St Joseph's School (Stratford)

Summary

St Joseph’s School, Stratford is a state-integrated Catholic school in Taranaki. It caters for 239 children in Years 1 to 8 and 12% are Māori. The school’s Catholic character is enhanced through close connection to the neighbouring parish. Some families have long associations with the school.

Since the July 2014 ERO report there have been several changes to leadership.

A number of professional learning and development opportunities support teaching and learning. These include the Accelerating Learning in Mathematics programme, ongoing involvement in a local cluster to support writing development and a strategic focus on strengthening digital fluency.

The school is a member of the Central Taranaki Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako.

How well is the school achieving equitable outcomes for all children?

Most children, including Māori, continue to achieve well. The school recognises the need to reduce disparity between boys’ and girls’ achievement in literacy. Continuing to develop systems for determining progress and promoting acceleration for specific groups of learners is a next step.

Strong, positive relationships and the values of caring and sharing are evident. Teachers effectively respond to targeted learners through their inquiries and deliberate actions. Leaders support them to develop consistent effective practice. Further development of inquiry and internal evaluation should support this consistency.

Learners are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.

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

Equity and excellence

How effectively does this school respond to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

Most children achieve at and above in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori learners continue to achieve as well as or better than, their peers in each of the areas. There is increasing disparity between boys’ and girls’ achievement in literacy. Improving boys’ achievement in writing is an ongoing focus for the school.

All children at risk in their learning, including Māori, are clearly identified by teachers and leaders using achievement and wellbeing information. Teachers build their knowledge of children’s learning through ongoing assessment and monitoring of student progress. They effectively respond to targeted learners through their teaching inquiries and deliberate actions, school-based programmes and teacher aide assistance. Regular discussion between leaders and teachers supports decisions about support to promote improvement. There is some evidence of accelerated learning.

Provision for children with additional needs is well considered and supported by good partnerships and the special education needs coordinator. The school is working to improve the usefulness of its reporting to the board about the effectiveness of interventions put in place for these children.

The school is working to build a sense of collective responsibility for children who are not achieving at expectations through:

• improved collation and sharing of achievement information
• strengthened systems for identification and monitoring
• regular review of children’s progress and achievement.

Guidelines and regular discussion are used to help teachers to make overall assessment judgements about achievement in relation to the National Standards. Further development of systems and practices for internal and external moderation should improve the robustness and dependability of these judgements.

School conditions supporting equity and excellence

What school processes are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

The school has good practices and processes in place to promote equity and excellence.

The curriculum provides children with opportunities to learn about and enact Catholic values. There is an appropriate emphasis on literacy and numeracy. Inclusion of aspects of te ao Māori has been strengthened. Improving opportunities for learning through digital technologies is an ongoing focus.

Strong, positive relationships and the values of caring and sharing are evident. Children are well supported to collaborate and support each other in their learning. They demonstrate confidence and a sense of belonging.

Teachers and leaders are working collaboratively to improve their practice, supported by responsive professional development opportunities. They are open to learning and share their practice regularly. The appraisal process has been strengthened and improved. It provides a robust framework that links teacher inquiry and aligns with school priorities and Education Council requirements. This is promoting teachers’ reflective practice and their ongoing development.

A changed leadership structure supports improved communication and assists teacher development. Senior leaders are working actively and effectively to promote improvement and build consistent practice across the school.

Student achievement and wellbeing are at the forefront of the board’s decision-making and actions. Trustees are well informed and operate effectively as a collaborative team to promote improvement. They are reflective and considered in undertaking their responsibilities.

Close connections with the parish and wider Catholic community provides the school with opportunities for growth and support. Trustees and staff recognise the value of sharing and building knowledge through educational connections and external expertise.

Improved systems provide better support for systematic inquiry and evaluation. A useful inquiry process is helping teachers to more deliberately focus their teaching and reflect on the progress of targeted learners.

Sustainable development for equity and excellence

What further developments are needed in school processes to achieve equity and excellence?

The school is well placed to continue to promote equitable and excellent outcomes for children.

Further development and refining of systems for determining progress and promoting acceleration for learners at risk should include:

• developing shared understandings of expectations for progress and acceleration
• deeper analysis and regular reporting of progress in relation to specific, well-defined targets.

The whānau group provides good support for school events which promote te ao Māori and opportunities for families to connect with each other and the school. A useful next step is for leaders to work with whānau Māori to define aspirations for success as Māori at St Joseph’s School.

Curriculum documentation is being reviewed and updated to reflect the focus on improving digital learning. Further development of the documentation should ensure it: appropriately reflects the aspirations held for learners and their families at St Joseph’s School; and, provides clear guidance for implementation and review.

The school recognises that developing a coherent and connected approach to internal evaluation is a next step. Building a shared understanding of an evidenced-based process should deepen inquiry and better support decision making.

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.

Going forward

How well placed is the school to accelerate the achievement of all children who need it?

Learners are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.

The school has requested that ERO provide them with an internal evaluation workshop.

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

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

20 October 2017

About the school

Findings

The school’s special character is clearly evident in practice. Most students achieve at or above National Standards. Teachers engage students in meaningful learning activities. Parents are involved in their children’s learning and contribute to many aspects of school life. Students’ wellbeing is a priority. Self-review practices continue to be strengthened.

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?

St Joseph’s School is a state integrated Years 1 to 8 Catholic school situated in Stratford. At the time of this review the roll was 202 students, of whom 25 identify as Māori.

