20 Ward Street , Trentham, Upper Hutt
View on mapThis Profile Report was written within 2 years of the Education Review Office and Heretaunga College working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz
Heretaunga College is a co-educational secondary school for students in Years 9 to 13 located in Upper Hutt. The school is a managing school for the Titiro Whakamaua teen parent unit and Koranui alternative education programme. There is a new principal since the school’s last review. The school’s vision for learners is that they become connected, creative, resilient and engaged citizens.
Heretaunga College’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:
prepare Upper Hutt youth for life as engaged, informed and educated citizens
create connection and build meaningful relationships
create a place in which it is safe for ākonga to express themselves, think critically and to broaden their horizons
make learning inspirational, engaging and enriching, fostering life-long learning
encourage ākonga to have confidence, to explore boundaries and to find their passion.
At the time of this report the school was in consultation with the community to establish new strategic priorities for school direction.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Heretaunga College’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the implementation of culturally responsive curriculum, teaching practice and relationships to improve student engagement and learning.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is that the school has identified a need to:
improve student attendance at school and engagement in learning
improve the achievement of learners at all levels and ensure equitable learning and wellbeing outcomes for all groups of students, particularly Māori students
build the capability of teaching staff to enact the school’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The school expects to see an increasing proportion of junior, senior and Māori students:
attending regularly
experiencing a sense of belonging in the school
making progress and achieving success in learning.
The school can draw from the following strengths to support it in its goal to improve student engagement and success in learning:
ongoing curriculum development that responds to the interests and aspirations of students
a schoolwide focus on teaching practices that are adapted to meet the learning needs of students
well established structures, roles and programmes that meet the diverse wellbeing needs of students.
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
developing shared understandings of the school’s responsibilities to enact and embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi
strengthening community connections and partnerships particularly with iwi and whānau Māori
fostering effective, culturally responsive relationships and teaching practices
strengthening assessment practices and the analysis of achievement and learning information to better know about progress, achievement and next steps in Years 9 and 10.
The ongoing review of operational policies and the alignment of practice to related procedures.
The delay in development of strategic planning in consultation with the school community.
Trustees and school leaders need to prioritise the customisation of the new school policy framework; adhere to the regular review schedule; develop their understandings of appropriate assurance reporting and support staff to engage meaningfully with procedures.
Prioritisation of strategic planning to guide school improvement and direction.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.
Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools
31 August 2023
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
As of May 2023, the Heretaunga College Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
ERO and the board have identified the following area of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
Policy and procedures relating to reducing student distress and the use of physical restraint need to be developed.
[Section 101 of the Education & Training Act 2020]
The board needs to be satisfied student absences are correctly recorded, monitored and followed up, including for those students undertaking work experience placements.
[section 36 Education and Training Act 2020]
The board has since taken steps to address the areas of non-compliance identified.
For further information please contact Heretaunga College, 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
31 August 2023
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.
The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.
No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.
ERO’s evaluation of the school’s process for self-review and provision of pastoral care as required by the Code identified that the school is in the process of closing its international student programme and deregistering as a signatory to the Code. As a result, minimal self-review has been completed in recent years.
If the school does not proceed with deregistration, ERO recommends that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority as Administrator of the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 follows up with the school about its implementation of self-review against the code and policies, procedures and provision in relation to international students.
Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools
31 August 2023
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Heretaunga College is a positive environment for students. NCEA Levels 1 and 2 results are showing improvement, including for Māori learners. Trustees’ strategic priorities are soundly based on building on improvements to date. Strengthening internal evaluation and inquiry should further improve the ability of school personnel to achieve equity and excellence for all students.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Heretaunga College is a co-educational secondary school located in Wallaceville, Upper Hutt. Nineteen percent of the 814 students enrolled are Māori and 5% Pacific. Over recent years student enrolments have continued to grow. The college is currently working with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to consider introducing an enrolment zone.
The school philosophy is reflected in its crest, the phoenix, which symbolises fresh beginnings, and its motto, Kia Hiwa Ra, be awake, be alert. Promoting the opportunity for students to be awake to the many opportunities that surround them and be ready to be challenged by new things is the priority.
Student leadership contributes to the positive culture and tone of the school. PRIDE values, highlighting participation, respect, integrity, determination, and excellence are expressed and modelled by students.
The college operates a teen parent unit and currently has thirty students enrolled in trade academies.
Since the May 2014 ERO report, the school has experienced changes to senior leadership and some newly elected trustees.
To build on improving results for the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEAs) Levels 1 and 2, school leaders acknowledge better use of assessment information in Year 9 and 10 is required to strengthen teaching, learning and student engagement.
Well-considered changes to the senior curriculum are contributing to better NCEA results at Levels 1 and 2 for students, including Māori learners. In 2015, 75% of school leavers gained a Level 2 qualification, 5% below national figures. Māori leavers achieved similar to their non-Māori peers at Level 1 and slightly lower at Levels 2 and 3. The number of students gaining an endorsed qualification of merit or excellence is increasing over time.
