School Context
Kaiti School is a Years 1 to 6 state school located in Gisborne. In 2018, the school was re-designated to include special character provision for te reo Māori immersion learning for Year 7 and 8 students. The roll has grown steadily over the past few years. The current roll of 351 includes 90% who identify as Māori and 7% of Pacific heritage. Just over half of the students whakapapa to Ngāti Porou.
The school’s vision is built around ‘Kia tū maia – be brave; Kia tū pakari – stand strong andKia tū rangatira – be a leader’. The vision is supported by the values of ‘Manaakitanga, Pono, Whakaute, Rereketanga and Harikoa’.
Students are expected ‘to be persistent in their learning, know their whakapapa, look after their hauora and wellbeing, strive to be the best they can be, be confident and technology capable and make a difference for themselves and others’.
The school promotes a Māui Rau approach which focuses on being ‘adaptable and able to transform in order to thrive in a range of conditions.’ A social services team on site supports students and whānau.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
- language, culture and identity
- reading, writing and mathematics
- student hauora and wellbeing
- attendance.
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 is achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for student’s identity, language and culture.
Students have a strong understanding of their iwi, tīpuna, whakapapa, whenua and te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. There has been a strategic approach to the development of school wide knowledge and systems to embrace and champion tikanga and te ao Māori. The school reports on the progress of students in relation to the valued outcomes of being connected to their whakapapa and demonstrating Ngati Poroutanga.
The valued outcome for all students to grow in their proficiency of te reo Māori is being realised. Through a targeted and deliberate approach to the development of te reo Māori, the 2019 achievement data reported to the board indicates that 90% of students’ schoolwide show an increased understanding and use of te reo Māori as they progress through the school. The introduction of the Tu Rangatira classes offering te reo level 3 immersion at Year 7 and 8 has responded to community aspirations. This has seen a significant increase in the number of students able to learn in a predominantly te reo Māori environment. At the end of 2019 data for the Tu Rangatira class showed 100% of students had increased their levels of fluency in te reo Māori.
The school continues to work towards achieving equity and excellence for all students in reading, writing and mathematics. The large majority of students are achieving at and above curriculum levels in reading and mathematics. Most students are achieving at and above curriculum levels in writing. Overall achievement has remained consistent over the past three years.
Pacific students perform well in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement information for 2018 and 2019 shows that girls achieve at higher levels than boys in reading, writing and mathematics.
In 2019, the school had a target based on improving formative assessment practices. These assessment practices were part of an overall strategy to improve student agency and ownership of their learning as a key contributor to progress and achievement. This valued outcome is reported to the board of trustees. By using the specific measures associated with this target, most students in Years 5 to 8 were able to knowledgeably discuss their learning intentions with the majority able to discuss success criteria. Most students in Years 1 to 4 were able to knowledgeably discuss learning intentions.
Improved attendance was another valued student outcome as defined by the school. Schoolwide data about attendance shows the school target of 90% was achieved in 2019.
Wellbeing is a valued student outcome. An externally referenced survey about student wellbeing shows that students are happy and feel safe at school.
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
The school can show effective acceleration for Māori, Pacific and other learners who need it, in reading, writing and mathematics. The positive acceleration outcomes for Māori and other learners are the result of the school’s systematic approach to the identification, tracking, monitoring and response to at-risk learners.
School data for students who were new to the school in 2019, shows effective acceleration 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?
Strong leadership works collaboratively to develop and implement the school’s vision, goals and targets. Leadership undertakes meaningful consultation with teachers, staff and whānau. Key priorities are evident throughout the school’s charter, annual plan, communication with parents and in classrooms. This clear sense of purpose and alignment means that students have access and are well supported to achieve across the curriculum.
Leaders deliberately build teacher capability and collective capacity, relational trust, effective participation and collaboration at every level of the school community. Leaders promote and participate in a coherent approach to professional learning and practice. A targeted approach to professional learning and development that is collegial, and collaborative enables staff to continually look at ways to improve their practice.
Teachers closely monitor the achievement and progress of students, identifying students that need further acceleration. Senior leaders collate and analyse this information to identify, prioritise target students and put in place interventions to accelerate their progress.
Students benefit from a rich, authentic, culturally connected curriculum. He kaupapa mo te kura provides a programme that values the language, identify and culture. Students learn the stories, knowledge, understandings and history of their ancestors. The programme makes active use of all aspects of the local environment to promote students’ understanding of the connectedness to tipuna, whenua and moana. The school has continued to indigenise the curriculum to incorporate Mahi Atua and kaupapa Māori pedagogies.
Students participate and learn in a caring and inclusive learning community. Children have equitable opportunities to learn. Culturally responsive pedagogy supports and promotes student learning and reflects the specific needs of the school. Effective assessment for learning is evident in classroom practice that supports students’ self-assessment and learning-to-learn opportunities.
Students and whānau are well supported by on-site social services that provide a wide range of programmes and services to improve outcomes and wellbeing. Leaders and teachers have high expectations for students and whānau to engage in learning and community activities. Community partnerships extend and enrich opportunities for students to become confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners. A range of communication tools and school events support and strengthen reciprocal learning-centred relationships with whānau and families.
Students with additional learning needs are well catered for using in-school support and learning programmes and expertise, when appropriate, from external agencies. Whānau of these students are actively engaged and included in learning programmes. There are clear processes for the identification of students’ learning needs and individualised programs to improve their outcomes. Progress and achievement for these learners are closely monitored and celebrated.
The board of trustees effectively represents and serves the school community in its stewardship role. Trustees support students and whānau wellbeing, resourcing several programmes and actively seeking external funding to find creative ways to provide this support.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
To sustain current high-quality practice and support further future-focused, innovative developments, ERO and the school agree that steps to enhance the school’s performance are for:
- leaders and teachers continue to develop a shared understanding of effective strategies for acceleration and tracking rates of progress
- leaders to continue to analyse and evaluate schoolwide trends and patterns of student achievement over time.
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 Kaiti School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Strong.
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.
5 Going forward
Key strengths of the school
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
- leadership that provides a clear strategic direction and continual school improvement
- a localised curriculum that engages and meets the needs of students
- learning focused partnerships with whānau that support students’ achievement and wellbeing.
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
- understanding of schoolwide acceleration and rates of progress to clearly identify what works best for students
- more closely analysing and evaluating schoolwide trends and patterns of student achievement to know and report outcomes over time.
Phillip Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
21 July 2020
About the school
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.