Greymouth High School

Greymouth High School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 6 months of the Education Review Office and Greymouth High school working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website www.ero.govt.nz

Context 

Greymouth High School is a state co-educational school located in Greymouth on the West Coast and caters for students in Years 9 to 15. It is the largest school on the West Coast. The new principal was appointed in 2021.

Greymouth High school’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

  • to lead the community in the provision of a school culture that reflects the school’s vision and values, thereby engaging all students to strive for success in their learning

  • to ensure that Māori students can enjoy success as Māori.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Greymouth High school’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively culturally responsive teaching practices support excellent and equitable achievement and progress for all learners, particularly those at risk of not meeting their potential.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • wellbeing, attendance and achievement data indicates that there is a need to focus on strengthening outcomes for students who are at risk of not meeting their potential, and on addressing disparity for all learners.

The school expects to see that monitoring and evaluation of achievement, valued outcomes, and other indicator data will show improved student outcomes in terms of excellence and equity for all students. 

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal of providing excellent and equitable achievement and progress for all learners, particularly those who are at risk of not meeting their potential.

  • The school emphasises pastoral support for student wellbeing.

  • There are strong relationships between key stakeholders in the school community and a high level of relational trust.

  • A highly collaborative senior leadership team which has complementary strengths.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • strengthening teacher capability in te reo and tikanga Māori through targeted professional learning

  • implementing strategies for improving student attendance

  • strengthening numeracy and literacy outcomes by reviewing the junior curriculum and building teacher practice.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

12 May 2023 

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

Greymouth High School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2022 to 2025

As of July 2022, the Greymouth High School Board of Trustees 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 Greymouth High School Board of Trustees.

The next Board of Trustees 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

12 May 2023 

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

Greymouth High School - 12/02/2019

School Context

Greymouth High School is a co-educational school situated in a rural town on the West Coast of the South Island. It caters for students in Years 9 to 15 and has a current roll of 474 students.

The school’s vision is to be the heart of learning within a thriving community. Its valued outcomes  are for students to achieve highly, develop strong respectful relationships and make a positive difference throughout their lives.

The board’s strategic goals focus on high levels of equity and excellence for all students, provision of a safe, inclusive and engaging learning environment, and developing community links through collaborative relationships. The annual achievement targets are to:

  • accelerate writing progress for selected Year 9 boys across the curriculum
  • improve skills for learning for selected Year 10 students across the curriculum
  • increase achievement at National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 3
  • increase Māori student success in NCEA. 

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

  • achievement within NCEA qualifications
  • progress and achievement in literacy and mathematics in Years 9 and 10
  • school leaver qualifications and destination data
  • student wellbeing.

In 2015, an elected board replaced the Ministry of Education appointed commissioner. There have been some changes in staffing at senior leadership level and across staff since the 2015 ERO review.

The school is a member of the Māwhera Kāhui Ako|Community of learning. The principal has recently become the lead principal for this Kāhui Ako.

Evaluation Findings

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 working towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all students. It is effective in achieving these for the majority of students in NCEA programmes and Year 9 and 10 literacy and mathematics. The school recognises that disparity for a number of boys and for Māori students continues, and is actively seeking to address this at a strategic level and within classrooms.

NCEA Level 1 roll-based achievement outcomes were well below national expectations in 2017. This followed three years of gains in relation to expected levels of achievement. The majority of students have achieved NCEA Level 2 qualifications over time. Level 3 NCEA achievement is lower than national expectations but is showing a positive improvement trajectory over time.

Progress and achievement information for 2017 shows the majority of Year 9, and most students in Year 10, achieved expectations in writing. These results show promising progress in student outcomes as a result of teacher involvement in writing professional development. Achievement outcomes for Year 9 and 10 reading and mathematics are lower than curriculum expectations.

Wellbeing information for Year 9 and 10 highlights some concerns regarding engagement in learning and the impact this is having on student outcomes.

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

The school is increasing the levels of acceleration for some Year 9 and Year 10 Māori students and boys. This is most evident in writing at Year 10. Some acceleration is also evident in mathematics. It is, however, less evident in reading for this group of students.

The school has a number of strategies in place to accelerate student outcomes and reduce  disparity. They are working strategically with Mana Whenua and a number of educational networks, including the Māwhera Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning to devise better and more long term solutions to systemic disparity within the local and wider community.  

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 professional leadership practices place students at the centre of priorities and decision making. The board has consulted widely and established clear strategic directions and plans. These are underpinned by a strong, future-focused vision and shared values. Trustees’ commitment to continuing to build collective understanding of their stewardship roles is evident.

