Taneatua School

Education institution number:
1978
School type:
Full Primary
School gender:
Co-Educational
Total roll:
122
Telephone:
07-3129365
Address:

44 McKenzie Street , Taneatua

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Taneatua School

School Evaluation Report 

Tēnā koutou e mau manawa rahi ki te kaupapa e aro ake nei, ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa. Mā wai rā e kawe, mā tātau katoa. 

We acknowledge the collective effort, responsibility and commitment by all to ensure that the child remains at the heart of the matter. 

Context 

​​Taneatua School​ provides education for students in Years 1 to 8 in the rural township of Taneatua, near Whakatāne. Most student whakapapa to hapū within Ngāi Tūhoe, the local iwi. The school has six English medium and two rumaki classes, Te Uruuru Mātauranga. 

There have been two relieving principals in the school over the past year. The school board is in the process of appointing a permanent principal. 

There are three parts to this report. 

Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation. 

Part B: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings. 

Part C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals 

Since the previous report in August 2021, ERO and the school worked together to evaluate how well the school has developed effective systems and processes for internal evaluation. 

Expected Improvements and Findings 

The school expected to see:

Established systems to consistently track and monitor student progress and achievement.

  • Processes for tracking and monitoring student progress and achievement are in early stages of development and are not yet consistent across the school.

Improved progress and achievement for all students, with emphasis on accelerated progress for those not yet achieving expected curriculum levels.

  • A small number of students are progressing within curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics; improving students’ progress and achievement is a key next step.

Other Findings

During the course of the evaluation, the school established a second Rumaki class and strengthened cultural connections within the school, its community and iwi.

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action is the embedding across the school of Ngāi Tūhoe karakia, hīmene and waiata. This has resulted in increased student engagement in learning and a sense of belonging within their cultural identity.

Part B: Current State

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing

Outcomes are beginning to improve for some students; improving students’ progress and achievement remains a priority.
  • A small majority of students are achieving at their expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics with a small number of targeted students making accelerated progress, particularly in reading.
  • Reliable schoolwide student achievement information is in the initial stages of development.
  • Less than a third of students attend school regularly; improving regular attendance is an urgent priority for the school, whānau and community to address.

Conditions to support learner success

School leaders are improving their practices to improve the quality teaching and learning.
  • Leaders focus on improving the consistency of teaching programmes through high expectations for quality teaching and learning to lift student outcomes.
  • Students requiring learning support are identified and provided with assistance that is beginning to progress their learning.
  • Students’ confidence and knowledge in their identity and culture is growing through planned, daily integration of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into learning programmes.
Teaching practices are beginning to improve learning opportunities for students.
  • A structured literacy approach in the junior school supports improved outcomes for some students in reading.
  • Teachers are beginning to use assessment information to guide planning to meet the learning needs of students; this as an area for ongoing improvement.
  • Respectful teacher and student relationships support an inclusive learning environment that promotes learning and a sense of belonging.
Leaders are beginning to develop improved school conditions for improvement.
  • Leaders are beginning to involve parents and whānau to share their aspirations for their children; this information should be used to inform the school’s strategic planning and curriculum priorities.
  • Students’ wellbeing and hauora is supported through an established programme, linked to school values, that focuses on positively growing skills for self-regulation, identity and sense of belonging.
  • Increasing the use of data and evidence to better inform planning, monitoring and evaluation for improvement remains a priority for teachers, leaders and the board.
  • Increasing the effective use of data and evidence by teachers, leaders and the board to inform planning and conditions that support the quality of education for learners, is a priority.

Rumaki/Bilingual Outcomes and Conditions to Support Tamariki

Tamariki success and wellbeing 

  • Te Marau o Tūhoe ensures tamariki learning is grounded in the reo and tikanga of Tūhoe and Te Haahi Ringatu. Kaiako promote authentic learning for tamariki through the participation in a range of local kaupapa.
  • Kaiako provide a range of scaffolding strategies to support learning in Te Uruuru Mātauranga. Language acceleration through the practice of karakia, hīmene and waiata is prioritised to support the progress of tamariki not yet achieving at their expected curriculum levels.
  • Quality reo speaking kaiako and kaiāwhina with deep knowledge and practices of Tūhoe and the re-establishment of Te Kura Teina, are preparing tamariki to transition seamlessly within Te Uruuru Mātauranga. 

