Onerahi School

Onerahi School

School Evaluation Report

Tēnā koutou e mau manawa rahi ki te kaupapa e aro ake nei, ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa. Mā wai rā e kawe, mā tātau katoa.

We acknowledge the collective effort, responsibility and commitment by all to ensure that the child remains at the heart of the matter.

Context

Onerahi School is situated in Whangārei and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school aims to create a learning environment that is positive and inclusive where students, staff and the school community are encouraged to belong, contribute and grow themselves as productive members of society.

The board funds a Māori bilingual reo rua class for students from Years 4 to 6.

There are three parts to this report.

Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation.

Part B: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings.

Part C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals

Since the previous ERO report of August 2022, ERO and the school have worked together to evaluate how well the school conditions contributes to students experiencing learning that is relevant and meets their goals, strengths and successes.

Expected Improvements and Findings

The school expected to see:

Excellent and equitable outcomes for all learners.

  • Learners who attended the school over this time sustain high levels of achievement in reading and mathematics; a slight decline in writing was observed.

Teachers consistently use effective teaching strategies and practices that provide students, including Māori and Pacific learners, with relevant and meaningful learning experiences.

  • Teachers increasingly use strategies and practices that provide students with relevant and meaningful learning opportunities that connect students with their local environment and community.
  • Staff are working towards developing students’ understanding of what they are learning, why and their next learning steps.

Every student receives learning that relates to their strengths and who they are as learners, experiencing growth and success in their learning.

  • Strong and cohesive school systems ensure students who have additional learning and behaviour needs are well supported, make progress and achieve.

Other Findings

During the course of the evaluation, it was found that in order to effectively meet all learners’ strengths, interests and needs, the local curriculum needed to be refined so that it was responsive to the local context. This has since been implemented with increasing consistency across the school.

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action has been the strengthening of relationships and engagement with parents, whānau and the wider community; this is increasingly building positive learning partnerships that improve outcomes for all learners.

Part B: Current State

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing

Learner outcomes are increasingly equitable and excellent.
  • The large majority of learners achieve at or above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.
  • Achievement information shows that most learners attending over time, including Māori students achieve well, particularly in reading and mathematics.
  • Learners express a strong sense of belonging and pride in their school and are confident in their cultural identities.
  • Less than half of learners attend school regularly; the school is yet to meet the Ministry of Education’s target for regular attendance.

Conditions to support learner success

Strategic leadership demonstrates a strong commitment to school improvement.
  • Leaders collaboratively set and implement a manageable number of clear strategic goals; this contributes to improving learner outcomes and wellbeing.
  • Leadership increasingly reviews and refines school systems to ensure these benefit the interests and needs of students and the input from staff, parents and whānau.
  • Leadership continually engages in professional knowledge building with teachers that enhances teaching effectiveness.
Students experience a broad range of meaningful learning opportunities that support their success and wellbeing.
  • Students experience inclusive class environments where respect between learners and teachers promote active engagement in learning activities.
  • Teachers implement relevant curriculum programmes that help students make progress, particularly those with additional learning needs.
  • Te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are becoming increasingly integrated into the local curriculum so that all learners know and understand more about Aotearoa New Zealand.
Key conditions that underpin successful education continue to strengthen.
  • The board, leaders and teachers build positive relationships with parents, whānau and the wider community so that students are provided with relevant and engaging learning experiences.
  • Staff have well-considered professional development opportunities that support the school’s strategic goals and learner progress and wellbeing outcomes.
  • Leaders and staff are collaboratively implementing a deliberate schoolwide behaviour and wellbeing initiative that increasingly enables all students’ participation in learning.
  • A schoolwide culture of collaboration supports leadership and teachers to reflect on their practice, evaluate the impact on learner outcomes and respond through action.

Part C: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

  • increase the regular attendance of all students
  • strengthen effective teaching, learning and assessment practices to ensure teacher consistency and equitable outcomes for student achievement
  • continue to refine and embed the local curriculum to enhance learner engagement and develop learning-focused partnerships with parents and whānau
  • continue to improve systems and processes for reviewing school policies and procedures.

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within six months:

  • review current attendance initiatives and develop and implement an action plan
  • refine the process for reviewing school policies and procedures

Every six months:

  • review the impact of the action plan to improve students’ regular attendance and support further action
  • continue to provide professional learning opportunities that strengthen teachers’ understanding and use of highly effective teaching, learning and assessment practices
  • review the progress made with embedding the school’s local curriculum to support future planning and action

Annually:

  • evaluate the impact of teaching, learning and assessment practices on students’ engagement, progress and achievement and use this to inform next steps
  • review and report to the board on student attendance, progress and achievement information to support ongoing decision making for improvement
  • ensure all school policies and procedures are regularly reviewed by the board.

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:

  • improved regular student attendance and sustained high levels of achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
  • a local curriculum that continues to engage all learners resulting in strong learning-focused partnerships with parents and whānau
  • confident learners that actively participate in the learning process and can explain what they are learning, why and their next learning steps.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.

