Findings
The school is successfully responding to the significant issues that were identified during the November 2017 ERO report. Change and improvement led by the commissioner and current principal have provided an environment more supportive of children’s learning and wellbeing. Systems and processes, now in place, allow the school to more effectively determine areas that need further improvement. These developments should now be consolidated.
Establishing an effectively performing, community-based board of trustees is necessary before consideration can be given to concluding external support.
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Raetihi Primary School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Needs development.
ERO will maintain an ongoing relationship with the school to continue to build capacity and evaluate progress.
1 Background and Context
What is the background and context for this school’s review?
Raetihi Primary School is a Year 1 to 8 school catering for students in Raetihi and the surrounding Waimarino rural district. Of the 222 students, 77% identify as Māori. The roll has remained stable since the previous ERO review in 2017.
Ngāti Uenuku and Ngāti Rangi are recognised as mana whenua. There is also strong affiliation to Tamahaki and Tamakana.
The kaupapa that guides the school is; ‘Whakakotahi ki te mahi (Unite in service)’. The vision is defined as; ‘Raetihi tamariki learn together, play together, are connected to our whenua, awa, maunga and strive to make the world a better place’. ‘KAHA’ values,’ Kotahitanga, Aroha, Hauora, Akonga’ promote personal attributes supporting the vision.
The annual plan for 2019 prioritises:
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improving learning, particularly for those at risk of underachievement
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promoting a safe physical and emotional environment
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strengthening quality partnerships supportive of engagement and learning
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developing a curriculum more reflective of the student and community cultural context.
The November 2017 ERO report, identified the need to address significant issues related to student achievement, aspects of teaching and learning, principal leadership and governance. A Limited Statutory Manager (LSM) was appointed to take over many of the functions of the board of trustees. Shortly after, in May 2018, the board resigned and the LSM became the commissioner, replacing the board. He continues in this role, with the assistance of an advisory group that includes the chairperson of the previous board of trustees.
After an extended period of leave, the principal at the time of the previous ERO review resigned. A new principal was appointed in September 2019. The appointee had been the acting-principal since early 2018. A new senior leadership team is now in place. There have also been a number of changes in teaching staff.
In response to the 2017 ERO review the commissioner initiated comprehensive reviews of a range of school practices and a number of community hui have taken place. These have contributed to significant changes in processes operating within the school and a re-visioning of its strategic direction to inform future developments.
Since late 2017, Raetihi Primary School has been involved in a one-to-two-year review with ERO to support school improvement. ERO’s evaluation of progress has included visiting the school regularly, providing relevant documentation and meetings involving the commissioner, acting-principal, leadership team and the Ministry of Education.
From early 2018, there has been a focus on introducing change to establish a more locally based, student-centred curriculum to enable greater learner success and better support student belonging and wellbeing. Significant professional learning to build teaching and leadership capacity has taken place. Staff are being well supported to carry out their respective roles and to develop their own professional practice.
Raetihi Primary School is part of the Ruapehu Kāhui Ako, involving two early childhood services and six schools in the area.
2 Review and Development
How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?
Priorities identified for review and development
At the time of the November 2017 ERO review, the school was not well placed to provide conditions for learners to achieve educational excellence, to reduce in-school disparities of outcomes, to effectively support student wellbeing or to ensure sustainability. The main areas needing to be addressed were identified as:
- improving student academic progress and achievement
- ensuring the curriculum successfully engaged and responded to all children
- building professional leadership to focus more on ensuring effective school operation, reducing disparities in student outcomes and promoting excellence
- ensuring children’s emotional and physical safety is well supported
- building governance effectiveness
- improving evaluative capacity.
Progress
The school is successfully responding to the significant issues that were identified during the previous ERO review. Change and improvement led by the commissioner and acting-principal have provided an environment more supportive of children’s learning and wellbeing. Systems and processes are now in place that enable the school to more effectively determine areas that need further improvement.
School reported data indicates that the majority of students, including Māori, are achieving at or above curriculum expectation in reading, writing and mathematics. There continues to be a significant disparity between male and female achievement in reading and writing.
Professional learning, a focus on better use of assessment tools and moderation processes are supporting teachers in making more dependable judgements of overall student achievement and progress. There is an increased focus on accelerating the achievement of learners below expectation (priority learners) in reading, writing and mathematics.
Senior leaders have developed a range of systems and processes to support teachers to effectively identify, track and monitor achievement over time for priority students. Each teacher has identified specific target students for reading, writing and mathematics acceleration. Specific actions are put in place to support progress.
Data provided by the school indicates that the majority of priority students in 2019 have accelerated their progress in writing and mathematics and many in reading. A school developed framework supports teachers to inquire into how effectively their practice is supporting the accelerated progress of identified students in mathematics.
Communication with whānau supports and strengthens learning-centred relationships. A range of events increasingly bring parents and whānau into the school.Regular community hui take place and these have included the opportunity for consultation as part of considering future school priorities. Online communication is involving parents and whānau more purposefully in children’s learning. Increasing use is being made of community personnel and expertise as part of the curriculum.
Guidelines for teaching, learning and assessment are being developed, documented and implemented across the school to support schoolwide consistency. The guidelines include a focus on improving assessment practices for teaching and learning and embedding learning from professional development.
A range of programmes, interventions and a collaborative approach successfully support inclusion and progress for children requiring additional assistance for their complex learning needs. These are well supported by external agencies, where appropriate.
Culturally responsive practices effectively support and promote student learning. School processes and activities contribute to an environment that sustains and promotes student identity and culture.