Part C: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

  • develop schoolwide consistency in effective assessment practices and responsive teaching strategies to support high expectations for student achievement and quality teaching and learning
  • improve student outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics, with an urgent focus on accelerating the progress for those who are not yet meeting curriculum level expectations
  • prioritise strategic goals and objectives to develop and grow Te Uruuru Mātauranga, to meaningfully engage tamariki in learning
  • improve rates of regular attendance for all students.

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within three months:

  • implement improvement plans for literacy and mathematics development that include regular monitoring of teacher practice, outcomes for students, and next steps for continued progress
  • establish and monitor schoolwide assessment practices for teachers and leaders to consistently evaluate the impact of teaching practices on student outcomes
  • develop and implement strategies to improve rates of attendance for students by setting an annual improvement target with a supporting action plan
  • collaborate with whānau hapū and iwi to inform the strategic growth and development of Te Uruuru Mātauranga

Every six months:

  • review the quality of teaching, learning and assessment practices in reading, writing and mathematics; use this information to prioritise actions for continued improvement
  • monitor accelerated progress for students identified as not yet achieving expected outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics, to identify areas of success and guide responsive next steps
  • review and evaluate the progress of Te Uruuru Mātauranga and the impact on tamariki learning and wellbeing, to inform ongoing progress
  • monitor and report on the impact of strategies used to improve regular student attendance

Annually: 

  • thoroughly analyse student achievement and accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics; use this information to guide targeted teaching and strategic planning priorities
  • evaluate schoolwide consistency in the planning and implementation of reading, writing and mathematics teaching, to establish high quality teaching practice and improvement priorities
  • analyse and report on the effectiveness of Te Uruuru Mātauranga strategic goals and objectives for improving tamariki learning and wellbeing
  • assess and report attendance patterns and successful strategies to improve regular attendance levels. 

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in: 

  • significantly improved, schoolwide engagement and achievement outcomes for all students in literacy and mathematics
  • effective use of assessment information to guide schoolwide improvement priorities, and improve teaching and learning practices
  • improved outcomes through the quality provision of te reo Māori for all tamariki in Te Uruuru Mātauranga
  • increased rates of regular attendance.

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education provide Taneatua School with tailored support and access to leadership and teacher professional development to:

  • increase teachers’ knowledge and understanding of effective teaching, learning and assessment practices in literacy and mathematics, to accelerate students’ progress and achievement
  • improve the proficiency for leadership of learning, and stewardship to develop sustainable schoolwide systems and processes for ongoing school improvements, to support the quality of education for students.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.

Me mahi tahi tonu tātau, kia whai oranga a tātau student
Let’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children

​​Sharon Kelly
Director of Schools (Acting)

​​14 March 2025​

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

Taneatua School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report ​2024​ to ​2027​

As of ​August 2024​, the ​Taneatua School​ Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

​​Yes​

Curriculum

​​No​

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

​​Yes​

Personnel Management

​​Yes​

Finance

​​Yes​

Asset

​​Yes​

Actions for Compliance

​​ERO and the board have​ identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

  • the requirement to adopt a statement on the delivery of the health curriculum at least once in every two years, after consultation with the school community
    [Section 91 Education and Training Act 2020]
  • the requirement to complete safety checks of an employee
    [Section 31 Children’s Act 2014; Sections 5 and 8 Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015]
  • the requirement to report to the school’s community on the progress and achievement of students
    [Section 165 (4) Education and Training Act 2020].

The board has since ​taken steps to address​ the areas of non-compliance identified.

Further Information

For further information please contact ​Taneatua School​ Board.

The next School Board assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.

Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.

Sharon Kelly
Director of Schools (Acting)

​​14 March 2025​

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

Taneatua School

Findings

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement is that Tāneatua School has made sufficient progress to address the areas that were identified and will now transition to ERO’s School Evaluation for Improvement | Te Ara Huarau model.

1 Background and Context

What is the background and context for this school’s review?

Tāneatua School is located in the rural township of Tāneatua near Whakatāne, with students in Years 1 to 8. There are five English medium and two Māori medium classes. Most of the current 129 students whakapapa to various hapū within Ngai Tūhoe, the local iwi. A new principal, deputy and board chair started in April 2019 after the 2018 ERO report was confirmed.

2 Review and Development

How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?

