Hall Street , Cheviot
View on mapCheviot Area School
Cheviot Area School
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
Cheviot Area School is in Cheviot, North Canterbury, and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 13. The school’s vision statement for its learners is: ‘Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu | Adorn the bird with feathers so it may soar’.
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
Achievement across the school varies considerably with higher rates of progress in the first years of the junior school. |
- The majority of learners in Years 1 to 5 are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics; a small majority in Year 6 are at or above in reading with less than half in writing and mathematics.
- The majority of learners in Years 7 to 8 are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading and mathematics with lesser numbers at or above in writing; in Years 9 to 10 a majority of learners are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading with less than half in writing and mathematics.
- Years 11 to 13 achievement in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and University Entrance (UE) varies significantly year to year, partly due to the small number of students; school leadership has prioritised more consistent learner achievement of qualifications.
- The school is yet to meet the Ministry of Education’s target for regular attendance with less than half of learners regularly attending, and attendance has dropped further in the last year; attendance is a priority for the school leaders.
Conditions to support learner success
Leaders are taking initial steps to establish a culture committed to high quality teaching and learning. |
- Leaders value a culture of staff professional growth across all areas of the school and are at the initial stage of aligning staff professional learning to the school’s strategic priorities to meet the diverse needs of learners.
- Leaders recognise the need to establish systems for closely reviewing school programmes and initiatives to inform decision-making for increased learner engagement.
- Leaders are highly visible in the local community to foster school-community engagement and connections.
The school is working towards developing a responsive school curriculum and inclusive teaching and learning practices. |
- The school is taking initial steps to develop a schoolwide curriculum that is embedding te reo Māori and tikanga Māori, and consistent learning and behaviour expectations and practices; the Years 11 to 13 curriculum is a particular focus.
- Teaching effectiveness is variable because of inconsistency in staff use of specific learning strategies that support learners. This is a priority going forward.
- The school have placed an emphasis on and have completed some work on school wide student assessment, (this includes the restructuring of primary reports) however work is required in the areas of moderation, involvement of whanāu to know progress and achievement, and using data effectively to inform next steps in relation to teaching and learning.
- Learners with diverse needs are effectively monitored and supported to progress through the school’s learning support processes.
School leadership is taking initial steps to work effectively with staff to establish consistent schoolwide systems and practices that underpin successful schooling. |
- The board is focused
- Teacher planning and assessment require strengthening for greater learning consistency across the school; leaders and teachers are beginning to establish processes for this.
- Staff know their learners well; leaders are taking initial steps to create a cohesive, positive culture across the school and the tracking and reporting on learner wellbeing, progress and achievement is a priority.
- Leaders and teachers are beginning to establish professional networks to strengthen staff capability to support and grow learner wellbeing, progress and achievement. This is especially relevant in a rural context where isolation can occur due to geography.
Part B: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
- develop and implement a schoolwide curriculum and pastoral framework for consistent teaching and behaviour management practices that support the range of learner wellbeing, engagement, progress and achievement across Years 1 to 13
- develop and implement assessment for learning guidelines which have a specific emphasis on learners understanding and acting on their next learning steps
- implement effective schoolwide reporting systems to parents with a particular focus on progress to attaining NCEA through face-to-face and on-line learning
- weave te reo Māori and tikanga Māori throughout the curriculum to increase bicultural understandings and practices
- develop school systems to increase regular attendance in line with Ministry of Education’s targets.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months:
To establish and embed a new leadership team
To establish and articulate clear strategic goals that are child centred and will have significant impact on student achievement and well being
To work collaboratively with staff to establish a culture of collective ownership whilst harnessing the opportunities of being an area school
- implement school systems to monitor and respond to absences to increase regular learner attendance
- collaboratively develop a framework for effective personalised teaching and learning for the range of learners across Years 1 to 13 to achieve success
- use the school’s wellbeing information to clarify and implement positive behaviour systems and strategies for schoolwide consistency.
Every six months
- evaluate the impact of the implementation of the positive behaviour systems and strategies for increased learner wellbeing across the range of learners
- evaluate the provision of the school’s NCEA pathways and teaching practices for its senior learners
- evaluate the progress of the implementation of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori initiatives
- regularly report the impacts of the above evaluations to the board and use this information to identify the further improvement priorities and actions.
Annually:
- evaluate the extent of the impact of the responsive curriculum and effective teaching practices on all learners’ wellbeing, engagement and achievement
- evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s reporting systems for whānau to understand progress, achievement and next learning steps
- evaluate the effectiveness of strategies implemented to increase regular attendance
- regularly report the impacts of the above evaluations to the board to inform annual planning.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
- increased regular attendance
- increased learner engagement and achievement
- learners experiencing consistency in teacher practices schoolwide for learner-centred wellbeing and behaviour strategies
- learners and whānau having a clear understanding of the current levels of engagement, learning and the next steps to progress and achieve.
