Centennial Park School

1 Context

Centennial Park School, Te Kura Rautau, is located in the King Country township of Te Kuiti. The roll is 107. All children identify as Māori and most whakapapa to Maniapoto, the local iwi. The school continues to offer both rumaki (2 classrooms) and auraki (4 classrooms) options for children and whānau.

A new board, including the chairperson was elected in the 2016 school trustee elections. Since ERO's last review in 2013 there have been a number of new teaching staff appointed and changes have been made to school organisation. In addition, school leadership has been extended to include curriculum leaders for te reo matatini and pāngarau (for rumaki teachers) and literacy and mathematics (for auraki teachers).

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are promoted through shared uarā (values) of Maniapototanga. Mana Tangata, Panekiritanga and Wairua Hihiko. Aspirational outcomes from these uarā are for children to become:

• versed in the whakapapa, waiata, karakia and histories of Maniapoto and leadership
• proud of their identity, resilient when faced with challenges and adversity showing enduring respect and care for hapū and iwi with integrity of character as an individual
• excellent in all they apply themselves to
• creative, imaginative and have their flair for innovation nurtured and enhanced.

The school’s achievement information shows that in auraki classes, girls' achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has increased steadily from 2013 to 2015. Achievement levels have moved from approximately two thirds to over three quarters achieving at or above the National Standard. In auraki classes, boys' achievement over this period has remained similar, with just over half the boys achieving at or above National Standards in reading and writing, and two thirds in mathematics.

The school's 2015 Ngā Whanaketanga achievement data shows that over three quarters of the girls and less than half of the boys achieved at or above Ngā Whanaketanga in pānui, korero, and tuhituhi. Across the pāngarau strands approximately three quarters of girls and boys achieved at or above Ngā Whanaketanga.

Teachers moderate their judgements about children's progress and achievement in relation to National Standards and Ngā Whanaketanga using assessment information from an appropriate range of sources.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has implemented internal and external professional learning and development to increase teacher capability and accelerate achievement, particularly in mathematics, writing, pāngarau and tuhituhi. Professional development in school-wide behaviour management has been linked to the introduction of shared values. There has also been ongoing curriculum development which has led to an emphasis on the use of authentic contexts for learning based on children's interests, strengths, language, culture and identity.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

School leaders and teachers use assessment data and teachers' knowledge of tamariki and whānau to effectively identify those at risk of not achieving. They implement a range of responses designed to accelerate progress and achievement, and to provide for children's holistic wellbeing and development. These responses include:

• individual learning plans that are collaboratively developed with whānau
• referrals to outside agencies for wrap around pastoral and learning support
• targeted programmes for literacy and mathematics, te reo matatini, and pāngarau
• in-class support from teacher aides that enables teachers to work more specifically with children needing their progress and achievement accelerated
• recently introduced classroom plans, which assist teachers to raise achievement, and remain focussed on children who are at risk of not achieving expected levels. This is encouraging teachers to think more innovatively about how they might respond to specific needs and challenges.

School data for 2015 identified 56 children across the school as being in the below categories in mathematics and pāngarau. By June 2016 school data shows that 27 of these children are making accelerated progress in this area.

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 targets for equity and excellence?

The school is in the developmental stages of enacting the curriculum, organisational processes and practices to ensure these are fully effective. The school values are becoming embedded and provide shared expectations for behaviour and learning that contributes to the positive and settled school environment. Children enjoy a wide range of opportunities to experience success in academic, performing and visual arts, and sporting activities through a broad curriculum.

Trustees, leaders and teachers recognise the importance of children being proud of being Māori and of Ngāti Maniapoto. Significant curriculum development and documentation has been undertaken. Continuing this development will provide clear direction for the ongoing development of a Maniapoto curriculum framework with a sequential, coherent and local approach to the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

The principal has taken a strategic approach to developing teachers' professional capability for raising children's' achievement. He has grown curriculum leadership in mathematics and literacy. Together the leadership team have established a collaborative learning culture based on high levels of professional trust. Effective professional development, including ongoing support, modelling and coaching is growing teachers' capacity, particularly in literacy and mathematics, and te reo matatini and pāngarau. This is contributing to shared expectations and understandings about effective classroom practice for accelerating the progress of children achieving below expected standards, particularly in mathematics. 

Examples of teaching strategies that are effectively engaging tamariki include:

• specific and targeted teaching that responds to individual learning needs
• tuakana/teina opportunities
• encouraging tamariki to share their ideas, work and thinking
• reframing mistakes as learning opportunities
• strong oral language support
• sharing learning intentions, success criteria, feedback and feedforward about group and individual's learning.

It is important for teachers to continue to strengthen the ways they support children to understand and take greater responsibility for their own learning.

Moderation processes require further development. Teachers now need to strengthen their practices for making overall teacher judgements about children's learning, use assessment information to more consistently and specifically respond to individual needs. Continued development of classroom plans for raising achievement should enable teachers to identify effective practices for accelerating the progress and achievement of individual learners.

The school has developed reciprocal connections and relationships with iwi, whānau and the community. Networks and professional sharing with other local schools and the wider education community have contributed to significant improvements in teacher practice. Local kaumātua and kuia are actively involved in the life of the school and promote the school values. Parents feel well-informed about their children's progress and learning, next steps and how they can help their children at home. These relationships are supporting the school in its endeavour to raise the achievement of all children.

Leaders and teachers recognise the importance of innovative practices and strategies for raising achievement. A range of interventions and approaches have been introduced including well-researched programmes and the use of digital technologies. The school now needs to develop school-wide, strategic and evidence-based evaluation processes. This is necessary to ensure that the innovations lead to and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for children.

Trustees are developing their understanding about the school's achievement challenges, particularly in relation to boys. They are committed to ongoing training. New trustees now need to strengthen their understanding of strategic planning. Setting, monitoring and tracking more specific achievement targets is likely to support accelerated progress for children at risk not achieving expected levels.

5 Going forward

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

Leaders and teachers:

• know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
• need approaches that effectively meet the needs of each child
• need to ensure the school is well placed to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it. 

School leaders and teachers have been working hard to improve practice and levels of achievement. In order to support the school to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all children, the school now needs to:

• build trustee understanding, including developing strategic plans that more specifically target and monitor the progress and achievement of children needing acceleration, particularly boys literacy
• continue to work with the Ministry of Education to resolve current financial challenges
• deepen the Maniapoto curriculum through ongoing development
• continue to strengthen teachers' understanding and use of assessment information
• review school-wide assessment practices and develop a robust assessment schedule for the Māori medium classes
• strengthen the teacher appraisal process to ensure that the Practicing Teacher Criteria form the basis for teacher appraisal and attestation
• strengthen the school-wide culture, understanding and processes for inquiry and internal review.

Action: The board, principal and teachers should participate in an internal evaluation workshop. They should use this workshop, the Internal Evaluation: Good Practice exemplars and the School Evaluation Indicators to address the findings of this evaluation and develop more targeted planning that includes a significant focus on building teacher capability to accelerate learning and achievement.

As part of this review ERO will continue to monitor the school’s planning and the progress the school makes. ERO is likely to carry out the next full 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

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should ensure that teacher appraisal and attestation processes are fully informed by Education Council requirements.

7 Recommendation

ERO recommends that the school accesses appropriate support to assist the board, principal and teachers to respond to areas needing development, and to address the current achievement challenges. 

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

14 March 2017

About the school