Bishop Edward Gaines Catholic School

School Context

Bishop Edward Gaines Catholic School is a small, integrated primary school located in Tokoroa. The school caters for students in Years 1 to 8. It has a diverse ethnic roll of 42, including 15 Māori students and six students of Pacific heritage.

The school’s vision is to empower students to be confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners instilled with gospel values so that they are well prepared to believe, enrich, glorify and serve as 21^st century citizens.

Bishop Edward Gaines Catholic School’s strategic goals for 2019 are to:

• enhance the special character of the school

• successfully implement principles of learner agency in order to accelerate and lift achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.

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

• reading, writing and mathematics.

Since the previous ERO report in 2016, there has been a leadership change with the appointment of a new principal who began at the school in term 4, 2018. The school has also re-developed its classroom block.

The school is a member of the Rotorua Catholic Faith-Based Community of Learning (CoL)|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 achieving excellent outcomes for some students but is not yet achieving equitable outcomes for all students.

The school’s achievement data for 2018 shows that the majority of students achieved expected national curriculum levels in reading and writing, and most students achieved expected national curriculum levels in mathematics.

There is a pattern of significant disparity for Māori and Pacific students who achieve at lower levels than their Pākehā peers. Achievement data for reading in 2018 shows that approximately one quarter of Māori and less than half of Pacific students achieved at expected curriculum levels. In writing, less than half of Māori and Pacific students achieved at expected curriculum levels. In mathematics, less than half of Pacific students achieved at expected curriculum levels.

The achievement level of boys and girls is comparable in mathematics. However, significant disparity of achievement in reading and writing remains for boys who achieve less well than girls.

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

The school is beginning to respond to the urgent need to accelerate the learning of Māori and other students who need this.

The school is able to show that some students are making accelerated progress in 2019. However, achievement data has only recently begun to be analysed to identify the progress of individual students and longitudinal analysis is not yet available.

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 learn in a caring and inclusive environment. Classrooms are settled and relationships between teachers and students are positive and respectful. Tuakana/teina relationships are evident inside and outside classrooms where students support one another academically and socially. Students participate in a range of curriculum contexts that enable integration of te ao Māori. Transitions between the junior and senior class are responsive to student needs and a flexible cross-grouping structure supports the extension of learning for gifted and talented students. A focus on hauora and holistic wellbeing underpins the identification and support of students with additional needs.

Leaders and teachers are building useful community partnerships to support learning. Collaborative goal setting for learning includes whānau and students. Leaders and teachers undertake community consultation to seek the aspirations of parents and share achievement information. The school enables equity of access to learning through supportive funding mechanisms and partnerships with local schools. This ensures the full breadth of the curriculum is available to students. Students benefit from the school’s ongoing relationship with the adjacent community marae.

Leadership is implementing processes to improve learning outcomes for students. A recent review of aspects of school organisation and operation has resulted in the development and introduction of systems to support the identification and monitoring of students whose learning needs to be accelerated. Student achievement and progress information is collected, analysed and reported to the board of trustees. Leadership’s decisions are aligned to the school’s strategic goals and prioritise professional learning that will meet the immediate needs of students and teachers.

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

Leadership needs to continue to build teacher capability. Use of the newly-developed processes to support teachers’ planning for at-risk students needs to be embedded. Teachers need to continue to build their knowledge and understanding of formative assessment practices to support increased student agency of learning.

Leadership needs to develop and implement strategic internal evaluation processes to monitor and understand the impact and effectiveness of school-wide initiatives and changes to organisational practices. Outcomes need to be reported to the board of trustees on a regular basis and used to inform ongoing planning.

Trustees need to increase the scrutiny of student achievement data to identify priorities and make strategic resourcing decisions focused on accelerating the learning of target 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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Bishop Edward Gaines Catholic School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

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:

• inclusive practices that support student wellbeing and sense of belonging
• community partnerships that enrich opportunities for students
• collaborative leadership that prioritises improving outcomes for students.

Next steps

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

• continuing building professional capability and collective capacity to respond effectively to the learning needs of at-risk students
• internal evaluation to inform strategic planning with a focus on equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners
• robust scrutiny of data and evaluative information at governance level to understand the effectiveness of the school in achieving valued student outcomes.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

3 July 2019

About the school

1 Context

Bishop Edward Gaines is a small Catholic integrated primary school in Tokoroa catering for children in Years 1 to 8. Since the 2013 ERO review, the school has continued to share governance with another integrated Catholic school in Putaruru. The principal has continued to provide strong leadership for the school. There has also been some new staff appointed. The board is currently managing building re-development to support 21st century learning and teaching. Teachers' professional development also supports this focus.

