St Joseph's School (New Plymouth)

St Joseph's School (New Plymouth)

School 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.

About the School 

St Joseph’s School (New Plymouth) is a state integrated co-educational Catholic school and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The current roll is 267. More than 58% of learners are European and Pākehā, 34% are Asian, 4% identify as Māori and 4% are of Pacific heritage. 

The school motto “Skills and Values for Life” aligns with the gospel values of ‘Tika, Pono, and Aroha’ and is underpinned by the school’s eight competencies (8C’s) that are ‘Christian Living, Confident, Culturally Aware, Communication, Critical Thinking, Creative, Collaboration, and Connected’.

Part A: Parent Summary

How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?

How well are learners succeeding?Success and progress for all learners is increasing.
What is the quality of teaching and learning?Learners benefit from high quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. 
How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs?

Learners have rich opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.

There is a consistent focus on supporting learners to gain skills in literacy and mathematics.

Learners with complex needs are well supported to achieve their education goals.

How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement?School planning and conditions to support ongoing improvement to the quality of education for learners are well established.
How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing?The school successfully promotes learners’ engagement, wellbeing and inclusion.
How well does the school partner with parents, whānau and its community for the benefit of learners?

The school reports usefully and accurately to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress.

The school responds well to a wide range of information gathered through community consultation, to inform strategic planning and curriculum decisions.

Student Health and SafetyThe school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.

Achievement in Years 0 to 8

This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Foundation Skills

 
Reading

A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Attendance

The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.

The school has a suitable plan in place to improve attendance.

Regular attendance is improving towards or beyond the target.

Assessment

The school uses an appropriate approach and reliable practices to find out about achievement against the curriculum.

Assessment information is used well to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.

Progress

The school has good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.

The school has to some extent improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.

The school has to some extent extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review.

The school is making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets and is likely to meet them by 2030.

An explanation of the terms used in the Parent Summary can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office 
 

Part B: Findings for the school

This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.

Areas of Strength

  • Learners benefit from high expectations for teaching and learning and experience a strong sense of belonging through positive relationships with peers and teachers.
  • Leaders continue to prioritise student learning and achievement through strategic planning and decision making, selected initiatives promote improved outcomes for learners; reducing achievement disparity for boys in writing remains a priority.
  • Structured literacy approaches are well embedded school wide; implementing a structured mathematics programme is a focus in 2025.
  • Learners experience a well-considered school curriculum that provides meaningful opportunities and experiences to support their needs and interests.
  • Professional development for staff is targeted, planned and strategically implemented for ongoing improvement of teaching and learning.
  • Leaders and teachers are increasingly using a wide range of information and feedback to inform decision making for school improvement. 

Key priorities and actions for improvement 

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

  • maintain current strategies to increase rates of attendance, including initiatives with parents and whānau that raise collective awareness of the importance of regular attendance
  • build teacher capability in structured mathematics to implement changes to the New Zealand Mathematics Curriculum and sustain learner progress and achievement
  • use the school’s evidence-based approach to evaluate teaching, learning and assessment practices and monitor their impact on learner progress and achievement outcomes, particularly for boys in writing.

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

Within six months:

  • evaluate the impact of initiatives designed to increase rates of regular attendance to inform next steps
  • provide professional learning opportunities that strengthen teachers’ understanding and use of highly effective teaching, learning and assessment practices in structured mathematics 

Every six months:

  • review and report learner attendance, progress and achievement information to support ongoing decision making for improvement
  • use an evidenced based approach to evaluate the impact of programmes and initiatives designed to improve learner progress and achievement, with a particular focus on strengthened targets and writing outcomes for boys

Annually:

  • evaluate the impact of teaching, learning and assessment practices on learners’ progress and achievement and use this information for further strategic planning
  • report on the impact and success of strengthened targets and writing outcomes for boys to inform next steps and resourcing decisions. 

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

  • students attending school regularly, meeting the Government’s target of 80% regular attendance
  • improved and equitable student achievement outcomes in literacy and mathematics
  • effective use of evaluation for improvement that supports the development of high-quality teaching, learning and assessment practices schoolwide. 

Part C: Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Actions for Compliance 

ERO has identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

  • implement a formalised method of identifying, addressing and monitoring hazards, and regularly reporting hazard management practices to the board
    [Health and Safety at Work Act 2015; Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016]
  • followed Education Outside the Classroom Guidelines (MOE) risk management procedures
    [Health and Safety at Work Act 2015; Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016]

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

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 Report and is due within three years.