The principal and senior leaders effectively consult and implement processes and strategies to provide increasingly equitable and excellent outcomes for students. There has been considerable progress in response to the areas identified for improvement in the 2015 ERO report. Progress includes:

  • increased engagement with Mana Whenua and Kāti Waewae to build more collaborative, ako based relationships
  • more comprehensive use of achievement and wellbeing information to inform decision making at all levels of the school
  • clear and consistent articulation of high expectations for teaching and learning, and strengthened accountability processes towards meeting these expectations.

Meaningful use of evaluation, inquiry practices and knowledge building for improvement are supporting positive outcomes for students. Teachers are inquiring more deeply into their practice and trialling different approaches as a result. These inquiries are well considered and aligned to the board’s strategic goals. The teacher appraisal process is robust and effectively supports teachers’ professional practice when appropriately implemented. Senior leaders and the board have used evaluation effectively to gain a more comprehensive picture of student achievement and curriculum responsiveness to students’ needs.

There is a systematic approach to building leaders’ and teachers’ professional capability and collective capacity to enable positive outcomes for students. Involvement in several key educational networks is providing increased professional learning and development (PLD) opportunities. These are specifically targeted and aligned to the board’s goals and priorities. A strategic approach to staffing is enabling the school to better meet a range of student needs. Staffing appointments have strengthened connections between home and school and improved the school’s provision for Māori students.

Transparent and clear communications are increasingly contributing towards building a culture of trust within the school and its community. Positive relationships with students are actively fostered. Growing use of students’ ideas and opinions is developing and, in some cases, effectively shaping the curriculum and students’ choice within lessons. Engagement with the community and its resources is enhancing students’ learning opportunities, achievement and wellbeing.

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

ERO has identified four key areas where improvements are needed to further promote equitable and excellent learning outcomes for students, and acceleration for those who need this. A number of these areas were also identified by the board, principal and senior leaders.

There is a need to continue to develop and implement a localised, integrated curriculum that focuses on personalised learning and the skills needed to be a successful learner. This includes promoting greater student ownership over their learning. Curriculum and pastoral care leaders need to take a stronger leadership role in enabling this to occur. Considerable commitment and collaboration from all leaders and teachers is required to ensure that the school’s graduate profile is successful in promoting positive outcomes for learners.

A better understanding of what is contributing to outcomes and disparity for Māori needs to remain a priority. There is a need to further develop shared understandings and enactment of culturally responsive practices, to enhance outcomes for Māori and all students. This includes better integration of te ao Māori in the curriculum and increased use of Māori contexts and te reo Māori in classrooms. 

The school’s processes for reporting student achievement need further strengthening. Achievement information from different areas of the school is used for decision-making. The reporting processes to the board could be streamlined to provide trustees with clear, well analysed overviews of achievement, progress and acceleration. In addition, the board should review its approach to setting and monitoring its annual student achievement targets so these better support outcomes for students, especially where disparity is identified.

Senior leaders and middle management need to ensure closer alignment between learning and wellbeing provision for students. There needs to be greater collaboration between curriculum and pastoral care leaders. Processes for meeting the needs of students with moderate learning needs requires further strengthening.

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 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

  • very strong and strategic leadership and a committed board
  • a growing culture of reflective practice and evaluation where individual teachers are making a difference
  • its powerful connections with Mana Whenua, Māwhera Kāhui Ako| Community of Learning and other community and education clusters and networks. 

Next steps

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

  • fully implementing a responsive, engaging curriculum that increases students’ opportunities to have their learning and wellbeing needs met
  • continuing to address areas of underachievement and disparity within the context of the school and its community
  • strengthening teachers’ understanding and use of culturally responsive practices.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years. 

Alan Wynyard
Director Review & Improvement Services
Southern Region

12 February 2019

About the school 

Location

Greymouth

Ministry of Education profile number

303

School type

Secondary, Years 9-15

School roll

474

Gender composition

Boys 53% : Girls 47%

Ethnic composition

Māori       16%

Pākehā     78%

Pacific        2%

Other ethnicities 4%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)

Yes

Provision of Māori medium education

No

Review team on site

November 2018

Date of this report

12 February 2019

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review      October 2015

Education Review      April 2014

Education Review      February 2013

Greymouth High School - 19/10/2015

Findings

Greymouth High School returned to full self governance and leadership in 2014. Considerable improvements at these levels reflect a significantly increased capacity for effective school management and direction setting. Learners are at the centre of school and classroom improvement initiatives. Student achievement is highest at NCEA Levels 1 and 2. The board and leaders are aware of the next steps the school needs to take to consolidate, and extend the momentum of the good progress being made.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Greymouth High School is the largest school on the West Coast of the South Island. Students attend the school from a wide geographical area.

This is the first ERO review of the school since the re-establishment of a full board and appointment of a new senior leadership team in 2014. The quality of support provided at statutory and other levels has enabled the school to make the progress needed to resume self governance and leadership.

