Manawaru School

School Context

Manawaru School is a small rural school located about 13 kilometres from the township of Te Aroha. It is a full primary school catering for students in Years 1 to 8. The school roll of 80, includes a small number of Māori and Asian students.

The principal is currently the lead principal for the Te Aroha Kāhui Ako. The board of trustees is unchanged from last year and the chairperson is beginning her second term. Trustees take part in training with an external provider as well as involvement with the Kāhui Ako professional development. Three teachers have joined the staff since the December 2016 ERO evaluation. There are currently four classrooms.

The vision states that the school is, ‘empowering learners for their future’ and is closely aligned to the key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum. The school logo reflects local aspirations and context.

The 2019 – 2021 strategic plan states three overarching goals to:

• grow learner capacity and capability

• embed the vision culture

• grow high performing leadership.

The school is a member of the Te Aroha Kāhui Ako. The school’s charter goals align with the Kāhui Ako goals to build seamless transitions within schools and across the learning community, and to increase achievement of priority students in mathematics.

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

• reading, writing and mathematics.

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 students.

Overall achievement information during 2018 shows that the majority of students achieve well in relation to curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement over time has improved for all learners in writing. Outcomes in reading and mathematics have remained relatively the same.

Achievement for boys and girls in writing has improved over time. There is no gender disparity in mathematics. Girls continue to outperform boys in reading and writing.

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

The school is accelerating achievement for some students who need this.

The 2018 achievement information shows that some of the at-risk students, including Māori, made accelerated progress in writing and mathematics. There are a number of students with English as a second language, who are closely monitored and supported to fully access the curriculum.

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?

The school’s vision and values are well-embedded in daily practices. Leaders build trusting and respectful relationships with students, parents and staff. Sound organisational practices and processes are in place to improve teaching and learning and positive educational outcomes for students.

The school promotes an inclusive culture where students are confident in their identity and have a strong sense of belonging. Diversity and difference is valued and celebrated. Individual needs of students, including those at-risk of not achieving, are catered for with responses that are timely and appropriate. Differentiated learning programmes for individual students are implemented.

Bi-cultural practices are strongly evident. Respectful tuakana teina relationships are fostered and promote wellbeing. The school recognises the need to strengthen the meaningful inclusion of te reo Māori in the curriculum.

Students learn, achieve and make progress through a broad curriculum that promotes purposeful and localised learning opportunities. Students are able to talk about their current learning. Teachers understand that students’ ownership of their learning pathways is an area for greater consistency. Students value the way they are listened to and the choices they have about their learning opportunities and leadership programmes.

The school and community are effectively engaged in learning-centred relationships. Leaders and teachers actively build respectful partnerships with parents through a variety of valued communication strategies. There is strong community support for the school in a wide range of activities and events. Proactive identification and use of community resources and expertise enhance learning opportunities and wellbeing. Parents enjoy the openness and transparent practices that underpin all aspects of school life.

Strengthened internal evaluation, with external support, has informed targeted professional learning and development. This is well-aligned to the school’s strategic direction and teacher needs. Trustees and leaders work collaboratively.

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

Aspects of internal evaluation need further development. Leaders and teachers closely monitor and report on individual children’s achievement and progress. However, collating assessment information to identify trends, patterns and rates of progress over time for groups of learners is necessary to further enhance decision making.

Students are able to talk about their current learning but are not yet able to link this to their levels of learning and pathways. Examples of effective teaching practices are evident, including provision of regular feedback and feed forward and strategies that promote students’ understandings of their current learning. These practices are not yet consistently embedded across the school to empower students to take greater responsibility for their learning.

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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Manawaru School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

• collaborative leadership that is focused on school improvement

• learning-focused relationships that underpin productive partnerships for achievement

• an inclusive culture of care that builds students’ confidence, responsibility and sense of belonging

• a responsive curriculum that supports valued learning outcomes.

