Makahu School

School Context

Makahu School is a small rural school catering for children in Years 1 to 8. It is approximately 40 kilometres east of Stratford off the ‘Forgotten Highway’. The current roll is 13 students.

Preparing students academically, physically, emotionally and socially for the future is the school’s aim. The symbol of the school, the Makahu (White Hawk) encapsulates the vision and values, and the hawk’s feathers represent the importance of The New Zealand Curriculum Key Competencies, as ‘without all these things in place the hawk cannot soar.’

The ‘Flight Feathers’, “Achiever, Communicator, Thinker, Team Player, Solve Problems”, reflect the dispositions of students to be life-long learners, connected to the land, environment, and people.

The strategic plan prioritises on-going student improvement in writing, developing and promoting the Key Competencies, and the use of technology to enhance learning.

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

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics, in relation to the levels of The New Zealand Curriculum
• progress in relation to targets for accelerating learning
• attendance and engagement.

Board members and staffing remain the same since the June 2015 ERO report.

The school is part of the Eastern Districts school cluster and has joined the Stratford Kāhui Ako. This participation includes involvement in staff professional learning and development (PLD) and provides sporting and cultural interaction for students. Teachers have also been involved in the Ministry of Education initiative, Accelerating Learning in Literacy in 2016, 2017 and through the Kāhui Ako in writing.

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?

Most students are achieving at or above the school’s expectation in reading, writing and mathematics. Data over the past three years indicates there have been improved outcomes for all students.

Girls achieve highly with nearly all at or above expectation. While there is disparity between boys’ and girls’ achievement, boys’ achievement has improved over time, with the majority achieving at expectation in reading and mathematics.

Students that remain at Makahu School over time show greater achievement outcomes.

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

The school is responding effectively to most children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

Students requiring acceleration are clearly identified in teacher’s inquiry in reading, writing and mathematics. These students all show progress, with assessment indicating acceleration for some. There continues to be a focus on improving boys’ achievement in writing.

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 environment has a positive tone. Children work cooperatively and high expectations for learning are evident. The classroom is settled and learning-focused. The teaching principal supports learning with well-considered prompts, strategies and feedback. Relationships between students and with teachers are respectful and supportive. There is a collective responsibility for, and a strong focus on improving student learning, achievement and wellbeing.

Students experience a broad curriculum that is attuned to their interests and providesopportunities to learn in authentic contexts. Learners take advantage of the wide range of experiences available and are able to participate at their level. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and their voice informs and shapes the responsive curriculum. Students are challenged and their success affirmed.

A bicultural perspective is evident through active use of te reo Māori. Te ao Māori is relevant and meaningfully woven through the curriculum, class displays, language prompts and artefacts. There is an emphasis on the role of students through Kaitiaki - tanga, as environmental caretakers.

Strong support from families and the community continues to be a feature of the school. Ongoing communication engages parents in the school, their child’s learning, and in providing and supporting learning opportunities. Within this, there is a focus on the use of community to build connected, confident and actively involved learners.

The school has sound systems and processes to promote equitable outcomes for all children. Comprehensive tracking and data analysis is used, and mid- year 2018 data indicates increasing outcomes for all children across the curriculum. All children and families are well known. Each child’s needs are individually catered for through relevant interventions and a range of internal and external supports that provide assistance and extension opportunities.

The board has sound procedures and practices to effectively meet its stewardship role. Staff set a coherent and aligned strategic plan for school goals, targets and expectations, and how to achieve these. Equity and excellence for all students are given priority, through resourcing and provision of experiences towards meeting the board’s expectation that, “every day is a learning day.” Trustees are well informed about student achievement and progress towards meeting their charter goals. They contribute to inquiry and evaluation with a purposeful and improvement focussed approach.

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

The school’s appraisal process has undergone a number of changes over the past three years with an external provider now providing appraisal. The system needs to be strengthened to include the revised Education Council Standards for the teaching profession, and include a framework for observations and feedback. Continuing to build more rigour should support teachers and leaders to further develop their professional capability.

The curriculum is aligned to the values and key competencies ofThe New Zealand Curriculum. It prioritises literacy and mathematics. Continuing to review and refine the curriculum, and delivery guidelines, should ensure the school’s vision for successful learning is enacted.

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 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

• alignment of strategic planning, teacher’s inquiry, professional development provision and student achievement targets that are focused on improving all students’ outcomes
• authentic purposeful learning opportunities for all students that reflect a commitment to excellence and equity
• collaborative relationships between leadership, parents and community that support and enhance students’ learning and wellbeing.

Next steps

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

• strengthening appraisal systems to monitor and evaluate changes in teacher practice and student outcomes
• refining the documented curriculum of ‘what happens at Makahu’, to ensure curriculum design and enactment align.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review & Improvement Services Central

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

3 September 2018

About the school

Findings

Makahu School is well supported and valued by its community. The new principal and trustees are focused on establishing systems and processes that should improve and sustain education for students. Plans are to develop a curriculum that will integrate the local environment, culture and history to respond effectively to students' individual needs.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Makahu School is situated in a rural Taranaki valley north east of Stratford. It caters for 17 students in Years 1 to 8.

The school is well supported by the community. The Makahu School committee raises significant funds to enhance curriculum experiences for the students. Senior students use the Video Learning Network to support their learning and broaden the curriculum.

