Panmure Bridge School

Panmure Bridge School - 20/06/2018

School Context

Panmure Bridge School is a full primary school (Years 1 to 8). Its current roll of 205 students includes 25 percent Māori, 20 percent Tongan and 16 percent Samoan.

The school’s mission is to empower all students to achieve to their full potential and become lifelong learners in an ever-changing digital world. Its whakataukī is Manaaki whenua, Manaaki tangata, Haere whakamua (Care for the land, care for the people, go forward). Confidence, Attitude, Respect, Excellence and Innovation (CARE) are the school’s values.

The school is a member of the Manaiakalani Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning (CoL), which has a strong focus on accelerating student academic achievement through the principles of Create, Learn and Share. The school shares assessment information with the Woolf Fisher Research Centre at the University of Auckland which collects and analyses data for Year 4 to 8 students from Progress and Achievement Tests (PAT). This information is used to report to the board about learning progress.

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

  • progress information for reading, writing and mathematics, using mainly standardised assessment information
  • engagement and wellbeing.

Teachers have participated in schoolwide professional learning and development (PLD) to support effective teaching and learning in reading, mathematics and writing. The Ministry of Education (MoE) has supported the school to implement strategies to raise Māori and Pacific student achievement. Teachers participate in intensive Manaiakalani PLD that focuses on raising student achievement by strengthening oral language and digital learning in the classroom.

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?

Panmure Bridge School is achieving parity in outcomes between Pacific and Māori students in mathematics. However, in reading and writing achievement disparity between these groups of students is widening over time. In addition, there is disparity in achievement in reading and mathematics between boys and girls but this is less evident in writing.

Teachers’ overall achievement judgements for 2017 indicate that half of their students achieve either at or above expected levels in reading and mathematics. However, fewer than half achieve at or above the expected levels in writing. These achievement results have remained at a similar level since 2015.

The school does not yet gather or report trends and patterns of achievement over time. It would be useful for senior leaders to track and report the progress of students who have remained at the school for significant periods of time. This would help them to identify the difference that education at Panmure Bridge is making to their learning.

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

The school defines acceleration in learning as students making more than one-and-a-half years’ progress over one year. The 2017 PAT data suggests that the majority of Māori and Pacific students made accelerated progress in writing, with few making accelerated progress in reading or mathematics.

PAT data for Year 4 to 8 students indicates positive shifts in achievement from the beginning to the end of the year. There is some acceleration of student achievement within a year, and Pacific students are making the most accelerated progress in writing.

Senior leaders are aware of the numbers of students who need to make accelerated progress. Teachers also know who these students are in each of their classes. They should now more closely monitor and track the progress of these students. The board should also set strategic targets for the acceleration of groups of girls, Māori students, and others who are achieving below expectations. Monitoring across the school should be better aligned with these board targets and strategic goals.

The school is yet to gather schoolwide or long-term evidence that the strategies teachers are using are successful in enabling students to make accelerated progress, or to sustain gains over time.

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?

Students are very engaged in their learning. They talk confidently about and demonstrate pride in their work. The school’s well-resourced digital environment supports students’ learning. Teachers know their students well and have positive working relationships with them. They have begun to evaluate the impact that their teaching is having on students’ learning and achievement.

The special education needs coordinator (SENCO) has good oversight of children with additional needs. She liaises with teachers and external agencies and closely monitors their progress.

Learning environments are welcoming and attractive, and contribute to students’ sense of belonging. Students who spoke to ERO reported that there was minimal bullying in the school and that they can confidently use the strategies learnt to respond to any bullying behaviours. Opportunities for students to participate in performance, dance and celebrations enhance their sense of cultural identity. ERO’s recommendation in the 2015 report, that teachers and students work towards speaking te reo Māori more in class, is developing.

The school’s inclusive curriculum is well resourced and provides opportunities to be responsive to children’s interests. Teachers use their own interests, specific expertise and experiences outside the class, to enhance students’ learning and broaden the curriculum. The board agrees that it is timely to consider a greater focus on enacting the aims and principles of the science curriculum.

The board and senior leaders have provided many opportunities to parents and whānau, including informal discussions and school surveys, to contribute to the school and to curriculum design. The ‘Flying Fives’ initiative for introducing five year olds to learning, and the ‘Reading and Talking Together’ programme, include parents and whānau in learning experiences alongside their children. It could be beneficial to continue exploring ways to strengthen the school’s relationship with whānau Māori.

The board makes good use of the information received from the senior leadership team for making strategic decisions. The principal motivates teachers through professional support, and trials many initiatives for the purpose of offering a high quality curriculum that meets the needs of all students.

