Ilminster Intermediate

School Context

Ilminster Intermediate School located in Kaiti Gisborne, caters for students in Years 7 and 8. Most of the 418 students attending at the time of this ERO review identify as Māori. The roll includes a small number of Pacific students.

The school’s mission is to meet the needs of individuals through programmes emphasising academic, social and cultural awareness underpinned by a vision of: ‘Simply the best’.

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

• achievement
• wellbeing
• attendance.

The introduction of Matauranga groups for literacy, numeracy, health and physical education and connection subjects are in addition to the learning centres that cater for self-identified strengths and interests. In 2019 the school has implemented three bilingual classes and is reviewing the curriculum to include its local curriculum.

The school has stable staffing and a full complement of trustees including longstanding and new members.

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?

Most learners achieved the school’s expectations in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of 2018. The school continues to prioritise wellbeing and readiness of learners to engage in learning.

Senior leaders generate annual numeracy and literacy reports that consider achievement data and identify the acceleration and progress of all students. Entry data shows a significant number of incoming students below curriculum expectation. School data shows considerable shifts in achievement that are generally sustained through to the end of Year 8.

Achievement information since 2016 shows most Māori students continue to do well in reading, writing and mathematics. There has been a steady increase in achievement for Pacific students in reading and writing over time. There is minimal disparity in writing for all groups. However, some disparity is evident for Māori and Pacific in reading compared to Pākehā. This is more significant in mathematics.

Learners with additional needs are well identified, their needs recognised and programmes of support are in place. External resourcing and expertise supports this provision.

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

A clear focus on lifting and accelerating the achievement of priority learners in reading, writing and mathematics is evident. The emphasis is to shift students from achieving below expectations to enable them to better access the curriculum.

Analysis of school data shows significant acceleration of progress for at risk learners in reading, writing and mathematics.

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?

Trustees, leaders and teachers are strongly focused on promoting positive outcomes for children and their whānau. The provision of equitable opportunities for all students to access and participate in learning is a high priority. All students have access to a broad range of learning activities, resources and experiences that effectively engage them. The learning environment is inclusive and fosters a sense of belonging and community. This an important part of the school’s culture and curriculum organisation.

Leaders and teachers strongly prioritise capacity building to strengthen schoolwide practice. Teachers are reflective and this is encouraged through shared planning, observations and feedback. The leadership team works deliberately and purposefully to promote a culture of relational trust and collaboration that encourages participation and engagement for improvement. Appropriate professional development for teaching and learning builds the collective accountability of teachers.

Programmes and meaningful learning experiences are responsive to children’s interests and needs. Leaders and teachers have strengthened the curriculum to deliver numeracy and literacy more effectively to better cater for the needs of at risk learners. The school promotes students’ awareness and identity of self as capable and successful learners. Learning to learn is a priority and incorporates connections to students’ lives, interests, prior understandings and out-of-school experiences.

Teachers and leaders hold high expectations for all learners, including themselves. School practices are grounded in positive relationships in a respectful and inclusive environment. Caring and mutual respect are highly evident. Values and positive engagement in school life are promoted through Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L). Staff connect to students’ worlds to promote success, engagement, resilience and learning attitudes.

A culture of reflection, review and evaluation is well established to promote continuous improvement. The impact of the curriculum is monitored, reviewed and refined. Multiple perspectives are sought including student voice. An emphasis on promoting consistency is evident, with a considered approach to improvement and change.

There is a strong foundation for whānau and student engagement and a range of strategies support this. Teachers and leaders regularly consult with whānau, students and community. Community connections continue to strengthen this.

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

Trustees and leaders should continue to develop alignment of systems, processes and practices that better identify how well they are addressing disparity of groups of students by reporting rates of progress for at risk learners in each learning area.

Leaders have identified, and ERO agrees, that appraisal continues to be strengthened. New resources and ways of working, appropriately focused on challenging teachers and clarity and coherence across the school, are being implemented. As this process becomes embedded, leaders should ensure that all teacher appraisals include a much stronger focus on the impact of teacher practices on student outcomes.

Trustees and leaders should continue to develop a consistent shared understanding and approach to evaluation to ensure all aspects are strongly linked to evidence and outcomes.

Trustees are responsive to resourcing identified priorities. To continue to improve practice the Board should:

• review its effectiveness in relation to governance, stewardship and legislative responsibilities
• strengthen board minutes to better show the quality of discussion in relation to outcomes and priorities.

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 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO‘s overall evaluation judgement of Ilminster Intermediate’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• systems and processes that support student wellbeing and promote an inclusive culture and sense of belonging for students
• extensive curriculum that encourages student engagement, learning and achievement
• strategic and coherent approach to building leadership and growing staff professional capability to improve outcomes for students.

Next steps

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

• appraisal and inquiry to further support teachers to improve their practice
• the process for monitoring legislative requirements
• internal evaluation to better measure impact on students outcomes.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in the school related to personnel management.The board of trustees must ensure:

1. appraisal of the principal is sufficiently robust, documented and meets Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand requirements.
   [s77c State Sector Act 1988]

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:

• strengthen systems for monitoring, reviewing and reporting health and safety policies and practices
• ensure the appraisal process more clearly aligns with Teaching Council of Aotearoa requirements.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

23 May 2019

About the school