Waterview School

Waterview School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Waterview 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 

Waterview School is in central west Auckland and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school has formed a partnership with their local iwi, Te Kawerau a Maki. The school’s mission statement is ‘To foster, to learn, to nurture, to enable full potential – Maimoatia, akonatia, raupita, kia hia aka he pitomata’.

Waterview School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • nurture and support the wellbeing of the school’s hāpori (community)

  • strive to strengthen whanaungatanga (connection)

  • learning for all ākonga to achieve their full potential.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Waterview School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well culturally responsive practice supports the wellbeing of all learners and raises their achievement.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

  • embed a shared understanding of culturally responsive practice among staff, students and whānau

  • ensure learners develop a sense of belonging where their cultural identity is valued

  • improve the achievement of all learners.

The school expects to see learners developing a strong sense of their cultural identity that is evident in the school and supports their engagement and active participation. Staff will consistently use culturally responsive teaching practices to create an inclusive environment where all students achieve and experience success in the learning process.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal of developing culturally responsive practice to enhance learner wellbeing and raise their achievement:

  • learners experience a positive learning environment that meets their interests, abilities and needs

  • staff build and maintain quality relationships with whānau and their community

  • regular and responsive professional learning enhances staff capacity and aligns with the school’s strategic priorities.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • developing a shared understanding of culturally responsive practice to promote learners’ sense of belonging and identity

  • continuing to build on effective teaching practice to provide excellent and equitable outcomes for all learners

  • strengthening the use of evaluation, inquiry and collaborative approaches among staff to ensure learners progress and achieve in their learning.

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

16 January 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

Waterview School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of May 2022, the Waterview School Board of Trustees 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 Waterview School Board of Trustees.

The next Board of Trustees 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

16 January 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

Waterview School - 09/11/2017

Summary

Waterview School is situated in the central Auckland suburb of Waterview. The school caters for children in Years 1 to 6, in a new purpose-built school. The school is culturally diverse with a roll of 305 children, of which 14% are of Māori descent and 24% have Pacific heritage. A variety of other cultures and communities are also represented in the school. The school is a member of the Patiki Learning Community Network (LCN).

The new school has been planned and built to provide children with modern learning environments. The new school buildings opened in February 2017 and the school is poised for ongoing development. The school has reached roll capacity, having doubled its roll size since the 2014 ERO review.

In response to surrounding housing development and growth an enrolment zone has been implemented. Leaders and teachers are well placed to sustain their good practices as they re-establish the rebuilt school in the local Waterview environment. It is envisaged that the new school will become a community hub for the rapidly growing local area.

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?

The school responds effectively to all children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. The 2017 school data shows all students are making good progress. Disparity between Māori and non-Māori continues to reduce. Pacific students’ achievement has been lifted in 2017 and there is reducing achievement disparity between Pacific and other children in the school.

Māori and Pacific learners have made accelerated gains in reading, writing and mathematics in 2017. The school attributes the very good progress made by Māori and Pacific children to culturally responsive learning programmes and teachers’ practice and interventions. The school’s processes and actions are increasingly effective in promoting excellence and equity for all children. These actions and processes include:

  • collaborative and responsive leadership for equity and excellence

  • building professional capability to improve collective capacity

  • a curriculum that is responsive and increasingly promotes student ownership of learning

  • leaders and teachers engaging well with parents and whānau

  • target setting that is strategic and focused on improvement.

Responsive teaching and learning programmes and close monitoring is effectively supporting children’s progress. Every child has a learning file where their progress in reading, writing and maths is recorded. Teachers and children use this information on a daily basis to have conversations about learning and guide next learning steps. This information is shared with parents and whānau. There is a strong focus, schoolwide, on accelerating the progress of all children.

Effective school leadership and a relevant learner-centred curriculum, underpinned by highly effective teaching and learning practices, are driving the school’s progress towards achieving equity and excellence. School leaders and ERO agree that embedding practices to deepen internal evaluation in all areas should continue to promote this achievement.

Agreed next steps include:

  • strengthening learning partnerships with parents/whānau
  • deepening internal evaluation to support ongoing improvement
  • providing more learning opportunities that support students’ ownership of their own learning
  • continuing to grow bicultural practice so that it is explicitly evident school wide.

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

Equity and excellence

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

The school responds effectively to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. The Board, leaders and teachers see this as central to school improvement.

School leaders and the board are reflective and strategically focus on improvements to promote equity and excellence.The board is committed to accelerating children’s progress and has a strategic focus on the school’s priority learners.

The school’s interim 2017 public achievement information shows that overall these results have been improved with lifts across all of these areas. This data shows that pIn 2016 between 60% and 68% of children were at or above the National Standards in reading and writing and 84% were at or above the standards in mathematics.riority learners including some Māori and Pacific learners, at all year levels are making some good accelerated progress, particularly in literacy.

School leaders have also successfully implemented interventions to increase parity for Māori, Pacific and other children whose achievement needs acceleration. However, some disparity remains and school leaders are aware it will be necessary to continue working towards parity in achievement outcomes for small groups of Māori, Pacific and other children.

