2 Taharoto Road , Takapuna, Auckland
View on mapSt Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)
St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)
Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within six months of the Education Review Office and St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna) 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
St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna) is a state-integrated school with a diverse community of students in Years 0 to 6. It has a long history of providing Catholic education on Auckland’s North Shore. The school's Mercy Values underpin the vision to “Love God, love learning and be the best we can be”.
St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
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Kaupapa Whakapono│Special Character: The school encourages and facilitates the development of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the living of the Mercy Values
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Hauora│Wellbeing: A community that is safe, joyful, responsive and future-focused
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Ako│Teaching and Learning: Students are thriving, successful, life-long learners, who strive for personal excellence
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Whakawhānaungātanga│Community: A community that works together based on our Mercy Values and the principles and practices of mahitahi (working together).
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the localised curriculum responds to the needs of all students, enabling them to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is the school is working with the Māori Achievement Collaborative to embed culturally responsive practices and seeks to:
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reflect the aspirations of Te Mātaiaho / the refreshed NZ Curriculum and Tō Tātou Whakapono / the Religious Education Curriculum for Catholic Schools in Aotearoa
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provide authentic learning contexts in which students can take ownership of their learning journey
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strengthen learning partnerships with whānau.
The school expects to see:
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an embedded culturally responsive pedagogy that is inclusive, collaborative and focused on student progress and achievement
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Te Ao Māori is an explicit focus for all learners who will experience deep learning in relation to te reo Māori me ōna tikanga and mātauranga Māori
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developing student agency to reflect the aspiration ‘to be the best person I can be.’
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate how well the localised curriculum responds to the needs of all students:
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strong educational connections with whānau and the local community focused on knowing the learners, their whakapapa and the strengths they bring to the community
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collaborative teaching practice centred around a commitment to the profession and ongoing professional learning
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leadership which effectively and collaboratively enacts the school’s vision and values and promotes a culture of relational trust.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
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further refining the local curriculum to reflect Te Mātaiaho / the refreshed NZ Curriculum, Tō Tātou Whakapono / the Religious Education Curriculum for Catholic Schools in Aotearoa, and the school’s rich whakapapa
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continuing to incorporate student, whānau and community voice in the local curriculum design
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ongoing professional development to enhance teaching capability in culturally responsive pedagogy.
Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools
19 October 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
St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)
Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2023 to 2026
As of September 2023, the St Joseph’s Catholic School (Takapuna) 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 the St Joseph’s Catholic School (Takapuna) Board.
The next School 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.
Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools
19 October 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
St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna) - 17/07/2019
School Context
St Joseph’s Catholic School (Takapuna) is a state integrated school for students from Years 1 to 6. The school has experienced significant roll growth since the 2014 ERO review. The current roll of 411 includes an increasing number of students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
The school has a long history of providing Catholic education on Auckland’s North Shore. The Mercy values of Aroha (Compassion), Pono (Truth), Tika (Justice), Manaakitanga (Hospitality) Tapu (Respect) and the school motto of Care, Courtesy, Cooperation and Courage underpin school operations. Valued student outcomes include Mahira (curiosity), Auaha (creativity), Takoha (contribution), and Whakaaro nui (critical thinking).
Since the 2014 ERO review there have been changes in the school that include:
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a new board chair and the appointment of a new principal and three senior leaders
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the establishment of new innovative learning environments where students and teachers work collaboratively
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the enhancement of outdoor learning environments that promote learning outside the classroom
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strengthening curriculum links with neighbouring Rosmini College, allowing shared spaces for sports, performing arts and culture
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students accessing the adjacent St John the Baptist Art Studio to support the curriculum and the school’s special character focus.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
- overall achievement in literacy and numeracy
- attendance and engagement
- health and safety.
The 2014 ERO report commented positively on the school’s leadership, professional learning community and internal evaluation. These remain features of the school. The board responded positively to the areas for improvement identified in the 2014 report.
St Joseph’s Catholic School is a member of the North Shore Catholic Schools 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 successful in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for students. Achievement information indicates that since 2015, most students have achieved expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics.
Students progress well in relation to the school’s valued outcomes. They develop social skills and interact positively with each other and with adults. They show persistence and resilience in their learning.
Students achieve well in physical pursuits and confidently participate in the performing arts. The school’s Samoan Cultural Group, theatre productions, and education outside the classroom feature in this success.
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
The school successfully accelerates learning for Māori and other students who need this. The small number of Māori and Pacific students are closely monitored and supported to achieve and progress in their learning. They participate fully in the school culture and opportunities for leadership.
Students with additional learning needs are provided with in-class support to achieve and progress in their learning. Parents are consulted to establish consistency in teaching strategies. These students participate well in the positive culture of the school.
The school is strongly inclusive of students who are learning English as an additional language. Their home languages and cultural diversity are recognised and celebrated. These approaches support their participation in all aspects of school life.
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?
Leadership, stewardship and a growing culture of professional reflection and inquiry, are key school conditions that are helping the school to achieve equity and excellence for students.
Strong leadership is evident in the school. Leaders build collective capacity, promote individual teachers’ growth, and participate in professional learning alongside teachers. They work collaboratively to promote a secure and orderly environment that supports students’ wellbeing and ownership of their learning. Leaders maintain high levels of relational trust across the school.
The board of trustees is focused on students’ wellbeing, progress and achievement, and on supporting the future direction and vision of the school. Trustees have strong links to the school, community and parish. They are inclusive and responsive to local and community needs. They have a good understanding of the school’s progress towards strategic goals and continue to build their own stewardship capability.
Teachers and students set challenging and appropriate expectations for learning. Students are involved in decisions about an increasingly meaningful and authentic curriculum. Programmes promote confidence, collaboration, leadership, independence and the joy of learning. The school’s special character is well integrated throughout the curriculum. There are good opportunities for student leadership within the curriculum and in co-curricular activities.
Parents and whānau are actively involved and have many opportunities to contribute to and participate in many aspects of school life. Home learning partnerships are active and meaningful. Effective communication and consultation support and strengthen learning-centred relationships with parents and whānau.
Leaders and teachers are well qualified and have relevant knowledge of curriculum, assessment and effective teaching strategies. Teachers work collaboratively to plan the curriculum and design engaging activities. Together they assess and evaluate the effectiveness of learning programmes.
Coherent organisational conditions promote evaluation, inquiry and knowledge building. Leaders and teachers know children and whānau well. They are highly adaptive and flexible in identifying and implementing practices that work for students’ learning in the class, school and community.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
School leaders have identified relevant priorities for further development in curriculum design and internal evaluation. The school has the capacity to use evaluation effectively to guide and monitor these developments.
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 Children’s Act 2014.
4 ERO’s Overall Judgement
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of St Joseph’s Catholic School (Takapuna) performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Strong.
ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.
5 Going forward
Key strengths of the school
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
- collaborative and distributed leadership
- teacher capability and collective responsibility for student wellbeing and achievement
- a responsive curriculum that supports the development of learner competencies and skills
- an inclusive school culture and learning focused partnerships with parents, whānau and Church communities.
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
- continuing to enhance a challenging, responsive, meaningful curriculum
- strengthening te reo and tikanga Māori in the curriculum
- enhancing internal evaluation with the use of indicators of effective practice.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
17 July 2019
About the school
Location |
Auckland |
Ministry of Education profile number |
1498 |
School type |
State Integrated |
School roll |
411 |
Gender composition |
Girls 53% Boys 47% |
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā 44% |
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) |
No |
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
Review team on site |
June 2019 |
Date of this report |
17 July 2019 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review May 2014 |