Recommendation to the Ministry of Education
ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education provide tailored support for the implementation of Additional resource to support and model best practice in teaching and learning
- schoolwide systems and processes that support high quality teaching and learning
- a curriculum that is responsive to the range of learners as they progress through the school, Years 1 to 13
- a framework for teaching and behaviour practices that are responsive to the range of learners as they progress through the school, Years 1 to 13.
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
18 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
Cheviot Area School
Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024 to 2027
As of August 2024, the Cheviot Area School 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 Cheviot Area 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
18 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
Cheviot Area School - 21/08/2019
School Context
Cheviot Area School is a rural area school providing education for students in Years 1-13. The school has a roll of 205. More than a quarter of its students identify as Māori. Many students transition to boarding schools in Year 9.
The school’s vision for its students is for them to develop belief in themselves, in others and in their futures. The school encourages students to demonstrate the values of wisdom and honour.
To achieve the school’s vision for students, the board has identified the following strategic priorities of personalised learning, healthy school culture and positive relationships and connections with the local community and environment.
The school has a current focus on raising achievement in writing in Years 1-10.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
- student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in Years 1-8
- student achievement in National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualifications.
Since ERO’s 2015 review there is a new principal and deputy principal and a new board of trustees. Teachers have participated in school-wide professional learning in curriculum design and the teaching of mathematics. The school has also worked with a Ministry of Education advisor on the development of strategies to support improvement and raise achievement.
The school is a part of the Tipu Māia 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?
The school is effective in supporting excellent and equitable outcomes for its students.
School information on achievement in Years 1-8 in the past three years shows:
- most students achieve at or above the school’s expectations in reading and mathematics and a majority achieve well in writing
- Maori students’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has improved. School information for 2018 shows achievement for Māori and non-Māori students in these areas is now similar
- an increasing proportion of girls achieving at or above the school’s expectations in mathematics
- increasing disparity in the achievement of boys in reading and writing.
Most school leavers achieve NCEA Level 2 and an increasing proportion gain NCEA Level 3.
The school is not yet reporting to the board on the known progress and achievement of students in Years 9 and 10 or of students with additional needs.
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
Overall the school is effective in accelerating the learning of those students who need it.
A focus on accelerating students’ learning in mathematics in 2017 resulted in a significant lift in the proportion of girls and Māori students achieving at expected curriculum levels. School achievement information indicates this was well sustained in 2018.
The majority of students participating in learning support interventions make good progress in the aspect of their learning targeted in the intervention.
The school has been less effective in systematically accelerating the learning of students in writing. This is the focus of school-wide targets in 2019.
Senior secondary students at risk of poor educational outcomes are very effectively supported through individualised programmes and close monitoring to achieve success in NCEA qualifications.
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 and school leaders have put in place a well-considered strategic plan that is strongly focused on school improvement and providing positive outcomes for all students. Leaders actively align school systems and conditions to support the achievement of strategic priorities and improve student achievement. They have introduced new systems and practices for teacher appraisal, curriculum planning, assessment of learning, and the management and use of information about students’ progress and achievement. As a result teachers are planning collaboratively to:
- make learning more meaningful and coherent/connected for students
- improve the continuity of learning across year levels
- encourage students to think deeply and critically about their learning
- provide opportunities for students to learn in authentic contexts in the local community and environment.
Teachers have broadened the ways they assess students’ learning and are beginning to use assessment information more powerfully to know about students’ learning needs, and the effectiveness of teaching. Leaders and teachers are using learning information increasingly effectively to identify children needing additional support and to plan and evaluate targeted programmes to accelerate their learning.
Trustees and leaders have used school-wide achievement information well to identify groups of students whose learning is of concern. They develop relevant targets and action plans, and allocate resources to improve equity in student achievement. A focus on raising achievement in mathematics, particularly for girls and Māori students, led to professional learning for teachers in Years 1-8. Teachers implemented a range of new teaching approaches that successfully accelerated the learning of many of these students. A similar school-wide approach is now in place to raise achievement in writing.
Senior secondary students benefit from small classes and one-to-one teaching. Teachers work with students to develop individual learning programmes. They actively support students to participate in learning in the workplace and through a range of industry-based and tertiary institutions. Students take part in leadership development programmes and have many opportunities to play leadership roles in the school.
School leaders have managed the introduction of a number of new practices well. They have been mindful of the impact of leadership change and the ongoing effects of the Kaikōura earthquake and local drought conditions on teachers, families and students. They have supported teachers with professional learning and mentoring, encouraged internal leadership and built a culture of collegiality and openness to learning.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
Following a period of curriculum development, trustees should recommence receiving regular curriculum reports and reviews. These are needed to provide assurance that all students have the opportunity to learn in the breadth of the school’s curriculum and are achieving positive outcomes.
