Orakei School

School Context

Ōrākei School is a full primary school situated in Ōrākei and caters for students in Years 1 to 8. The school has close historical and cultural links with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Many Māori children whakapapa to the local iwi Ngāti Whātua. Māori students make up 30 percent of the roll, Pākehā students 41 percent, and other students have Pacific or multicultural heritages.

The school’s vision of ‘Nurturing Excellence’ in staff, students and the learning environment, is complemented by the school’s five core values of Whakaute - respect, Pākihi Hinengaro - inquiring minds, Tōku Whakapono - self-belief, Kairangi – excellence, and Auahatanga - creativity.

Since ERO’s 2016 review, the school has experienced significant staffing changes. The new principal was appointed in 2019, and two new deputy principals have been recently appointed. These were all internal appointments. Further changes have included the increase to three Māori medium classes in Te Ahureinga o Te Aroha (TAoTA) and the establishment of a Montessori class.

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
• student wellbeing and attendance information
• programmes to accelerate students’ learning
• progress of students with additional learning needs.

The school is a member of Te Roopu Pourewa Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako.

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 achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students.

The school’s achievement information indicates that most students are achieving at expected national curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 8, most students leave school well prepared for secondary education learning. Māori students achieve well in literacy and mathematics. Leaders are aware of the disparity for some groups of students.

Students in Te Ahureinga o Te Aroha learn through Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, the Māori Medium curriculum. Achievement information for these students is not reported separately from students working in English medium. School leaders agree that reporting the levels of achievement for students in TAoTA would provide a more accurate overall picture of achievement across the school. Assessment systems aligned to Te Marautanga o Aotearoa are at the development stage.

The cohort of Pacific students is too small to report overall achievement trends and patterns. The school monitors the achievement of these children individually.

Many students achieve well in relation to the school’s broader valued outcomes. Students demonstrate:

• tuakana/teina practices

• a strong sense of belonging and connection to the school and community

• respectful and positive relationships with staff and each other.

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

The school has developed ways to accelerate student learning progress. Relevant systems are used to identify, track and regularly monitor the progress of children who need to make accelerated progress. Teachers have increased their understanding of accelerated progress required to achieve more equitable outcomes for all students. They are using useful strategies to increase students’ rates of progress in mathematics. School achievement data indicate that in 2018, students identified at risk of not achieving in literacy, made accelerated progress over that year.

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 board, leaders and teachers are committed to achieving equitable outcomes for all learners. The school has effective processes and practices to enable the achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning.

The school’s culturally responsive curriculum promotes mana whenua in the rohe of Ngāti Whātua and reflects the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. A specialist teacher provides meaningful opportunities for students and teachers to learn te reo Māori. This is helping to increase teachers’ confidence to use the language.

Ako is the school’s ‘signature practice’ model of teaching and learning. This approach is successfully improving teachers’ professional practice and building student agency. Teachers are promoting opportunities for students to use self and peer assessment strategies, so they can take a greater role in their learning. For many students these strategies are helping them to make accelerated progress.

Teachers are using achievement information well to respond to students’ learning strengths and needs. Students learn in flexible learning groups, and this approach is supporting them to make accelerated progress. Children with additional learning and behavioural needs feel accepted, enjoy positive relationships with their peers and teachers. They are active, visible members of the learning community. A broad range of professionals support the health, wellbeing and education of these students. Students develop oral language skills and build social and emotional competencies to help them to be successful learners.

Leaders have built strong relational trust with the school community. Teachers support parents and whānau by providing them with ways to help with their children’s learning at home.

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

The leadership team is committed to the school’s vision. Leaders are building relational trust and effective collaboration as a new team. They agree that further developments for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning include:

• developing a strategic plan to guide Te Ahureinga o Te Aroha

• developing a localised curriculum that reflects the voice and aspirations of the community aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

• strengthening the assessment requirements for Te Matauranga o Aotearoa

• continuing to grow the capacity of leaders to lead change

• refining evaluation systems and practices for improvement and innovation.

3 Other Matters

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. 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.

4 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 Children’s Act 2014.

5 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Ōrākei School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

6 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• respectful and valued partnerships in learning with parents, whānau and the community
• committed, collaborative leadership that establishes and demonstrates high expectations
• a caring and inclusive learning environment that promotes equity and excellence.

Next steps

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

• sustaining the growth in Te Ahureinga o Te Aroha
• reflecting the voice and aspirations of the community in the school’s dual curriculums
• building leadership capacity to lead change
• strengthening internal evaluation to sustain improvement and innovation.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified an area of non-compliance in relation to the health curriculum.

In order to address this, the school must consult with the community on the delivery of the health curriculum at least once every two years.

[Education Act 1989, s60B.]

ERO recommends that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority as Administrator of the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016, follows up with the school on its implementation and review of policies and processes that give effect to the Code.  

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

4 December 2019

About the school

1 Context

Ōrākei School is a multicultural full primary with a growing bicultural ethos. It has close historical and cultural links with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. The school's roll has continued to grow and there are plans for new classrooms to be built. As a result of recent community consultation the board is planning to establish an immersion te reo Māori class and a Montessori class. Leaders and teachers have been involved in a variety of professional development contracts to support them in accelerating progress and achievement. The school is well supported by its families and whānau.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are captured by 'Nurturing Excellence - in Staff, Students and the Learning Environment'. This is underpinned by five core values: respect, inquiring minds, self-belief, excellence and creativity. The vision and values are visible across the school and teachers meaningfully incorporate them into the daily curriculum to ensure that children develop a shared understanding of them. Leaders are finding ways to present the values so that they reflect the diversity of children's home languages and cultural backgrounds. The school is a welcoming and inclusive environment.