The school has re-established a positive, reciprocal relationship with the adjacent marae, Papa o te Aroha. The school's special Catholic Character continues to underpin the schools family oriented culture.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are to build a learning community where children are empowered to be confident, connected, actively involved lifelong learners instilled with Gospel values and well prepared to be 21st century citizens.

Equity and excellence is clearly defined in the school's charter, which places a strong focus on raising achievement for Māori and all children who need to make accelerated progress. Māori children are confident in their language, culture and identity. Students from other cultural backgrounds benefit from the school's emphasis and willingness to share and promote aspects of their culture and heritage.

The school's achievement information shows that at the end of 2015 just over half of the Māori children needed additional programmes in order to accelerate their learning to meet National Standards in reading, mathematics and writing. Some of these children have successfully made accelerated progress as a result of targeted individual education plans. Pacific children achieve well in these subjects. School achievement data shows that Pacific children achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Overall children's achievement in mathematics has significantly improved over the past three years reflecting the school's focus on improving teaching and learning in mathematics.

Since the previous ERO evaluation teachers have:

• undertaken professional development in literacy and mathematics
• further engaged parents/whānau as partners in their child's learning
• introduced new processes for inquiring into the effectiveness of their teaching in accelerating progress for those learners requiring support
• increased meaningful contexts for learning through children's participation in Māori kawa and pōwhiri in welcoming visitors onto the marae.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The school responds effectively to Māori children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration. Māori children who require support to achieve National Standards are identified through nationally referenced assessments and overall teacher judgments about their achievement.

Teachers collaborate with Māori whānau in developing focused education plans for individuals and groups of children who need to make accelerated progress to meet National Standards. These children benefit from targeted classroom programmes including oral language learning, assistance from a board funded teacher aide, and other interventions as required.

School data indicates that children who enter the school with low levels of achievement make accelerated progress during their time at the school. However by the end of 2015, there were still a small number of children yet to achieve at or above National Standards expectations, particularly in the junior areas of the school.

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

Other children who are yet to achieve National Standards, including those who require English as a second language learning, benefit from the same processes and programmes as those provided for Māori children.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and priorities for equity and excellence?

The principal's commitment to equity and excellence for Māori, Pacific and other children who are yet to achieve National Standards is demonstrated by:

• actively modelling the schools vision, values and curriculum expectations
• ensuring that teachers regularly evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching programmes in accelerating children's progress and achievement
• a coherent and systematic approach to professional development for staff
• continually building a sound knowledge of current educational theory and best practice
• regularly communicating with parents/whānau about learning programmes and progress.

As a result the school continues to sustain a focus on equity and excellence for all children.

School conditions that further support the schools focus on Catholic education and 21st century learning for all children include:

• trusting and respectful school relationships throughout the school community
• a strong sense of well-being and belonging for all children
• children's confident use of a range of digital tools to enhance their learning
• older children accepting leadership roles and assist in taking responsibility for the welfare and learning of younger children
• an established climate for professional learning and dialogue among teachers
• participation in educational networks including a faith-based community of learning
• strong support for learning and welfare from the church parish and Catholic Women's League.

The experienced board has a clear understanding of its roles and responsibilities. Trustees receive regular reports about student progress and achievement and use this information to guide their decisions about raising achievement and set specific goals. They consult regularly with whānau and other community groups. Information from self-review guides strategic direction.

These positive features help to focus teaching practice on raising achievement for Māori, Pacific and all children.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children?

Leaders and teachers:

• know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
• respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
• regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
• act on what they know works well for each child
• build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
• are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

The school has made considerable progress in developing systems and strategies for accelerating the achievement of Māori and other groups of children who require support. In order to continue this momentum of development senior leaders should continue to:

• strengthen curriculum expectations through robust self-review and agreed expectations for best practice resulting from professional development
• build teacher capability through further developing the teacher appraisal process
• embed assessment for learning strategies.

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

6 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 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

• processes for appointing staff

• stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions

• attendance

• compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014

7 Recommendations

School leaders and teachers continue to strengthen curriculum expectations and embed assessment and appraisal processes. 

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

23 June 2016

About the school