Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within eight months of the Education Review Office and Horotiu School 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
Context
Horotiu School is located on the banks of the Waikato River north of Kirikiriroa and provides education for students in Years 1-8. A new principal and deputy principal were appointed in 2020. The school has strong links to mana whenua.
Horotiu School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
- to improve outcomes for all (including priority groups) and raise achievement
- to equip Maori learners to achieve success as Maori
- to empower tamariki to develop who they are now and inspire them to be the best they can be.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Horotiu School’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well school conditions are enabling equitable outcomes and improving progress for all, with a particular focus on Maori boys and identified priority students. The school is aware of the need to strengthen student wellbeing and develop greater levels of engagement in learning.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
- the opportunity it provides to maintain a strategic focus on Maori student success as Maori
- the need to respond effectively to school data to improve the learning of ākonga and enable equitable outcomes for all
- the need to acknowledge and address the wellbeing of every student and support increased engagement in learning.
The school expects to see further actions implemented to enable students to have effective, sufficient, and equitable opportunities to learn and succeed through a culturally responsive and inclusive school curriculum.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to enable equitable outcomes for all learners:
- leadership of learning that collaboratively develops and pursues the school’s vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence
- positive connections with parents, whanau and mana whenua that support quality relationships for learning
- ongoing professional learning and mentoring that strengthens teacher capability.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
- strengthening data literacy practices and evidence-based evaluation to inform responsive school planning for innovation and improvement
- gathering Maori student and whanau voice to support a review of the school’s curriculum and a shared understanding of Maori success as Maori
- deliberate actions to support student wellbeing and increase meaningful engagement in learning.
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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
12 July 2022
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home