21 School Road , Blenheim
View on mapRiverlands School has made significant progress in addressing its priorities for improvement. Key school practices are successfully supporting an improvement focus likely to continue to improve and sustain student progress and achievement.
Riverlands School, in Blenheim, provides education for students from Years 1 to 8. Of the roll of 236 children, 30% identify as Māori.
The November 2019 ERO report identified areas for improvement. Since that time, leaders and teachers have been involved in extensive professional learning and development.
A Student Achievement Function Practitioner has worked with leaders in 2021. This development has focused on building evaluation capability, strengthening leadership skills and practice, and implementing schoolwide assessment and achievement processes. Digital technology and assessment for learning have been two other areas of staff professional development. Teachers and leaders have been supported by external facilitators to develop their knowledge and skills in these areas.
The November 2019 ERO report identified the following areas for development:
Significant progress is evident.
Senior leaders have designed and led the implementation of a well-considered assessment for learning and reporting map. Moderation processes have been introduced and these have strengthened the dependability of judgements about student progress and achievement. There is now shared ownership of the agreed process for assessment and moderation. Students have increased knowledge of their learning and confidence to talk about it.
Leaders and teachers regularly discuss deliberate teaching strategies. They inquire into the effectiveness of these strategies in meeting the needs of students who are underachieving. Leaders and teachers track, collate, analyse and report schoolwide achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. End of year data for 2021 shows that most students are achieving at or above curriculum expectations in reading, a large majority achieving at or above expectations in mathematics, and a small majority in writing. The use of dependable data gives a sound baseline for measuring future improvement.
Kāhui Ako target student achievement data for 2021 shows that approximately half of Riverlands’ target students made accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics during this year. Senior leaders have begun to implement a process for tracking and analysing the progress of all underachieving students from the start of 2022.
The overarching curriculum statement has been informed by consultation with the school community. The curriculum now documents a consistent format of guidelines for teaching for each learning area. The curriculum guidelines are fostering consistency of teaching practice.
The senior leadership team work together collaboratively. They reflect on their successes and plan strategically for the future. Their work has focused on developing the teaching and learning culture of the school. This has strengthened the shared understanding of all staff of professional expectations and enhanced the collective focus on positive outcomes for students.
The school has addressed the areas of non-compliance identified in the November 2019 ERO report.
Riverlands School has made good progress with strengthening systems and processes. The school is in a sound position to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance.
Leaders use a suitable framework to document and guide evaluation for improvement. They use relevant research to inform priorities for future action and ask evaluative questions about the impact of initiatives on outcomes for students.
Leaders use quality assurance processes to ensure that expectations are consistently implemented, and that student wellbeing and achievement is to the forefront of planning, meetings and decision making.
Planning for 2022 has begun with smart goals and targets that align with the school’s strategic priorities.
Key next steps identified by the school and ERO are to implement:
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:
Riverlands School has made significant progress in addressing its priorities for improvement. Key school practices are successfully supporting an improvement focus likely to continue to improve and sustain student progress and achievement.
The school will transition into ERO’s Evaluation for Improvement process.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
20 December 2021
Riverlands School has made significant progress in addressing its priorities for improvement. Key school practices are successfully supporting an improvement focus likely to continue to improve and sustain student progress and achievement.
Riverlands School, in Blenheim, provides education for students from Years 1 to 8. Of the roll of 236 children, 30% identify as Māori.
The November 2019 ERO report identified areas for improvement. Since that time, leaders and teachers have been involved in extensive professional learning and development.
A Student Achievement Function Practitioner has worked with leaders in 2021. This development has focused on building evaluation capability, strengthening leadership skills and practice, and implementing schoolwide assessment and achievement processes. Digital technology and assessment for learning have been two other areas of staff professional development. Teachers and leaders have been supported by external facilitators to develop their knowledge and skills in these areas.
The November 2019 ERO report identified the following areas for development:
Significant progress is evident.
Senior leaders have designed and led the implementation of a well-considered assessment for learning and reporting map. Moderation processes have been introduced and these have strengthened the dependability of judgements about student progress and achievement. There is now shared ownership of the agreed process for assessment and moderation. Students have increased knowledge of their learning and confidence to talk about it.
Leaders and teachers regularly discuss deliberate teaching strategies. They inquire into the effectiveness of these strategies in meeting the needs of students who are underachieving. Leaders and teachers track, collate, analyse and report schoolwide achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. End of year data for 2021 shows that most students are achieving at or above curriculum expectations in reading, a large majority achieving at or above expectations in mathematics, and a small majority in writing. The use of dependable data gives a sound baseline for measuring future improvement.
Kāhui Ako target student achievement data for 2021 shows that approximately half of Riverlands’ target students made accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics during this year. Senior leaders have begun to implement a process for tracking and analysing the progress of all underachieving students from the start of 2022.
The overarching curriculum statement has been informed by consultation with the school community. The curriculum now documents a consistent format of guidelines for teaching for each learning area. The curriculum guidelines are fostering consistency of teaching practice.
The senior leadership team work together collaboratively. They reflect on their successes and plan strategically for the future. Their work has focused on developing the teaching and learning culture of the school. This has strengthened the shared understanding of all staff of professional expectations and enhanced the collective focus on positive outcomes for students.
The school has addressed the areas of non-compliance identified in the November 2019 ERO report.
Riverlands School has made good progress with strengthening systems and processes. The school is in a sound position to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance.
Leaders use a suitable framework to document and guide evaluation for improvement. They use relevant research to inform priorities for future action and ask evaluative questions about the impact of initiatives on outcomes for students.
Leaders use quality assurance processes to ensure that expectations are consistently implemented, and that student wellbeing and achievement is to the forefront of planning, meetings and decision making.
Planning for 2022 has begun with smart goals and targets that align with the school’s strategic priorities.
Key next steps identified by the school and ERO are to implement:
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:
Riverlands School has made significant progress in addressing its priorities for improvement. Key school practices are successfully supporting an improvement focus likely to continue to improve and sustain student progress and achievement.
The school will transition into ERO’s Evaluation for Improvement process.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
20 December 2021