307 Rolleston Street , Thames
View on mapThames South School caters for students in Years 1 to 8. It is located in the Coromandel township of Thames. The current roll of 138 students includes 101 who identify as Māori. Most of these whakapapa to the local Hauraki iwi. The school offers education in both English and Māori mediums as well as two Māori language in the English (bilingual) medium classes.
The school whakataukī is kia tupu ēnei kākano hei rākau nui, may these tender seedlings grow into mighty trees. The concept of manaakitanga – aroha mai, aroha atu embraces the “Four Cs” – caring for oneself, caring for others, caring for the environment, caring for property. These are promoted throughout the school.
The principal and deputy principal have remained the same since the 2015 ERO review. There has been some changes in the leadership team and teaching staff. The board comprises a mixture of new and experienced trustees.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
The school is a member of the Thames, Kauaeranga Kāhui Ako | Community of Learning, (CoL), and the principal is the lead principal of this CoL.
The school is achieving excellent outcomes for some of its students, but disparity for Māori and boys remains.
The majority of students are achieving at or above expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement in reading and writing has remained consistent for a number of years. There is disparity for Māori students in mathematics. There is significant disparity for boys in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2017 this disparity widened in reading and mathematics. The school reports that in 2017 some students in the Rūmaki achieved at or above expectations in pānui pukapuka and tuhituhi and the majority achieved at or above expectations in pāngarau and kōrero.
The school is not yet effectively accelerating the progress of those Māori and other students who need this.
The school reports that approximately 30% of Māori and other at-risk learners made accelerated progress. This progress was evident for the Auraki, Bilingual and Rūmaki sections of the school.
The school has recently introduced an acceleration approach across the school to improve its responsiveness to those students whose learning need accelerating.
The small number of students in the school who have been formally identified as having high needs all have individual learning plans. All these students are making progress against their identified learning goals and are experiencing success.
Whānau and community knowledge, language and culture are represented in resources and enacted across the curriculum. Various levels of fluency in te reo Māori are promoted by the Rūmaki, Bilingual and Auraki sections of the school in accordance with the aspirations of parents and whānau. A project-based approach to learning facilitates student involvement in many community initiatives. Students are given many opportunities to gain confidence in both Pākehā and Māori worlds as members of a bicultural society.
Senior leadership has established a strong foundation for building the capability and consistency of teaching. They have taken a well-considered approach to change and improvement which has enhanced the school’s culture of learning. Senior leaders, in collaboration with teachers, have established clear and consistent expectations and processes that support teaching and learning. There are strong policies, practices and initiatives which promote student wellbeing, and confidence in their identity, language and culture.
Students participate and learn in caring, collaborative, inclusive learning communities. They, their parents and whānau benefit from strong relationships with teachers and other school staff. Peer support for and service to other students is also evident. There are many ways in which the social and wellbeing needs of students and their whānau are addressed. Students are taught to self-manage and relate positively to others.
Systems for the identification of students with special needs are robust. The school has a range of interventions to respond to the needs of these students. Progress is tracked and monitored. The small number of high needs students have individual behaviour and education plans. The school works closely with parents, whānau and outside agencies to support these students. The special needs coordinator for the school is working with the Ministry of Education to facilitate better coordination between all the various agencies involved with individual students in order to improve outcomes.
The school and local community are engaged in reciprocal, learning-centred relationships. In the junior section of the school whānau are authentically engaged as partners to support their children’s learning. The wider Thames community also supports the school across a variety of initiatives.
There is now a need to:
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:
The school is a signatory to theEducation (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016established 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.
The school has reviewed its policy to ensure it meets its legislative obligations for the pastoral care of international students in homestay arrangements.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
the use of achievement information to inform learning and teaching
strengthening leadership across the school to ensure the strategic direction set by senior leaders is well enacted
embedding the school’s vision and values to ensure they are understood and well enacted
targeted planning to accelerate learning.
[ERO will monitor and discuss progress with the school.]
ERO recommends that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, as Administrator of the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016, follows up with the school to confirm it meets its responsibility for the pastoral care of international students in homestay arrangements.
