Mairehau High School

Mairehau High 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 

Mairehau High School, a small co-educational state secondary school for students in Years 9 to 13, is located in Christchurch. The school’s vision for learners is that they will value themselves and others and know they can excel and reach their potential. The school has a specialist classroom for students with ongoing resourcing funding and offers technology education for a number of contributing primary schools. It has undergone significant property development in recent years.  

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. 

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 

Learning and engagement outcomes are variable and not well sustained over time. 
  • Over recent years a majority of students have achieved National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Levels 1 and 2 with a smaller, more variable proportion achieving NCEA Level 3 and University Entrance (UE); in 2023, there was a significant drop in achievement at all three levels; there is disparity in the achievement of national qualifications for Māori learners; particularly in Levels 1 and 2.
  • Many students needing to make accelerated progress and achievement in literacy and numeracy are effectively supported to do so. 
  • Disabled learners make good progress in their learning and other goals relevant to them and their families; they have high levels of participation across the school.
  • A significant proportion of learners are not attending school regularly and this is negatively impacting their achievement. 

Conditions to support learner success

Leaders are developing school conditions to better support a relentless focus on school improvement goals.
  • Leaders foster an inclusive school culture that values diversity, is strengths-based and underpinned by equitable aspirations for the achievement, progress and wellbeing of all learners.
  • Some school systems, processes and practices for supporting attendance, engagement and achievement are not yet effectively or consistently implemented.
  • Leaders identify relevant school improvement goals; strengthening communication, planning and monitoring to ensure there is a relentless, school-wide focus on improvement is a priority.
Curriculum and teaching are increasingly responsive to the many different needs, aspirations and pathways of students.
  • Teachers know students well as individuals and learners; they adapt teaching practices to meet the needs of students and provide opportunities for collaborative learning, encouraging questioning and problem-solving.
  • Leaders and teachers are working toward establishing and sustaining shared understandings of effective, responsive and inclusive teaching to enhance engagement in learning.
  • Professional learning is increasingly supporting staff to deliver evidence-based interventions for students and to maintain learning-focussed environments where learning time is maximised.
Some school conditions need to be further developed to better support achievement of the school’s vision for learners and strategic goals.
  • The board, leaders and teachers recognise, affirm and value the many different abilities, identities, languages and cultures of their learners, they resource and deliver a range of programmes, and initiatives to reduce barriers to education and support access to learning.
  • Professional learning for teachers is aligned with school improvement goals and student needs; further work is needed to ensure it has the intended impact on curriculum and teaching practice and is well sustained.
  • Board, leaders and teachers use a range of evaluative evidence to plan and implement actions for improvement; more regular monitoring and reporting on progress against targets and indicators would better support strategic decision-making.
  • The board represents, serves and works with the school community to develop the school’s vision and strategic priorities; it is strengthening its framework of policies and procedures, along with processes for regular review, to better meet its legal and statutory requirements.

Part B: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

  • strengthen planning for the implementation of school improvement strategies
  • identify appropriate measures and indicators to monitor the school’s progress towards its strategic goals to improve attendance, engagement and lift achievement
  • regularly review and evaluate the effectiveness of systems, processes and practices for monitoring, reporting on and responding to attendance, engagement and achievement
  • evaluate how well expectations and practices fostering positive behaviour for learning and behaviour management are supporting a learning-focussed environment.
  • ensure teachers have shared expectations for high quality, inclusive and responsive teaching practice and are well-supported to implement these across the school. 

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

Within six months:

  • establish implementation planning with appropriate measures and indicators and reporting timeframes to improve attendance, engagement and achievement
  • establish termly review to ensure that systems, processes and practices for monitoring, reporting on and responding to attendance, engagement and achievement are effective and providing useful information for the board and leaders to base decisions on
  • drawing on student, family and whānau and staff perspectives, review the school’s expectations for positive behaviour for learning and behaviour management and how well these are supporting a learning-focussed environment
  • identify key expectations for effective, inclusive and responsive teaching practice and begin to embed these in professional learning and growth processes.