Me mahi tahi tonu tātau, kia whai oranga a tātau tamariki
Let’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

5 December 2024 

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

Onerahi School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024 to 2027

As of July 2024, the Onerahi 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

Actions for Compliance

ERO has identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

  • review the school’s Child Protection Policy every three years
    [s18 and s19 Children’s Act 2014]
  • ensure the board gives written authorisation of an employee, who is not a teacher, to use physical restraint
    [s99 Education and Training Act 2020].

The board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.

Further Information

For further information please contact Onerahi 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.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

5 December 2024 

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

Onerahi School

Provision for International Students Report

Background

The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

Findings

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

5 December 2024 

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 

Onerahi School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 18 months of the Education Review Office and Onerahi 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 

Onerahi School is in Whangārei and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. Since the previous ERO review, the board has appointed a new principal and deputy principal.

Onerahi School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • strengthen the Onerahi School community’s hauora

  • define the kaupapa of teaching and learning

  • embed te reo Māori me ōna tikanga.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Onerahi School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the conditions contribute to students experiencing learning that is relevant and meets their goals, strengths and successes.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • identify what relevant and meaningful learning experiences look like for learners

  • strengthen the connection between student learning and explicit teaching

  • develop a shared understanding among teachers, students, whānau and the community about what their expected outcomes are for all learners

  • know the knowledge, skills and strategies students need as they transition through school.

The school expects to see excellent and equitable outcomes for all learners. Teachers will consistently use effective teaching strategies and practices that provide students, including Māori and Pacific learners, with relevant and meaningful learning experiences. Every student will receive learning that relates to their strengths and who they are as learners, experiencing growth and success in their learning.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to ensure students experience learning that is relevant and meets their goals, strengths and successes:

  • the school’s strategic priorities are collaboratively planned, implemented and refined

  • learners with diverse and complex needs are well supported, included and resourced

  • the school’s learning culture is characterised by strong and meaningful student, teacher and whānau relationships.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • embedding a shared understanding of expected outcomes for all learners to ensure students receive consistently relevant and meaningful learning experiences

  • strengthening the use of evaluation, inquiry and collaborative approaches among teaching staff to enhance the connection between student learning and explicit teaching

  • deepening learning-focused relationships and connections with whānau to ensure they are active partners in their child’s learning and that they know their child’s goals, strengths and successes.

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.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

19 August 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

Onerahi School - 20/02/2017

1 Context

Onerahi School has a long-established history in the Whangarei area. This mainly bicultural school caters for learners in Years 1 to 6. The school roll continues to grow substantially each year, particularly in the last six months, and there is increased ethnic diversity amongst children. The experienced principal continues to lead the school well. A new deputy principal was appointed very recently. The school's staff in general has remained relatively constant over time.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are combined in the statement, Together we shape our future (Tahi te hanga i tātou i tō tātou ananahi). The three school charter goals are collaboration (mahi tahi), ownership (mana) and capabilities (kaha). These goals are expanded into sub-goals to guide the school's vision of thoughtful, creative, inspired learners.

The school’s achievement information shows that from 2013 to 2015 there was significant overall accelerated progress in achieving the National Standards in writing, for children across all year levels. For the same three years, data show little evidence of improvement across the school in mathematics and reading achievement. In mathematics 73 percent of all children, and 60 percent of Māori children achieved at or above the National Standards. Māori children are over-represented in the groups of students below the National Standards.

There has been persistent disparity between Māori and non-Māori children's progress and achievement over time. However, the school's analysis of 2016 data shows significant lifts in achievement in reading, writing and mathematics for nearly all Māori children. This information shows that disparity between the achievement of boys and girls is also decreasing.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has:

  • completed the Ministry of Education funded Accelerated Literacy Learning (ALL) contract
  • become involved in the Accelerated Learning in Maths (ALiM) contract
  • been part of the well-established local Learning Change Network (LCN)
  • recently established a Ka Awatea Mana (cultural awareness) classroom that children can choose to be part of in Years 3 to 5
  • built on previous internal evaluation and used carefully selected professional learning opportunities to enhance children's learning.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The school is becoming increasingly effective in responding to Māori children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. School information for Māori children shows the positive impact of the 2016 focus on accelerating student progress.

Ongoing assessment information is very well used to identify Māori children at risk of not achieving equitable outcomes. This information is well analysed to inform appropriate and relevant programmes for these learners. The three-tiered approach to acceleration is determined by the urgency of proposed interventions.

Leaders and teachers share high expectations for equitable outcomes for Māori learners. Multi-year-level teams work collaboratively to plan and evaluate teaching strategies to improve outcomes for Māori students. Leaders and teachers have initiated meaningful conversations with Māori parents to better understand and respond to the aspirations that they have for their children.