Senior leaders are ‘leaders of learning’ for both the school and across the CoL. Current internal evaluation processes are based on ‘thinking skill’ models and teacher reflections. It would be useful for the principal to implement different frameworks that use evidence to identify the impacts of initiatives on outcomes for students. The board has forged external professional partnerships that support the school to further provide equitable opportunities for students.

The CoL has had a major influence on the professional capability of teachers by providing appropriate PLD aligned to the CoL achievement challenges. Networks help to enhance teacher practice, encourage consistency, and provide opportunities for leadership across the CoL. The Manaiakalani Trust provides students with resources that enable them to have equitable access to the curriculum.

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

The school has implemented a variety of strategies to foster the achievement of equity and excellence and to accelerate learning. However, senior leaders do not yet evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies in relation to improved outcomes for students. Increasing teachers’ capability to use internal evaluation could benefit all students, particularly those who are at risk of not achieving.

The board has made some progress with ERO’s 2015 recommendations in relation to consulting and building positive learning partnerships with whānau Māori. School leaders and trustees should further strengthen partnerships with whānau and parents.

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.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

  • ensure that leaders participate in external PLD about the implementation of appraisal processes and that teacher appraisal meets Education Council requirements

  • consult with and report to the Māori community about Māori student achievement and ways of improving educational outcomes for these students.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • practices that support all students to feel secure and have a strong sense of belonging

  • being an active member of the CoL, taking advice and providing ideas for ongoing school improvement

  • the broad curriculum that is designed to widen students’ experiences and cater for their interests.

Next steps

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

  • increasing teacher capability in using evidence-based evaluation to improve outcomes for students who are at risk of not achieving

  • close monitoring of and reporting about progress towards, and the achievement of, strategic targets that are focused on improving outcomes for all learners

  • shared leadership to focus on building the school’s capacity and professional capability to lift achievement and address identified disparities in achievement.

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

20 June 2018

About the school

Location

Panmure, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1419

School type

Full Primary (Year 1-8)

School roll

205

Gender composition

Boys 56% Girls 44%

Ethnic composition

Māori 25%
Pākehā 2%
Tongan 20%
Samoan 16%
Asian 11%
Niuean 6%
other Pacific peoples 11%
other 9%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

April 2018

Date of this report

20 June 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review May 2015
Education Review February 2012
Education Review September 2009

Panmure Bridge School - 15/05/2015

Findings

The school provides an inclusive learning environment for students and families/whānau. The board, leaders and staff work collaboratively to promote positive outcomes for students. The school’s curriculum very effectively promotes and supports student engagement and learning. Students benefit from the rich and meaningful tasks that they plan with their teachers to maximise learning.

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?

Panmure Bridge School is located in Panmure, Auckland. The school has an attractive and welcoming environment and is adjacent to a large reserve leading down to the Tamaki Estuary. Students enjoy sport and playground activities in the spacious outdoor areas. A transportable swimming pool is stationed in the school grounds for the summer period. The school is currently building a double storey block of four classrooms.

Since the 2012 ERO review, the school roll has increased and now caters for students from Years 1 to 8. Māori and Pacific students make up the majority of the roll. A newly appointed deputy principal oversees the new senior school curriculum and a well regarded social worker is part of the school’s leadership team.

Panmure Bridge School is part of the Tamaki isthmus Manaiakalani Project. This digital classroom project is well established and continues to have a growing influence nationally. Parents also have the opportunity to participate in Netbook digital training to engage with their children’s’ learning.

School leaders responded positively to recommendations in the 2012 ERO report. Curriculum management has improved and charter targets are being set in more specific ways to help the acceleration of learning.

2 Learning

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

The school's achievement data indicate that in 2014 the percentage of students achieving National Standards were 52% in reading, 43% in writing, and 40% in mathematics. The school invests extensively in systems and interventions to lift progress and achievement. Data are being used very well by teachers and school leaders to promote student learning.

Teachers use a range of assessment tools to assess students’ progress and achievement. These assessments are rigorously moderated across the school and in the Manaiakalani cluster. The data are also analysed carefully by the University of Auckland which is connected to the Manaiakalani Project.

Teachers are focused on improvement and work collaboratively to share the teaching practices most likely to raise student achievement. There is clear evidence that the school encourages a professional and reflective climate. Increasingly, teachers are supporting students to reflect on their progress and to set goals to improve their learning.

The school’s Special Education Needs Coordinator assists and organises programmes for individuals and groups of targeted students. Learning support is based on the classroom programmes without the need to withdraw students from class learning time. Teacher aides are well trained to support student learning. There is good provision for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students.

