Kaitoke School (Wanganui)

School Context

Kaitoke School, approximately 5 kilometres from the centre of Whanganui, has students in Years 1 to 8. At the time of this review, of the 100 children on the roll, 34 are Māori.

The school’s motto is Underpinning this statement are the core values: ‘to‘rise up, climb high – kake mai, piki mai’.P.R.I.D.E; Positive, Resilience, Integrity, Diligence, Excellence’.

The strategic plan prioritises on-going improvement in student achievement across the curriculum. Goals for 2019 include: all learners to achieve or exceed age appropriate curriculum level expectations in reading, writing and mathematics; developing a collaborative future-focused responsive curriculum that identifies, accelerates and extends the learning capacity of all learners; developing an effective school culture that ensures a positive physical and emotional environment for all learners and embodies school values; and families and school working together as partners in the education and well-being of children.

Specific targets include: for Year 5 and Year 7, students who are at or above will maintain or improve achievement, and those below or well below in reading, will have made accelerated progress by the end of 2019.

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 New Zealand Curriculum expectations
• progress and achievement in relation to school targets in reading and writing
• attendance patterns that include the impact of interventions for students whose absence place their learning at risk.

The school has undergone significant personnel changes. A new board of trustees has been formed for 2019. They make use of external expertise and guidance when required. A first-time principal was appointed towards the end of 2018 and a new deputy principal at the start of 2019. The school has appointed several new teachers for 2019. The professional development focus has included Culture Counts.

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 is working towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students. The school’s achievement data showed, that at the end of 2018, most students achieved at or above The New Zealand Curriculum expectations in mathematics. The majority of students achieved to expectation in reading and writing.

Achievement outcomes for Māori are similar to their peers in reading, writing and mathematics. Girls achieve higher than boys in these areas.

School analysis of attendance data shows students have more regular attendance in 2019.

Year 8 outcomes show most students leave Kaitoke School achieving at or above expectation in relation to The New Zealand Curriculum in reading, writing and mathematics.

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

The school is strengthening its effectiveness in responding to those Māori and other children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration. Clear, well- defined systems and processes are in place to identify, respond and monitor progress of students with learning needs.

Mid-year 2019 data shows significant gains for nearly all students. Most children are achieving at or above in reading, writing and mathematics.

The 2019 targets identified specific cohorts for acceleration in literacy. Mid-year data shows most students have made progress and the majority accelerated their learning and are at or above expectation in reading and writing.

The trajectory of acceleration indicates most targeted students in reading and writing should be at or above expectation by the end of the 2019 year.

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?

Leadership is strongly focused on promoting student’s wellbeing, confidence in their identity, and engagement in learning. Needs and strengths of children are identified and responded to through relevant interventions and a range of internal and external supports. Students requiring additional learning assistance are well supported through individual planning, monitoring, consultation with whānau and family and well-considered teacher-aide provision.

Leaders’ and teachers’ collaborative inquiry and knowledge building aligns to the strategic direction of the school. It is strongly focused on improving student outcomes. Appraisal systems support teachers to identify effective changes in practice and learning programmes. Purposeful, professional development is responsive to needs, aligned to school goals and has impacted positively on learning for both teachers and students.

An appropriate range of tools and measures is used to gather assessment data. Systems and practices have been developed and implemented to build consistency across the school. Leaders and teachers participate in regular discussions focused on student outcomes.

Engagement in learning has improved as consistent systems and practices for monitoring student attendance have been implemented. Appropriate communication strategies and tools engage and support whānau and families in their child’s learning. There is a focus on promoting meaningful learning through the opportunities provided and the use of community, place and people.

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

Refining processes for target setting and reporting to specifically focus on accelerating the progress of students at risk of underachievement is needed. Measurements of success for these targets should be presented in such a way that this allows for a clearer evaluation of achievement, progress, and acceleration. This should enable leaders and trustees to better respond to the school’s goal of achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all students.

The school should continue to develop its localised curriculum and delivery guidelines, to ensure the school’s vision for successful learning is enacted. Curriculum review should continue to focus on the role of the learner in relation to the vision, values and key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum. A focus for teaching and learning improvement should include for students:

• development of their agency
• that they lead their learning
• their involvement in assessment for learning.

These developments should be underpinned by ongoing internal evaluation to systematically determine what is working well to promote valued and equitable student outcomes, what is not and what needs to change to support improvement.

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 Kaitoke School (Wanganui)’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• regular identification of individual learning needs and providing support that promote achievement of equitable outcomes
• building relationships and connections from community, resources and expertise that increase learning and teaching opportunities for all
• a strong focus on lifting collective capability through teacher inquiry and professional development that support raised levels of achievement.

Next steps

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

• internal evaluation processes and practices that use data from a range of sources to better identify what is working well for students learning and where improvements are needed
• promoting greater consistency in teaching and learning by documenting clear guidelines for effective teaching and opportunities for student-led learning.

Areas for improved compliance practice:

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should work towards offering students opportunities for learning second or subsequent languages (Years 7 to 10).

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

11 October 2019

About the school

1 Context

Kaitoke School (Wanganui) is a semi-rural primary school in close proximity to Whanganui. It caters for Year 1 to 8 students. The roll has grown since the August 2013 ERO report. Twenty two students identify as Māori.

