Helensville School

Helensville School

School 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. 

About the School  

​Helensville School is located in Helensville and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s motto, Arohia Ake- Aim High is underpinned by the school’s values.  

​The school’s roll is growing and at the time of the ERO review was 520 students. The ethnic composition is New Zealand/Pākehā 53%, Māori 28%, Pacific 6%, Asian 6% and other ethnic groups 7%.​ 

Part A: Parent Summary 

Progress since ​March 2023​ ERO report 

​The school has been working to evaluate the extent to which effective teaching and assessment practices, through a school curriculum that enables  students to drive their own progress and achievement. As a result, there is increased schoolwide consistency in effective teaching, learning and assessment practices. This is having a positive impact on students’ progress and learning. Learners are increasingly given opportunities to have ownership over how they improve their progress and achievement. 

​A new school board was formed in Term 2, 2024 after a Ministry of Education statutory intervention had been in place from the end of 2019 until Term 4, 2024. ​ 

How well place is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing? 

How well are learners succeeding? ​The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners.​ 
What is the quality of teaching and learning? Learners benefit from ​good quality​ teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in ​reading, writing and mathematics​.  
How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs? 

Learners have ​sufficient​ opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum. 

There is ​an increasingly consistent​ focus on supporting learners to gain skills in literacy and mathematics. 

Learners with complex needs ​are well supported​ to achieve their education goals. 

How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement? ​The school is establishing planning and conditions that support improvements in the quality of education for learners.​ 
How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing? ​The school reasonably promotes learners’ engagement, wellbeing and inclusion.​ 

How well does the school partner with parents, whānau and its community for the benefit of learners? 

 

The school ​reports usefully and accurately​ to parents and whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress. 

​The school responds well to a wide range of information gathered through community consultation, to inform strategic planning and curriculum decisions.​ 

Student Health and Safety ​The school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.​ 

Achievement in Years 0 to 8 

This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Foundation Skills 

 
Reading 

​A large majority of​ learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are ​not yet equitable​ for all groups of learners. 

Writing 

​A large majority of​ learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are ​not yet equitable​ for all groups of learners. 

Mathematics 

​A large majority of​ learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are ​not yet equitable​ for all groups of learners. 

Attendance 

The school is ​behind​ the target of 80% regular attendance. 

The school ​has​ a suitable plan in place to improve attendance. 

Regular attendance ​is​ improving towards or beyond the target. 

Assessment 

​The school is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately find out about achievement against the curriculum.​ 

​Teachers are developing assessment information to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.​ 

Progress 

Due to the large influx of new students and staff this year, leaders have focused on building shared understanding in effective teaching, learning and assessment practices to lift schoolwide student progress and achievement. 

The school ​is developing​ better quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students. 

The school ​has to some extent​ improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review. 

The school ​has to some extent​ extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review. 

The school is ​making some​ progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets for 2030 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority. 

An explanation of the terms used in the Parent Summary can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office 
 

Part B: Findings for the school 

This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school. 

Areas of Strength 

Students learn in caring, respectful and inclusive environments. Students are engaged and valued; they have a strong sense of belonging and demonstrate pride in their learning. Students know what they are learning and are increasingly able to talk about their learning next steps.  

The senior leadership team promotes a school culture of increasing collaboration in school and between schools, whānau and family and staff to build a shared commitment to school improvement. Leaders use multiple sources of feedback that align with the school’s strategic improvement goals and future direction for school improvement.  

Structured literacy has been in place in Years 1 to 2 for some years. The school will extend this to Years 3 to 8 in 2025. Structured mathematics for students has begun, and this will also be implemented schoolwide. 

Students experience a range of meaningful learning opportunities through the school curriculum. There is a focus on supporting learners to gain sound foundations skills in literary, communication and mathematics.  

Leaders and teachers are increasingly prioritising and engaging in ongoing professional development to enable high-quality teaching and learning practices support all students.   

Teachers regularly collaborate to inquire into aspects of their teaching practice to further support learners’ progress and achievement.  

