Hay Park School

Education institution number:

1305

School type:

Contributing

School gender:

Co-Educational

Definition:

Not Applicable

Total roll:

174

Website:

http://www.haypark.school.nz

Telephone:

09 625 9531

Address:

670 Richardson Road, Mount Roskill, Auckland

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Hay Park School - 29/08/2018

29 Aug 2018

School Context

Hay Park School in Roskill South, caters for 163 children in Years 1 to 6. The school roll is comprised of 11 percent Māori, 23 percent Tongan and 20 percent Samoan children. Indian children make up the next largest group. Many families are new to New Zealand. Approximately 30 percent of children are supported to learn English as an additional language.

Almost all staff, including school leaders, are new to the school since the 2014 ERO review. Nearly two thirds of teachers have been at Hay Park School for less than a year. Most of the trustees on the board are new. The school vision was reviewed to incorporate, and expand upon, the existing school motto of Believe, Achieve, Succeed. The school’s valued outcomes are for children to be connected, confident and actively involved lifelong learners who have a strong sense of identity and belonging.

Current targets for improvement and learner success are focused on supporting children to achieve success in reading, writing and mathematics. Specific targets have been identified to improve the achievement of Māori students.

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

achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
outcomes for students with additional learning needs, including second language learners
outcomes related to engagement and wellbeing for success.

This enables the board to be strategic in their decision-making.

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 working towards equitable and excellent outcomes for all students. Considerable work has been undertaken to improve the dependability of student achievement data.

School data for 2017 report a small majority of students achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Overall achievement is higher for reading and mathematics than for writing. School leaders have developed action plans to support teachers to address the low achievement.

Less than half of Māori students achieve well in reading and writing. A small majority of Māori achieve well in mathematics. There has been some improvement in writing and a significant improvement in mathematics achievement for Māori students over the past two years.

A small majority of Pacific children achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. School leaders are aware of the disparities between Māori achievement and that of other groups of students. There is some disparity in the achievement levels of boys and girls. Girls achieve slightly better than boys in reading and writing.

Leaders gather considerable student voice during the course of their internal evaluations. This information tells them that most children:

have a sense of belonging and are proud to attend the school
understand the school values and the Hay Park Way
are well engaged in their learning
have a strong cultural identity.

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

The school is part of an external research project that provides comprehensive achievement information for the whole school, groups of students and individuals. This analysed data show some children are making accelerated progress.

The school sets appropriate student achievement targets. Current targets focus on improving writing outcomes across the school. Further targets are set specifically to improve Māori achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders and teachers develop action plans to achieve these targets. School leaders should continue to develop their critical evaluation of the effectiveness of strategies, approaches and interventions in achieving planned outcomes.

Leaders and teachers work collaboratively to use assessment information to plan teaching and learning programmes. Teachers identify students who need to make accelerated progress. They participate in professional forums to share effective strategies, and to inquire into the impact of their practice on these students’ learning. These processes are helpful in growing teacher capability to respond effectively to the diverse learning needs of students. Children with identified learning needs receive additional help through a variety of programmes that are designed to support their literacy learning.

The school is building on established programmes that inform and engage parents in supporting their children’s learning. This learning-focused partnership is helpful for all students and especially for those who need to make accelerated progress.

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?

The school’s vision and values are embedded in the ‘Hay Park Way’ which establishes positive behaviour, learning and relationship expectations. Children and adults know what these expectations are within a range of school settings.

Children’s learning and wellbeing are the focus of the school. The inclusive culture recognises children as unique individuals. Children are positive about school and engaged in their learning. Classes are whānau grouped so that children from multiple year levels learn together and from each other. Children work together and collaborate willingly. Tuakana/teina relationships are strongly evident throughout the school.

There is a commitment to ongoing improvement. Leaders have identified areas for development. Action plans support the strategic direction and promote the achievement and success of Māori and Pacific students. Hui and fono provide opportunities to share information with parents and gather aspirations they hold for their children’s learning. Parents, teachers and students are invited to share their opinions. These influence school decisions.

Students have good quality learning opportunities using digital technologies. The school is a member of the Ako Hiko cluster that provides equity of access to digital technologies for children and their families. Teachers are well supported by the cluster to develop their teaching practice aligned to a ‘learn, create, share’ learning model. In Years 4 to 6, students largely work on their own devices and engage well in this learning approach.