The board, principal and senior leaders have been proactive about managing changes in the school that focus on strengthening students’ learning, achievement and wellbeing. This includes the re-structuring of some roles and responsibilities and the introduction of a range of initiatives, many of which are at an early stage of development. Many new staff have commenced at the school in recent years. The number of students with moderate to high needs is continuing to increase.

A deliberate focus on building constructive relationships with the local community is helping to strengthen links that benefit students and their learning. The strong focus on diverse education pathways, including the academies, is a positive outcome for students and the community. Active involvement with two school clusters, one of which has an e-learning focus, is also helping the school to further develop educational networks, and relationships that are supporting improvements to teaching and learning.

The new board, principal and senior leadership team have participated fully in this education review. ERO’s investigations show that they have responded very well to the recommendations for improvement that were identified in the 2014 ERO review. They recognise that although significant progress has been made, considerable work has yet to be done to realise the school’s identified strategic goals for ongoing, high quality improvement at school-wide and classroom levels.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

The school is continuing to improve the way achievement information is used to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement. Examples of this progress include:

  • improved data analysis for setting annual priorities and targets that are well focused, specific and well known by teachers
  • better practices for identifying and supporting students who are underperforming
  • the increased focus on lifting the achievement of targeted students through more effective tracking and monitoring of their performance
  • improvements in the quality, rigour and regularity of reporting student progress and achievement to the board.

National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) information reflects a trend of improving achievement at Levels 1 and 2. This data also shows that 2014 NCEA literacy and numeracy achievement is very good. In 2014 Māori students achieved well at Level 1. Over time, Māori achievement across Levels 1 to 3 has fluctuated. Leaders are responsive to the need to raise achievement at NCEA Level 3 for all students, and have initiatives in place to address this.

Other school-wide information indicates a considerable improvement in student engagement. For example, there is a significant reduction in referrals out of class, stand downs and suspensions.

The increased focus on raising literacy achievement for targeted students at Year 9 to accelerate progress should now be extended to other junior students.

Areas for review and development

Senior and curriculum leaders should now focus on consolidating, embedding and evaluating the impact of recent initiatives and changes to achievement information practices. They should also:

  • identify clear expectations and guidelines for the collection, analysis, use and reporting of achievement information of Year 9 and 10 students across learning areas
  • increase students’ understanding of their own learning and performance against clearly-identified expectations and progressions of learning across year levels
  • review the use of national assessment tools at Years 9 and 10 to ensure that there are reliable, external points of reference for assessing student progress in literacy and mathematics
  • continue to improve the consistency and effective use of achievement and other data at senior levels, including making more strategic use of destination data
  • extend the strategies currently used for target groups of Māori and other priority learner groups to raise achievement to increasingly higher levels.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

Together with ongoing improvements to curriculum programmes and practices, the good range of learning opportunities within and beyond the school is helping to promote and support student learning and engagement.

The curriculum is becoming increasingly flexible and responsive to students’ learning needs and interests. Programmes such as distance learning, service and trade academies and other work-related training pathways and opportunities are available. New senior courses in place for 2016 will further expand learning and vocational choices for students. Literacy is a strong focus across the school.

A school-wide framework to strengthen students’ understanding of their learning is likely to support the development of the New Zealand Curriculum’s key competencies such as critical thinking and self management. ERO recommends that school and curriculum leaders continue to strengthen this framework in ways that challenge, motivate and enable students to be increasingly capable, self-directed learners.

Senior leaders have developed effective walk-through processes for providing teachers with active, targeted and regular feedback about teaching and learning in all classrooms. Teachers appreciate the increasing opportunities they have to adapt curriculum programmes to better meet students’ learning needs and interests.

Other improvements made by the school that are likely to benefit students’ learning and wellbeing include:

  • a range of initiatives for transitions into the school
  • the introduction of mentoring programmes
  • a comprehensive review of learning support for students with high needs (and the implementation of follow-up improvements)
  • investigating cross-curricula collaboration to improve outcomes for targeted students
  • the revitalised emphasis and practice by teachers on the skills, strategies and attitudes students need to be positive and successful learners.

A wide range of staff provide students with regular support and guidance for their wellbeing. A number of initiatives are carefully targeted at providing support that matches students’ needs. It is now timely for the board and leaders to consider the inclusion of the pastoral care system in the school’s review and reporting cycle.