Next steps

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

• use of collated achievement data to further inform decision making
• enhancing students’ understanding of their progress and next steps to build empowerment and responsibility for their own learning.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should be vigilant about possible hazards. Since the onsite phase of the ERO evaluation the board has addressed a potential safety risk pertaining to pool access.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

22 October 2019

About the school

1 Context

ManawarU School is located near to Te Aroha and the Kaimai Range. It is a full primary school that caters for children from Years 1 to 8. The school roll of 87, includes a small number Māori children and children from other nationalities.

Since the 2013 ERO review, two new teachers have joined the staff, a new board chair was elected and a Māori trustee was co-opted onto the board. Trustees are participating in ongoing training about their roles and responsibilities with an external provider.

Teachers have been involved in whole staff and ongoing professional development related to literacy and teaching as inquiry. Teachers have also participated in professional learning about mathematics and strategies to positively engage children in learning.

There has been progress made with the area for improvement identified in the 2013 ERO report related to strategic planning.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are clearly represented in the harakeke curriculum that focuses on the holistic development of students underpinned by the school's commitment to conservation and sustainability. The values are consistent with the key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum which identify students as communicators, thinkers, participators, contributors and self managers.

The school’s achievement information shows that all Māori students are achieving at and above National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Approximately 84% of all other children achieve above the National Standard in reading and mathematics, with 74% achieving in writing. Since 2013, the numbers of children achieving the National Standards in reading has steadily increased.

The school has a well-managed system for evidence-based moderation of student achievement in relation to National Standards, both within the school and with other schools in the Te Aroha Schools Administrative Cluster (TASAC).

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has:

• developed charter targets which focus on raising the achievement of priority students
• implemented a parent education programme to enhance reading opportunities for children
• had one teacher participate in Accelerated Learning in Mathematics (ALiM) and this learning has been shared with other teachers
• implemented whole staff, ongoing professional development in teaching as inquiry and literacy with an external provider
• continued to fund a teacher-aide to work in class with identified students
• continued to work alongside specialist agencies. 

3 Accelerating achievement

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

While the school can show that they have accelerated the progress of children, particularly in the first three years of school, this does not happen for all. There are a number of children who achieved below expected levels at the end of 2015, 13 in reading, 22 in writing and 14 in mathematics. In 2016, teachers identified children who needed to accelerate their achievement. In Years 6 to 8, data shows that target students make progress in literacy and mathematics but their achievement has not yet been accelerated. Data for mathematics and writing has yet to be analysed to show the rates of progress over time.

Factors that contribute to accelerating achievement in the school are:

• a number of appropriate programmes and interventions put in place to respond to the needs of identified students
• ongoing professional development in mathematics and writing
• recent professional development to support teachers to reflect on the effectiveness of their teaching, particularly for priority learners
• respectful relationships amongst teachers and students that promote positive attitudes to learning.

To continue to accelerate the progress of children, the principal and staff need to take a planned and deliberate approach to developing shared expectations for:

• the management and reporting of assessment information
• teaching practice and appraisal
• implementing culturally responsive practices as outlined in the Ministry of Education document Tātaiako
• evaluating the effectiveness of strategies and interventions provided for priority learners, particularly boys.

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's curriculum requires further development with particular attention to integrating ways to acknowledge and celebrate the language, culture and identity of every child. Trustees and the principal should continue to review and strengthen school-wide systems and processes for evidence-based reporting, internal evaluation, performance management and decision making in order to further enact the school's vision and targets.

Children experience many opportunities to learn in real-life contexts and explore the spacious natural surroundings that contributes to their growing confidence and resilience. There is an emphasis on learning about sustainability through the EnviroSchools programme. The school's curriculum places priority on literacy and mathematics, and learning progressions have been documented for these areas. A strong sense of belonging for children is fostered through the participation and support of families, some of whom have generational ties with the school. Children benefit from learning in a caring, collaborative and inclusive school culture.