Parents receive very good reports on their children’s achievement. The report formats help readers to understand and respond to National Standards information.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum very effectively promotes and supports student learning. The curriculum is highly responsive and closely aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum. It has a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy. Programmes often build on students’ cultural knowledge and bicultural understandings. Recent self review and consultation with the community contributed to the current curriculum’s ‘big themes’. Students benefit from the rich and meaningful tasks that they plan with their teachers to maximise learning.

The Manaiakalani Project encourages high levels of connection and engagement in student learning. Digital teaching and learning is being driven by the Manaiakalani Project model of ‘learn, create, and share’.

Students in Years 4 to 8 use Netbooks to support their digital learning. Parents have the opportunity to participate in training in these digital devices to help them to engage with students’ learning, and with teachers and the school community.

Students are involved in their own formative assessment practice alongside their teachers. Both teachers and students learn from each other through akonga practices. Student self-management skills are fostered to a very high level.

Teachers are developing effective teaching strategies by working together and with other schools. The community is involved in students’ learning outcomes through such events as the Manaiakalani film festival.

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

The school is increasingly effective in promoting educational success for Māori as Māori. Thirty-five percent of the students at Panmure Bridge School identify as Māori and reside in the Tamaki, Panmure area.

Students proudly participate in formal occasions such as pōwhiri. They lead tikanga Māori protocol and serve as role models in the school community. Māori values of whanaungtanga are deeply embedded in the school culture. Tuakana-teina practices are evident school wide and in and out of the classrooms.

Te reo Māori is taught formally in Years 7 and 8. Some teachers use te reo Māori in their classrooms. Some students have strengths in culture, language, and identity. Te reo Māori is visible in print form throughout the school. Teachers and students should now work towards speaking te reo Māori more.

School leaders are considering using the Ministry of Education (MoE) resource Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Students in teachers' appraisals. This would support teachers to grow their confidence in using Te Ao Māori, te reo and tikanga Māori in class programmes. Teachers could also consider using Tau Mai Te Reo in curriculum planning. Students and parents are requesting more te reo Māori me ōnā tikanga.

Some Māori parents are involved in digital training and in the ‘Reading Together Programme’ to help their children. Senior leaders and the social worker discuss strategies to further build partnerships with Māori parents to support Māori student achievement.

Trustees and senior managers agree that next steps include improving Māori student achievement, developing learning relationships with whānau Māori, and consulting more formally with the Māori community about the aspirations they have for their children's education.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school is well placed to sustain and continue improvements. The experienced board chairman strategically sought new trustees from the area with appropriate skill sets. He leads a strong team and works well with the principal. The board encourages the local community to be involved in the school. Trustees are involved in good levels of board training through the Manaiakalani Project.

The school enjoys high levels of community engagement. Wide-ranging networks of sponsors, friends of the school, trusts, agencies, benefactors, and local funding bodies are readily accessible. A substantial amount of money is gathered to give students education opportunities outside of the classroom and rich experiences to expand their learning.

The board and principal work hard to continue to make a significant difference for the children of this area. The principal is very approachable and involved with children’s learning. He serves his community well and has made sustained efforts over a number of years to significantly improve children’s learning.

The professional, supportive staff culture prioritises staff well-being. The two deputy principals have opportunities to broaden their leadership roles beyond the curriculum areas, and are supported by external professional providers. This has encouraged more leadership delegation to happen throughout the school. Teachers are a committed team and well informed about current educational thinking. They are very appreciative of their opportunities in the school. Parents affirmed the quality of staff in the school.

Senior leaders and trustees agree that the next phase of school development could include:

  • encouraging whānau into learning partnerships to build strong learning relationships within the Panmure community
  • supporting the development of initiatives to engage families with education from their children's preschool years.

ERO recommends making these actions strategic charter goals.

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 school provides an inclusive learning environment for students and families/whānau. The board, leaders and staff work collaboratively to promote positive outcomes for students. The school’s curriculum very effectively promotes and supports student engagement and learning. Students benefit from the rich and meaningful tasks that they plan with their teachers to maximise learning.

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

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

15 May 2015

About the School

Location

Panmure, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1419

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

231

Gender composition

Boys 56%

Girls 44%

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Tongan

Samoan

Middle Eastern

Cook Island Māori

Fijian Indian

Niuean

other Asian

other South East Asian

others

35%

3%

17%

10%

5%

4%

4%

3%

9%

5%

5%

Special Features

Members of the Manaiakalani Project

Review team on site

March 2015

Date of this report

15 May 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

February 2012

September 2009

June 2006