The school’s achievement information shows that most children achieve very well in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is on track to reach the Ministry of Education target of 85% of children achieving at or above National Standards. Achievement levels overall have continued to improve over the last three years, particularly in mathematics. Māori children consistently achieve as well as or better than their peers. The small numbers of Pacific children are achieving just below their peers, overall. The board and senior leaders have set appropriate targets to ensure that the expectations for achievement and rates of progress are similar for all groups.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has continued to develop and strengthen systems and processes to improve learner outcomes and accelerate progress and achievement. The board has developed a new vision with information gained from recent community consultation. Ongoing strengthening of links with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei has particularly supported the school's Māori children and whānau. Teachers are involved in ongoing professional development using both internal and external expertise. Strengthening home-school partnerships and supporting children's smooth transitions into and out of the school have also been priorities.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The board and school leaders make very good use of achievement information to develop specific targets and actions to improve outcomes for Māori children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration. Teachers use achievement information to identify children's next learning steps. They work closely with other teachers to share the progress of specific students and teaching strategies that have contributed to this progress. Teaching teams continue to reflect on the effectiveness of strategies to accelerate the progress of targeted children over time.

The board and school leaders continue to work closely with local iwi. With Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei (Whai Poutama) support, the school has continued to provide targeted small group learning opportunities in mathematics. While it is too early for a formal evaluation, anecdotal information suggests that this approach is being successful, and there are plans in place to extend it to those Māori children whose achievement needs accelerating in reading and writing. Purposeful links have also been established with Te Puna Reo Okahu Kura early childhood centre.

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

The school has a variety of effective processes and systems in place to accelerate learning and achievement. Achievement information is used by trustees, leaders and teachers to identify any child who is not yet achieving at National Standard. Leaders have prioritised professional development and introduced new systems to support teachers' focus on target learners. Teachers are supported to develop reflective processes so that they can respond and adapt to children's learning needs effectively. They record strategies and interventions for target learners so that they can be more easily tracked and monitored. Their next step is to evaluate and report the impact of these strategies in accelerating achievement.

Teachers are expected to make regular contact with the parents of target learners. Parents are invited to 'play and learn' sessions where children teach their parents games that they can then take home. All families receive these packs.

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 priorities for equity and excellence?

The school has a variety of effective processes and practices that promote equity and excellence.

The board provides the staff and the community with very good opportunities to be involved in annually reviewing the school's charter and strategic plan. These documents contain goals, targets and actions to improve teaching and learning and are informed by the feedback that they receive. Good analysis of achievement information has resulted in appropriate and specific targets for those whose learning and achievement needs acceleration, including for Māori and Pacific children.

The board continues to employ a Ngāti Whātua tutor to provide kapa haka as an option and te reo Māori to all children. Teachers learn alongside their class and where their language level allows, they continue the programme so that the tutor can work with children whose te reo Māori needs extending. Māori students are positive about the growing visibility and value placed on Te Ao Māori at their school.

School leaders are reflective, responsive and improvement focussed. They place importance on effective communication, engaging the community, building meaningful relationships with local iwi and developing strong home-school partnerships. Processes for managing children's transitions between early childhood centres and the local college have been strengthened. This is helping children and families to establish a sense of belonging and to get home support for learning in place more quickly. School leaders know their staff and children well.

The principal is growing staff leadership and teaching practice across the school. Through one-on-one coaching, in-class support and team meetings, teachers are supported to use evidence to critically review their practice particularly in relation to target learners. The progress and achievement of target learners is used as a catalyst for change. Leaders have reviewed the appraisal process with teachers. They have introduced portfolios to document how they are meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria.

Clear guidelines and shared expectations support teachers to deliver the curriculum. Teachers provide focussed group learning opportunities where children are supported to take ownership of their learning by being clear about what and how they learn. Relevant follow up activities are provided for children to complete independently. Learning time is maximised by lessons that are varied and well-paced.

Children are highly engaged in their learning. They benefit from a broad curriculum that provides choice and prioritises literacy and numeracy. Children are increasingly involved in decisions that affect their learning. They see themselves as learners and have personal goals in reading, writing and maths. Learning is visible and celebrated in classrooms. There are many supports that help children to assess how successful they have been independently and with support from their peers and teachers.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children?

Leaders and teachers:

• know the children who need their 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 board and school leaders use achievement information and feedback from consultation to underpin self-review processes. They are currently reviewing all policies and procedures, and have identified wellbeing as a focus for future self-review.

To further refine the effectiveness of self-review and evaluation processes leaders could include specific information about the progress and achievement of target learners, as well as groups of learners, in written reports. The board and senior leaders could also consider using external self-review tools, for example Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners, and Hautū: Māori Cultural Responsiveness Self Review tool for Board of Trustees, to complement existing processes. Strengthening evaluative commentary should further help to determine the impact of initiatives, affirm current practices and identify next steps, particularly in accelerating the progress of target learners.

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.

7 Recommendations

To further accelerate the learning and achievement of target learners, ERO recommends that the school continues to strengthen its self-review and evaluation practices.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

1 June 2016 

About the school