The school has strengthened its provision of learning opportunities around te Ao Māori. A specialist te reo teacher provides regular lessons for students to learn te reo Māori. Students have good opportunities to participate in kapa haka. As a result all students are becoming familiar with aspects of tikanga Māori. Leaders are considering how they can extend this work to the identification of students with gifts or talents in this area.

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

There have been many staff changes in recent years. Most teachers are either new to teaching, new to the school or in new roles. Leaders are focusing on building shared understandings of effective practice and their impact on outcomes for students. This continuing focus could further extend the teacher capability and collective capacity of the staff in planned and purposeful ways.

Leaders have focused on increasing the dependability of student achievement data that are reported to students, their whānau, the board and the Ministry of Education. They are aware that student achievement needs to improve. Teachers are establishing shared understandings of effective teaching strategies to accelerate children’s learning and achievement. Leaders and teachers are continuing to refine systems and processes for:

tracking and monitoring students’ progress and achievement
planning to meet the learning needs of individual students
strengthening learning-focused partnerships with parents.

The school has identified it is now timely to review the curriculum so it better reflects the current teaching approaches and expectations of practice. This includes growing student agency and the provision of a broader curriculum.

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:

the ‘Hay Park Way’ that promotes a supportive and inclusive school culture
learning relationships that support children to learn together and from each other
student and whānau access to devices and related teaching practice that promotes the ‘learn, create, share’ learning model
opportunities for children that promote te ao Māori.

Next steps

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

accelerate the rate of progress for students to improve their achievement
build shared understandings of effective practice to support consistency of good quality teaching across the school
further strengthen learning-focused partnerships with parents to support improved achievement
review the curriculum to better reflect the school’s current teaching approaches and practices.

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 August 2018

About the school

Location	Mt Roskill, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1305
School type	Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
School roll	163
Gender composition	Boys 51% Girls 49%
Ethnic composition	Māori Tongan Samoan Indian Middle Eastern Cook Islands Māori Niuean other Pacific other Asian other	11% 23% 20% 16% 10% 6% 2% 2% 3% 7%
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)	Yes
Provision of Māori medium education	No
Review team on site	May 2018
Date of this report	29 August 2018
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	February 2014 June 2009 May 2006

Hay Park School - 27/02/2014

27 Feb 2014

1 Context

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

Hay Park School in Mt Roskill South has a clear vision of “believe, achieve and succeed to prepare students to be successful learners”. The school provides a caring and inclusive culture for all students, from Years 1 to 6. The school roll is predominantly Pacific and has remained stable since ERO's 2009 report, with some increase in ethnic diversity especially in the proportion of Asian students.

The school has a positive ERO reporting history. The 2009 ERO report noted friendly and confident students who show a good understanding of their learning. The report also noted very good overall standards of achievement, and trustees’ and senior leaders’ commitment to a continual focus on better outcomes for students. These positive features have been sustained and continue to improve.

Students are confident, friendly and respectful. They benefit from a settled and positive school tone. Students learn in highly attractive, well resourced learning environments. Special features of the school’s setting include the Pacific fale, artwork displays and the attractive and well maintained gardens and grounds.

School trustees, staff and the community are proud of their school and the opportunities that it provides for students. Students enjoy a wide choice of co-curricular activities which draw the school community together.

Since 2009, self review has become more evident throughout school operations. Significant professional development has helped teachers to support many of the students who have home languages other than English.

2 Learning

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

Trustees, teachers and senior leaders make very good use of student achievement information. The analysis and reporting of student achievement are collaborative processes, involving discussion of findings and shared decision making. Student progress and achievement is assessed regularly and students’ learning strengths and needs are identified effectively and promptly.

School achievement information shows that 90 percent of students achieve at or above the National Standards in reading and mathematics. Māori students achieve particularly well in reading. Pacific students achieve very well in reading and mathematics. The academic achievement of Māori and different groups of Pacific students is analysed separately and reported to the board. Charter targets are appropriately focussed on students at risk of not achieving. Trustees could also use achievement information to develop further targets for other groups of students.

Students are keen to learn and are able to work independently and collaboratively. They use achievement information to set learning goals with the support of their teachers and parents. Increasingly students are taking greater ownership of their learning.

Teachers have high expectations for students. They provide students with specific and constructive comments about how well they are achieving and next steps for learning. Teachers are using achievement information effectively to differentiate classroom learning programmes and to improve their professional practice.