Leaders and teachers are participating in ongoing professional development to strengthen assessment practices. As a result, there is increasing consistency in teachers’ overall judgements about achievement in relation to National Standards.

The achievement of children identified as requiring additional learning support is closely scrutinised by school leaders. Leaders and teachers work collaboratively with parents, teacher aides and external agencies to promote the learning progress of identified children.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

School processes are increasingly effectively promoting the achievement of equity and excellence across all areas of the school.

The school is well led by the principal. The leadership team work well alongside a very dedicated board who have a keen understanding of stewardship. The board, ably guided by the board chair, has led the school through the last three years of rebuilding. Trustees continue to work closely with relevant government agencies to ensure the best outcomes for the school.

The leadership team, which now includes the four ‘hub’ leaders, works collaboratively to develop and pursue the school’s vision and strategic goals. Leaders and teachers are proactive and responsive as they plan relevant Teachers are reflective about children’s strengths and needs and respond flexibly to tailor their teaching accordingly.professional learning opportunities, to build the school’s collective capability.

The school’s curriculum has been reviewed to ensure that it is increasingly effective in supporting children to achieve the valued outcomes for students noted in the school’s charter. Children’s interests and whānau and parents’ aspirations are reflected in the curriculum.

Students whose first language is not English are very well supported. Programmes are designed to help children retain the richness of their first language and culture as they build their English language fluency.

Children learn in settled, well organised and stimulating learning environments. Teachers know children very well. Teachers modify aspects of their teaching approaches in a variety of ways to meet children’s individual learning needs. Children are engaged, focused learners and are well supported to meet any challenges in their learning. The school has is a strong culture of engagement with learning and this is evident in all Learning Hubs.

Parents and whānau have many opportunities to participate in school events and share in their children’s learning. The school has an open door policy and is proactive in its engagement with parents. Teachers make good use of digital technology within all classrooms to communicate and engage with families and whānau about children’s learning.

Positive relationships with local early learning services and the intermediate school help to facilitate good transition processes for children and families.

Respect, trust, co-operation, team work, and an openness to change characterise the teaching team. School leaders and teachers engage in robust professional learning and development to ensure they are abreast of current educational research. The school gathers the viewpoints of students, parents and whānau and uses this information as part of the school’s decision making processes. This contributes to positive outcomes for children in all areas of the school.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

The school is very well placed to sustain current good practices and to continue making ongoing improvements that impact positively on all children’s learning. Further developments that are likely to help maintain the school’s momentum towards achieving equity and excellence for all children include:

  • continuing to grow children’s agency in their role as learners
  • building depth into internal evaluation processes
  • deepening bicultural capability across the school
  • developing school and whānau partnerships to support children’s learning.

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

  • 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.

Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

Learners are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.

Agreed next steps are to:

  • strengthen learning partnerships with parents and whānau

  • deepen internal evaluation to support ongoing improvement

  • continue to grow bicultural practice school wide.

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

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

9 November 2017

About the school

Location

Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1563

School type

Contributing (years 1-6)

School roll

305

Gender composition

Girls 49% Boys 51%

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pakeha
Pacific
Asian
other

11%
44%
25%
7%
13%

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

September 2017

Date of this report

9 November 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

December 2014
December 2011
December 2008

Waterview School - 24/12/2014

Findings

Waterview School provides a supportive, well organised environment for students. School values and positive behaviour strategies set the foundations for successful learning. Significant changes prompted by Auckland’s western motorway development are being well managed by school leaders for the advantage of students and to prepare for the move to new premises.

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?

Waterview School is uniquely situated within the changing environment of Auckland’s western motorway development. School buildings have been replaced with temporary buildings and relocated to accommodate this development. Plans for a new permanent school in the near future have been confirmed by the Ministry of Education. Despite the challenges of this situation, the school’s roll continues to grow.

School leaders have chosen to see these challenges as opportunities and the school holds a positive outlook for the future. The board has worked well to minimise the impact of ongoing changes and the core business of teaching and learning continues to be the school’s main focus. Well considered decisions and preparations continue to be made to help ensure that students and their learning benefit from developments.

Further, significant change lies ahead in updating the school to a modern learning environment (MLE) school. The school has is good plans in place to prepare teachers, students, and parents for these developments.

2 Learning

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

Student achievement data is well used to inform decision making at all levels of the school.

Teachers use student achievement data well to plan and monitor their programmes. They are increasingly using targeted strategies to raise student achievement and to implement more considered interventions to support at students at risk of not achieving well. The board of trustees is very aware of the school’s achievement information and discusses student achievement at all board meetings.

Information gathered by the school in 2012 and 2013 shows that overall levels of student achievement is in line with national averages, but a little below regional (Auckland) and local averages for National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

Trustees and teachers also noted some decline in overall achievement results for reading, writing and mathematics between 2012 and 2013. This decline is likely to have been a result of improved practices for ensuring consistent teacher judgements about student performance. These improvements in teacher practice should provide the school with more reliable information about student achievement and give teachers, students and parents greater confidence in judgements made about student progress and learning. The school’s 2014 mid-year data shows good progress in a number of areas and end of year data is expected to verify improved student performance.