Classrooms are generally settled and learning focused. Adults havecaring, respectful and positive relationships with students that promote engagement. Teachers know the needs of students well. A range of teacher practices successfully support progress for most learners.
A continuing curriculum priority is implementing a progressive te reo Māori programme that supports the aspirations whānau have for their tamariki. In 2019, the school has committed to a school wide programme, as well as extension te reo Māori for identified students. The commissioner and school leaders have identified the need to continue to extend te reo Māori learning opportunities.
An across the school behaviour for learning programme based on refreshed KAHA values is being implemented. It emphasises self-awareness, self-regulation, personal responsibility and affirming positive learning behaviours.
The senior leadership team is reflective and focused on improving the learning and wellbeing of students. Teachers are well supported to develop their capability to improve outcomes for students. A culture of collaborative practice is increasingly evident within the school.
Leadership develops and promotes the school vision for quality outcomes for all students. It contributes effectively to establishing a supportive environment conducive to student learning and wellbeing. It has promoted wider curriculum opportunities for children and improved teaching.
In 2019, a more rigorous teacher appraisal system is being implemented. Comprehensive summaries and feedback identify successes and next steps for teaching to improve student outcomes. Appraisal is focused on teacher improvement and complies with Teaching Council expectations.
The commissioner and current principal effectively responded to the significant financial, property and management issues that were facing the school at the previous ERO review. Appropriate financial practices have been implemented that support learning, compliance and sustainability.
Improved processes and reporting have contributed to a greatly improved financial position for the school. Financial procedures and internal controls have been reviewed and strengthened. The school, with Ministry of Education (MoE) support, is successfully addressing a range of outstanding property issues.
A strategic plan, developed in consultation with the community, identifies priorities for moving forward. The 2019 Annual Plan has promoted improvement areas linked to the strategic plan.
The adoption of a policy and procedural portfolio is assisting the school to meet its statutory responsibilities in curriculum, human resources, health and safety, financial, property and administration. The New Zealand School Trustees Association have begun workshops for interested people as preparation for the election of a new board of trustees.
Better use of a range of data is supporting leaders and trustees to build their internal evaluation capability to assist them to know what is working well in the school’s curriculum and to identify where further developments are necessary to improve outcomes.
Key next steps
To continue to build on progress made, the major areas for ongoing development are identified as:
- at a time to be determined in association with the MOE, the election of a board of trustees representing the school community. Supporting the elected trustees to effectively carry out their stewardship role, will be a vital element in ensuring future sustainability and improvement
- continuing to develop and consistently implement processes and practices to improve achievement. This should include a particular focus on boys’ literacy in 2020.
It is timely to document a comprehensive and coherent curriculum delivery plan underpinned byThe New Zealand Curriculum, the school identified valued outcomes and guidelines recently developed by senior leadership and staff. This delivery plan should include:
- clear expectations and guidelines for teaching, learning, accelerating progress and assessment
- further promotion of Māori culture, language and identity within a local context
- identification of quality practices linked to the Standards for the Teaching Profession and Raetihi Primary School priorities for learning
- promotion of digital technologies to ensure the opportunity for learners to become digitally capable
- use of knowledge gained from professional learning and development that has recently been undertaken.
A collaboratively developed curriculum should support consistent school wide understanding and implementation of good teaching practices within a localised curriculum to improve outcomes for learners.
A range of processes and practices effectively promote student welfare and safety. Student feedback indicates wellbeing is well supported. To further support provision of a safe physical and emotional environment the school should ensure a comprehensive anti-bullying policy and associated procedures are in place that include: approaches to preventing bullying and managing bullying behaviour; and systems for monitoring and ascertaining the success of these strategies, programmes and interventions.
Leaders should continue to develop processes and practices to promote and support consistent quality practices in teaching and learning across school, including through relevant professional learning and performance management practices.
Continuing development of internal evaluation should include a focus on the effectiveness of practices that support acceleration of progress for priority learners.
3 Sustainable performance and self review
How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance?
Significant progress has been made since the previous ERO review. The school is:
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developing its capacity to reflect, plan and make improvement using evidence that includes student achievement information
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benefiting from external support and intervention
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focused on improving teaching and learning and having processes in place that sustain improvement
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developing a sustainable cycle of planning, improvement, reflection and self review
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continuing to build its capacity to sustain and continue to improve student achievement
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establishing a foundation of values, leadership and relationships likely to sustain and improve student learning and wellbeing.
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
- school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.
4 Recommendations
Recommendations, including any to other agencies for ongoing or additional support.
ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education should work with the commissioner to establish an elected board of trustees and then ensure it receives support to carry out its range of responsibilities in an effective manner.
Conclusion
The school is successfully responding to the significant issues that were identified during the November 2017 ERO report. Change and improvement led by the commissioner and current principal have provided an environment more supportive of children’s learning and wellbeing. Systems and processes, now in place, allow the school to more effectively determine areas that need further improvement. These developments should now be consolidated.
Establishing an effectively performing, community-based board of trustees is necessary before consideration can be given to concluding external support.
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO ‘s overall evaluation judgement of Raetihi Primary School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Needs development.
ERO will maintain an ongoing relationship with the school to continue to build capacity and evaluate progress.
ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success is available on ERO’s website.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
4 December 2019
About the School
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Location
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Raetihi
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Ministry of Education profile number
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2429
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School type
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Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)
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School roll
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222
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Gender composition
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Male 55%, Female 45%
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Ethnic composition
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Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Pacific
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77%
22%
1%
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Review team on site
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October 2019
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Date of this report
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4 December 2019
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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November 2017
August 2014
July 2011
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