1 Percy Street , Whau Valley, Whangarei
View on mapTēnā koutou e mau manawa rahi ki te kaupapa e aro ake nei, ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa. Mā wai rā e kawe, mā tātau katoa.
We acknowledge the collective effort, responsibility and commitment by all to ensure that the child remains at the heart of the matter.
St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei) caters for students in Years 1 to 6. The school celebrates the special character through Gospel values and provides education that aims to meet the learning needs of all students. The school’s vision is to ‘encourage a passion for learning’ while serving the whole school community.
There are three parts to this report.
Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation.
Part B: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings.
Part C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.
Since the previous ERO report of October 2022, ERO and the school worked together to evaluate how well learning conditions that embrace students’ language, culture and identity are designed and implemented within the curriculum.
The school expected to see:
Learners with strengthened connections to their family and place through a greater awareness of their language, culture and identity.
Students have an increased sense of belonging in an environment of relational trust that improves equity and excellence for all learners.
During the course of the evaluation, it was found that placing a specific focus on students’ language, culture and identity, combined with the school’s values and special character, strengthened students’ connectedness to the school environment. Strong partnerships with parents have also been enhanced through ongoing effective communication between the school and community.
The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action is that teachers are confident in their ability to plan and implement teaching and learning programmes that foster cultural pride in students. A further shift that occurred has been the implementation of an increasingly responsive English as a second language programme to support the school’s diverse roll.
The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.
| Outcomes are increasingly equitable and excellent for all learners. |
| Strategic leadership is committed to driving improvement by meeting the needs of all learners. |
| Students have rich opportunities to learn across a broad curriculum through a positive, mutually respectful school culture. |
| School conditions are well aligned to help achieve positive learner outcomes. |
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Every six months:
Annually:
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.
Me mahi tahi tonu tātau, kia whai oranga a tātau tamariki
Let’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children
Sharon Kelly
Acting Director of Schools
24 February 2025
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
As of October 2024, the St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei) Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
For further information please contact St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei), School 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.
Sharon Kelly
Acting Director of Schools
24 February 2025
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
This Profile Report was written within 6 months of the Education Review Office and St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei) 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
St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangārei) caters for students in Years 1 to 6. The school celebrates its special character and provides education that aims to meet the learning needs of all students. The school’s Gospel values ‘encourage a passion for learning’ and ‘serving within the whole school community’.
St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei) School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:
demonstrate the school’s motto, to love (kia aroha), to learn (kia akona) and to serve (kia aro atu)
continue to develop a positive and culturally responsive learning climate
continue to identify priority learners and provide support for their success.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei)’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well learning conditions that embrace students’ language, culture and identity are designed and implemented within the curriculum.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:
promote equitable learning outcomes for all learners
foster a learning environment where teachers are culturally responsive to students’ needs and aspirations.
The school expects to see learners with strengthened connections to their family and place through a greater awareness of their language, culture and identity. Students will have an increased sense of belonging in an environment of relational trust that improves equity and excellence for all learners.
St Francis Xavier Catholic School can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to create learning conditions that embrace students’ language, culture, and identity within its curriculum design:
a special character that encompasses the school values that encourage students and the community to have a passion for learning and service
an integrated, localised curriculum that is collaborative and adaptive
the board of trustees, staff, the community, and Te Manawa o Whangārei Kāhui Ako are focused on improving their understanding of each child’s culture to improve equity and excellence.
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
responding to the holistic needs of all students by embracing their language, culture, and identity
continuing to be innovative and inspirational to students and staff
enhancing academic success for all students.
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
31 October 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
As of April 2022, the St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei) Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
For further information please contact St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei) 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.
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
31 October 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei), caters for students in Years 1 to 6. The school roll of approximately 530 students includes 24 percent Māori, 2 percent Pacific, 6 percent Filipino and a variety of other ethnicities.
The school’s mission is to provide an education that meets the needs of each individual child. The Gospel values of honesty, compassion, service, love, and forgiveness underpin the mission. These values are well understood and are shared by parents, teachers and students.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
outcomes for students with additional learning needs, including those who are gifted and talented students
progress and achievement in relation to school targets
outcomes related to engagement and wellbeing
outcomes related to identity, culture and language
the special character of the school’s curriculum.
Since ERO’s 2014 report, school leadership and stewardship have remained stable. Staff have participated in professional learning in the teaching of mathematics and writing to increase their capability to make positive changes for learners.
St Francis Xavier Catholic School is part of Ngā Kura mo te ako o Whangarei Group 1 Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako (CoL). The CoL is focused on improving student wellbeing and achievement.