School leaders and teachers are also increasing the focus on involving students more in knowing about, and having ownership of their own learning. They are using digital learning technologies effectively to increase students’ engagement in learning and to promote greater levels of independent learning. These on-line technologies are also being used to strengthen learning partnerships between the school and families.

School leaders agree that next steps in the use of student achievement information include:

  • continuing to ensure that all teachers have a shared understanding of school assessment practices
  • continuing to extend use of data to monitor the progress of identified students and groups of students over time
  • deepening and extending teachers’ inquiry into their practice.

3 Curriculum

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

The curriculum reflects the school’s vision and values well and is responsive to student needs.

School leaders and teachers maintain a strong emphasis on school values and positive behaviours for learning. Planning is closely linked to the learning areas, principles and key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). Students know and can share their knowledge of the school’s expectations for learning and behaviour.

The school provides a broad curriculum that has an appropriate emphasis on literacy and mathematics. School leaders are beginning to develop bicultural and Pacific perspectives in the curriculum. They are using relevant and up to date resources to help them do so.

Teachers plan collaboratively to support each other and to meet the needs of their students. They are increasingly using students’ interests to engage, motivate and sustain students’ learning. Teachers are exploring and trialling new teaching and learning strategies that will lay the foundation for the school’s future curriculum development. These new strategies are well supported and monitored by the senior leadership team.

Students are provided with many sporting opportunities, including opportunities to work with external coaches to further enhance their enjoyment and skill levels.

School leaders agree that the next steps in curriculum development are to:

  • review and design curriculum and teaching approaches that enable the school to benefit fully from its upcoming move to a modern learning environment and the opportunity this presents for personalising learning
  • continue to identify and document effective teaching practices for promoting learning at Waterview School and increase consistency in the use of these practices across the school
  • continue extending bicultural and Pacific perspectives within the curriculum.

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

The school has taken steps to promote educational success for Māori, as Māori. School leaders and teachers know their students and whānau well. They continue to build supportive relationships with the Māori community. The school’s strategic plan includes useful Māori student achievement initiatives and targets. Teachers are addressing the learning needs of Māori students through group and individual teaching, and other learning programmes.

Some school practices enhance the language, culture and identity of Māori students. Aspects of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are taught to all students and teachers by a specialist teacher. The school environment shows some evidence of te reo Māori and teachers’ unit planning reflects programmes that celebrate New Zealand’s bicultural heritage.

The school’s kapa haka group is well established and supported. A highlight for the group and a source of pride for the school and community was their high quality performance at the recent New Zealand Transport – Waterview Tunnel Project opening.

School leaders agree that next steps in promoting educational success for Māori as Māori is to:

  • embed te reo me ngā tikanga Māori at classroom levels by developing teacher confidence to support and independently sustain the work of the specialist teacher
  • further include te ao Māori in school routines and practices.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school has good systems and strategies in place to sustain and build its capacity as it enters its next phase of development.

The school structure supports ongoing development in teaching. Enthusiastic and motivated teaching teams have opportunities to collaborate and share professional practice with a focus on improving outcomes for children. School leaders create a safe environment for teachers to trial different teaching approaches in readiness for the MLE. These practices foster the development of good leadership capability with the school.

The school benefits from clear directional leadership. The principal is considered, thoughtful and reflective in his approach to change management. He works closely with the board to manage and lead this change. Good collaboration and communication is a feature at all levels of the school.

The increasingly diverse ethnic community is reflected in the composition of the board of trustees. The board provides strategic, future focused leadership and governance. Trustees are well informed and make strategic decisions to support improved outcomes for all students. There is a clear alignment between various school planning documents.

The school’s self-review processes promote ongoing responsiveness to parents and a focus on continued improvement. Policy review is being streamlined. The board has promoted meaningful consultation and open communication with the school community to shape decisions about the direction of the school.

School leaders continue to refine and develop performance management systems and progress towards strategic goals is well tracked, documented and reported.

School leaders agree that next steps to sustain and improve performance include:

  • formally building leadership capacity to manage ongoing change and predicted roll growth
  • extending and strengthening self review through more formalised and evaluative documentation.

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

Waterview School provides a supportive, well organised environment for students. School values and positive behaviour strategies set the foundations for successful learning. Significant changes prompted by Auckland’s western motorway development are being well managed by school leaders for the advantage of students and to prepare for the move to new premises.

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

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

24 December 2014

About the School

Location

Waterview, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

1563

School type

Contributing (Years 1 to 6)

School roll

174

Gender composition

Boys 56%

Girls 44%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Samoan

Tongan

Asian

Cook Island Māori

Fijian

Kiribati

other

18%

33%

17%

9%

8%

5%

1%

1%

8%

Review team on site

October 2014

Date of this report

24 December 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

December 2011

October 2008

September 2005