Wellington College

Wellington College 

School Evaluation Report 

Tēnā 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.

Context 

Wellington College is a large inner-city school in Wellington central providing education for students in Years 9 to 13. A new headmaster was appointed in term 2, 2022. The strategic leadership team has been appointed over the course of the past two years. The school endeavours to provide a wide range of academic, extra-curricular, service and leadership opportunities for students to experience success.

There are two parts to this report.

Part A: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings. 

Part B: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Current State 

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

Most students are engaged, make good progress and achieve very well.
  • Almost all students gain Level 2 and 3 National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) and University Entrance; nearly half of the students gain NCEA endorsed with Merit or Excellence and Scholarship achievement rates are very good.
  • In 2023, almost all students gained Level 1 NCEA; from 2024 the school Year 10 and 11 students will work towards achieving the Wellington College Certificate (a two-year academic and co-curricular programme). 
  • The school has yet to address disparity in engagement, achievement and attendance for some Māori and Pacific students; a range of interventions are in place.
  • The large majority of students attend school regularly; leaders have a focus on improving student attendance so that the Ministry of Education targets for regular attendance can be achieved. 

Conditions to support learner success

Leadership is increasingly strategic with a focus on improvement goals. 
  • Leaders use evidence to plan and monitor progress towards key improvement targets, particularly for groups of students who are at risk of underachievement.
  • Iwi and whānau are increasingly involved in decision making in the school to strengthen relationships and lift academic and leadership outcomes for Māori and Pacific students.
  • Leaders drive research and best practice with their staff, in local, national and international educational contexts. 
Students mostly experience meaningful and intentional teaching that supports many different learning needs.
  • There is an increasingly consistent focus on supporting students to gain sound foundational skills, including literacy and mathematics, to establish a solid base for success in NCEA. 
  • Assessment information is gathered and used to strengthen understanding of student progress during the year, and to tailor appropriate interventions.
  • Teachers are beginning to integrate te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori throughout the curriculum and teaching practice.
Systems, structures and practices to improve student outcomes are being strengthened.
  • Leaders implement a range of strategic initiatives in response to student academic and pastoral needs; collective responsibility for student success is developing. 
  • Evaluation capability in the school is growing, with increasing focus on ways to measure the impact of initiatives on teacher practice and interventions on outcomes for students.
  • Programmes and practices to promote student wellbeing, inclusion, engagement and confidence in their identity and culture are being enhanced.
  • Professional learning for teachers is strategically aligned with the school’s improvement goals and learner needs. 

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

  • continue to strengthen foundational skills in literacy and numeracy during Years 9 and 10 to ensure success in the senior years, particularly for groups of students at risk of underachievement
  • embed the Wellington College Certificate for Year 10 and Year 11 students, and effectively prepare students for NCEA Level 2
  • further develop culturally responsive practices throughout the school to ensure equitable and excellent outcomes for all students, including Māori and Pacific learners. 

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within six months:

  • review the actions and outcomes of the Māori Achievement Strategy and Pacific Vision; evaluate what has worked and for whom, use this information to plan next strategic steps 
  • gather whānau, student and staff voice, as well as other data, to determine which interventions and processes are having the greatest impact on improving student attendance and achievement, and for whom 

Every six months:

  • analyse attendance and academic data tracking for all year levels to ensure timely interventions support students to make progress and meet their individual goals  
  • monitor and evaluate whether strategies for improvement are working and refine the annual implementation plan accordingly 
  • report to the board in relation to each priority, with a focus on student outcomes 

Annually:

  • collect appropriate information to evaluate the school’s strategic improvement cycle and the effectiveness of strategies to improve student outcomes
  • engage in targeted professional growth and development to ensure teachers have high-quality expertise to effectively support the learning and wellbeing of all students  
  • foster deeper learning partnerships with Māori and Pacific parents and whānau to develop shared expectations for students for their achievement, engagement and attendance. 

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:

  • reduced disparity in attendance, engagement and achievement for identified groups of learners, including improved and sustained regular student attendance for all students
  • an increased number of students achieving the NCEA literacy and numeracy co-requisites by the end of Year 10, including Māori and Pacific students
  • students and their whānau knowing their identity, language and culture are valued and nurtured by the leaders and teachers; an increased understanding and implementation of te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and māutauranga Māori in classrooms and school-wide contexts.

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

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

28 November 2024

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.  educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Wellington College

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024 to 2027 

As of June 2024, the Wellington College Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Further Information

For further information please contact Wellington 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

28 November 2024

About the School 

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Wellington College 

Provision for International Students Report 

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. 

Findings

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 and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code. 

At the time of this review there were 74 international students attending the school.

An effective orientation programme is provided by both the international faculty staff and the wider school community. This helps students settle in, adjust to life in New Zealand, and understand how to access any support required. Pastoral care is readily available and easily accessible; it is caring and responsive to individual need. 

The students have a large range of opportunities to get involved and contribute to the wider life of the college; in sports, culturally and through leadership positions. The school is inclusive and welcoming, in part due to the established nature of the international programme and the responsiveness to individual student aspirations. The school provides programmes that enable students to make progress in their academic studies and achieve their learning goals. 

The International Director regularly reports to the board the achievement and progress of international students, as well as their integration into the school. Parents are kept well informed about their son’s achievement, progress and engagement. Internal evaluation processes are effective. Feedback is regularly sought from a range of stakeholders and any emerging issues are addressed. 