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
29 June 2018
|
Location |
Thames |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
2027 |
|
School type |
Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
|
School roll |
138 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 58% Girls 42% |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 73% Pākehā 21% Pacific 5% Other 1% |
|
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) |
No |
|
Provision of Māori medium education |
Yes |
|
Number of Māori medium classes |
1 |
|
Total number of students in Māori medium (MME) |
13 |
|
Total number of students in Māori language in English medium (MLE) |
35 |
|
Number of students in Level 1 MME |
13 |
|
Number of students in Level 2 MME |
0 |
|
Review team on site |
May 2018 |
|
Date of this report |
29 June 2018 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review February 2015 Education Review February 2012 Education Review February 2009 |
The curriculum provides students with authentic opportunities to learn about themselves and the local environment. Parents and whānau actively participate in their children’s learning and school programmes. Trustees are committed to improving student achievement and positive outcomes for all.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Thames South School whakataukī of ‘Kia tipu ai enei kakano, hei rakau nui’ (may these tender seedlings grow into mighty trees) provides a shared sense of purpose for the school-wide community. Students are offered a number of educational pathways which include te reo Māori/English dual medium- Te Kowhai and Ngā Kāhui Whetu, Māori total immersion-Te Kawenga, Adventure learning and English medium. The school caters for students in Years 1 to 8.
The principles of whānau tangata (family and community), kotahitanga (holistic development), and ngā hononga (responsive relationships) are evident throughout the school and demonstrated by students, staff, parents and the wider school whānau. These principles ensure students benefit from highly effective partnerships, focused on the learning and holistic wellbeing of students and their whānau.
At the time of this ERO review the recently appointed principal had been at the school for three weeks.
Areas for development identified in the 2012 ERO report, include strengthening the presence of the bicultural dimensions in mainstream classrooms, and increasing teachers use of learning strategies and assessment. The special educational pathway programmes continue to be a feature of bicultural practices within the school. All teachers are continuing to progress ways to promote bicultural aspects within their classrooms. The school is reviewing and developing how assessment systems and processes inform teaching and learning strategies for teachers.
The school makes effective use of student achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ progress and achievement.
A significant majority of students are achieving at or above national standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers plan learning programmes in partnership with parents and whānau that address students’ learning needs and wellbeing. They continue to have regular professional development that is leading to students increased learning and engagement across the school.
School leaders and teachers use achievement information to report to parents about individual student achievement and progress. Parent teacher interviews, written reports, and regular hui keep parents well informed about their child’s learning.
The board receives achievement information that informs their decisions on initiatives that support programmes for specific students learning needs. School leaders recognise the need to further analyse achievement information so that clear school trends and patterns can be identified. This approach is likely to further assist school trustees and leaders to evaluate the overall effectiveness of school-wide programmes.
The school curriculum is responsive to the students learning needs. It clearly reflects the unique local context of Pare Hauraki and promotes:
Teachers use a range of teaching and learning strategies and continue to use formative assessment practices that promote, support and extend student learning. They work effectively together with parents, whānau and community to support students to make connections with their local and wider worlds.
Teachers are committed to providing meaningful learning opportunities for students. Good knowledge of their students, parents and whānau assists teachers to plan appropriate learning programmes. There is a commitment to student and whānau wellbeing. This approach leads to strong parent input into the curriculum.
Students have respectful tuakana-teina relationships leading to a strong sense of belonging within the school. They know their roles and responsibilities and play a significant part as members of the local community. Students work collaboratively to support each other in meeting common learning goals.
Students are highly engaged in their learning. They benefit from a wide range of opportunities that develop their identity, social and learning skills.
ERO and school leaders agree that it is timely for the school to evaluate the effectiveness of the current school curriculum.
Students are strongly affirmed in their culture, language and identity. Practices and protocols of tangata whenua, particularly kapa haka, waiata, whaikorero and karanga are a natural part of the daily life of the school. Students take pride in sharing their knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori and this is helping to further strengthen connections with parents, whānau and the wider community.
Students, parents and whānau have many opportunities to participate and celebrate cultural, sporting and academic achievements. Teachers, parents and whānau are actively involved in regular te reo Māori classes and other initiatives throughout the school. The school and its community recognise and actively promote Māori ways of being.
The following features contribute to the school being well placed to improve its performance.
School leaders have identified the need to develop and implement effective self-review frameworks and processes. The school should use these frameworks and processes to:
The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
The curriculum provides students with authentic opportunities to learn about themselves and the local environment. Parents and whānau actively participate in their children’s learning and school programmes. Trustees are committed to improving student achievement and positive outcomes for all.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
Northern Region
3 February 2015
|
Location |
Thames |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
2027 |
|
|
School type |
Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
|
|
School roll |
169 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 54% Boys 46% |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other |
65% 25% 10% |
|
Special Features |
Māori Immersion, Adventure Learning |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2014 |
|
|
Date of this report |
3 February 2015 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Education Review Education Review |
February 2012 February 2009 May 2006 |