St Mary's School (Foxton)

St Mary's School (Foxton)

School Evaluation 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.

Context 

St Mary’s School (Foxton) is a small state integrated Catholic school in Foxton and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. A new principal was appointed in 2023. The school’s vision Promoting excellence through learning and Catholic discipleship is supported by the values of love (aroha), courage (kaha), community (whānau) and service (ratonga).

There are two parts to this report.

Part A: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings.

Part B: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.

Part A: Current State

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

The majority of learners are not yet making sufficient progress.
  • Achievement information shows a small majority of learners in mathematics and less than half of the students in reading and writing, are meeting expected curriculum levels.
  • Improving equity for groups of learners, including Māori students, remains a priority for the school.
  • Attendance information shows a small majority of students attend regularly; the school is yet to meet the 2024 Ministry of Education target.

Conditions to support learner success

School leadership is establishing systems and processes to improve outcomes for learners.
  • Leaders and staff promote a positive school culture with a clear focus on improving learner engagement and wellbeing.
  • Leaders continue to work towards establishing expectations for high quality, evidence-based teaching, with a focus on raising teacher capability and learner outcomes.
  • Leaders and teachers are developing evaluative capabilities to better know and understand the impact of initiatives and strategies for improving learner outcomes.
Teachers are establishing ways to adapt their practice to respond to learners’ strengths and needs.
  • Teachers use inclusive practices to promote a collaborative learning environment that fosters increased student participation and engagement in learning.
  • Learners are supported to engage, inquire and apply new learning within an inclusive, positive learning environment.
  • Leaders and teachers are taking steps to improve the way they collect, analyse and interpret data to better inform responsive practices that support improved learner outcomes and address barriers to learning.
Improving school systems, processes, and internal evaluation focused on improving student achievement outcomes, are a priority.
  • The board, leaders and staff prioritise a relational and inclusive culture that fosters student wellbeing and active participation in learning through the school’s special character and values.
  • Leaders and staff build community and professional relationships to enhance the school’s special character and teaching and learning programmes.
  • Leaders and staff seek and engage in ongoing professional development to build teacher confidence and capability in te reo me ona tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori knowledge.
  • The board and leaders are developing self-review processes to ensure alignment of key schoolwide practices focused on learner wellbeing, achievement and engagement; strengthening the use of information from a range of sources to plan for ongoing improvement is an identified next step.

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

  • support teachers to further develop consistent, responsive teaching, learning and assessment practices with a focus on accelerating learning for students at risk of not achieving
  • strengthen the school’s evaluation processes to focus on the most significant initiatives for improving attendance and achievement outcomes for all students
  • continue to build teachers’ capability and confidence in the use and integration of quality te reo me ona tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori learning opportunities throughout the curriculum.

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

Within six months:

  • review and use assessment information to adapt teaching programmes to purposefully address barriers to learner progress and success
  • review and develop a schoolwide evaluation approach to track and monitor the progress and impact of key improvement actions, including attendance, achievement outcomes and legislative requirements
  • use a framework, such as Poutama Reo, to evaluate current teacher practice and collect baseline data for improving te reo Māori and te ao Māori use within the classroom.

Every six months:

  • moderate, monitor and use assessment information to report on the attendance, progress and achievement of all students, with a particular focus on achieving equity for target groups of learners and those at risk of not achieving
  • review and report on the effectiveness of changes to teaching practice, through teacher observation, collection of student feedback and analysis of assessment information
  • leaders monitor how well teachers are increasingly integrating high quality te reo Māori and te ao Māori throughout the implementation of the curriculum.

Annually:

  • review, analyse and report schoolwide achievement and attendance data to the board, to strategically plan actions and identify initiatives and practices that have been most successful in accelerating progress and improving attendance
  • leaders evaluate the impact of identified initiatives that have been most successful in accelerating learner progress and achievement, with a focus on informing next steps, including the effective integration of te reo Māori and te ao Māori.

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

  • consistent, effective and responsive teaching, learning and assessment practices schoolwide, resulting in improved and sustained levels of attendance, progress and achievement for all learners
  • enhanced internal evaluative practices that effectively use multiple sources of evidence to inform deliberate decision making for improving student outcomes
  • successful and effective integration of te ao Māori through all aspects of teaching and learning, with students and staff regularly using te reo Māori with increased capability.

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 Evaluation 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

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

11 December 2024

About the School

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

St Mary's School (Foxton)

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024 to 2027

As of May 2024, the St Mary’s School (Foxton) Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Actions for Compliance 

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

  • ensured the board is properly elected and constituted
    [Section 119 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
  • has a board appointed member (not being the principal/staff or student representative) to preside at meetings
    [Clauses 11, 12-19 of the Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020]
  • an average of five hours of mathematics, reading and writing teaching and learning is not provided per week
    [Section 90 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (2023 Amendment)]
  • provided career education and guidance for all students in Year 7 and above
    [Section 103 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
  • worked towards offering students opportunities for learning second or subsequent languages (Years 7-10)
    [The New Zealand Curriculum (Learning languages) MOE]
  • ensured that from 7 February 2024, teachers and authorised staff members have completed the online module on the content of the guidelines on the use of physical restraint and behaviour management
    [section 101 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
  • has a child protection policy that is written and contains provisions on the identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect
    [Section 15 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 and section 18 and 19 of the Children’s Act 2014]
  • obtained a police vet for every person the board appoints or intends to appoint to a position at the school and who is to work at the school during normal school hours
    [Section 104 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
  • has documents showing that suitable human resource management practices are implemented.
    [Section 599 of the Education and Training Act 2020]