Students enjoy camps and a range of activities linked to the local environment. They have opportunities for leadership. Former students return to provide information for senior students approaching their move to secondary school.

Since the October 2011 ERO report, several changes of principal have impacted on the school’s capacity to address the areas for review and development outlined in the previous report. A new principal joined the school in November 2014.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

Makahu School is beginning to develop systems and processes that should support the use of achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement.

The principal identifies that the assessment data collected in 2013 and 2014 was not sufficiently reliable. Subsequently, the annual school-wide analysis and reporting was broad and did not clearly show how planned actions contributed to children’s achievement and progress.

Base-line data has been gathered in literacy and mathematics at the start of 2015. This shows that around half of the students are meeting National Standards expectations. Results at the end of Term 1 show most students progressed in reading and mathematics. Some made accelerated progress.

Ongoing review and development of assessment tools is providing more reliable data. The school is considering how to develop assessment practice in the wider curriculum through integrating inquiry learning. The principal agrees that moderating staff assessment of students' learning across the curriculum, and with other schools, is likely to lead to greater accuracy in teachers' overall judgements about student achievement.

Data is analysed to identify students' learning needs and inform decisions about teaching strategies. It is also used to group students with similar needs. Those who are at risk of underachieving are provided with targeted teaching and additional support. External support is accessed and targeted to students identified with more complex learning needs.

Teachers monitor and track students' progress regularly and share outcomes with the board and with parents through student portfolios.

Trustees are now receiving useful achievement information that includes standardised and normreferenced data. This informs decisions about resourcing. An additional teacher has been provided to work with junior students whose rates of progress need accelerating in literacy and mathematics.

Parents receive twice yearly reports and have opportunities to conference with teachers and students. With the increase in reliable data available to teachers, it is timely to review how and what achievement information is shared with parents.

Poor attendance of some students has impacted on their learning and progress. Trustees and teachers continue to explore and develop strategies to improve these students’ attendance and engagement.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

Makahu School’s vision and values are well articulated. However, curriculum review and development since the 2011 ERO review has been limited. Presently, teachers are focused on developing students' essential literacy and mathematics skills so that they form a strong foundation for future learning.

The existing curriculum statements and documents provide clear guidelines for the delivery and assessment of learning areas, particularly in literacy and mathematics. There is a useful range of effective strategies for teaching.

Teaching promotes a positive learning environment. Students are highly engaged, respectful and considerate. They are clear about the purpose of their learning.

Teachers revisit students' prior learning and value their previous experiences. Effective use of questioning promotes and clarifies thinking. Teachers are improving students' self-management skills and ability to take more responsibility for their own learning. More consistent and effective use of formative assessment strategies is likely to improve how students are supported to take an active and independent role in their learning

More specific planning is required, particularly for students who are at risk of underachievement. This should help teachers identify which strategies make the biggest difference to children’s learning.

The principal has identified, and ERO agrees, that it is timely to review and develop the school’s curriculum to:

• reaffirm the school's and community’s collective values and aspirations
• better reflect current practice
• include rich, authentic and local contexts for learning
• clearly state how learning areas other than literacy and numeracy are covered and assessed through an integrated, topic approach.

Trustees provide significant financial support for teachers to develop professionally, through good access to professional learning and development, mentoring and working with other schools. Teachers are clear that they need to strengthen their teaching to meet the individual needs of students. What is expected for effective teaching in a multi-level classroom requires clarification and development.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

Presently there are no students at Makahu School who identify as Māori.

A parent provides support for the teaching of te reo Māori. The principal has indicated that he intends to integrate more of the local environment and history into students’ learning. The proposed review of the school’s curriculum should include how well it responds to the identity, culture and language of all students.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school needs to strengthen its sustainable practices.

Self review is occurring in response to data analysis and is leading to improvements. The new principal and board are committed to producing accurate and frequent student achievement information to better inform decision making and setting of the school's school strategic priorities.

An appraisal framework has been developed for 2015, linking to the school strategic goals. Teachers identify specific students and strategies to support their progress and achievement. There are opportunities for observation and feedback. Rigorous implementation of appraisal linked directly to the school’s achievement targets, is likely to improve teachers' performance and outcomes for students.

The board is highly committed to providing a successful school for students and the community. The stable board and experienced trustees are focused on improving outcomes for students. They actively seek advice and guidance from external agencies and fully understand their statutory reporting obligations. Clear roles and responsibilities are rotated to support succession planning.

Trustees are responding to the needs of the new principal. They provide additional release time and increased staffing to promote achievement and support the school's strategic direction.

The principal and trustees acknowledge that developing a shared understanding of self review and evaluation is required to:

• strengthen annual planning and target setting,
• review of the effectiveness of the curriculum
• establish what make the difference to students' learning, in particular the learning of targeted students
• improve sustainable practices.

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.

The school needs to ensure that all adults who have unsupervised access to students (staff, volunteers, contractors) are police vetted.[Education Amendment Act 2010]

To improve current practice a statement indicating that police vetting will be completed every three years should be added to the school's police vetting procedure and then fully implemented.

Conclusion

Makahu School is well supported and valued by its community. The new principal and trustees are focused on establishing systems and processes that should improve and sustain education for students. Plans are to develop a curriculum that will integrate the local environment, culture and history to respond effectively to students' individual needs.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

5 June 2015

School Statistics