roll	91
Gender composition	Boys 67 Girls 24
Ethnic composition	Māori Pākehā Korean Indian Pacific other European other Asian others	9 47 11 7 6 7 3 10
Special Features	8 satellite classes in local primary, junior high and secondary schools Outreach service for selected ORS funded students in mainstream schools
Review team on site	May 2015
Date of this report	6 July 2015
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	June 2011 January 2008 May 2005