Pāpāmoa Primary School

1 Context

Papamoa Primary School is located in the western Bay of Plenty and provides education for children in Years 1 to 6. The current roll is 560, with approximately 20% of children of Māori descent. The school is part of a community of learning with four other schools that are located in the same coastal area of Papamoa. Since the 2012 ERO review a new deputy principal has been appointed and there have been several strategic teaching appointments. The board of trustees (BoT) is a mix of experienced and new members.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are to become active, literate, numerate inquirers. The purpose statement is to 'enhance lifelong learning through continuous development of key learning competencies: collaboration, communication, creating, problem solving and self management'. These are underpinned by the values of achievement, curiosity, creativity, respect and community.

The school’s achievement information shows that from 2014 to 2016 there has been an increase in the overall achievement of Māori children in reading, writing and mathematics. Data for 2016 shows the vast majority of children, including Māori, are achieving at or above National Standards in all areas. The proportion of Māori children achieving National Standards is in reading (93%), writing (85%) and mathematics (83%).

The school reports that achievement information in reading, writing and mathematics from 2014 to 2016 for all children is tracking upwards. 2016 data shows boys are achieving comparably to girls in reading and writing and slightly higher in mathematics.

Teachers work collaboratively, using a range of assessment information and their professional knowledge to make overall judgements (OTJs) about children's achievement levels in relation to National Standards. Regular internal and external moderation of OTJs has strengthened the reliability of judgements and supports the identification of achievement trends and patterns within the school and across the community of schools.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has focused on the following actions to improve learning outcomes for children and accelerate learning and achievement:

• Defined accelerated learning and strengthened teachers' understanding of the analysis and use of achievement information to accelerate children's progress.
• Developed distributive leadership to improve school-wide cohesion in the regular tracking, monitoring and reporting of children at risk of not achieving expected outcomes.
• Targeted interventions to respond to identified needs, strengths and interests of children and regularly evaluated their effectiveness, using achievement information.
• Identified and responded to emerging trends and patterns in children's achievement.
• Continued to develop teachers' capabilities through professional development, including targeted mentoring and coaching, and collaborative evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching practice.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The school responds effectively to Māori children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration. The gap between Māori and other children's achievement has reduced in 2013 to 2015, with a significant reduction occurring 2015 to 2016. The accelerated rates of progress for Māori are being sustained over time.

Achievement data for 2016 shows rates of progress for Māori children identified as not yet achieving National Standards. In reading, 8 of the 12 made accelerated progress by the end of the year, 10 of the 20 in writing and 8 of the 21 in mathematics also made accelerated progress. The school has effective processes, systems and practices in place to achieve equitable outcomes for Māori children.

Trustees set annual targets aimed at accelerating the progress of Māori children at risk of not achieving expected levels, and increasing the number attaining National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders and teachers have developed robust systems to identify, respond to, and monitor the progress and achievement of targeted Māori children. The achievement and progress of these children is regularly reported to the board so that appropriate resourcing decisions are made in a timely manner.

There is clear alignment of school-wide systems and practices. Teachers work collaboratively to accelerate the progress of Māori children who are working below expected levels. They meet regularly, taking collective responsibility for Māori learners. Teachers discuss strategies that are responsive to each child's strengths, interests and needs, with consideration of each child's circumstances. Leaders and teachers make effective use of this information and learning progressions to develop personalised programmes designed to accelerate learning and achievement of targeted students.

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

The school is responding effectively to other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. Teachers use purposeful strategies to identify and respond to children whose achievement is below expected levels.

The school's achievement data for other at risk groups indicates rates of progress. By the end of 2016, half of these targeted children had made accelerated progress in reading and writing, and a third in mathematics. The school reports, and data confirms that the level of gender disparity is decreasing, particularly for boys in writing.

Targeted children benefit from a range of appropriate intervention programmes. Leaders regularly use achievement information to evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives and adapt programmes as necessary. They also carefully monitor the achievement of children over time to ensure accelerated progress is sustained.

