719 Thames Coast Road , Tapu, Thames
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Tapu School
Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
Background
This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Tapu School working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website www.ero.govt.nz
Context
Tapu School is a sole charge school located on the Thames coast road in the settlement of Tapu. The school provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school values of thinking, learning and fun underpin a localised curriculum that ‘encourages life-long learning’.
Tapu School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
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improving outcomes for all ākonga with particular focus on mathematics and te reo Māori
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promoting a love of learning for all ākonga within a context-based curriculum
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to provide a safe and stimulating environment for all ākonga to experience success and their personal best.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Tapu School’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school curriculum meets the individual needs of every child.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is that the school is a sole charge school with a small number of students. Each learner has individual planning to meet their educational and wellbeing needs. The evaluation will evidence the extent to which the school curriculum is providing opportunities for each student to ‘experience success and their personal best’ and improving learning outcomes.
The school expects to see:
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reporting to whānau reflecting progress made against set individual learning goals
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all learners, including those with diverse needs, progressing and achieving well mathematics and te reo Māori provision strengthened within the school curriculum.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to meet the needs of every child:
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small numbers of children supported by a school that is well resourced to cater for diverse learning needs
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well-established partnerships with whānau and the local community that promote a range of learning experiences within its local curriculum
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caring relationships that promote student wellbeing.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
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the growth of te reo Māori provision within the school
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refining the teaching and learning of mathematics within the curriculum
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working with students to ensure they are progressing well in relation to their individual goals.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
15 August 2022
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
Tapu School
Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2021 to 2024
As of September 2021, the Tapu School Board of Trustees has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
Board Administration
Yes
Curriculum
Yes
Management of Health, Safety and Welfare
Yes
Personnel Management
Yes
Finance
Yes
Assets
Yes
Further Information
For further information please contact Tapu School Board of Trustees.
The next Board of Trustees 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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
15 August 2022
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
Tapu School - 19/12/2018
School Context
Tapu School is a sole charge school located on the coast approximately 20 minutes from Thames Township. It has a current roll of seven. Students have access to a large area for play and exploration, library/information centre, swimming pool and two classroom teaching spaces. Five of the students are of Māori descent and their whānau are well represented on the board of trustees. The board chairperson continues in her role and the principal also remains in her role as teacher/professional leader. The school mission statement, ‘Whakaarohia, akohia, tau ke (A school where thinking and learning are fun) is supported by the vision ‘to encourage life-long learning by providing appropriate programmes and resources in a happy, safe and caring environment’. The school values a strong and visible Māori dimension. A review of culturally responsive practice is taking place during 2018.
The principal regularly reports to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
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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 outcomes for all of its students.
Achievement information gathered by the school from 2015 to 2017 shows the following:
The majority of all students achieved at or above expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.
Comparable achievement for boys, girls and between ethnicities.
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
The school is able to show progress for the very small group of Māori and other students whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.
The school clearly identifies all students whose learning is at risk. Reports to the board of trustees show that most students, including the small number whose learning is at risk, are making good progress with their learning.
The school is yet to systematically gather, analyse and report data specifically about rates of progress (expected and accelerated) for all Māori and other students who are achieving below expectation.
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 local curriculum is providing a sound foundation for teaching and learning. Aspects of the curriculum design and implementation that contribute to the achievement of excellence and equity are:
- authentic learning experiences across all learning areas
- learning environments that are managed in ways that support high levels of student engagement
- focused, responsive individual and small group instruction
- ongoing challenge and support for at-risk learners, including the involvement of external agencies and experts
- co-operative learning based on a culture of tuakana-teina.
School governance is effective in supporting ongoing improvements to student outcomes. Trustees are experienced in their roles and engaged with the community. They are well informed about student achievement, progress and wellbeing, and actively promote Māori students’ language, culture and identity. Trustees make informed decisions about school priorities based on achievement information provided by the principal. The board works collaboratively with the school’s leader to realise the school’s strategic goals and targets.
A strengths-based approach underpins relationships within the school and with parents and whānau. Frequent communication and responsive partnerships with parents are supporting student wellbeing and learning successes.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
Aspects of assessment require strengthening. Further review is necessary to implement progressions across the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), particularly in reading, writing and mathematics to support:
- teacher planning and assessment focused on accelerated progress
- students setting, monitoring and sharing meaningful and measurable learning goals
- greater student knowledge of their own progress and learning journey
- reporting to parents about accelerated outcomes for their children
- reporting to trustees about the overall effectiveness of learning programmes in achieving excellence and equity.
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:
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board administration
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curriculum
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management of health, safety and welfare
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personnel management
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finance
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asset management.
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
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emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
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physical safety of students
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teacher registration and certification
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processes for appointing staff
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stand down, suspension, expulsion and exclusion of students
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attendance
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school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
4 Going forward
Key strengths of the school
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
- a curriculum that promotes individual student engagement and wellbeing
- governance that is focused on improving outcomes for all learners, beginning with those at risk
- partnerships with parents and whānau that are strongly based on learning, wellbeing and inclusion.
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
- assessment practice to sharpen the focus on accelerating learning
- teaching strategies to enable greater student knowledge of their own learning, progress and next steps.
ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
19 December 2018
About the school
Location |
Thames |
Ministry of Education profile number |
1980 |
School type |
Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
School roll |
7 |
Gender composition |
Boys 4 Girls 3 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 5 |
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) |
No |
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
Review team on site |
October 2018 |
Date of this report |
19 December 2018 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review September 2015 |