Flemington School (Waipukurau)

School Context

Flemington School is a full primary, for students in Years 1 to 8. It is in a small farming community south of Waipukurau, in Central Hawkes Bay. At the time of this review, 95 students were enrolled and 16 identify as Māori.

The school’s overarching vision is for students ‘to be confident, resilient and innovative learners who successfully contribute in a fast-changing world’. The school’s mission statement, ‘Educational Excellence and Success’ is underpinned by competencies and values that are fostered and encouraged in children.

There have been some staff changes since the June 2016 ERO evaluation. The board of trustees is almost entirely new.

Achievement targets for 2019 focus on all students who are not achieving The New Zealand Curriculum year level benchmarks in reading, writing and mathematics. The goal is to have learners achieve the benchmarks or make accelerated progress toward reaching these by the end of 2019.

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

• progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

• attendance.

The previous ERO report recommended the board, principal and teachers use the findings of that evaluation to develop a Raising Achievement Plan to further develop processes and practices that respond effectively to the strengths and needs of children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated. The school enacted these recommendations promptly and systems and processes were in place by October of the same year.

The school is a member of the Ruahine 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 end of year 2018 data shows outcomes across learning are generally good. Most students, including Māori, achieved the school’s expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Variation is noticeable for boys, with girls achieving better in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori learners achieved similarly to their non-Māori peers in reading, slightly lower in writing and better in mathematics.

Students generally make good progress as they move through the school. Mid-2019 progress and achievement data show almost all Year 8 students have met the end of year expectation.

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

End-of-year data for students identified in the school’s 2018 achievement targets show most, including Māori, made accelerated progress in mathematics and reading. The school was less successful in accelerating the progress of students targeted in writing. Students who did not achieve the rate of progress to meet expectations continue to be included in annual achievement targets.

The 2019 mid-year data shows a trajectory of improved engagement in learning and accelerated progress toward meeting The New Zealand Curriculum year level expectation, for most of the students identified in the annual achievement targets.

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?

Students experience a broad curriculum where they develop attitudes and attributes conducive to self-led learning. They experience plentiful opportunities to learn alongside others in authentic contexts of high interest within the school and wider education communities. Students’ wellbeing, holistic development and personal growth are enriched.

Students requiring additional support to experience educational success are well-catered for through interventions, additional resourcing and adaptive classroom teaching strategies.

Students’ progress and achievement is enhanced through positive relationships and responsive teaching. Teachers use assessment efficiently for next step teaching and learning. Teachers adapt classroom teaching to individual’s needs and draw on a range of effective teaching strategies.

Opportunities for families and whānau to be involved in the life of the school and their child’s learning are well-considered. Efficient communication strategies keep the school’s community informed. The introduction of an on-line tool allows students, parents and whānau to share and celebrate learning in a timely manner.

School leaders and teachers work collaboratively to progress and achieve the school’s vision and values. Practices for building teachers’ capability and professional learning and development aligns well to the school’s strategic developments and is focused on improving teaching and learning.

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

The localised curriculum continues to evolve and aligns to the school’s vision, values and desired outcomes for students. Curriculum innovations have surpassed current guiding documents. Leaders have begun work toward developing curriculum statements. They need to align these statements to the curriculum innovations being trialled and implemented to have assurance agreed expectations for effective teaching and learning are understood and enacted.

The meaningful inclusion of te ao Māori as an integral part of the school’s curriculum continues to require a more considered approach to promote Māori learners’ culture, language and identity.

School leaders need to report the impact of interventions and the rate of progress and achievement of students identified in the annual achievement targets more often to trustees. This should strengthen evaluation practice and assist trustees to know how effective their resourcing decisions are and the students who are benefiting from this.

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 Flemington School (Waipukurau)’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• a broad curriculum that students experience within the school and in the wider community
• an environment that promotes a positive learning culture
• pursuit of the school’s vision and values for all students that is undertaken cooperatively by staff, trustees and parents.

Next steps

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

• the meaningful inclusion of te ao Māori as an integral part of the school’s localised curriculum
• using effective internal evaluation practice to further determine the impact of curriculum innovations and initiatives on progressing target student’s progress and achievement.

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should ensure teachers who are provisionally certified and subject to confirmation participate in mentoring programmes that will lead to full certification status.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

25 October 2019

About the school