Glenfield Intermediate

Education institution number:
1295
School type:
Intermediate
School gender:
Co-Educational
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
404
Telephone:
Address:

138 Chivalry Road, Glenfield, Auckland

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Glenfield Intermediate

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within six months of the Education Review Office and Glenfield Intermediate 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 

Glenfield Intermediate is located on Auckland’s North Shore and caters for Years 7 and 8 students. The
school is situated in a culturally diverse and changing community. Glenfield Intermediate has a values system based around Respect (Maruwehi), Responsibility (Noho Haepapa), Resilience (Aumangea) and Relationships (Whanaungatanga).

Glenfield Intermediate’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • curriculum - a rich, authentic localised curriculum that is inspiring, challenging and empowering
  • culture - a culture of personal growth and hauora is the way of being at Glenfield Intermediate
  • community - positive learning focused partnerships with our community.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how the consistent delivery of culturally sustainable teaching and learning practices can support equitable outcomes and success for all.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • enhance teacher capability to effectively deliver the refreshed curriculum Te Mātaiaho
  • align with the school’s strategic goals and progress aspirations of the Kaipātiki Kāhui Ako of which the school is an active member
  • strengthen culturally responsive teaching practices to support the language, culture, and identity of every student.

The school expects to see a:

  • refreshed localised curriculum being developed and effectively implemented
  • strengthened understanding of best practice aligned with Te Mātaiaho to inform deliberate acts of teaching.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate the consistent delivery of culturally sustainable teaching and learning:

  • an effective leadership team that collaboratively develops, promotes, and enacts the school vision and values, consistently prioritising and planning for school improvement 
  • a school culture that supports hauora is well established and characterised by respect, responsibility, resilience and relationships
  • a staff who are committed to inspiring, challenging and empowering ākonga to make progress and achieve personal success
  • learners express a strong sense of belonging and connection to the school
  • effective community connections and transitions which create positive learning focused partnerships.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • professional development and collaborative discussion to further develop a shared understanding of culturally sustainable practice 
  • developing a shared understanding of the refreshed curriculum Te Mātaiaho that support teaching and learning and promote equitable outcomes.

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.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

2 November 2023 

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

Glenfield Intermediate

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2023 to 2026

As of June 2023, the Glenfield Intermediate 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 Glenfield Intermediate, 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

2 November 2023 

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

Glenfield Intermediate

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 and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

At the time of this review there was one international student attending the school, and no exchange students. The school ensures effective systems that support students' education, and pastoral care. Students benefit from the school’s inclusive culture, and opportunities to participate in a wide range of school activities.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

2 November 2023 

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

Glenfield Intermediate - 29/05/2018

School Context

Glenfield Intermediate is on Auckland’s North Shore. There are currently 272 students enrolled at the school. The roll includes 17 percent Māori, 29 percent Pākehā, 17 percent Filipino, 10 percent of Pacific heritage and smaller groups of children from a wide variety of other ethnic backgrounds.

Students learn in mixed year level groups across the school. The school’s vision is that all students, staff and the wider school community are inspired, challenged and empowered through their journey at Glenfield Intermediate. Values of Respect - Maruwehi, Responsibility - Noho Haepapa, Resilience - Aumangea, Relationships - Whanaungatanga underpin the school wide approach to fostering positive behaviour for learning.

The school charter and strategic plan identify goals to promote student’s learning and the school’s vision for learners. Priority areas include:

  • accelerating student progress and achievement
  • developing a curriculum that enriches learning opportunities and promotes engagement
  • maintaining a strong partnership between the school and families, which focuses on learners’ wellbeing and personal success.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

  • progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

  • analysis of the progress and achievement of target and priority students

  • outcomes for learners with additional learning needs

  • outcomes related to student wellbeing.

School wide professional learning initiatives have focused on lifting student achievement in mathematics, and increasing the use of culturally responsive assessment practices. The visible learning initiative has been a significant focus during 2017 and 2018.

Since the 2015 ERO evaluation the board has successfully managed a period of leadership change. A new principal was appointed in 2016, alongside other new appointments to the leadership team.

An effective board succession process has ensured continuity of stewardship from a board that includes experienced and new trustees.