Teachers use a range of evidence and research to inquire into the progress and achievement of targeted children. This 'teaching as inquiry process' is providing a valuable forum for them to share effective practice and build their own capability to respond to and meet the needs of at risk learners. Teachers are well supported to adapt their practice and more effectively engage children in purposeful learning programmes and raise their achievement.

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, processes and practices are effective in enacting the school's vision and values for equity and excellence for all children. It is broad, rich and responsive to children's interests and needs. There is increasing implementation of future-focussed teaching and learning, including:

• high levels of collaboration, for both teachers and children
• authentic contexts that are meaningful for children
• flexible learning spaces
• digital technologies to support and enhance children's motivation and inquiry learning.

Children are confident and highly engaged in their learning. They learn in a caring, collaborative and inclusive environment. Children with special needs are well supported with appropriate programmes and assistance. Children benefit from a range of extra-curricular activities and leadership opportunities that foster tuakana-teina relationships where older children support the learning of their younger peers. All children, including those who need additional support with their learning, benefit from the settled and positive culture of the school.

There are effective strategies in place that are enabling children to identify and manage their goals, achievement and next steps for learning. The school identified targeted professional development for teachers to improve the quality and consistency of this practice schoolwide. These strategies support children to take greater responsibility for their own learning.

Parents receive informative written reports twice a year explaining their child's achievement in relation to National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. These are supported by three-way conferences where goals and next steps in learning are identified and discussed. There is an ongoing focus to strengthen learning partnerships for learning for all targeted children. Parents, whānau and teachers work together regularly with children to identify strengths, needs, goals and progress, and to plan responsive learning strategies and activities.

School leaders effectively lead learning across the school. They facilitate extensive professional development to build the collective capacity of staff in literacy and mathematics. To support capacity building, the board funds extra non-contact time for teachers' planning, and to enable coaching and mentoring in effective practices for learning and teaching. Teachers are well supported to build their knowledge and confidence, and to implement classroom programmes that are responsive to children's identified needs.

The appraisal process is successfully promoting quality teaching and learning. A supportive induction and mentoring process for new staff fosters collegiality and commitment to enacting the school vision. The inquiry, reflection and evaluation processes are having a positive impact on teachers’ skills and confidence in responding effectively to children whose learning needs acceleration.

Leaders are supportive of the Ngā Potiki, Hui Ahurei o nga Kura o Ngā Potiki, Ministry of Education initiative, which is bringing cluster schools, students and whānau together to work on raising Māori children's achievement in numeracy. This initiative is underpinned by Māori values of kotahitanga, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and ako, and aligns well with the school's strategic aim to develop culturally responsive practice in its curriculum. Almost all of the children participating in this initiative made accelerated progress in 2016 and have enhanced their language, culture and sense of identity.

The school has acknowledged the next step is for them to strengthen community connections through whānau forums to ensure Māori aspirations are realised and integral in all aspects of the curriculum. This is likely to promote further success for Māori, and increase the bicultural understanding and appreciation of all children in the school.

Leaders and teachers actively promote opportunities for excellence. Children's learning competencies are broadened and extended through more challenging inquiry and problem solving. The school is continuing to prioritise these strategies in order to achieve and maintain their goals of equity and excellence.

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 effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
• regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
• act on what they know works well for each child
• build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
• are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

Current strengths are:

• trustees, who make well-informed resourcing decisions to promote equity and excellence
• leaders, who are strongly focused on reducing disparity and ensuring equitable outcomes for all learners
• leadership for learning to build teacher capability with particular emphasis on intentional teaching strategies to accelerate children's progress and achievement
• evidence-based systems for internal evaluation to sustain effective practice and guide continual improvement and innovation.

The school is very well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children. Through its comprehensive internal evaluation processes, leaders should continue to:

• promote the practices focused on student agency and ownership of learning
• strengthen partnerships with Māori whānau, and the development of the te Ao Māori vision for Papamoa Primary School.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five 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.

7 Recommendation

ERO recommends that the school continues to promote its effective approaches for achieving equity and excellence for all children. 

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato / Bay of Plenty

15 February 2017 

About the school