Trustees are committed to sustaining supportive links with parents and the community. They work in positive partnership with the principal to maintain a focus on improving outcomes for students. A useful charter sets clear expectations for school direction, and includes targets for students requiring extra support. The board of trustees and principal continue to build their shared understanding of governance, and management roles and responsibilities through ongoing training with an external provider. They have allocated a number of appropriate resources to provide extra support for identified students. Evaluating the effectiveness of these decisions is now important so that trustees can be assured that programmes and initiatives result in accelerating individual children's achievement. Developing more robust systems for internal evaluation will support trustees to know that the school is meeting regulatory requirements.

The principal makes good use of her professional networks to build the professional development of staff with a view to extend the range of learning opportunities for children. She is encouraging teachers to build their understanding about making reliable judgements in relation to the National Standards. She continues to focus on raising the achievement of priority learners, particularly for boys in literacy.

Teachers are a collegial team and share professional learning to build their practice. ERO observed examples of teaching strategies that engage children in learning. Children with diverse learning needs are included in experiences that promote their inclusion and respond to their needs. Teachers work in positive partnership with specialist agencies to promote good outcomes for children requiring additional support.

The school benefits from positive and long-standing support from its wider community. The open-door policy, well-planned transitions, and effective communication strategies contribute to a strong sense of belonging and identity. Parents appreciate the twice-yearly meetings with teachers and the learning information shared in individual student assessment books. To continue to empower parents as informed partners in their children's learning teachers should now:

• more explicitly share children's learning and progress over time
• make greater use of digital technology in this process
• share the effectiveness of strategies and interventions for accelerating the progress of priority learners.

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
• respond to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
• regularly evaluate how teaching is working for these children
• need to systematically act on what they know works for each child
• need to have a plan in place to build teacher capability to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it. 

Strengths of the school to promote equitable outcomes for all students include:

• trustees who are supportive of the principal and teachers who maintain a focus on school improvement and development
• clear goals and targets for school direction and raising student achievement
• the principal and teachers' commitment to ongoing, relevant professional development and learning, and implementing this into classroom programmes
• an interesting curriculum that provides a wide range of real-life learning opportunities for children
• some effective teaching strategies modelled by experienced and knowledgeable teachers
• respectful and caring relationships among children, families and school staff.

More robust systems and processes are needed to accelerate the progress of at risk children, particularly boys. These include:

• documenting clear, shared, and high expectations for effective teaching practices and ensuring these are consistently implemented across the school
• identifying effective strategies that support and engage boys to make good progress and accelerate their learning
• providing robust feedback for teachers about their practice through the appraisal process
• to ensure all teachers are reflecting on and regularly evaluating the effectiveness of their teaching
• monitoring and reporting on progress towards agreed goals and targets
• continuing to increase parent's understanding about how to help their children's learning at home, particularly for those children achieving below expected levels.

Action: The board, principal and teachers should use the findings of this evaluation, the Effective School Evaluation resource, the Internal Evaluation: Good Practice exemplars and the School Evaluation Indicators to develop more targeted planning to accelerate student achievement. Planning should show how processes and practices will respond effectively to the strengths and needs of children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated.

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

Currently the school's systems and processes for appraisal, induction and mentoring are not fully compliant. To continually build and improve teaching practice in the school it is necessary to add rigour to this process. Reporting to parents is not yet in writing in relation to National Standards.

The board must ensure that:

1. the process for teacher appraisal and attestation is based on the Practising Teacher Criteria and meets the requirements of the New Zealand Education Council.
   [Part 31, Education Act, 1989]
2. reporting to parents in relation to National Standards, occurs in plain language and in writing at least twice a year.
   [National Administration Guideline 2A]

7 Recommendation

ERO recommends that the board seeks external support in order to bring about the following improvements:

This should include strengthening:

• quality assurance systems, processes and reporting
• appraisal and attestation systems and processes
• teaching practices for raising the achievement of students whose learning needs acceleration.

Attention to the areas for development identified in this ERO report should support the school to set clear expectations about learning and teaching, and continue to build their shared understanding of governance and management roles and responsibilities.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

14 December 2016

About the school