53 South Road , Kuripuni, Masterton
View on mapMasterton Primary School has 296 students in Years 1 to 6. Of the total roll, 43% are Māori learners and 2% Samoan.
The school vision is to be fun, exciting, interesting and peaceful. The community seeks a safe, stimulating, and friendly environment where all students can confidently achieve to the best of their ability, particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy. Developing attributes of respect for others, honesty, trustworthiness and reliability are valued outcomes. Trustees and leaders are currently consulting with stakeholders in relation to the school vision.
Achievement targets for 2018 are focused on raising the overall level of achievement for Year 5 and 6 students in writing and mathematics.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
The school is currently implementing the Ministry of Education (MoE) initiative, Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L).
At the end of 2017, the majority of students achieved expectations in reading. Over half of students achieved expected levels in writing and mathematics. Incremental improvement has occurred in literacy since 2015, with outcomes in mathematics at a similar level. Raising achievement overall and addressing disparity for Māori boys in literacy and boys in writing are ongoing priorities for the school to achieve equity and excellence for its students.
Many targeted learners accelerated their achievement in 2017. More students achieved acceleration in reading and mathematics than in writing.
School leaders identify a significant proportion of students who require additional support to improve learning outcomes. A designated special needs coordinator provides capable leadership to ensure resourcing provision meets the diverse needs of learners. Individual education goals, developed for learners with complex needs, are inclusive of parents and whānau. Extensive use of external agencies provides specialist support for students and families.
Teachers are highly collaborative, working together to consider student outcomes and share practice. Termly action plans detail a range of well-considered strategies to address the specific learning and engagement needs of students. Regular review of these plans supports teachers in adapting their response to the learning needs of targeted students.
Leaders and teachers provide a comprehensive response in addressing the pastoral needs of learners, families and their community. Shared school values and key competencies are discussed as part of learning in the classroom and affirmed when demonstrated. Positive relationships between students, peers and staff foster an inclusive environment for learning.
The enacted school curriculum provides sufficient opportunities for learners to participate in a wide range of relevant experiences. Literacy and mathematics are appropriate priorities. Teachers increasingly provide learning contexts informed by students’ interests. Well-developed partnerships between the school and other educational institutions provide opportunities to share and guide changes to the curriculum. Individuals requiring extension in their learning are suitably identified and participate in school-based and external programmes.
To accelerate achievement, leaders and trustees need to identify specific groups who need this through deeper analysis of learner outcomes.
Increased capability is required to systematically plan and evaluate student achievement. Trustees and leaders should set specific targets that clearly align to addressing the disparity for identified groups. Linking these to syndicates should provide better alignment to classroom action plans and teachers’ inquiry. Coherent targeting should make best use of current school processes and ensure in-depth analysis provides the basis to understand the impact of actions that accelerate or limit student achievement.
The school is in the early stages of revising the curriculum to further promote student agency and guide teaching and learning. Strengthening strategic planning is required by the principal, leaders and trustees to better guide the implementation of initiatives and support evaluation.
Leaders and teachers implement a range of initiatives to support student wellbeing at school. Strengthening systematic evaluation should enable the school to determine current successful practice and inform future developments.
The school is part of a network of schools to further develop culturally responsive practice acknowledging Māori learners’ culture, language and identity. An internal leadership group is guiding teacher practice. Involving Māori whānau in planning a deliberate response to ongoing improvement, should strengthen leaders’ ability to strategically guide improvement and strengthen evaluation.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
appropriate processes and practices to identify and monitor students with additional learning needs that support their learning and achievement
collaborative teacher practice that fosters a collective focus on meeting the diverse needs of learners
inclusive school and classroom environments that promote shared values and competencies, and reinforce desired learning behaviours
enacted curriculum provision that encourages student participation and engagement.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
strengthening plans to guide development of the curriculum to inform evaluation and support improvement
strategically planning development of culturally responsive practice for Māori learners through extending partnerships with whānau
targeted planning to accelerate learning
[ERO will monitor and discuss progress with the school]
internal evaluation processes and practices.
[ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop for trustees and senior leaders]
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years.
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
17 August 2018
|
Location |
Masterton |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
1660 |
|
School type |
Contributing (Years 1 to 6) |
|
School roll |
296 |
|
Gender composition |
Male 56%, Female 44% |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 43% |
|
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) |
Yes |
|
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
|
Review team on site |
June 2018 |
|
Date of this report |
17 August 2018 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review July 2015 |
Teachers, leaders and trustees work collaboratively to address the diverse needs of students and promote their wellbeing. Ongoing development of shared expectations and values for student engagement in school life contributes to positive relationships and learning environments. Evaluating the effectiveness of deliberate strategies for targeted groups of learners should promote increased achievement.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Masterton Primary School caters for students in Years 1 to 6. Of the roll of 268, 37% identify as Māori. The school works collaboratively with external agencies and networks to provide a range of supports for students and their families. A stable senior leadership team is in place.
A focus on providing an attractive, communal physical environment is evident. Enviro-School involvement provides additional learning opportunities for students. A recently opened, adjoining kindergarten provides increased opportunities for building connections with families.
In 2014, the school participated in the Ministry of Education initiative Learning with Digital Technology. Staff continue to participate in the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) project which has had an impact on school practices and student engagement.
Appropriate charter targets are developed in response to schoolwide data gathered through a range of assessment tools. Individual students requiring targeted learning support are clearly identified and teachers respond in various ways to support their learning.
