Findings
Leadership works actively to build teacher capability with a focus on improving student outcomes. Internal evaluation process and practices support improvements in teaching practice and school operation. The school has established a foundation of values, leadership, tone, climate and relationships likely to sustain and improve student learning.
Kaimai School has made sufficient progress in relation to the key next steps identified in ERO’s 2019 report. The school will transition into ERO’s Evaluation for Improvement approach.
1 Background and Context
What is the background and context for this school’s review?
Kaimai School is an established rural country school catering for students in Years 1 to 8. The school is located approximately 20 kilometres from central Tauranga. The current roll of 90 includes nine students who identify as Māori. A new principal started in Term 4, 2018 and there have been several changes to the teaching team.
The school’s mission is, ‘strive and honour’. Its vision is to ‘provide enriched educational opportunities in a safe, stimulating environment’. The ‘Kaimai Kid’ virtues of growth/tupu, integrity/ngākau pono, pride/whakahī, respect/whakaute, and joyfulness/koa underpin the school’s vision for learning.
The 2019 ERO evaluation identified areas for review and development requiring Ministry of Education (MoE) support. ERO evaluations of progress have involved meetings with the principal, the board of trustees, representatives from MoE and professional development providers.
The school is a member of the Tauranga Peninsula Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.
2 Review and Development
How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?
Priorities identified for review and development
School-wide systems and practices to support the achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning.
Strengthening leadership of learning and internal evaluation including:
- implementing clear and consistent school-wide expectations for planning, curriculum delivery, assessment and moderation
- managing and using achievement information by leaders and teachers to identify at-risk students and inform planning
- setting specific achievement targets for all students who are not achieving at the expected curriculum level and regularly reporting to the board their progress.
Progress
Leadership have developed clear and consistent school-wide expectations for planning, assessment and moderation. Dependable student achievement data is collected, collated and analysed at classroom level and school-wide to identify students at-risk of not achieving and inform planning.
Professional learning supports teachers to further build their understanding of accelerated progress and achievement. Students who are not achieving have specific achievement targets and their progress is regularly reported to the board.
Improved communication with the community includes termly student/parent/teacher interviews and regular surveys. Compliance issues have been addressed.
Key next step
Priority now needs to be given to strengthening the school-wide approach to the teaching of te reo and tikanga Māori.
3 Sustainable performance and self review
How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance?
The school is developing its capability to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance. The school can draw on existing strengths in:
- the board of trustees’ ongoing commitment to student learning, wellbeing, achievement and progress
- regular tracking and monitoring by leaders and teachers of those students whose learning needs acceleration
- internal evaluation processes and practices that support improvements in teaching practice and school operation.
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:
- board administration
- curriculum
- management of health, safety and welfare
- personnel management
- financial management
- asset management.
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
- emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
- physical safety of students
- teacher registration
- processes for appointing staff
- stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
- attendance
- school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.
Conclusion
Leadership works actively to build teacher capability with a focus on improving student outcomes. Internal evaluation process and practices support improvements in teaching practice and school operation. The school has established a foundation of values, leadership, tone, climate and relationships likely to sustain and improve student learning.
Kaimai School has made sufficient progress in relation to the key next steps identified in ERO’s 2019 report. The school will transition into ERO’s Evaluation for Improvement approach.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
15 June 2021
About the school
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.