Trustees need to ensure the school’s commitment to delivering a bicultural curriculum and to supporting success for Māori students is incorporated in the school’s guiding documents.
As leaders and teachers continue to build the school’s curriculum they need to ensure:
- Māori knowledge, values and history are meaningfully integrated
- student voice is well used to inform planning and review
- it continues to enact the school’s values and expectations for positive, inclusive behaviour
- it reflects teachers’ professional learning about effective teaching of mathematics and writing.
School leaders have identified, and ERO’s evaluation confirms, that next steps in strengthening the use of learning information to support positive outcomes for students are to:
- begin collecting, analysing and reporting information on the progress and achievement of Year 9 and 10 students
- extend school-wide analysis and reporting to look at the rates of progress students in Years 1-10 make, particularly those targeted for acceleration
- continue to build teachers’ individual and collective capacity to use learning information to respond effectively to the needs of students needing their learning accelerated.
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 Cheviot Area School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.
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:
- sound strategic planning for school improvement that is focused on positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for students
- capable professional leadership of teaching and learning that is contributing to a culture of collaboration and openness to change
- a well-designed curriculum that promotes continuity of learning, connections with the local community and environment, and enhances student engagement
- individualised programmes supporting success in national qualifications for senior students
- improved systems and practices for identifying and responding to the needs of students needing their learning accelerated.
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
- strengthening curriculum review and reporting to know about the progress and achievement all students make in the breadth of the school’s curriculum
- strengthening incorporation of Māori perspectives in strategic and curriculum planning to support the school’s commitment to delivering a bicultural curriculum and supporting Māori student success
- extending systems for collecting, analysing and reporting on student learning to know about the progress and achievement of Year 9 and 10 students, and the effectiveness of teaching for accelerating the learning of students who need this.
Areas for improved compliance practice
To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:
- ensure indicators of student wellbeing are formally reported on to the board and plans to respond to areas of need are documented
- strengthen consultation processes with Māori whānau and reporting to whānau on the school’s plans to raise Māori achievement.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services Southern
Southern Region
21 August 2019
About the school
Location |
Cheviot |
Ministry of Education profile number |
309 |
School type |
Area School, Years 1 to 13 |
School roll |
205 |
Gender composition |
Girls 59%, Boys 41% |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 27% NZ European/Pākeha 71% Other 2% |
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) |
Yes |
Provision of Māori medium education |
No |
Review team on site |
June 2019 |
Date of this report |
21 August 2019 |
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review September 2015 Education Review September 2012 Supplementary Review July 2009 |
Cheviot Area School - 17/09/2015
Findings
The school has a strong focus on improving student achievement and wellbeing. Class sizes are small. Teachers know students and their families well and they provide a good range of learning opportunities to engage students. Next steps include increasing student involvement in decisions about their learning, and more closely linking students' learning between the primary and secondary schools.
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?
Cheviot Area School caters for students in Years 1 to 13 from within the local township and the surrounding areas.
Classes are small, particularly in the secondary school, and this allows students and teachers to know each other well. A number of subject specialists in the secondary school also work in the primary area. This is providing primary school students with additional learning experiences in areas such as Spanish and Computing.
The school is building stronger relationships with the community. School events and work experience programmes for senior secondary school students are well supported by members of the wider community. The Māori community is becoming more involved in the school. This is helping to ensure all students participate in a bicultural curriculum.
The school is making good progress in meeting the recommendations in the 2012 ERO report, as well as building on the strengths it had at the time of that review. These are related to bicultural inclusion, embedding school values, and strengthening the school’s targets and assessment practices. The school is still developing processes for involving students in making decisions.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
The board, leaders and teachers are making good use of achievement information to monitor students' progress and to help them make decisions about suitable programmes to engage students.
Leaders and teachers have a good knowledge of the learning needs of individual students. They engage in robust discussions about ways to raise achievement. The board is kept well informed about student achievement and wellbeing. The trustees make good use of this information to help with resourcing.
Sound processes are in place for monitoring student progress in relation to the National Standards in Years 1 to 8, and NCEA in Years 11 to 13. The secondary school has made good progress on the management and moderation of NCEA assessments, including an increased focus on endorsements.
Students with special needs have their learning goals monitored closely through individual education plans.
The school makes good use of external agencies to help leaders and teachers improve student wellbeing and achievement.
Next Steps
While the leaders and teachers have developed the way they make reliable judgements about achievement in writing in relation to the National Standards, they now need to strengthen the moderation of reading and mathematics.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
The school curriculum positively promotes and supports student learning in a number of ways.