Every six months:

  • report to the board on student attendance, engagement and achievement to identify trends and emerging needs and know about the effectiveness of strategies and interventions 
  • ensure teachers have appropriate opportunities to share and reflect on the development of effective, inclusive and responsive teaching practice.

Annually:

  • evaluate areas of strength and the quality of teaching practice to inform planning for future professional learning for teachers
  • board and leaders to scrutinise student attendance, engagement and achievement information to know about the effective delivery of strategic goals and identify improvement priorities.

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

  • improved student attendance, engagement and achievement at all levels
  • more cohesive action and performance against strategic goals
  • improved quality and consistency of teaching practices that are evidence-based, inclusive and responsive.

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education 

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education provide tailored support for the board to establish and implement agreed policies and processes which build a positive and safe culture for learning for students and staff.

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

3 October 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

Mairehau High School

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024 to 2027

As of May 2024, the Mairehau High 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

Actions for Compliance

ERO has identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

  • policy is needed on reducing student distress and minimising use of physical restraint that has reference to the 2023 rules and guidelines and to make this available to the school community
    [Education and Training Act 2020, section 101]
  • ensuring every children’s worker is police vetted on appointment and every three years 
    [Children’s Act 2014, sections 25,26 and 27]
  • ensuring that the board does not continue to employ in a teaching position, beyond 20 half days, a person who holds neither a practising certificate nor an authorisation.
    [Education and Training Act 2020 Section 93]

The board has since taken steps to address the areas of non-compliance identified.

At the time of the board assurance process ERO found that the board policy and procedure framework needed further development and had not been regularly reviewed. The school has since taken steps to strengthen its framework and review processes.

Further Information

For further information please contact Mairehau High 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

3 October 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

Mairehau High School

Provision for International Students Report

Background

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.  

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review, although the school hosted 16 short stay students over 2023. 

The school is rebuilding its international student programme following the Covid-19 global pandemic. Consequently there was limited evidence of recent self review and the school is not yet using recommended self review tools. Re-establishing good practice self review processes will be important as the school expands its international student programme.

The school uses an experienced external provider to coordinate and ensure students’ safety and wellbeing in homestay accommodation. 

There was anecdotal evidence that the school’s recent short stay students had an appropriate orientation to the school on arrival, supported by domestic student buddies. Their learning experiences included tailored English language learning programmes, integration in English-medium subject classes and participation in a range of school sporting and cultural activities. Their engagement and wellbeing at school was monitored by a dedicated international student dean. 

Recommendations

ERO recommends that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority as Administrator of the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 follows up with the school its implementation of self review.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

3 October 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 

Mairehau High School - 05/06/2020

School Context

Mairehau High School is a Year 9 to 13 state co-educational school in Christchurch. It has a roll of 338 students, with 22% identifying as Māori. The roll reflects increasing cultural diversity and has remained stable over the last three years.

The school caters for a diverse range of learners, including students attending offsite alternative education programmes, students with second language needs, and international students. The school’s supported learning centre provides programmes for students with a wide range of complex needs. The roll of the centre has continued to grow since the last ERO review in 2016.

The school’s vision is ‘For all students to value themselves and others, to know that they can excel, and to reach their full potential’. A core set of values make up the CARE programme: Challenge, Achievement, Responsibility, and Empathy. These values underpin teaching, learning and relationships across all levels of the school.

To support the vision and values, current strategic goals and targets include sustaining: improved student presence, engagement and achievement; student wellbeing, and collaborative relationships with whānau and the community.

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

  • achievement within, and progress towards, the New Zealand Qualifications Framework
  • achievement in Years 9 and 10
  • the progress of those with additional learning needs, including English language learners
  • wellbeing for success.

The school is a member of the Te Ara Tūhura cluster of schools and early learning services.

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 working towards achieving equitable and excellent achievement for all its students.

Achievement trends show that large numbers of students make very good progress through Years 9, 10 and 11 to achieve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualification at Level 1.