The school is successful in working towards equitable and excellent outcomes for all students. Overall school data show consistently high levels of achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
As a group there is disparity in achievement for Māori. However, by Year 6 Māori students have progressed well enough to reduce this disparity. Pacific students achieve well. Their achievement levels in reading, writing and mathematics are similar to that of the school population.
School literacy data show some disparity between boys’ and girls’ achievement. Raising boys’ achievement in literacy is a schoolwide target, and is also being considered as an achievement focus across the CoL.
Students achieve very well in relation to other school valued outcomes. Most students:
demonstrate confidence in themselves as learners
are confident in their language, culture and identity
are caring and accepting of others
value the contribution they can make to the school community.
The school takes a very effective, holistic approach when responding to those Māori and other students whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.
There is a collective responsibility for supporting students’ progress and achievement across the school. School leaders and teachers place priority on ensuring that all students have the maximum opportunity to learn. They meet regularly to discuss students’ progress, and strategies to support students whose learning needs acceleration.
School data show a positive shift in Māori students’ achievement as they move through the school. This positive shift is highly evident in reading. By the end of Year 6 most Māori students are achieving at or above expected levels. The Māori graduate profile is underpinned by a strategic plan that is monitored, regularly reviewed and updated to ensure the school is continuing to respond effectively to Māori students.
Leaders and teachers respond well to students with additional learning needs. Almost all students show positive shifts in their wellbeing, confidence and engagement in their learning.
New learners of English receive highly effective support to enable them to make progress in their learning and have full access to the curriculum. Effective strategies are shared and used across the school to support the learning and achievement of all students whose learning needs acceleration.
Children who are identified as gifted and talented are able to engage in challenging and purposeful learning activities that meet their individual strengths. The gifted and talented programme is broadly defined and is available to target children, based on a gift or talent they have or show potential in. Māori dimensions of gifted and talented are valued and affirmed by the programme.
The school’s achievement targets address identified disparities for groups of students. Progress towards these targets is monitored by teachers, school leaders and the board.
School leadership is highly effective. Leaders build relational trust and collaboration at every level of the school community. They actively promote practices that focus on students’ wellbeing, engagement in learning, and confidence in their identity, language and culture. Leadership is distributed among staff, and is highly visible in school initiatives that are focused on the achievement of equity and excellence.
Leadership opportunities for children are very evident. Student leadership roles and responsibilities align closely with the school’s values. Children appreciate the contribution they can make to the school community.
The whānau group structure supports a caring, collaborative learning community that is inclusive of diverse learners. This structure is highly successful in promoting learning through tuakana/teina relationships. Children have multiple opportunities to learn from, and with, each other across a variety of contexts.
Children enjoy a coherent and broad curriculum that responds to children’s strengths, cultures, interests and talents. The school’s curriculum-mapping approach is well embedded, and supports regular internal evaluation of curriculum content, and effective teaching and learning.
Children learn in stimulating environments that enhance learning and wellbeing. The school’s high quality physical environment is thoughtfully designed. It affirms and celebrates children’s interests and identity, and extends their learning experiences.
The school prioritises time for teachers to share effective practices and work collaboratively. Teachers meet regularly to monitor and track student progress. They reflect on the impact of their teaching on student outcomes, and modify their practice. Teachers implement teaching and learning strategies that respond to the needs and strengths of individual, and groups of children.
The school has strong stewardship. Trustees actively represent and serve the school community. Trustees and staff share a strong commitment to the school, and work collaboratively. They prioritise student wellbeing, achievement, and initiatives that make a difference for children. Trustees take a lead in strategic planning review, and place value on high levels of consultation with staff and the community.
To continue to support the achievement of equity and excellence, leaders and teachers could develop further opportunities for children to be leaders of their own learning, and the learning of others. The school is well placed to build on the strong learning behaviours demonstrated by children to further empower student ownership of learning.
The school should continue to build on the new ‘transition to school’ programme and sustain learning partnerships with parents and whānau throughout their time at the school.
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.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
a supportive and collaborative culture that provides opportunities for innovation, and responds to the strengths and needs of individuals and groups of children
leadership and stewardship that place priority on improving outcomes for all children
a strong sense of community and shared values that are reflected in everyday practice, and are shared among the wider school community.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, development priorities are in:
further empowering children to be leaders of their own and others’ learning
sustaining learning partnerships with parents of children whose learning needs acceleration.
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in four-to-five years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
18 January 2018
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Location |
Whau Valley, Whangarei |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
1588 |
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School type |
Contributing School (Years 1 to 6) |
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School roll |
529 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 50% Girls 50% |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori āāPkeh Filipino Indian African Pacific British/Irish Sri Lankan other Asian other European |
24% 51% 6% 5% 3% 2% 2% 1% 3% 3% |
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Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
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Review team on site |
November 2017 |
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Date of this report |
18 January 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2014 |