Glenfield Intermediate is a member of the Kaipātiki Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning made up of nine local school and three early learning services.

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 student. The school’s achievement information shows most students achieve in reading, and the majority achieve well in writing and mathematics. These achievement trends are consistent over time.

Previously there have been fluctuating numbers of Māori and Pacific students. However, close monitoring of all Māori and Pacific learners is evident at class, senior and leadership levels. The school’s 2017 data show significant improvement in the progress and achievement of Māori students, and some improvement for Pacific students. Senior leaders agree it is important to keep the focus on what makes the biggest difference for parity for these groups of students.

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

  • develop independence and confidence as learners
  • show a sense of pride in their learning community
  • respond to high expectations for good citizenship
  • are accepting of individual cultural identity.

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

School achievement information shows that many students make accelerated rates of progress by the time they leave Glenfield Intermediate. Each teacher has learning target groups in reading, writing and mathematics, and develops relevant plans to accelerate the rate of progress for these groups.

Recently contributing to equity and excellence is the increased emphasis on promoting bicultural practices and valuing tikanga Māori. Initiatives include opportunities for Māori and Pacific students to strengthen and extend their language, culture and identity in the school. The employment of a kaiako Māori is increasing opportunities for all students to learn about and participate in te reo programmes, and deepen their understandings of tikanga Māori.

Teachers are well supported to identify stages and patterns of progress of English language learners. They plan appropriately for students’ language learning needs. Students experience good rates of progress and success through inclusive class programmes, the provision of specialist teaching programmes and the support of external agencies.

Students with additional learning needs and abilities are very well supported through well considered programmes and interventions. They participate in learning opportunities that provide appropriate challenge and support. These include good use of external agencies and specialist programmes.

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?

Highly effective complementary leadership has a deliberate focus on equity and excellence through a cohesive and strategic approach. The principal is effectively building a culture of positive relationships. Increased collaboration at every level of the school community to support a shared school vision and direction is evident.

The school curriculum is integrated, and clearly focused on effective teaching and learning. School leaders and teachers provide students with very good assessment frameworks in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers use assessment well to develop and plan for programmes that support differentiated learning. Students use assessment well and know where they are achieving, and what they need to do next in their own learning. Explicit use of data based evidence is shared with students and supports further building educational relationships with parents, whānau and board members.

Respectful learning relationships between students and teachers provide learners with a sense of wellbeing, and valuing of their cultural and individual identities. Purposeful learning activities closely align to students’ individual learning needs.

Effective transition practices support student wellbeing. Strong connections with the Kaipātiki Kāhui Ako has a positive influence on students transitioning in and out of Glenfield Intermediate. Parents who spoke to ERO affirm the common language of learning between schools and within the school enhancing their children’s transition points and learning.

The school’s internal evaluation is systematic and coherent at every level. Students, teachers, leaders, board and community participate in evaluation activities that contribute to changes in thinking and actions for ongoing improvement. Strategic professional development and robust appraisal systems foster teachers’ collective professional capability.

Positive practices identified in the 2015 ERO report have been sustained and refined to improve outcomes for all learners. Recent changes that are contributing to greater equity and excellence for students include:

  • reviewing documents to provide increased clarity, cohesion and alignment to the school’s renewed strategic direction
  • increasing student agency in assessment capability
  • growing a collaborative professional culture within the school
  • streamlining policies and procedures and aligning these to current effective practice.

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

Enhancing adaptive school wide practices that further promote student agency across all areas of the curriculum would help the school continue to work toward equity and excellence.

School leaders agree that strategic prioritising and embedding of successful initiatives that respond to learners needs, could increase equitable outcomes for students.

The school’s goal to further develop educationally powerful relationships with parents, whānau and the community aligns well with the Kaipātiki Kāhui Ako priorities. Leaders are exploring additional ways of doing this with the school’s diverse ethnic communities.

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.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

Six international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

The school provides international students with effective systems that support education, and pastoral care. Students benefit from the school’s inclusive culture, and opportunities to participate in a wide range of school activities.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • strategic leadership that collaboratively develops and pursues the school’s vision, goals and targets

  • positive school culture that enables students to be confident and independent learners

  • effective use of assessment information to support equitable outcomes for all groups of students

  • close Kāhui Ako connections that support effective professional practices, and student transitions and learning pathways

  • use of internal evaluation practices that support improvement and innovation.