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

28 November 2024

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home 

Wellington College - 11/10/2019

School Context

Wellington College is located in central Wellington and caters for boys in Years 9 to 13. At the time of the review there were 1777 students, 9% of whom identified as Māori and 22 % identified as Asian.

The school’s vision is to create a caring community in which all students learn, achieve and attain values which will enable them to actively and successfully contribute to the modern world.

Academic achievement, community service and extra-curricular involvement are valued outcomes which are supported through the COLL values of Community (Whānau), Oranga (Wellbeing), Learning Together (Ako) and Leadership (Rangatiratanga). The newly reviewed values are each underpinned by two key curriculum practices and provide a framework for the school’s curriculum which focuses on personalised learning.

Current goals and targets for improvement in student outcomes are set for each year level. Achievement goals are for students to achieve success and leave school with high-level qualifications in the senior school and to raise achievement in English, Mathematics and Science in Years 9 and 10.

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

  • progress and achievement in all curriculum areas of theNew Zealand Curriculum

  • achievement and progress toward qualifications

  • wellbeing.

The school is a member of the Wellington West Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning in which staff are active participants.

Since the July 2014 ERO report there have been changes to staffing including the appointment of a new principal in April 2018, and a deputy principal (Teaching and Learning) in August 2019.

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 consistently and effectively achieves equitable and excellent outcomes for all students.

The high levels of achievement evident at the time of the 2014 ERO report have been sustained. Retention rates are very high and almost all students leave school with Level 3 National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualifications. Most students achieve University Entrance (UE). A large majority of students gain NCEA endorsements.

Māori students achieve well in NCEA. Although overall achievement has been raised over time, some disparity remains for Māori students in relation to their peers at UE level.

Pacific students’ achievement is similar to that of their peers for Level 3 NCEA. Improvement shown at UE level in 2017 was not able to be sustained in 2018. Raising achievement in Levels 1 and 2 and for UE remains a priority.

Vocational pathways achievement data shows that nearly all students gain qualifications within these courses.

In Years 9 and 10, most students, including Māori and Pacific, achieve at expected curriculum levels across a range of core areas.

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

The school effectively accelerates the progress of students identified as being at risk on entry. Almost all of these students achieve NCEA Level 3 and many gain the University Entrance qualification.

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 are strategic in their thinking and decision making. They have a clear vision for the future direction of the school and an appropriate emphasis on achievement and innovation. They have a good understanding of their stewardship role. Board members are well informed by the senior leadership team and information is used to make sound decisions that promote positive student outcomes. Well established links for consultation and communication with families and a range of external groups are in place to support and inform school operations.

Purposeful teaching assists students to optimise their learning opportunities. Students participate in caring, inclusive and collaborative learning environments. Their strengths, needs, interests and backgrounds are well known. Diversity is valued. Positive, mutually respectful relationships, modelled by leaders, are evident at all levels throughout the school. There are high expectations for student participation and success. Holistic support and pastoral care provisions are thoughtful and deliberate. Strong processes are in place to support transition into the school and for development of student leadership.

Strong leadership provides positive guidance and promotes innovation and development across the school. A well-considered approach to change management supports implementation of new initiatives, including the development of a localised curriculum. Numerous avenues are in place for accessing and sharing relevant expertise to develop teachers’ professional practice and leadership skills. Strong systems and processes guide and monitor school operations. Increased tracking and oversight of priority students ensures all staff are aware of individual students needing further support.

Culturally responsive practices have been strengthened. Courses in te reo Māori are embedded in the curriculum and Samoan language was introduced as a course option in 2019. Several strategies, including Māori whānau and Pacific action plans, ensure there is a focus on continuing growth in this area.

A strong emphasis on evaluating the impact of change is evident. Internal evaluation is well used by leaders to inform decisions about change and improvement. They regularly seek to build their knowledge about the impact of initiatives on student outcomes. Teachers are reflective. They spontaneously consider hunches and are building their knowledge of how to gauge the impact of their practice on student achievement.

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

The school, through its strong internal evaluation, has identified areas for continuing development. These include bicultural and culturally responsive practices, strengthening student agency through the personalisation of learning, and further support for wellbeing at all levels. ERO’s evaluation confirms these well-considered priorities.

3 Other Matters

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (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 91 international students attending the school, including three exchange students.

International students experience high levels of pastoral care and high-quality educational opportunities. They participate fully in the wide range of school and community activities. Their progress, wellbeing and homestay placements are closely monitored and outcomes are regularly reported to agents and families.

4 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.

5 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Wellington College’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Strong.

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

6 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • stewardship that is strategic and forward thinking
  • leadership that is collaborative, systematic and supports innovation and student wellbeing
  • teaching and learning that supports students to achieve at consistently high levels.

Next steps

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

  • progressing the school’s plans to implement current curriculum initiatives and monitoring their impact to ensure student outcomes are strengthened.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

11 October 2019

About the school

Location

Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

275

School type

Secondary (Years 9-15)

School roll

1777

Gender composition

Males 100%.

Ethnic composition

Māori 9%
NZ European/Pākehā 61%
Asian 22%
Pacific 5%
Other ethnic groups 3%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

August 2019

Date of this report

11 October 2019

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review July 2014
Education Review October 2009