Over the last three years, the school’s NCEA data shows that:

  • the majority of students achieved NCEA Levels 1 and 2
  • less than half achieved Level 3 and University Entrance
  • there was a significant upward shift in the proportion of boys and Māori students achieving Level 2 NCEA in 2018, compared with their Level 1 achievement in 2017.

All senior students in the supported learning centre made progress against the goals identified in their individual learning plans and programmes.

Achievement information over the last three years for Year 9 and 10 students shows that:

  • less than half achieved at or above curriculum expectations
  • there was significantly higher achievement in Year 10 writing, Year 9 and 10 reading, and Year 9 health and physical education
  • most of these junior students went on to achieve NCEA Level 1.

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

In 2018, half of the students who needed to make accelerated progress in Years 9 and 10 did so in mathematics and reading, and a few did so in Year 10 for writing.

The school reports that, by the end of Year 9 and 10, a larger proportion of students are achieving closer to, or at, expected curriculum levels in science.

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?

Students show a strong sense of belonging in their school. They benefit from the responsive relationships they have with their teachers who know them and their whānau well. Students at all year levels are encouraged to take up leadership positions. The school has a strong culture of care in relation to student wellbeing and attendance.

The school has well established positive partnerships within its community and beyond. The cultural diversity of families is celebrated. Teachers use a range of approaches to successfully engage with parents and whānau. Leaders are building useful learning connections with contributing schools and the community. Initiatives that promote positive learning outcomes for students are well supported. Trustees have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities, which include upholding these valuable connections and ensuring that planning and resourcing decisions prioritise students’ learning and wellbeing needs.

Senior leaders promote and support teachers to increase their leadership capability and capacity. Staff initiatives, such as a school-wide approach to literacy improvement, are promoting effective school practices. Since the 2016 ERO review, processes have been improved for tracking student progress, mentoring and goal setting to better meet individual learning needs. NCEA achievement for Year 12 boys and Māori students has improved as a result of these initiatives.

The school’s inclusive and caring environment helps to ensure that students with complex learning needs are well supported to participate in school-wide learning programmes and activities.

Staff have many opportunities to share materials, resources and ideas with others. Collegiality is promoted across the school. Actions taken by leaders are supporting the development of an increasingly responsive curriculum to further engage students and improve their learning and wellbeing outcomes.

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

Data analysis and use require strengthening to support a more systematic approach to the improvement of student outcomes. Leaders should:

  • develop a shared understanding of the purpose and use of data collection
  • support teachers’ use of data to inform their teaching and measure the impact of their planned actions on students’ learning progress and achievement
  • develop clear reporting procedures that show the rates of progress and achievement for all students over time
  • provide well-informed direction that is coherent and evidence-based to guide effective school and classroom planning.

Trustees should regularly scrutinise school-wide information to evaluate how well programmes and interventions are supporting equity and excellence for all students.

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 nine international students attending the school.

Students’ pastoral and wellbeing needs are well-considered and catered for. They are encouraged and supported to be involved in the life of the school and participate in a range of sporting, cultural and social activities. Students have opportunities to contribute to the wider community and share and celebrate their cultures.

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 Mairehau High School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success 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 the:

  • extensive knowledge teachers and leaders have of individual students, to better support their learning and wellbeing
  • ability of staff to work as a team and take on new initiatives that support and improve ongoing professional practices and processes.

Next steps

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

  • more consistent analysis and use of student data to better identify what is working well for students and what needs to improve
  • improved planning to provide a more coherent approach to achieving school and learning team goals
  • knowing the impact of teaching and learning programmes on outcomes for all students.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

5 June 2020

About the school

LocationChristchurch
Ministry of Education profile number320
School typeSecondary (Years 9 to 13)
School roll338
Gender compositionFemale 51% Male 49%
Ethnic compositionMāori 22%
NZ European/Pākehā 56%
Pacific 3% 
Asian 13%
Other Ethnicities 6%
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)Yes
Provision of Māori medium educationNo
Review team on siteOctober 2019
Date of this report5 June 2020
Most recent ERO reportsEducation Review June 2016
Education Review December 2012
Education Review April 2010