The board has addressed the following areas of non-compliance identified:

  • ensured the board is properly elected and constituted
    [Section 119 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
  • has a board appointed member (not being the principal/staff or student representative) to preside at meetings
    [Clauses 11, 12-19 of the Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020]
  • an average of five hours of mathematics, reading and writing teaching and learning is not provided per week
    [Section 90 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (2023 Amendment)]
  • provided career education and guidance for all students in Year 7 and above
    [Section 103 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
  • ensured that from 7 February 2024, teachers and authorised staff members have completed the online module on the content of the guidelines on the use of physical restraint and behaviour management
    [section 101 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
  • obtained a police vet for every person the board appoints or intends to appoint to a position at the school and who is to work at the school during normal school hours.
    [Section 104 of the Education and Training Act 2020]

The board has taken steps to address the following areas of non-compliance identified:

  • worked towards offering students opportunities for learning second or subsequent languages (Years 7-10)
    [The New Zealand Curriculum (Learning languages) MOE]
  • has a child protection policy that is written and contains provisions on the identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect
    [Section 15 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 and section 18 and 19 of the Children’s Act 2014]
  • has documents showing that suitable human resource management practices are implemented.
    [Section 599 of the Education and Training Act 2020]

Further Information

For further information please contact St Mary’s School (Foxton), School Board.

The next School Board assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.

Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

11 December 2024

About the School 

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

St Mary's School (Foxton)

School Context

St Mary’s, a small state integrated Catholic school in Foxton, has students in Years 1 to 8. The school roll is 38 students, with 32% identifying as Māori. Children learn in twomixed-age classrooms, Years 1 to 3 and Years 4 to 8. The school values opportunities for students to serve and be a part of their community. The learning environment promotes courage, resilience and social justice.

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

  • achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
  • religious education and restorative practice
  • progress in relation to strategic goals.

The school has experienced significant change since the August 2014 ERO report. School leadership seeks the perspectives of the community and to involve parents and whānau as valued partners in learning.

Involvement in Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako continues to build learning relationships to support the achievement of students.

Evaluation Findings

1 Equity and excellence – valued outcomes for students

1.1 How well is the school achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students?

The school reports that the majority of students achieve in reading and writing.

In mathematics, many achieve well. Girls achieve better than boys in mathematics. To address this disparity, the school has given this area priority in the strategic plan. The principal and staffcontinue to investigate and extend the range of meaningful learning contexts to motivate students, engage them and promote mathematical concepts.

Students with additional needs are closely monitored and learning opportunities provide appropriate support and challenge. The school communicates with whānau and effectively engages with external agencies to coordinate resources and make good progress towards learning goals for students.

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

The school is responding well to those Māori and other learners whose learning and achievement require acceleration. Processes have been developed to identify, track and monitor their progress. Leaders and teachers work collaboratively, have regular check points and engage in learning conversations to review the progress and achievement of individual children.

Data indicates some learners make noticeable progress.

2 School conditions for equity and excellence

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

The board actively represents and serves the school and educational community. Trustees access appropriate resources to help them in their stewardship responsibilities, centred on student learning and wellbeing.

The school leader and teaching team work collaboratively to improve student achievement. They are reflective and inquire into the data to guide their teaching practice. Learning conversations are focused on students whose progress requires acceleration. Staff have been involved in professional development to support literacy and mathematics learning.

Newly implemented curriculum plans provide useful guidance for teachers. These are underpinned by The New Zealand Curriculum and Catholic values. The addition of career education, te reo Māori and other language learning opportunities, provide a range of authentic learning contexts designed to lift engagement. Digital technology is used to enhance learning, grow independence and allows opportunities for parents to connect with their children’s progress and milestones.

Staff are deepening their knowledge and capacity to support learning outcomes for Māori. The school engages in a range of meaningful contexts with whānau. Te ao Māori and te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are valued and actively supported by teachers and leaders in the curriculum, through kapa haka and pōwhiri.

Students learn in a positive environment. A restorative programme assists them to use appropriate learning behaviour with each other and these values set expectations for all students, teachers and whānau.

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

Further development, to continue building the schools’ capacity to promote equity and excellence in student outcomes, includes:

  • school leaders and trustees improving their understanding of effective internal evaluation to identify what is working well for student’s learning and where improvements are needed; and to measure the impact of school operation
  • continuing to strengthen school targets to focus on those groups of students most at risk and who require their learning to be accelerated; aligning these with class targets and teacher inquiries.

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:

  • leadership that strategically supports building teachers’ capacity
  • knowing those students whose learning and achievement need acceleration
  • practices that represent and engage whānau and the community.

Next steps

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

  • strengthening schoolwide targets that focus on those learners most at risk of not achieving
  • building collective capacity to use evaluation, inquiry and knowledge, to sustain and further improve outcomes for learners.

The board and principal agree that a workshop on internal evaluation processes would benefit the school.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

15 January 2018

About the school

LocationFoxton
Ministry of Education profile number2455
School typeFull Primary (Year 1-8)
School roll38
Gender composition18, Female 20Male
 

Māori 12

Pākehā 15

Pacific 3

Filipino 8

Provision of Māori medium educationNo
Review team on siteOctober 2017
Date of this report15 January 2018
Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review August 2014

Education Review June 2011

Education Review May 2008