Oranga School

School Context

Oranga School is a contributing primary school located in the suburb of One Tree Hill, Auckland. The school’s diverse roll of 354 students comprises mainly Pākehā and Tongan students, and smaller groups of students who are Māori, Samoan and Cook Island Māori.

Its vision statement of “achieving excellence as a community of life-long learners,” forms the foundation of the school’s strategic direction. This aspirational goal is for all learners at Oranga School, both children and adults. The school’s motto of “E=4C”, captures the school’s value of excellence and is supported by creative, connected, critical and caring practices.

Key school targets are focused on increasing the number of students achieving at or above the school’s expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.

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

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics, and wellbeing

• curriculum development and learning experiences that acknowledge student identity, language and culture

• learning experiences in a variety of areas, including school events.

Since the 2015 ERO review, the board has several new trustees, including a new chairperson. The increasing diversity in the school community is reflected in the new families from overseas moving into the area. The roll has increased over time and is likely to continue to grow due to new housing development in the area.

Oranga Primary School is part of the Te Iti Kahurangi Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning (CoL).

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?

Achievement information for 2015 to 2018 indicates that the majority of students achieve at curriculum expectation for reading, writing and mathematics. Data also indicate that girls achieve at higher levels in literacy and mathematics than boys.

The 2017 achievement data show that all groups of students have made good progress in writing. Despite this, leaders have identified the teaching of writing continues to be an area for further development. This work aligns well with the CoL focus on improving achievement in this learning area.

School achievement data indicate that Māori students achieve well in comparison with other students in reading and writing.

Pacific student data for 2015 to 2018 indicate an upward trend of improvement in mathematics and writing achievement. However, data indicate that, while there has been some reduction of disparity for Pacific boys, a pattern of disparity remains.

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

Good processes and practices exist for monitoring and tracking student progress and achievement. Leaders and teachers know students who need to make accelerated progress and identify their learning needs.

Good provision is made for children with additional learning needs. Teachers quickly identify and plan appropriate teaching and learning programmes. Positive, learning-focused partnerships with families of children with additional needs support children to progress well in their learning. These partnerships contribute to addressing in-school disparity.

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 broad and responsive curriculum, effective teaching and opportunities to learn are mostly effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence. Students use inquiry approaches that increasingly require them to manage their own learning. They actively participate in curriculum activities, such as the arts, sciences, technology and digital learning. Students benefit from an inclusive environment that celebrates difference and supports their confidence in learning.

Teachers are increasingly adaptive in their teaching practices. Good progress has been made in building teachers’ capabilities to be reflective practitioners. The school’s appraisal process supports teachers to use achievement information and adapt their practice in response to learner needs. As a result, most students have good opportunities to learn and develop their social, physical, and emotional wellbeing.

The school uses a variety of ways to engage whānau and the community. These include regular student-led conferences, opportunities for parents to contribute their talents and interests in curriculum activities, and sharing achievement information for literacy and mathematics. These approaches are designed to enhance student achievement and wellbeing.

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

Further developments are needed in aspects of stewardship and leadership to support equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning.

Trustees bring appropriate professional expertise and skills to their stewardship roles. They recognise the need to access external training to increase their understanding of their roles and responsibilities. This could support the board to determine how well the school achieves valued student outcomes. Enhancing meeting procedures will also support the school’s focus on improving outcomes for all learners.

Trustees should now develop annual school-wide achievement targets that include all at-risk learners to show how effectively their progress is being accelerated. Increasing access to analysed student progress and achievement information would help trustees scrutinise the success of school initiatives.

Strong respectful relationships amongst staff are a strength. School leaders could now build on the good leadership capability in the school to further develop professional leadership roles. Such roles would contribute to developing more coherence across the curriculum, learning programmes and support sustainability of practices.

Trustees and leaders are committed to improving outcomes for students. They have adopted some good internal evaluation processes and practices. Strengthening reporting to the board and greater use of internal evaluation practices could help with achieving school goals in relation to equitable and excellent outcomes for students.

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 Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of The Code.

At the time of this review there was one international student attending the school.

The student is provided with a very good standard of education that includes formal English language learning and good opportunities to participate fully in school activities. The international student benefits from the good pastoral care systems and has settled well into the school community.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• professional capability and capacity of trustees, leaders and teachers to replicate and build on examples of very good school practice

• broad curriculum that caters for students’ diverse interests and capabilities

• reciprocal and positive learning partnerships with parents and whānau that form a foundation of success for their children’s learning and wellbeing.

Next steps

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

• stewardship capability to achieve the school community’s vision, values, goals and priorities

• leadership capability of school wide initiatives to enable and sustain coherent approaches that promote equity and excellence

• internal evaluation of programmes and systems with a focus on improving outcomes for all students.

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

17 May 2018

About the school