107 Poukawa Road , Hastings
View on mapTēnā 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.
Poukawa School is located rurally south of Hastings and provides education for learners in Year 1 to 8. The school roll is 100, comprising approximately 45% Māori learners and the remainder predominately New Zealand European/Pākehā. The school’s vision is to empower students to be active and environmental learners in a holistic and safe environment. The school values are to explore, be determined, show tiakitanga and manaakitanga.
| How well are learners succeeding? | The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners. |
| What is the quality of teaching and learning? | Learners benefit from good quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
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| How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs? | Learners have sufficient opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum. There is an increasingly consistent focus on supporting learners to gain skills in literacy and mathematics. Learners with complex needs are well supported to achieve their education goals. |
| How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement? | The school is establishing planning and conditions that support improvements in the quality of education for learners. |
| How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing? | The school successfully promotes learners’ engagement, wellbeing and inclusion. |
| How well does the school partner with parents, whānau and its community for the benefit of learners? | The school is improving its reporting to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress. The school is improving its collection and use of information gathered through community consultation to inform strategic planning and curriculum decisions. |
| Student Health and Safety | The school board needs to ensure a physically and emotionally safe learning environment. |
This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.
Foundation Skills | |
| Reading | Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Writing | A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Mathematics | A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners. |
The school is behind the target of 80% regular attendance.
The school is yet to have a suitable plan to improve attendance.
Regular attendance is improving towards or beyond the target.
Chronic absence is reducing over time.
The school is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately find out about achievement against the curriculum.
Teachers are developing assessment information to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.
The school is developing good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.
The school has to some extent improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.
The school has to some extent extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review.
The school is making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets for 2030 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.
This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.
Leaders and teachers focus on ensuring an inclusive, family like environment that supports wellbeing for all, encourages students to see themselves as learners and promotes equitable outcomes. Regular attendance is increasing.
Learners with differing needs are well supported in their learning and in developing connection to the school, resulting in improvements in learning and behaviour.
Teachers use a range of data to identify and monitor the progress of those students who need more learning support as they move through the year levels.
Leadership is improvement focused and ensures that staff professional development is clearly aligned to school goals. The school is in the process of embedding understandings from recent professional learning in the ways in which teacher actions directly promote inclusion, wellbeing and learning.
Learners have one hour a day focused on reading, writing and mathematics. The school has started implementing structured approaches across the school in literacy and mathematics. A key next step is to further this work.
The school curriculum reflects local contexts with a strong focus on science and environmental learning that builds on learners’ experiences and knowledge.
The board is well aware of community views for school direction and provides resources for learning and equity of outcomes. A key next step is for the board to ensure it fully follows its policies and procedures.
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within three months:
Within six months:
Every six months:
Annually:
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
ERO has identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
The board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.
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
Sharon Kelly
Director of Schools (Acting)
7 May 2025
This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Poukawa School is rurally located south of Hastings. Of the 103 students who attend the school, 40% identify as Māori.
Since the February 2016 ERO report, the school has experienced a number of staffing changes, including a new principal who commenced at the beginning of term 2 2019.
The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school are reflected in the school’s Whakataukī: ‘Mā te huruhuru, ka rere te manu – Adorn the bird with feathers so it may fly’. This is underpinned by the school’s values of: ‘safe and sensible, thinking, aroha and resilient (STAR)’.
Current goals and targets are focused on accelerating the learning of all students whose progress was not sufficient in writing and mathematics in 2018.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
Professional learning and development in 2019 is focused on culturally responsive practice and writing.
The school is a member of the Hastings East Kāhui Ako.
Poukawa School continues to build its effectiveness in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all students.
The school reported data for the end of 2018 shows that most students achieved at or above The New Zealand Curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics.
Data over time, from 2016, shows increasing levels of achievement in reading and writing with a significant improvement for boys in writing at the end of 2018.
Addressing reduced achievement levels in mathematics and disparities for Māori learners are priorities for the school.
The school’s achievement information for 2018 shows effective rates of acceleration for those students who are at risk of not achieving at expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics.
The 2019 mid-year data for priority students in reading, writing and mathematics, shows that most, including Māori, have made progress towards meeting expectations by the end of this year.
There is evidence of acceleration for the majority students in writing, supported through a specific intervention.
Leadership collaboratively develops and pursues the school’s vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence. The board of trustees, through the charter, clearly sets out related long-term strategic goals that are given priority in the annual plan through a range of actions. Parents and whānau are consulted and contribute their voice to the strategic direction.
Improving outcomes for students is at the centre of all decision making. Evidence-informed inquiry enables leaders to make informed decisions about appropriate interventions and staff professional development. A useful framework guides teachers’ inquiry into their practice and to make decisions about change to enhance student outcomes.
High levels of student engagement across classrooms in flexible environments support student learning and success. These environments reflect the language, culture and identity of Māori learners and New Zealand’s bicultural partnership.
Teachers use a range of effective strategies to plan and deliver teaching programmes to support students to make choices and have increased ownership of their learning. Relevant contexts motivate and encourage learners to make connections outside the classroom. Teaching practice is supported by collegial relationships and team work. Staff are responsive to the individual strengths, interests and needs of learners. Positive reciprocal relationships are evident across all levels of the school.
Staff proactively collaborate with community networks and agencies to enhance student learning opportunities, achievement and wellbeing and support shared goals. Systems and processes are responsive to students’ need. Planned targeted interventions to accelerate progress for learners with identified learning needs are put in place.
Trustees bring a range of knowledge and expertise to the stewardship role. Trustees are well informed about school operations, programmes and student achievement.