Priorities identified for review and development

The areas for review and development in the 2018 ERO report focused on:

  • strengthening the quality of teacher practice
  • improving systems for managing student behaviour and meeting student pastoral needs
  • building systems and processes that enable leaders to better collate and use assessment data to track and monitor progress and achievement
  • developing systematic and coherent systems for internal evaluation that focus on improving outcomes for students.
Progress
Strengthening the quality of teacher practice

Clear and high expectations for teacher planning and delivery are in place. The board has committed significant funding to a range of teacher professional development that responds to identified student needs and builds on effective practice. The principal has led school-wide professional development in the teaching of mathematics. More recently there has been a significant focus on innovative approaches to literacy teaching.

The use of effective and innovative teaching strategies to respond to students’ learning needs is highly visible, particularly in literacy and te reo matatini. Effective strategies observed by ERO include:

  • the use of the learning progressions of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and the kauneketanga of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA) to identify students who are at risk of not achieving and to identify their learning needs
  • flexible grouping of students to facilitate learning where a teina tuakana approach can be promoted
  • simplified planning templates that show alignment between student learning needs and planned activities
  • the natural integration of Tāneatuatanga and Tūhoetanga
  • learning made more visible to students
  • cooperative learning
  • a refined and integrated focus on the teaching of phonics to assist students to decode when learning to read in English.

The development of a positive culture for learning amongst teachers has resulted in high levels of consistency across many areas of practice. There is a strengths-based approach to teacher support and development. Teachers have been supported to develop their leadership capability. The learnings from professional development are freely shared and professional discussions are common. Teachers plan collaboratively and they celebrate their development.

Students in many classrooms can discuss their current learning level, the level they are aiming for by the end of the year and the next steps in learning. There are examples of highly effective practice in giving feedback and feedforward that align with students’ current goals and promote learner agency. Sharing these good practices across all classrooms is the next step.

Continuing to strengthen the professional leadership of the Rūmaki classes is needed to ensure teachers are able to keep up to date with evidence-based best practice, derived from research in the fields of Rūmaki education and second language acquisition.

Improving systems for managing student behaviour and meeting student pastoral needs

Respectful, caring, and supportive relationships between students and teachers are highly visible contributing to a calm and settled learning environment. A well-embedded approach to behaviour management promotes student self-management. Students with high behaviour needs and other special needs participate fully in the day-to-day life of the classroom within an inclusive school culture. They participate in interventions that strengthen pro-social behaviours and self-management of emotions. There has been a significant decrease in the number of serious behaviour incidents in the school.

Building systems and processes which enable leaders to better collate and use assessment data to track and monitor progress and achievement

The school has reviewed its assessment and aromatawai schedules. An appropriate range of assessment and aromatawai tools is being used. The principal has led professional development about how to make overall teacher judgements (OTJs). They meet with each teacher twice a year to discuss the robustness of these OTJs. Many informal professional discussions occur particularly when there are contradictions in the data.

The school tracks student progress and achievement using the learning progressions of the NZC and the kauneketanga of TMoA through a new student management system (SMS). Curriculum expectations for achievement are being developed and the assessment schedule will continue to be reviewed as the SMS becomes embedded.

The school agrees they need to continue to move the focus of assessment from achievement to both progress and achievement, specifically to accelerating the progress of students at risk of not achieving.

To do this, there needs to be:

  • a greater focus on monitoring and tracking the rates of progress of individual students at classroom and syndicate level
  • a greater focus in teacher professional discussion on the strategies found to be successful in accelerating student progress
  • a change in charter targets from percentage increases in overall achievement, to a focus on accelerating the progress of all students who are at risk of not achieving.
Developing systematic and coherent systems for internal evaluation that focus on improving outcomes for students.

The school has recently engaged with an external provider to provide a comprehensive and regularly updated policy framework. The framework includes a full cycle of review to ensure policies and procedures remain current.

The school’s strategic plan contains a range of appropriate strategic goals across several areas of school operation. It contains annual goals that generally align with these. The strategic plan has the potential to be strengthened as a tool for evaluation, by ensuring a clear and coherent alignment between strategic and annual goals and student outcomes.

3 Sustainable performance and self review

How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance?

Trustees, leaders, and teachers have established a foundation of values, leadership, tone, climate and relationships likely to sustain and improve student learning - engagement, progress and achievement. They have developed the capacity to respond effectively to current or emergent issues and have built the capability to sustain and continue to improve student achievement.

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

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement is that Tāneatua School has made sufficient progress to address the areas that were identified and will now transition to ERO’s School Evaluation for Improvement | Te Ara Huarau model.

Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
2 August 2021

About the school

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.