The mission statement 'Caring, Sharing and Daring in Prayer' underpins all that happens at St Joseph’s for students, teachers and their involvement with the community. The school’s focus on ‘missioning’ encourages students to care for others. Students and families fundraise and support several local, national and international causes.

Students have many opportunities to lead and be effective role models. Teachers know students and their families well. Strong, respectful relationships and an inclusive, welcoming environment support commitment to students’ holistic wellbeing. The extensive grounds and range of learning spaces support teaching and learning.

Special character is strongly evident across all aspects of school life. Prayer and spirituality encompass all areas of the curriculum. The board provides additional staffing and resources for the curriculum to cater for the needs of all students. The school enjoys a high level of parent and parish community involvement and support.

2 Learning

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

Senior leaders, teachers and trustees make effective use of achievement information to support and promote engagement of all students.

End of year 2013 data indicates that the majority of students achieve at or above in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori student achievement is comparable to that of their peers.

Leaders and trustees use achievement information to make suitable decisions about improvement targets, resourcing, professional learning priorities and teachers’ professional learning and development (PLD).

Staff incorporate a range of assessment tools in making overall teacher judgements about students’ progress and achievement. Processes for moderation of assessment judgements are sound. Teachers have shared expectations for achievement across all year levels. They use achievement information to identify students’ specific learning needs.

Students at risk of not achieving are appropriately identified. Strategies and interventions are put in place to promote their engagement and learning. An agreed next step is to evaluate the impact of these strategies.

Parents receive informative written reports about their children’s progress and achievement twice each year, and verbally at parent-teacher interviews. Information includes achievement for literacy and mathematics in relation to National Standards. Teachers also effectively report progress and learning for other curriculum areas.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum effectively promotes student engagement and supports learning. Since ERO's 2011 report ongoing PLD in writing and mathematics in particular, has contributed to improved outcomes for all students.

Curriculum priorities in reading, writing and mathematics align to The New Zealand Curriculum expectations. The school’s mission and values are clearly evident in all aspects of school culture, and woven throughout the curriculum. Teachers plan programmes with relevant integration across learning areas through meaningful, interesting contexts.

Staff are supported by collaboratively developed guidelines that promote consistent practice across the school. ERO identified and senior leaders agree that the school should continue to review the effectiveness of its curriculum to ensure further coherence across the school.

Teachers actively work to build and maintain positive and constructive classroom environments. They use a range of effective strategies to promote learning. Students are highly engaged in meaningful tasks. They are confident, willing to contribute and able to work cooperatively. Respectful relationships and interactions are evident between students and adults.

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support teaching and learning is developing. School leaders and trustees recognise a strategic approach is needed to assist successful implementation of use of ICT to support teaching and learning.

Staff are committed to supporting transition into the school for students as new entrants and for those leaving for secondary school. Next steps are to strengthen systems by:

liaising with early childhood services to support continuity of learning between Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, andThe New Zealand Curriculum as implemented by the school

• evaluating the impact of the various transition processes.
• This should enhance existing transition programmes for students and their families.

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

Māori students achieve well. They are actively involved in all aspects of school life. Senior students are provided with a range of opportunities to take on leadership roles and act as positive role models for their peers.

The school is focused on strengthening Māori perspectives in school programmes. Teachers align special character and Māori spiritual dimensions. Leaders agree that this should be more explicit in curriculum documentation.

Senior leaders and trustees are investigating how to:

• strengthen local iwi connections at board level
• increase whānau views in school decision making
• implement Ka Hikitia: Accelerating Success 2013-2017.

In addition, the school should consider:

• more meaningful integration of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori in class programmes
• increasing the visibility of Māori perspectives in the environment
• the use of Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners as a resource to support teachers' understanding and practices that promote good learning for Māori students.

A strong foundation is being made to strengthen Māori success as Māori.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school continues to develop its approach to sustaining and improving its performance.

Appraisal processes have been recently reviewed and are at an early stage of implementation. Teachers' and leaders' appraisal goals are aligned to school priorities and student learning outcomes. School leaders have identified that the following aspects of the process need to be strengthened to further promote improvement:

• regular constructive feedback
• teaching as inquiry
• self reflection.

Trustees are active in the school and committed to its vision and priorities. They are clear about their roles and responsibilities. The board focuses on student achievement and gives priority to resourcing that supports learning for all groups of students.

Trustees receive a wide range of information about student achievement, curriculum and PLD. They are well informed about day-to-day operation and the progress and achievement of students. Reports to the board should consider the impact of initiatives on improving students' learning outcomes.

The principal models and provides strong professional leadership. Staff work collaboratively and are supportive of each other. Professional development is purposeful and effective in engaging teachers in focused learning aligned to learner priorities.

Senior leaders, trustees and teachers demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of forming partnerships with parents, whānau and the wider community. A variety of opportunities are provided for parents to engage with the school. There is high parent participation in education outside the classroom. School parent partnerships are strong.

ERO recommends and school leaders agree that there is a need to develop a suitable framework to evaluate programmes and practices that promote improvement. The framework should include reference to best practice indicators for success and processes for gathering evidence. This should enhance board decision making, the allocation of resources and monitoring the impact of planned change.

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.

Conclusion

The school’s special character is clearly evident in practice. Most students achieve at or above National Standards. Teachers engage students in meaningful learning activities. Parents are involved in their children’s learning and contribute to many aspects of school life. Students’ wellbeing is a priority. Self-review practices continue to be strengthened.

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

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services

Central Region

9 July 2014

About the School