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

Sharon Kelly
Director of Schools (Acting)

20 May 2025

Education Counts

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

St Joseph's School (New Plymouth) - 21/09/2018

School Context

St Joseph’s School (New Plymouth) is a state integrated coeducational Catholic school. It draws its students from central and western New Plymouth. The school roll is 284 students from Years 1 to 6. Of the learners enrolled, 19% identify as Māori. The school roll continues to increase.

The Catholic character is evident in all aspects of the school and its curriculum delivery. The gospel values of ‘Tika, Pono, and Aroha’ are underpinned by the recently reviewed eight competencies (8C’s) that are ‘Christian Living, Confident, Culturally Aware, Communication, Critical Thinking, Creative, Collaboration, and Connected’.

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

  • special Catholic character aims
  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics over time and in relation to school targets
  • Māori and Pacific learners’ achievement
  • outcomes for learners’ with additional learning needs
  • wellbeing and engagement.

Professional development for 2018 focuses on Catholic education, student agency, reading and writing, cultural responsiveness and digital learning.

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?

Achievement information is based on an appropriate assessment schedule to facilitate consistency and dependability of teacher judgements. Most students continue to achieve at and above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.

All groups of students achieve similarly high results in mathematics. There is disparity between girls and boys in literacy and for Māori students in writing.

In reading there is an upward trajectory of achievement across year levels with most Year 6 students achieving at or above the expected level.

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

There is evidence that in 2017, many Māori and other students below expected levels made accelerated progress. This was most evident in reading and mathematics.

Data shows most students involved in three schoolwide initiatives made very good progress in their learning.

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 ensures every student has equal opportunity to participate in all activities. Pastoral care of students and their families and staff is a significant feature of the school. Values are effectively woven through the school’s ways of knowing and being. These are living concepts celebrated in a wide range of ways.

Children participate and learn in caring, settled, collaborative learning environments. Positive interactions contribute to the high engagement and student pride in their work. They are independent and interdependent learners and can articulate their learning. Although they have increased opportunities to organise and manage their work programme, the school has identified student agency is an ongoing area for development.

Children with additional learning needs are identified and relevant support accessed, either internally or through external support. They are skilfully supported by teacher aides who are an integral part of the learning.

The recently reviewed charter gives clear direction to the school’s mission and vision as a Catholic school. There is a well-established internal evaluation approach to support ongoing development.

The board and principal have led the focus on increasing the effectiveness of cultural responsiveness by prioritising culture, language and identity.

Learning is appropriately prioritised. Rich learning themes and differentiated programmes support student progress and achievement. Effective pedagogy is well articulated and supported through a high level of teacher capability.

The leaders have a strong sense of needing to sustain the vision through inducting new teachers into living the school’s culture. Teachers work collaboratively and participate in a constructive, robust appraisal process that enables appropriate ongoing professional development.

Transitions into, through and on to secondary school are well considered. Past students continue to be part of the learning community. Some teachers are past students.

Te ao Māori is woven through the school’s charter principles of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, mahi tahi and ako. These are evident through processes reflective of Māori culture, language and identity. School practices uphold place-based acknowledgement of mana whenua. Māori arts and artefacts and taonga are visible. The school is working on documenting its curriculum for te reo and te ao Māori.

The principal and the leadership team build relational trust and effective collaboration at every level of the school community. School leaders lead the focus on knowing children and their families. Shared knowledge and responsibility reflects the school’s core principle of whakawhanaungatanga.

There is a strong sense of community. Deliberate strategies have been introduced to engage whānau. The school listens and responds to the consultation. Regular surveys occur at all levels of the school community related to wellbeing and health and safety.

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

The school has identified the need for ongoing development of the curriculum to further promote student agency, cultural responsiveness and e-learning.

The school recognises the need to continue to address disparity for Māori learners in writing.

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:

  • a culture that promotes students’ social and emotional wellbeing and a sense of belonging
  • senior leadership that provides improvement-focused, strategic and collaborative direction
  • a well-considered approach that guides effective teaching
  • staff collaboration that supports students to have sufficient and equitable learning opportunities
  • strong community relationships that enrich student learning opportunities.

Next steps

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

  • continuing to focus on increasing accelerated progress and achievement for all students, particularly boys and Māori.

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 and Improvement Services Central

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

21 September 2018

About the school

LocationNew Plymouth
Ministry of Education profile number2236
School typeContributing (Years 1 to 6)
School roll284
Gender compositionMale 51%, Female 49%
Ethnic compositionMāori 19% 
Pākehā 58%
Asian 14% 
Pacific 4% 
Other ethnic groups 5%
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)Yes
Provision of Māori medium educationNo
Review team on siteJune 2018
Date of this report21 September 2018
Most recent ERO report(s)Education Review October 2013 
Education Review October 2010 
Education Review September 2007