Coley Street School

School Context

Coley Street School is in Foxton. It caters for students from Years 1 to 8. At the time of this review there were 235 children enrolled. Māori students comprise 54% of the roll.

The school states, The back bone of the school is PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning). These values ‘Caring, Proud, Striving, and Thinking all built on Trust’ provide the ‘house’ or framing to lead the school’s vision, ‘Always our best.’ The school has consulted with parents, whānau and community to form a list of key dispositions and attributes for a ‘Coley Kid’.

Strategic goals in 2019 include:

• supporting the achievement of all students around the priority areas of reading, writing and mathematics in relation to The New Zealand Curriculum
• ensuring the provision of an environment where the school community can be actively engaged in the teaching and learning of tamariki
• ensuring the schoolwide behaviour management system (PB4L) fosters an environment where tamariki develop the ability to make positive choices that lead to social and academic success supported by whānau
• supporting the health and wellbeing of students, staff and whānau.

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 and achievement in relation to school targets in reading, writing and mathematics
• wellbeing and attendance
• engagement and behaviour, PB4L.

School staff have undertaken professional development in Te Ao Māori, use of the Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT) and PB4L practices. The leadership team has been working with an external provider to develop leadership capability.

The school has continued to develop its Modern Learning Environments (MLE) since the June 2016 ERO report. Two areas of the school, junior and senior, are now connected into ‘Hub’ spaces.

Coley Street School is part of the Kerekere Cluster and the Taitoko Kāhui Ako.

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’s outcomes are continuing to improve towards equitable and excellent outcomes for all students. Achievement outcomes are trending upward. Data since 2016 shows gains have been made by all groups of students. Disparity has been reduced for boys and Māori children. The majority of students at the end of 2018 achieved at or above curriculum expectation in reading, writing and mathematics.

School reported information indicates students identified positive wellbeing.

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

The school effectively responds to those Māori and others at risk of underachievement.

Data from 2018, shows that the majority of students targeted in literacy made progress towards curriculum expectation with many making accelerated progress. Data for priority students in 2019 reflects a similar trajectory.

At the time of this review, data for students who were targeted in literacy and mathematics in 2019 indicates some have accelerated to being at or above curriculum expectations. Improving boys’ writing achievement has been an appropriate priority for the school. The 2019 writing data also shows most have increased their rates of progress and many of those targeted have made progress towards 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?

Leaders and teachers are focused on ensuring schoolwide practices and processes promote student voice and enable them to learn and achieve at the appropriate curriculum level. Effective tracking and monitoring systems are in place. Information is collated and shared appropriately across the school for teachers and leaders to be able to respond to students’ needs. Internal and external expertise is sought to provide timely and appropriate interventions and programmes.

Leaders and teachers are relationship focused and they know their learners and community well. Connections with local iwi, marae and kuia, and those with external expertise are used effectively and collaboratively. This support further strengthens understanding, development and learning opportunities of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori, and te ao Māori across the school for staff and students.

Learning environments reflect cooperation and respect. These are managed effectively to support participation, and engagement. Students are building self-management strategies and demonstrating confidence in their learning. Student leadership is promoted across the school.

Leadership demonstrates strategic resourcing through time, staff and tools to ensure staff can promote student participation and engagement. The common ‘PB4L’ language across the school promotes an environment that supports students’ learning and wellbeing.

Parents and whānau are valued and involved in school activities. Multiple opportunities are provided to students, their families, and teachers to be involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of the school curriculum. The school identifies and draws on community expertise and resources to support students and their families.

Teacher development builds capability linked to students’ outcomes in achievement, engagement and wellbeing. Teacher inquiries support the development of strategies and programmes to assist teaching and learning. School processes include opportunities for teachers and leaders to share their practice and learn from their peers.

The school charter and strategic goals clearly identify a direction toward equity and excellence for all students. The priorities for improvement are collaboratively developed by school leaders and trustees and are aligned to annual targets and include professional development appropriately.

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

The priority is to build on current strengths and achieve equity and excellence for all students.

It is timely to review the implemented innovations and practices in the school. This review should include evaluating the learning hubs to know the impact on students’ learning and wellbeing as the school looks to incorporate the MLE model across the school.

Leaders and teachers should strengthen their collective understanding of effective assessment practice. This should support teachers to make overall teacher judgements about each student’s achievement and identify progress and acceleration.

The school has been reviewing their documented curriculum to more closely reflect the community and links to the area. Continuing to develop the curriculum and delivery guidelines should enable the school to identify best practice.

Further development and understanding for leaders and teachers is needed in student agency, students leading their learning and student assessment for learning, to promote the school’s vision for successful learning.

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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Coley Street School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• identifying the learning needs of individual students and providing support that promotes achievement of equitable outcomes
• teacher inquiry and professional development that grows collective capability to improve outcomes for learners
• collaborative relationships between leadership, whānau and the community that supports and enhances students’ learning and wellbeing.

Next steps

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

• strengthening collective understanding of assessment practice to ensure leaders and teachers keep their focus on accelerating learning for those students at risk of underachievement
• continuing the development of an overarching curriculum document to provide expectations and guidance for teaching practice and learning and ensuring it reflects the current effective teaching practice and connections to place and context.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

11 September 2019

About the school