Next steps

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

  • enhancing school wide practices that continue to further promote student agency across all areas of the curriculum

  • continuing to explore ways of connecting with the school’s diverse ethnic communities

  • embedding successful initiatives schoolwide to show positive equitable outcomes over time.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Julie Foley 

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

29 May 2018

About the school

Location

Glenfield, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1295

School type

Intermediate (Years 7 to 8)

School roll

272

Gender composition

Girls 52% Boys 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Filipino
Samoan
Tongan
Chinese
Middle Eastern
other European
other

17%
29%
17%
6%
4%
4%
4%
5%
14%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

March 2018

Date of this report

29 May 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

June 2015
December 2010
August 2007

Glenfield Intermediate - 15/06/2015

Findings

The Glenfield Intermediate curriculum effectively promotes and supports student learning. Students benefit from an inclusive environment that values diversity and provides opportunities for student leadership. The school has a strong focus on strengthening teaching practices and raising student achievement levels.

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?

Glenfield Intermediate provides education for students in Years 7 and 8 from an ethnically diverse local community. Most students stay with the same teacher and class group for their two years at the school. Staff, students and parents report that this new initiative is having a positive impact on students’ wellbeing, learning and engagement. The ‘Powerful Learner Qualities’ are embedded into all aspects of school life and are connected to the school's vision and values.

The school has close working relationships with local primary and secondary schools and hosts two satellite classes from Wairau Valley Special School. These relationships are beneficial to the pastoral care of students and support smooth transitions as students move from primary, to intermediate and on to secondary schooling.

Since ERO’s 2010 review, there have been significant changes in the demographic profile of the school. The school has been very responsive to these changes. It has a comprehensive Year 6 transition programme, and the board and principal are working with the Ministry of Education to progress plans for improving school property.

School leadership has also continued to change and develop. The principal, who has played a key role in building leadership opportunities within the school, is departing to take up a new position. The board is working with external advisors to appoint a new principal to lead the school from term 4, 2015. A new associate principal has been appointed to work with the principal and the school's two leaders of learning. The leadership team also includes the teacher in charge of special education and student well being.

The 2010 ERO report noted the high standard of education provided for students. The friendly and inclusive culture of the school was noted, and continues to be a notable feature of the school. The report recommended further strengthening of aspects of curriculum planning and teaching practices. These recommendations have been successfully addressed. ERO’s report also recommended developing further ways to document information from consultation and self review, and continued work on promoting success for Pacific students. These aspects of school performance are still being developed.

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 well. Teachers are committed to ongoing improvement and use data to monitor students’ progress. They know their students well and have positive relationships with them.

Teachers make good use of the learning environment and have effective strategies to engage students and support their learning. Students' ideas are valued and considered. They are aware of their progress and achievement and are able to identify their next learning steps. A focus on positive behaviours for learning is resulting in higher levels of student engagement in the learning process.

Student achievement information shows that about two thirds of students achieve at or above National Standards in reading. School leaders and teachers recognise the need for a continuing focus on raising achievement levels for all students. While this need is particularly evident in mathematics and writing, data indicates that accelerated progress in writing is being made. The school is now focusing on accelerating student progress in mathematics.

School leaders and teachers work together, and with local primary schools and intermediates to promote consistent approaches to assessing student learning. This is helping teachers to make more accurate and reliable judgements about students’ levels of achievement in relation to the National Standards.

Students with diverse needs are identified and supported by a wide range of agencies and interventions. Effective monitoring of student wellbeing and reviewing the outcomes of interventions helps to ensure that students are getting appropriate support. Well developed assessment procedures and practices assist students who require English language learning support.

Parents have a variety of opportunities to discuss their children’s progress and learning with teachers. They receive clear information about their children’s progress and achievement in relation to the National Standards and about their learning in all curriculum areas. Teachers welcome informal discussions with parents, which further support children’s learning. Whānau who spoke to ERO during the review appreciate the increasing range of options for communication between home and school.

