Tua Marina School

School Context

Tua Marina, a rural school located near Blenheim, caters for students from Years 1 to 8. At the time of this review the roll was 131 students, with 18% identifying as Māori.

The school aims to develop resilient, lifelong learners who strive for peak performance in their community and beyond, ‘me whakapau kaha’. The charter outlines the schools’ valued outcomes and expects the best for and from every child. It recognises that whānau are important contributors to each child’s success and wellbeing.

Culturally responsive practice is a key within the school, and is an ongoing focus for teachers’ professional learning and development. It is a strategic priority along with wellbeing, leadership, a responsive curriculum, internal evaluation, and professional and collective capability.

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

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
• targets for improvement
• wellbeing
• attendance.

The school is a member of the Piritahi Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning.

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?

School reported data for 2018 shows that almost all students, including Māori, achieve at or above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. The overall picture in literacy and mathematics shows improvement over time. While there is an achievement gap for boys this fluctuates and reduces as students move through the school.

In 2018, there was highly significant improvement for Māori students in writing, as well as improvement in reading and mathematics.

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

There is evidence of acceleration for students who need it. Those who require additional support are well identified, tracked and monitored. Regular professional conversations and collaborative teaching practices enable teachers to adapt their teaching and personalise instruction to actively support children’s progress.

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 provides positive guidance and promotes innovation and development across the school. There is a well-considered approach to change, with time taken to develop, implement and embed new initiatives.

Bicultural practices are highly evident. The 2019 Culturally Responsive Practices Action Plan aims to ensure that every student and their whānau feels included and supported to enable every student to make optimal progress. Staff work collaboratively to make this happen.

Māori success is effectively promoted. Teachers have developed cultural competence and expertise to provide inclusive and productive learning environments. Māori language, culture and identity is enhanced with the outcome that these students experience high levels of achievement and success.

Parents, whānau and the community are welcomed and involved in school activities as respected and valued partners in learning. They work together with teachers to identify strengths, learning needs, set goals, and plan responsive learning strategies, joint activities and interventions to improve learning.

Evaluation and inquiry are well embedded in systems, processes and practices that inform school plans and actions to realise the school’s vision, values, goals and targets. Relational trust supports collaboration, risk taking and openness to change. Leaders and teachers engage with evaluation for improvement and innovation.

A comprehensive appraisal and performance management system is in place. It involves all staff and is designed to support and develop teacher practice. It uses a strong inquiry framework where teachers share and inquire into their practice to determine the impact for selected learners.

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 its priorities for ongoing development. These include:

• enhancing culturally responsive learning through bicultural practices
• redeveloping documentation of their localised curriculum
• further supporting wellbeing at all levels.

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 Tua Marina School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Strong.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance 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:

• internal evaluation processes that inform decision making and future actions for student success
• leadership that supports innovation and change
• cultural responsiveness that includes high levels of partnership with whānau and parents.

Next steps

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

• documenting the localised curriculum to better reflect the high quality practice already demonstrated in the school
• continuing professional development in culturally responsive practice to sustain the gains made
• an ongoing focus on the wellbeing of all to promote continued success.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

25 October 2019

About the school