Paengaroa School

School Context

Paengaroa School is located in a semi-rural setting east of Te Puke township. The school caters for 204 students from Years 1 to 6 and approximately half are Māori. There are a small number of students from a range of other cultural backgrounds.

The vision states that Paengaroa is a school ‘where learning has no boundaries.’ The strategic charter goals for 2019 are focused on:

• student engagement and achievement
• building teachers’ cultural responsiveness
• enhancing the school culture
• developing the school environment and resources.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• reading, writing and mathematics.

Since the previous ERO report in early 2017, the principal and deputy principal both continue in their roles. A new assistant principal was appointed at the beginning of 2019. Leaders and teachers have undertaken professional learning in cultural responsiveness, mathematics and special education. There have been some changes of trustees.

The 2019 achievement targets are:

• to raise the achievement of Māori boys in writing, reading and mathematics to at least 85% at or above expectation
• to raise the achievement of students in mathematics for Year 5 and 6 students to more than 85% at or above expectation.

The school is a member of the Te Puke Community of Learning|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?

Overall the school is achieving consistently good outcomes for most students, but not yet achieving equitable outcomes in reading and writing.

The school’s data from 2018 shows that most students are achieving at or above expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori students and boys are achieving at significantly lower levels in writing in comparison to Pākehā students and girls. Some disparity also remains for these groups of students in reading. This pattern of disparity has been consistent over time. All students are working at comparable levels in mathematics.

Students with additional learning needs are well supported and make appropriate progress in relation to their individual goals.

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

The school is accelerating the learning of some Māori and other students who need this in reading, writing and mathematics.

The school’s analysed data from 2018 shows less than half of priority students including Māori made accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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 is effectively building an environment focused on student achievement. Leaders model orderly and supportive practices that are conducive to learning and wellbeing. Effective collaboration through a supportive team culture builds professional knowledge and relational trust. A priority has been placed on building teaching capability in cultural responsiveness to address the identified disparity. Leaders have established clear alignment of the school’s documentation with practices. The board uses information provided by leaders to make informed resourcing decisions that promote equitable opportunities to learn. Distributed and emergent leadership is valued and encouraged.

Teachers are responsive to individual students’ interests, strengths and needs. Students whose learning needs acceleration are clearly identified, and planning is in place to support and monitor their learning. Regular liaison takes place with an appropriate range of external agencies to effectively support learning for staff, students and families. Positive and respectful relationships enhance and promote the inclusive culture for learning. Learning environments are calm and settled. Teachers use a range of strategies and programmes to support students’ achievement, provide challenges and enhance enjoyment of learning. Transitions into, through and out of the school are managed sensitively by teachers.

Students enjoy learning through a rich curriculum. The school’s vision is well known and underpins all curriculum decision making. Relevant and authentic contexts are woven throughout the curriculum and school life. Māori students are affirmed in their language, culture and identity through participation in te reo and tikanga practices. Students are able to talk about their learning.

Parents and families are welcomed into the life of the school. Strategies to support parent partnerships for learning are actively promoted. Parents are well informed about their children’s learning and progress through regular opportunities for both formal and informal communication. The board places value on seeking and responding to whānau feedback and their aspirations. Organised whānau hui are well attended each term.

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

Aspects of the management and use of achievement information need strengthening. Leaders and teachers closely monitor and report on individual children’s achievement and progress. However, analysing this assessment information to identify trends, patterns and rates of progress over time for groups of learners will better inform planning and decision making.

ERO and leaders have identified the need to develop and embed systems that empower students to take more responsibility for their own learning. Priority should be given to building a school wide approach, to improve the consistency of practice. In addition, leaders and teachers should consider ways to provide specific feedback and feed forward to students to enhance knowledge and understanding of their own learning and next steps.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

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 Paengaroa School’s

performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance 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 focused on school improvement
• teaching practice that is responsive to students’ wellbeing and learning needs
• rich and diverse opportunities across the curriculum that support student outcomes
• effective relationships that enhance learning-focused partnerships.

Next steps

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

• targeted action to reduce disparity, especially in literacy for Māori students and boys
• empowering students to lead their own learning.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

5 December 2019

About the school

Location	Te Puke
Ministry of Education profile number	1882
School type	Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
School roll	204
Gender composition	Male 53% Female 47%
Ethnic composition	Māori 50% NZ European/Pākehā 42% Other ethnic groups 8%
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)	Yes
Provision of Māori medium education	No
Review team on site	September 2019
Date of this report	5 December 2019
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review February 2017 Education Review February 2014 Education Review December 2009