Trustees receive regular information about student achievement and use it well to make resourcing decisions.

To further progress student learning, the senior leadership team agrees that it is timely to:

  • review the impact of changes in teachers' practice on student learning
  • continue to strengthen the use of information about student progress and achievement
  • identify more specific targets and strategies for raising student achievement, particularly for Māori and Pacific students.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s broad based curriculum promotes student learning and engagement.

The curriculum the plan is well documented. The school has high expectations for teachers and clear expectations for curriculum delivery.

Students respond positively to the learning contexts and experiences provided. Specialist teaching in the areas of technology, music and the arts add depth to the curriculum. Students enjoy a wide range of cultural and sporting opportunities, including opportunities to explore robotics and to learn Mandarin.

Students support each other in their learning through student-led inquiry approaches. Their contribution to the school is apparent. Student leadership groups and student input into surveys contributes to school self review and decision making.

As part of its support for students’ learning, the school has a ‘bring your own devices’ (BYOD) policy. The board is committed to increasing access to digital devices within the school. Whānau comment on the positive effects the BYOD policy is having on supporting students' learning at home. They report their children are taking greater ownership of their own learning through the use of digital devices.

Teachers reflect on their practice and share planning and classroom strategies to improve teaching. There is a strong focus on strengthening and increasing the consistency of teaching practice across the school. Teacher professional development is targeted to align with the school’s emphasis on continuously improving student achievement outcomes.

To add value to the school's curriculum design and development senior leaders acknowledge that they could now explore ways to make the cultures and languages of the community more evident in curriculum implementation.

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

Glenfield Intermediate has 27 students who identify as Māori. The school is implementing a plan for promoting the success of these students. This will include a focus on cultural events and further promoting and celebrating Māori identity, language and culture.

Māori students take on leadership roles. They talk confidently about their learning and their sense of place and belonging within the school. Students who spoke to ERO are keen to have more opportunities to learn te reo Māori. A new whānau group to support Māori students in their learning has been established.

External tutors are sought, when required, to strengthen the school’s learning community and cultural capabilities. Kapa haka and protocols based on tikanga Māori are led by key staff members. They also work with other staff to build their confidence to implement the school’s Ka Mau te Wehi te reo Māori programme. Ensuring students' prior knowledge and background is taken into account in the planning and delivery of this programme is an important next step. This could help teachers better match the programme to the differing levels of student expertise and prior learning.

The senior leadership team agree that a next step for the school is to review and align curriculum, consultation and communication policies with its Treaty of Waitangi policy and the principles of Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success 2013 – 2017, the Ministry of Education’s Māori education strategy.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is well placed to sustain good practices and continue to improve. The board includes experienced and new trustees who are supportive of the school and the leadership team. The school, along with a cluster of local schools, is actively strengthening learning partnerships with whānau.

The senior leadership team is cohesive and has a shared understanding of, and commitment to, the school’s direction. The principal has been instrumental in building leadership capacity and in promoting shared leadership through effective teacher professional development. A new teacher appraisal system promotes high expectations and supports teachers to continually improve their practice.

The school has a well established culture of self review which it uses for strategic decision making. The senior leadership team has identified the need to strengthen the documentation of self review processes, and of the impact that changes have made for students. They also agree that streamlining policies and procedures would provide a clearer and more useful guide for teachers.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. At the time of this review there was one international student enrolled at Glenfield Intermediate School. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. The school has good processes for reviewing its provision for international 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.

Conclusion

The Glenfield Intermediate curriculum effectively promotes and supports student learning. Students benefit from an inclusive environment that values diversity and provides opportunities for student leadership. The school has a strong focus on strengthening teaching practices and raising student achievement levels.

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

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

15 June 2015

About the School

Location

Glenfield, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1295

School type

Intermediate (Years 7 to 8)

School roll

296

Number of international students

1

Gender composition

Boys 51%

Girls 49%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Filipino

Indian

Chinese

Samoan

Tongan

other

9%

38%

18%

8%

6%

3%

4%

14%

Special Features

Satellite classes from Wairau Valley Special School

Review team on site

May 2015

Date of this report

15 June 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

December 2010
August 2007
June 2004