The principal and teachers are reflective and improvement focused and this places them well to further develop a shared understanding and use of robust internal evaluation. Effective internal evaluation should assist them to better determine what works and what is needed to support and sustain ongoing improvement for equity and excellence of outcomes, for all students. Clearly articulating the philosophy and valued outcomes for students, should provide a basis to support systematic evaluation of outcomes aligned to the school’s vision.
The school recognises the need to continue in partnership with the community and whānau to inform the localised curriculum expectations. Further developing culturally responsive practice aligned to parent aspirations for Māori success as Māori is an appropriate area for further development.
Reviewing and accessing relevant professional learning in mathematics has been identified by the school to build collective capability and strengthen student achievement outcomes in this subject area.
Leaders have appropriately identified the need to strengthen assessment practice to further support student outcomes. Realigning targets to those students whose learning requires acceleration and reporting termly outcomes to the board to support their timely response to this information, are areas to continue to develop.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Poukawa School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.
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.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
Phillip Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services Central
Central Region
13 December 2019
|
Location |
Hastings |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
2650 |
|
School type |
Full Primary Years 1 - 8 |
|
School roll |
103 |
|
Gender composition |
Male 55, Female 48 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 41 |
|
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) |
No |
|
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
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Review team on site |
October 2019 |
|
Date of this report |
13 December 2019 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review February 2016 |
Students experience a balanced curriculum. The school values and promotes te ao Māori. The importance of student and community views is acknowledged to identify priorities for improvement. Next steps are to: strengthen the use of student data; review and improve the school curriculum; develop a strategic focus to work with whānau Māori and improve school-wide evaluation and inquiry.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Poukawa School is a rural, Years 1 to 8 primary school located south of Hastings. The roll of 101 includes 35 students who identify as Māori.
Since the December 2012 ERO review, the school has experienced a change in leadership. A new principal commenced at the beginning of 2015.
Spacious grounds with a well-maintained environment of native trees and bush provides students with opportunities to engage in a wide variety of sports and outdoor pursuits.
The school's reporting history with ERO is positive.
The school is developing its use of achievement information to make positive changes to all learners’ engagement, progress and achievement. Teachers continue to strengthen their teaching and assessment through professional learning and development.
The school is part of a cluster of local schools that meet regularly to moderate assessment results and share good teaching practice.
Teachers and leaders identify students who are at risk of achieving poor educational outcomes. At classroom level they monitor their progress each term. A range of strategies is used to help support students' learning, with some making accelerated progress.
The school's achievement information indicates that it has not as yet been successful in accelerating the progress of many Māori students to the levels of their peers in relation to the National Standards. Raising boys’ achievement in writing should also be a priority for the school.
Currently the school’s charter targets focus on increasing the number of students achieving National Standards for reading, writing and mathematics. The principal intends to make targets more specific, ERO’s evaluation agrees with this. Leaders should also consider:
Parents receive useful written reports twice a year about the achievement and progress their child makes in relation to National Standards for reading, writing and mathematics.
The school’s curriculum requires further review and development to help promote and support student learning. Plans are in place to achieve this.
Revised curriculum guidelines are in place to help support teachers with the teaching and learning of literacy and mathematics. An assessment schedule clearly outlines the requirements for gathering and reporting of data. Systems are in place to support teachers to reflect on the learning needs and strategies used to help support students’ learning.
Teachers ensure a balanced coverage of all the essential learning areas over time. All students participate in learning programmes that celebrate bicultural aspects of Aotearoa.
The principal recognises that further development in areas of digital and modern learning practices and student ownership of learning are important next steps for the school. ERO agrees with this direction.
The school values te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Leaders and teachers promote positive relationships, and working collaboratively with whānau Māori and hapū to enhance the learning opportunities and wellbeing of tamariki.
Tamariki are able to lead others in learning and in celebrating their own language, culture and identity. The school also uses whānau Māori expertise in the curriculum to help support and build understanding of te ao Māori for both students and teachers.
Establishing a more strategic approach to determine what Māori success is for whānau Māori is an important next step for the school. The principal has identified a future priority is to further enhance partnerships for learning with whānau Māori. This should help the school to identify what their goals and aspirations are for their tamariki and to define what success looks like in this context.
The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance.
The board and principal recognise the importance of student and community voice to help decide priorities for inquiry and improvement. Increasing teachers, trustees understanding and use of evaluation and inquiry should further assist decision making and improvement.
The appraisal process uses a range of sources of feedback on teaching effectiveness. It is timely to provide further guidance to teachers about the collection of sufficient evidence for professional portfolios to meet the 12 Practising Teacher Criteria.
Since the December 2012 ERO review, teachers have inquired into the effectiveness of their teaching practice for groups of students. In 2015 this practice was not sustained. The principal identified that developing a shared model with the new teaching team is an important first step to re-establishing this practice. Leaders should also consider developing a system to monitor consistency and quality to help build teachers capability within the school.
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:
Students experience a balanced curriculum. The school values and promotes te ao Māori. The importance of student and community views is acknowledged to identify priorities for improvement. Next steps are to: strengthen the use of student data; review and improve the school curriculum; develop a strategic focus to work with whānau Māori and improve school-wide evaluation and inquiry.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
22 February 2016
|
Location |
Hastings |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
2650 |
|
|
School type |
Full Primary (Year 1 to 8) |
|
|
School roll |
101 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Male 45%, Female 55% |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
35% 59% 6% |
|
Review team on site |
December 2015 |
|
|
Date of this report |
22 February 2016 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Education Review Education Review |
December 2012 October 2009 July 2006 |