A wide range of information about students’ learning across the curriculum is considered when making judgements in relation to National Standards for reading, writing and mathematics. To develop more consistency of overall teacher judgements it may be useful for teachers to moderate judgements across year levels within the school. Continued moderation with other local schools could enhance the school's own moderation of teacher judgements.

ERO and school leaders agree that further work is needed to ensure that teachers use plain language when reporting to parents in relation to the National Standards. To support the focus on students leading their own learning, teachers could further involve them when making judgements about their progress and achievement in relation to the National Standards.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s vision and values have been revised in consultation with the board, parents, students and staff to further promote students’ success. School leaders and teachers have collaboratively created a well designed, integrated school curriculum that is closely aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum and the educational direction of the school.

Well managed systems for implementing the curriculum have created cohesion between the school vision, learning areas and student needs. School leaders work closely with teachers to align planning, teaching and review processes. A senior leader effectively coordinates and monitors the progress of children with identified special needs, including English language learners.

The school curriculum provides a comprehensive framework that promotes and supports student learning. Learning programmes across the school are meaningfully connected with values concerning environmental sustainability, respectful relationships, and striving for personal best. Older children take responsibility for younger students as they transition into the school and model the caring attitudes that characterise the school. In many classrooms, students make capable use of e-learning applications that support their learning.

Teachers establish positive and affirming relationships with students. High quality teaching where learners are actively engaged and successful in their learning is evident in the school. Teachers use explicit and deliberate strategies to help students understand and engage in learning programmes.

Further curriculum development that senior leaders are now considering include:

increasing students’ role in curriculum decision making and planning
evaluating the effectiveness and impact of the focus on promoting positive behaviour for learning
increasing the visibility of Pacific languages in the school grounds
continuing to build on relationships with contributing kindergartens and early childhood centres to further support students’ transitions into school.

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

Ten percent of students at the school identify as Māori. Teachers know Māori students well and closely monitor their progress and achievement. Relevant professional development helps staff to raise awareness, understanding and knowledge of Māori culture, identity and language. A newly developed relationship with a local marae provides professional support for school leaders and teachers. Professional development at the marae is planned for staff and school trustees.

Māori students express very positive attitudes to learning and are well represented in school leadership roles. They take a lead role in promoting te reo and tikanga Māori within the school. They also have opportunities to participate in whānau art classes and celebrate significant events in the Māori calendar such as Matariki.

A review of school environments, policies and practices, and the co-option of Maori trustees to the board, would support the development and implementation of a Maori Education plan. These steps would help to ensure that the board’s commitment to including Maori perspectives, and fostering success for Maori students as Maori, is visible and enacted effectively throughout the school.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. It is managed by a team of strong professional leaders and a committed board of trustees. The principal focuses on growing leadership within the staff and recognises people’s capabilities to complement and enhance school developments. She provides very good reports to the board on school progress against the strategic plan and student achievement targets.

The principal, teachers and trustees have high expectations of the school’s performance. Research is used purposefully and professionally to inform decision making regarding school direction. Significant professional development has been accessed for teachers and targeted to improve outcomes for students.

Self review is used effectively. Ongoing critical reflection and self review provide clear rationale for improvement in curriculum design and teaching practice, and for the school’s future direction. Students, staff and the school community are consulted as part of the review process. Trustees and senior leaders could now refine the documentation of self review outcomes so that information is readily available to support future reviews and sustain innovative practices.

The board is strategic and trustees have a clear understanding of their roles. The effective governance team could make use of its skills to nurture new trustees and to embrace Māori representation. Trustees are well informed and are focused on planning for the future. A positive next step for the board would be to refine the reporting of school initiatives to a more evaluative level aligned to strategic goals. This would support strategic self review in the future.

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.

The board of trustees must ensure that police vetting of all non-teaching staff is undertaken every three years.

When is ERO likely to review the school again?

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

27 February 2014

About the School

Location	Mount Roskill, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number	1305
School type	Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
School roll	182
Gender composition	Boys 56% Girls 44%
Ethnic composition	Māori NZ European/Pākehā Tongan Samoan Indian Cook Island Māori Niue African Asian Middle Eastern Other Pacific Other	10% 2% 28% 27% 14% 5% 4% 3% 3% 2% 1% 1%
Review team on site	November 2013
Date of this report	27 February 2014
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	June 2009 May 2006 August 2002