Elstow-Waihou Combined School

School Context

Elstow-Waihou Combined is a full primary school located in a rural setting near Te Aroha. The school roll of 146 students in Years 1 to 8 includes 24 who identify as Māori. There has been a significant roll increase since the previous ERO review in 2016.

The current principal was appointed in 2017 and since then there have been significant changes to the teaching staff due to roll growth. At the 2019 board elections two new parent representatives were elected. An existing trustee was elected as the new board chairperson. Teachers have had professional learning in restorative practice and writing.

The school’s vision ‘Totoro hoki tatou nga whetu – Let’s Reach for the Stars’ is promoted through ‘connecting children to their learning by sparking their enthusiasm and curiosity so they will become autonomous lifelong learners.’ The documented values of Success, Teamwork, Attitude and Respect are underpinned by nine school principles.

The school’s strategic aims include a focus on:

• consolidating and extending high levels of achievement
• tailoring learning around individual learner needs
• developing students’ sense of belonging within New Zealand’s unique bicultural society
• assisting all students to achieve success in their learning through understanding the process of learning
• nurturing exceptional teachers through support and professional learning
• incorporating the values and skills into learning experience.

Leaders and teachers gather and report to the board school-wide information about outcomes for students in:

• reading, writing, mathematics
• achievement of Māori students.

The school is a member of the Te Aroha 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 working towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all of it learners.

Most students are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori learners are achieving at the same rate as their Pākēha peers in reading, lower in writing and significantly higher in mathematics. Girls are achieving at the same rate as boys in reading and mathematics but higher in writing.

Longitudinal data from 2017 to 2019 for all, shows achievement in reading and mathematics remains relatively consistent over time and there has been an improvement in writing.

Students with additional needs have individualised plans and are working towards achieving their personalised goals.

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

The school is accelerating learning for some Māori and other students who need this.

School data for all at-risk learners shows that in 2019 Māori and Pākehā students accelerated at a similar rate in writing, but Māori had lower acceleration rates than their Pākehā peers in mathematics and reading.

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?

Strong professional leadership guides all aspects of school development. Senior leaders have established a useful cumulative approach to monitoring the school’s strategic goals and regularly reporting progress to the board. The principal has refocused teachers on local curriculum redevelopment and design. The strengths and interests of teachers are recognised, and appropriate leadership opportunities provided. These opportunities include leadership in curriculum, culturally responsive practice, learning through play, and environmental initiatives.

Curriculum design, planning and delivery are key drivers of equity and excellence across the school. Significant innovations in the local curriculum are providing hands-on, contextually relevant and authentic learning experiences. Leaders and teachers have defined what acceleration is and developed school-wide progressions in reading, writing, mathematics, and te reo and tikanga Māori to support teaching and learning practice.

Relationships between teachers and students are respectful, affirming and focus on learning and wellbeing. Students whose learning requires acceleration are identified in teachers’ planning and provided with programmes that target their individual learning needs. Teachers continually reflect on, share and adapt their practice to accelerate outcomes for priority learners. Deliberate strategies are in place to enable students to reflect on their learning, progress and individual goals.

Effective relationship management, communication and an inclusive environment have significantly strengthened relationships among staff, and partnerships with parents and whānau. The school has worked diligently to establish partnerships with the community, including local Māori. Parents and whānau feel welcome in the school, well informed about their child’s achievement, and valued as partners in their child’s education. The school enjoys high levels of community support and benefits from whānau participation in school events and celebrations. Parents receive information about their child through informal conversations with teachers, digital methods, conferences and written reports. Inclusive and responsive programmes are in place to support students with additional needs.

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

The school has developed useful processes and strategies to support teachers to identify specific next steps in students’ learning. Priority should be given to continuing to build teacher knowledge and understanding about learning progressions and using these to increase students' understanding of their own learning journeys, and next steps.

Leaders gathers useful school-wide information about accelerated learning for all priority learners. Priority should be given to:

• developing specific and measurable targets for all identified groups of priority learners
• collating and analysing this information to determine outcomes for groups of learners
• inquiring into the data to establish effectiveness of initiatives and learning programmes to support these groups.

This more focused approach should contribute to improved use of acceleration data as part of ongoing internal evaluation.

The school has developed some useful progressions for the teaching of te reo Māori as part of its initiative to promote culturally responsive practice. Building consistency across the school in the way teachers implement this programme is a useful next step for the school.

The board of trustees needs to ensure that it has the necessary processes, policies and procedures to meet all aspects of its legal obligations in health, safety, welfare and personnel.

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 Elstow-Waihou Combined School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success 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:

• leadership that is reflective, innovative and focused on school improvement
• a broad curriculum that engages students in their learning
• relationships and partnerships that promote inclusion, wellbeing and learning.

Next steps

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

• growing teacher practice to build on and embed student agency
• school-wide target setting and reporting to focus on the accelerated progress of students at risk of underachieving
• naturally integrating te reo Māori in the daily life of the school to further support culturally responsive practice.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to health, safety & welfare and personnel.

In order to address this, the board of trustees must:

• implement all aspects of the Safety Checking of Workforce procedure, including maintaining school records. [Children’s Act 2014]
• report annually on the extent of the board’s compliance with its personnel policy on being a good employer. 
  [s77A (1c) State Sector Act 1988]

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:

• implement all aspects of the Safety Checking of Workforce procedure, including maintaining school records. 
  [Children’s Act 2014]
• the board has reviewed its employer responsibility policy. 
  [s77A (1c) State Sector Act 1988]
• ensure staff performance management processes and records meet all the requirements of The Teaching Council of New Zealand

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

• ensure staff performance management processes and records meet all the requirements of The Teaching Council of New Zealand
• implement all Ministry of Education guidelines on the practice and procedure to be followed in relation to physical restraint by authorised staff. 
  [Education (Physical Restraint) Rules 2017]

Darcy Te Hau

Acting Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

27 February 2020

About the school