Qualifications gained by students at NCEA Level 3 and University Entrance have declined over recent years. Leaders identify reversing this trend and setting specific targets to address disparity in the achievement for Māori students, especially Māori boys, are priorities for the college.
An extended mentoring programme has been implemented for senior students in 2017, to build on improvements at NCEA Levels 1 and 2 and address achievement priorities. Evaluating the impact of mentoring for students at NCEA Level 3 and the priority group of Māori boys, should provide useful information about its effectiveness in achieving equity and excellence for students.
Leaders recognise the quality of departmental reporting is variable. Providing feedback in relation to department goals, analysis and reporting should strengthen leaders' evaluation practice.
Student retention at school to 17 years of age is similar to national figures. Overall retention shows a 10% decline from 2013. Figures for Māori students are 9% below their non-Māori peers, with the disparity for Māori males more significant. Gathering destination information in relation to school leavers is planned as one strategy in strengthening the college's understanding of this trend.
Parents and whānau receive appropriate student achievement information. Three-way conferences at the beginning of the year, written reporting and access to digital information supports shared discussions about students' educational pathways and academic goals.
Significant redevelopment of the senior curriculum is impacting positively to respond to the needs and interests of students. Courses are accessible and designed to meet the individual aspirations and career pathways of learners. In some subjects, the inclusion of Māori contexts promotes culturally relevant learning. Individuals spoken with by ERO affirmed the structure and content of the senior curriculum and acknowledged an appropriate level of support in making subject choices. Senior leaders are in the early stages of gathering information to redevelop the junior curriculum.
Students requiring additional assistance or identified with complex needs are well supported and included. Useful information is gathered to assist student transition into the college.
Staff actively support and provide for the wellbeing of students. Pastoral structures and systems help leaders and teachers to develop a collaborative response to individual students. Restorative practice is emerging as the underpinning philosophy to promote students’ positive inclusion at school. Wellbeing information, currently being gathered from students, should provide the basis for staff and trustees to evaluate the responsiveness of practice.
Senior leaders are knowledgeable about the effectiveness of teacher practice in the college. They recognise that approaches and capability building to achieve consistently high quality student outcomes require further development.
Trustees' strategic goals seek to strengthen the school's response in promoting Māori success as Māori. To achieve the intended outcomes leaders, trustees and teachers should develop relevant actions to build capability and curriculum practice. Identifying specific actions should increase opportunities to evaluate the impact of initiatives in achieving equity and excellence for Māori learners.
The college is well placed to sustain and continue to further improve its performance and achieve equity and excellence for students.
Leaders and trustees intend to review the school vision. This should provide an opportunity to gather information about the valued outcomes of students, parents, Māori whānau and Pacific families. Analysed responses should provide the basis for determining the scope of current practice and inform future development.
Trustees continue to strengthen their operational management to support effective stewardship. Strategic and annual planning aligns to school and achievement priorities. Decision making should be further enhanced by increasing the information provided to trustees in relation to the progress and achievement of targeted learners in Years 9 to 13.
Senior leaders have established relevant priorities to build on the positive changes to senior curriculum and teacher practice. The intent to increase collaborative practice between department leaders is a valuable opportunity to build capability across the college.
Teachers continue to strengthen their understanding of effective inquiry. Implementation and feedback is assisting staff to build their knowledge and consider the impact of their practice in relation to student outcomes. ERO's evaluation affirms the school goal to strengthen teachers’ focus on identifying target students and evaluating practice linked to evidence of accelerated achievement.
The college's appraisal system has the potential to appropriately support teacher improvement. Variability in implementation impacts on the effectiveness of this process. Leaders should continue to build a shared understanding of the various elements of the process and more effectively monitor its implementation for school wide consistency.
Regular review and reflection is a valuable part of leaders' and teachers' practice to improve student achievement outcomes. Strengthening evaluation in relation to specific groups should support a greater understanding of how effectively current and future initiatives impact on achieving equity and excellence for targeted learners.
The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. At the time of this review there were 34 international students attending the school.
The school provides a comprehensive response to the educational and pastoral needs of international students. Increasing evaluative information to trustees should strengthen their knowledge in relation to the quality of provision for international students.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
A Limited Statutory Manager was appointed by the MoE to support aspects of financial reporting. Since being appointed in 2015, financial matters are being proactively addressed.
Heretaunga College is a positive environment for students. NCEA Levels 1 and 2 results are showing improvement, including for Māori learners. Trustees’ strategic priorities are soundly based on building on improvements to date. Strengthening internal evaluation and inquiry should further improve the ability of school personnel to achieve equity and excellence for all students.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
19 May 2017
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Location |
Upper Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
251 |
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School type |
Secondary (Years 9 to 15) |
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School roll |
814 |
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Number of international students |
36 |
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Gender composition |
Female 54%, Male 46% |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
19% |
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Special features |
Attached Teen Parent Unit |
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Review team on site |
March 2017 |
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Date of this report |
19 May 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2014 |