Key priorities and actions for improvement  

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

  • continue to implement schoolwide structured literacy approaches through targeted professional development for staff to reduce the achievement gaps between groups of students
  • strengthen schoolwide systems and processes to monitor and accelerate students who require support to achieve well
  • use a wider range of strategies to support whānau and families to increase regular attendance to attain the government’s attendance target.   

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

Within three months: 

  • undertake professional development in structured literacy for students in Years 3 to 8, and the implementation of practices into classroom programmes
  • survey students, whānau and family to gather ideas on ways to increase regular attendance and analyse the information to increase schoolwide regular attendance  

Every six months: 

  • review the effectiveness of teaching and learning literacy and mathematics planning and assessment frameworks so all teachers have a shared understanding of assessment and how it informs students’ learning and next steps
  • review the effectiveness of schoolwide systems and processes that show the acceleration for those students at risk of underachievement
  • monitor and evaluate attendance initiatives to increase overall student regular attendance  

Annually: 

  • continue to report to the board the acceleration of those students at risk of underachieving and make comparisons to show how equitable progress and achievement outcomes are for all students
  • continue to report to the board student progress and achievement in structured literacy and mathematics
  • report to the board the impact of initiatives for improving regular student attendance to increase overall student regular attendance.  

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

  • well aligned systems, processes and practices that support teaching and learning expectations to support outcomes for students through teaching and learning approaches, including interventions, that effectively accelerate learning for those learners at risk of underachievement
  • increased regular student attendance. 

Part C: Regulatory and Legislative Requirements 

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements 

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. 

During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas: 

Board Administration 

​Yes​ 

Curriculum 

​Yes​ 

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare 

​Yes​ 

Personnel Management 

​Yes​ 

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  

​Sharon Kelly​
​Director of Schools​ (Acting)

​21 May 2025​ 

Education Counts 

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home 

Helensville School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

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

Helensville Primary School is located in the Kaipara District and provides education for akongā from years 1 to 8.

The school has been through a period of transition since 2019. This has included changes in principal, and the implementation of a statutory intervention by the Ministry of Education. The current level of statutory intervention will be reviewed in May 2023. The statutory intervention enables the school to operate effectively by addressing the cause for the statutory intervention which is external to the school and allows the school to operate without impediment.

Helensville Primary School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for akongā are:

  • relationships based Learning (RbL) practices embedded in teaching and school culture

  • to raise akongā achievement by improving clarity and akongā efficacy across the curriculum

  • improved attendance.

A copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan can be found on the Helensville Primary School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which effective teaching and assessment practices, through a responsive localised school curriculum enable akongā to drive their own progress and achievement.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • maintain the focus on equity and excellence for all akongā

  • raise akongā progress and achievement
  • support school conditions that build akongā self-efficacy
  • continue to build effective teaching and assessment practices schoolwide.

The school expects to see consistent teaching and assessment practices implemented schoolwide, and akongā to increasingly be provided opportunities to take ownership of their learning through a responsive localised school curriculum.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate the extent to which effective teaching and assessment practices, through a responsive localised school curriculum, enable akongā to drive their own progress and achievement.

  • Akongā have a strong sense of belonging and connection to the school and are developing confidence in their language, identity, and culture.

  • Akongā have effective, sufficient, and equitable opportunities to learn, within an increasingly responsive localised school curriculum.

  • Leadership that promotes and participates in a coherent approach to build teachers’ professional learning and practice.

  • Teaching is characterised by respect, inclusion, empathy, collaboration, and safety and is continuing to strengthen the school learning culture.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • strengthening teaching strategies and practices that continue to promote greater akongā efficacy.

  • implementing a responsive localised school curriculum that continues to provide flexibility around when and how akongā learn.

Recommendation

ERO recommends the Ministry of Education should continue to support the school through the statutory intervention.

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

13 March 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

Helensville School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of December 2022, the Helensville School, School Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Further Information

For further information please contact Helensville School, School Board.

The next 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.

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

13 March 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

Helensville 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 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 were no International Students attending.

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

13 March 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