A welcoming and inclusive school culture is evident, contributing to a family atmosphere. A strong sense of community is promoted and valued by students, staff, trustees and families.

Recent renovations and modernisation of parts of the school to incorporate flexible learning spaces, have occurred since the previous ERO review.

Strengths noted in the 2013 ERO report have been enhanced, areas for development have been addressed and new initiatives undertaken.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are expressed in the school motto 'rise up, climb high-kake mai, piki mai'. This is realised through the values 'P.R.I.D.E (positive, resilience, integrity, diligence, excellence) in ourselves and our school'. Community consultation highlighted further priorities that 'Kaitoke School is an inspiring, experience rich, quality learning environment that enables each student to achieve their personal best in all learning and social contexts'. Each value underpins the curriculum and teaching and learning.

The school’s achievement information shows that most students, including Māori, are achieving at or above expectation in relation to National Standards. The few students identified as at risk of achieving below National Standard at the beginning of the year, are supported by individualised learning programmes. School information shows that all of these students make progress and many make accelerated progress over the course of a year.

Teachers ensure the validity and reliability of their achievement information and judgements through in-school and external moderation with other schools. They plan to strengthen their practice in mathematics.

Since the previous ERO evaluation the school has:

• invested significantly in e-learning infrastructure, professional development and digital devices
• begun to integrate te ao Māori into the revised curriculum through meaningful inquiry contexts
• documented progress towards meeting strategic goals
• further developed teacher-inquiry processes and opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice. 

3 Accelerating achievement

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

The school appropriately identifies Māori students whose learning needs acceleration. Most Māori students achieve at or above expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics.

To sustain equitable outcomes for all students, it is timely to evaluate the impact of programmes and actions on Māori students' ongoing progress and achievement. This should help to develop a shared understanding of effective teaching practices that accelerated progress for Māori learners who needed this support.

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

A range of interventions and classroom strategies are in place to support those students whose learning needs acceleration. Students are well supported through a comprehensive, personalised approach that is closely monitored, to address their immediate and long term needs.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and targets for equity and excellence?

School targets focus on raising student achievement. Trustees successfully meet their accountability for strategic decision-making and supporting continuous improvement. They receive regular information about student achievement, scrutinise data, question and set high expectations. Trustees have a good working relationship with the principal and together they set a clear focus for school improvement.

The principal provides effective leadership through driving robust and cohesive strategic direction. Enhanced leadership opportunities are distributed across the staff to support sustainability and increase consistency of practice. This collaborative approach has ensured students, staff, parents and community are active contributors to ongoing school improvement and innovation.

Leaders actively foster and contribute to coherent professional learning and practice. They support ongoing improvement, build high trust relationships and promote effective participation across the school community.

The curriculum is balanced and innovative. It increasingly supports students to be independent self-directed learners who are clear about their progress and take responsibly for their learning. Contexts for learning are future focused, localised and reflect the priorities and aspirations of the school community.

Through participation in the wider curriculum a significant number of students who are above expected achievement levels are given meaningful opportunities to extend their skills and knowledge. 

Māori students' language, culture and identity are well supported. The continuation of 
Te Rerenga ki Tai programme provides professional development and guidance for teachers in cultural competence. Staff are increasingly proficient in te reo mē ngā tikanga Māori and have begun to integrate elements of te ao Māori, with increasing complexity, into a culturally responsive curriculum.There is an ongoing focus on school and individual goal setting in relation to cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners. This should further support staff to evaluate and continue to strengthen their response to Māori learners.

Reporting to parents is comprehensive. They regularly receive information and opportunities to participate in learning that enables them to better support their children's learning at home.  Parents, whānau and community are welcomed and involved in school activities as valued partners in learning.

A wide range of appropriate communication strategies are used to regularly engage with parents, whānau and community. Transitions into, within and beyond the school are carefully considered in terms of the holistic wellbeing and needs of students and whānau.

Teachers are thoughtful and reflective. They demonstrate sound teaching skills and maintain stimulating, structured and supportive learning environments. Teachers' practices reflect the useful professional development they receive. They actively support each other and work as a committed team, meeting regularly to discuss teaching strategies, reflect and problem-solve.

Teachers set appropriate goals and reflect on their progress in relation to student outcomes. Teaching as inquiry focuses on teachers' interest areas for innovation in teaching and learning, in response to the revised curriculum. There are some links to the needs of target students. ERO recommends the school considers making more explicit links in teacher inquiry to accelerating the achievement of target students. By measuring the shifts in outcomes for students who are underachieving, the school is likely to better identify the impact of specific teaching strategies.

5 Going forward  

How well placed is the school to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children?

Leaders and teachers:  

• know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
• respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
• regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
• act on what they know works well for each child
• build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
• are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years. 

6 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 the following:

• board administration
• curriculum
• management of health, safety and welfare
• personnel management
• 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
• processes for appointing staff
• stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
• attendance
• compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

7 Recommendation

Kaitoke School (Wanganui) should continue to develop teaching as inquiry and its internal evaluation capability to sustain the positive direction and high quality education provided for students. 

Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

12 August 2016 

About the school