To accelerate progress for children at risk of not achieving equitable outcomes, school leaders and teachers have:

  • been very deliberate in building children's ownership of their learning
  • prioritised support for children's wellbeing
  • used the Ministry's ALL initiative to develop a comprehensive and coherent approach across the school
  • engaged the community to build collective ownership and capability for accelerating student progress
  • demonstrated their commitment to strengthen productive learning relationships with the parents and family/whānau of each child.

Teachers use well analysed information of 2016 student progress and achievement to design appropriate plans and programmes for students at risk of not making progress, for implementation in 2017.

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

The school responds very well to other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. The small number of children with Pacific heritage achieve very well at Onerahi School.

Student achievement information is well used to identify children at risk of not achieving equitable outcomes. The board and senior leadership team continues to investigate a variety of information and strategies to build their knowledge of children's wellbeing. The school prioritises assistance for children who are not making accelerated progress to enable them to have equitable opportunities for success. Transient children are always included in the priority group so that the school can make a difference to their learning while they are in the school's care.

As for prioritised Māori learners, there is convincing evidence of accelerated progress for almost all learners towards achieving equitable outcomes, particularly in 2016.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and targets for equity and excellence?

The school's curriculum and other organisational processes and practices are very effective in developing and enacting the school's vision, values, goals and targets for equity and excellence. The school has an inclusive culture where diversity is respected and valued. Ownership, collaboration and sharing are strongly evident in school practices.

The child is at the centre of the school curriculum that strongly reflects the vision, values and principles of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). The school's values are strongly aligned with NZC key competencies and are a valued aspect of teaching and learning. The curriculum is learner-centred and each child is fully involved in creating their learning pathway. Children enjoy intellectual engagement and working collaboratively and independently. They have numerous opportunities to explore their interests.

Sound foundations for successful learning are built through the school curriculum. Children are developing responsibility for themselves and their learning. They demonstrate fairness and social justice in their interactions with others.

Children are confident in their cultural identities and languages. The school successfully encourages and supports Māori children to be successful as Māori. Tuakana/teina relationships are a strong feature in the school. Māori children are confident in a variety of leadership roles and lead the large kapa haka. Whole-school pōwhiri are enthusiastically supported by all children and teachers. School kawa is well established with children leading karakia and waiata at the beginning of the school day. Learning in the Ka Awatea Mana classroom is focused on identity and connectedness for children as successful Māori.

Professional learning and development has focused on strategic leadership at various levels within the school. The school completed the ALL contract in 2015, and became involved in the ALiM contract in 2016. The school has a lead role in a cluster of seven schools for Asian Language Learning in Schools and have been part of a well-established local Learning Change Network (LCN).

Building on previous ERO evaluations, the school has prioritised the shared ownership and implementation of charter goals and strategic planning. This shared ownership includes children, their whānau and all school staff as a community of learners.

The school has developed an innovative approach to strategic planning. Based on charter goals, it has a clearly articulated vision, focused on valued learner outcomes and the acceleration of student achievement.

Sustainability is built on respectful relationships and equitable outcomes for all learners. Key components of sustainable practice in this school include:

  • the future-focused curriculum with learners as integral decision makers
  • continually strengthening and clarifying evaluation, inquiry and knowledge building for improvement and innovation
  • leadership that is valued, encouraged and nurtured at all levels to grow individual and collective expertise
  • a sincere commitment to enabling and empowering Māori children to be successful as Māori, and building a sound foundation of positive and productive relationships with the Māori community.

The principal and leadership teams lead the school very well. The board of trustees has a sound understanding of its stewardship role and has high expectations for all children. 

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

Leaders and teachers:

  • know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
  • respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
  • regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
  • act on what they know works well for each child
  • build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
  • are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

The school is well placed to continue to accelerate the progress and achievement of all children who need it.

Children in this school know they are valued owners of their learning and are very well supported. School leaders work well together to strengthen work that promotes equitable outcomes for all children. Leaders place emphasis on the effective promotion of teaching strategies that will have positive outcomes for all children. The performance management system demands a high level of teacher accountability for learner success through relevant teacher inquiries.

The school charter provides the underpinning framework for school improvement. The school is now well poised to:

  • continue to develop and formalise robust self-scrutiny as a process for ongoing evaluation of board performance
  • continue to sharpen and refine data analysis to particularly focus on and reflect accelerated student progress for groups and initiatives over time
  • continue to build children's knowledge and ownership of their learning.

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

6 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 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

  • processes for appointing staff

  • stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions

  • attendance

  • compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014

  • provision for international students.

7 Recommendations

School leaders and the board agree that they need to continue to identify successful strategies to reduce and eliminate disparities in student progress and achievement. The board and school leaders should continue to refine internal evaluation processes to evaluate how effectively the school's vision and strategic goals are implemented. 

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

20 February 2017

About the school 

Location

Onerahi, Whangarei

Ministry of Education profile number

1062

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

504

Number of international students

0

Gender composition

Girls 54% Boys 46%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

British/Irish

other

37%

52%

2%

9%

Review team on site

November 2016

Date of this report

20 February 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

December 2013

August 2011

January 2007