Further exploring of trends and patterns in data for groups of students should assist trustees, leaders and teachers to identify what is effective in accelerating learning progress. This should help to inform actions to promote improvement and increase the rates of progress, particularly for those students at risk of underachieving.
Many students achieve at or above in relation to National Standards in reading and mathematics. School data shows a significant number of students continue to achieve below expectations. An appropriate focus on improving effective teacher practice in writing continues. Ensuring there are shared, clear expectations for acceleration and deliberate strategies and monitoring for targeted groups of students is likely to promote increased rates of achievement.
Students with specific or additional needs are well catered for through networks of support. They are encouraged to participate meaningfully in classroom learning activities.
Support for developing teachers’ practice in making judgements about students' achievement in relation to National Standards is in place. Continued opportunities for moderation of judgements should ensure they are valid and reliable.
The proposed introduction of data boards should be useful in promoting a collective approach and shared understanding of the effective use of achievement information to increase rates of progress for all learners.
Written reports provide families with useful information about progress, achievement and next steps. A review of reporting practices is planned. Increasing the involvement of students in understanding and use of assessment is an appropriate next step.
The school has developed a vision for successful learning. This is useful for guiding the development and implementation of the curriculum.
Expectations for teacher practice and curriculum approaches are communicated through handbooks. These are developed by leaders and through staff discussion in response to professional development. Strengthening the systems for monitoring, supporting and evaluation of curriculum expectations is a next step. This should help to promote consistency of effective teaching and learning and inform actions for ongoing improvement.
Teachers and leaders show a collaborative, responsive approach to fostering positive engagement in learning and promoting students’ wellbeing. A wide range of initiatives and networks is accessed to provide appropriate and relevant support for identified learners.
Students show pride and a sense of belonging within the school. They learn in friendly and interesting environments. Students support each other in their learning. A positive tone is evident in classrooms that are well organised for learning. Resources are easily accessed and used for learning. Students’ independence and self management are encouraged.
Teachers affirm students’ contributions to learning. Expectations for positive behaviour and participation are shared through clear instructions. Students are provided with guided learning opportunities that are well paced and link to prior learning. Additional teacher-aide support for learners is well integrated into classroom activities. A planned focus on increasing students’ ownership of learning through consistent assessment practice and inquiry learning are appropriate next steps.
Teachers should continue to support ways in which students’ cultural identity, language and culture can be affirmed and fostered. School leaders are considering how to strengthen their deliberate response to Pacific learners.
Staff and leaders work to strengthen learning partnerships with parents. Informal opportunities for conversations between teachers and families support students. Continuing to develop deliberate strategies that incorporate culturally-responsive practices to enrich partnerships with families, should help to support the learning and progress of identified learners.
Students have opportunities to explore aspects of te ao Māori within the curriculum and through participation in kapa haka. Staff have explored aspects of practice that support Maori students in their learning through Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners. A next step is to develop a planned approach to building on and implementing culturallyresponsive teaching practice.
Opportunities are provided for sharing of information with whānau. Exploring additional ways for meaningful dialogue with whānau to seek their aspirations and input into curriculum and review is a next step. Developing a clear, shared vision for success as Maori in Masterton Primary School, in partnership with whānau, should provide a useful framework to inform schoolwide priorities for development and guide teachers’ practice.
This should enable leaders and trustees to better evaluate the school's effectiveness in promoting the language, culture and identity of Māori learners.
School leaders, teachers and trustees provide useful and timely support for students through responsive, collaborative practices. Evaluating the impact of deliberate strategies to accelerate progress for groups of learners is an important next step. Strengthening processes for implementing actions and evaluating effectiveness should help to sustain areas of good performance and promote ongoing improvement.
The school’s continued engagement in PB4L has promoted shared understanding of expectations, values and systems for fostering positive behaviour. This contributes to good relationships and learning environments.
The teachers’ handbook guides staff professional practice and supports those new to the school. Planned professional development supports school goals. Opportunities are provided for teachers to discuss and share their practices. Further development and implementation of systematic inquiry should help teachers to determine the effectiveness of strategies used to promote learning.
Trustees value their staff and support the management team. They access training to support their contribution. Trustees provide resources in response to areas of need identified in the principal’s reports. These reports provide useful information about school operation and developments. Strengthened analysis of data and evaluative information should support board decision-making.
Leaders provide responsive support and guidance for teachers and students. A planned approach to building leadership capacity and consistent practice around a shared understanding of effective leadership should continue to be developed.
Review of practices and development occurs in relation to changing contexts. Processes and practices for evidence-based self review should continue to be strengthened in the following areas:
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
Teachers, leaders and trustees work collaboratively to address the diverse needs of students and promote their wellbeing. Ongoing development of shared expectations and values for student engagement in school life contributes to positive relationships and learning environments. Evaluating the effectiveness of deliberate strategies for targeted groups of learners should promote increased achievement.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
29 July 2015
|
Location |
Masterton |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
1660 |
|
|
School type |
Contributing (Years 1-8) |
|
|
School roll |
268 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Male 51%, Female 49% |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā Māori Other ethnic groups |
54% 37% 9% |
|
Review team on site |
June 2015 |
|
|
Date of this report |
29 July 2015 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Education Review Education Review |
August 2012 May 2009 June 2006 |