The leaders and teachers provide a good range of learning opportunities that engage students and helps them develop good knowledge and understanding of the local environment.
Teachers know students and their families well. They maintain good communication with the families and aspects of student learning are regularly shared with parents.
Students in Years 1 to 8 achieve well, in relation to the National Standards, in reading and mathematics, and less well in writing. Students in Years 12 and 13 achieved good results in NCEA in 2014. Māori students achieved as well as their peers in NCEA, and in mathematics in Years 1 to 8, and less well in reading and writing in relation to the National Standards.
The primary school:
- has developed useful guidelines to support teaching in all learning areas
- places a strong emphasis on literacy and mathematics
- provides students with a well-planned range of interesting, engaging connected learning/topic studies
- effectively evaluates connected learning/topic study programmes
- provides good oral language programmes, particularly in Years 1 to 3
- Recent positive changes in the secondary school include:
- individualised student interest-based Gateway programmes
- regular meetings between the deputy principal and students to discuss their aspirations, what they need to do to achieve these, and progress to date
- introducing a diploma for Years 9 and 10 in 2015 to promote students’ motivation, work habits and service to others.
Areas of review and development
The school has identified and ERO agrees, the documented curriculum needs review. This includes:
- showing how students' learning is delivered seamlessly in Years 1 to 13
- identifying teaching practices that link with the school’s professional development programme and strategic direction
- providing a cohesive link between the school values, key competencies, principles, learning areas and other aspects of the curriculum, such as digital technologies.
ERO and the school agree that to further improve student engagement and understanding of their learning leaders and teachers need to:
- increase student involvement in school-wide and curriculum decision making, and increase independence and self-management in their learning
- implement vocational pathways, and provide a more deliberate approach to career education.
The board needs to strengthen the monitoring of student satisfaction with teaching and learning to address aspects noted in a recent wellbeing survey in an ongoing manner.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
The school is making good progress towards developing a more bicultural environment.
The school leaders have recently established a closer relationship with Māori whānau. These families are providing the school with knowledge and support to increase bicultural perspectives in school programmes and events.
A number of other initiatives have been undertaken. These include:
- surveying Māori students and actioning their suggestions for increasing bicultural prominence in the school
- celebrating te reo and tikanga Māori through regular community and school events
- proactively supporting teachers to increase their confidence and inclusion of te reo and tikanga Māori in their class programmes
- increasing visual representation of things Māori across the school
- recently completing a Māori development plan, that is likely to increase te reo and tikanga Māori in the school programmes.
The next step for the school’s leaders is to focus on what teachers would do differently to improve achievement outcomes for Māori students, particularly in the primary school.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance.
Trustees make good use of training to understand, review and improve outcomes for students. They are well supported by the principal who keeps them well informed about school operations, statutory requirements, and student progress and achievement.
The board makes good use of strategic and annual plans to determine the school's future direction and to improve student achievement and wellbeing. The goals and indicators are clear, and progress is closely monitored and reported at each board meeting.
Self review is effectively integrated into board and school operations. Reports on specific subject areas clearly identify what is going well, and where improvements should be made. Detailed action plans are closely monitored and reported to ensure there are positive outcomes for students.
The board and the senior leadership team work collaboratively to ensure the school’s strategic direction, goals and priorities are the focus for decision making and resourcing. The principal’s regular, high quality and detailed reports help to ensure the focus on school goals and student achievement targets is discussed, and further action taken if needed.
The school vision is reflected through its values and strategic direction. It is regularly revisited at assemblies and meetings.
The board and staff benefit from the principal’s clarity and knowledge about current trends in education and effective school leadership.
Trustees and school leaders work in a pro-active and strategic way to address the challenges of being in an isolated community. This is achieved through collaboration with other schools and education networks.
Teachers have many opportunities to engage in professional development. This supports them to inquire more deeply into how their teaching practices improve student learning and achievement.
Area of review and development
The board, principal and teachers should continue to strengthen the teacher’s appraisal process to ensure the school’s high expectations for learning and teaching are being met.
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, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
- attendance.
Conclusion
The school has a strong focus on improving student achievement and wellbeing. Class sizes are small. Teachers know students and their families well and they provide a good range of learning opportunities to engage students. Next steps include increasing student involvement in decisions about their learning, and more closely linking students' learning between the primary and secondary schools.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Chris Rowe
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)
17 September 2015
About the School
Location |
Cheviot, North Canterbury |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
309 |
|
School type |
Composite (Years 1 to 13) |
|
School roll |
186 |
|
Gender composition |
Girls 55%; Boys 45% |
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā Māori Pacific Asian |
77% 21% 1% 1% |
Review team on site |
August 2015 |
|
Date of this report |
17 September 2015 |
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review Supplementary Review Supplementary Review |
September 2012 July 2009 June 2008 |