Areas for review and development

Many aspects of curriculum programmes and practices have been the focus of ongoing improvement. To further strengthen and enrich the school’s curriculum, a collaborative review could evaluate and respond to how well the curriculum:

  • includes a coherent approach to bicultural perspectives across programmes and practices
  • clarifies the purpose, nature and provision of Year 9 and 10 curriculum programmes
  • identifies the characteristics of successful learners at Greymouth High School
  • meets the needs of senior students’ ongoing interests, aspirations and vocational pathways
  • encourages and promotes the effective use of student voice in learning and at school-wide levels
  • meets the needs of learners in a global, digitally-connected world.

Curriculum leaders’ reports to the board should consistently include information about:

  • what teachers are doing differently to meet the needs of groups of students who are most at risk of under achievement
  • the outcomes of interventions and what has been having the greatest impact on students’ learning progress, acceleration and achievement.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

The school is at an early stage of developing effective approaches for educational success for Māori, as Māori. Examples of progress over recent times include:

  • the ongoing development of relationships with the Māori community
  • the way some senior leaders and staff are independently building their capacity to understand and use te reo Māori
  • the range of opportunities for Māori students to participate in cultural events
  • new senior leadership opportunities for Māori students
  • the way the board is prioritising representation of Māori views at a governance level.
Area for review and development

In consultation with Māori whānau and students, the board, principal, senior leaders and staff should now develop a coherent plan for success as Māori at the school. The inclusion of priorities, goals and structures designed to strengthen the language, culture and identity of Māori students over time would be a significant part of such a plan. Progress towards identified goals should then be evaluated through the school’s regular cycle of self review and reported to the board and Māori community.

4 Sustainable Performance

How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?

The significant improvements already made and the considerable potential and strengths at governance and leadership levels mean that the school is now better placed to sustain and improve its performance.

The new board is making meaningful progress with building and strengthening its governance capacity and capability. Examples of this include:

  • the effective use of external expertise, ongoing training and the development of a useful governance manual to guide board operations
  • significant improvements to the school’s financial situation
  • increased community consultation, especially regarding charter development
  • improving scrutiny of achievement and other information reported to the board
  • the development of clear priorities and goals for ongoing school improvement and the forward direction of the school.

The board, principal and senior leaders work well together to promote positive outcomes for learners. The principal is effectively leading and modelling a culture of openness, transparency and improvement that is soundly focused on raising achievement and improving student wellbeing. Strategic use of the school’s annual plan by the principal and senior leaders is promoting a shared purpose and a more coherent focus on school goals and priorities.

The principal and senior leaders have a deliberate approach to managing the changes that have been occurring at the school. They are well focused on building relational trust. This is leading to improving staff morale, developing leadership capability and improving school systems and practices.

Other improvements include:

  • targeted professional learning programmes that are aimed at continuing to raise the quality of teaching and learning practices so that all students benefit
  • a more robust appraisal system that places learners at the centre of teacher reflections and inquiry
  • the use of high quality external expertise that has helped to identify priorities and actions for improved teaching and learning
  • the increasing use of evidence and research-based approaches to lift student progress and achievement.

The ongoing improvement of self-review practices will be further strengthened by evaluating and reporting what is having the greatest impact on positive outcomes for students.

Areas for review and development

The board and ERO agree that it is now timely for the board to:

  • clarify reporting requirements, and continue to strengthen the board’s ability to inquire more deeply into the information presented
  • continue to develop rigorous self-review practices that also include an evaluation of the effectiveness of school governance, and of the senior leadership as a team
  • increase the leadership capacity of middle managers, and strengthen the collaboration and consistency of practices across leadership groups
  • maintain the deliberate pace and momentum of positive change and improvement in a planned way, to support sustainability, staff and student wellbeing and positive relationships across the school.

Board assurance on legal requirements

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:

  • board administration
  • curriculum
  • management of health, safety and welfare
  • personnel management
  • financial management
  • asset management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:

  • emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
  • physical safety of students
  • teacher registration
  • processes for appointing staff
  • stand-downs, suspen

Conclusion

Greymouth High School returned to full self governance and leadership in 2014. Considerable improvements at these levels reflect a significantly increased capacity for effective school management and direction setting. Learners are at the centre of school and classroom improvement initiatives. Student achievement is highest at NCEA Levels 1 and 2. The board and leaders are aware of the next steps the school needs to take to consolidate, and extend the momentum of the good progress being made.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Chris Rowe
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)

About the School

Location

Greymouth

Ministry of Education profile number

303

School type

Secondary (Years 9 to 13)

School roll

541

Gender composition

Boys 51%; Girls 49%

Ethnic composition

Pākehā
Māori
Other ethnicities

74%
20%
  6%

Special Features

Learning Centre for High Needs Students

Mawhera Services Academy

Lead provider for West Coast Trades Academy

Alternative Education Provider

Review team on site

September 2015

Date of this report

19 October 2015

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review
Education Review
Education Review

April 2014
February 2013
July 2011