Ngutuawa School

Education institution number:
3288
School type:
Full Primary
School gender:
Co-Educational
Total roll:
136
Telephone:
Address:

10 Gould Crescent , Woolston, Christchurch

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Ngutuawa School

School 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.

About the School

Ngutuawa School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. There are currently 139 learners enrolled in the school. Māori learners make up more than 40% of the students, European/Pakeha are 36%. The school’s PRIDE values are Positivity/Ngākaupai, Respect/Whakaute, Integrity/Tapatahi, Determination/Pūtohe and Excellence/Kairangi. An acting principal was in place at the time of this review.

Part A: Parent Summary

How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?

How well are learners succeeding?Improvements are required to ensure all learners are engaged, making sufficient progress and achieving well.
What is the quality of teaching and learning?The school needs to improve teaching and learning.
How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs?

Learners have some opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.

There is a variable focus on supporting learners to gain skills in literacy and mathematics.

Learners with complex needs require better support to achieve their education goals.

How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement?The school is establishing planning and conditions that support improvements in the quality of education for learners.
How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing?The school is taking steps to improve learners’ engagement, wellbeing and inclusion.
How well does the school partner with parents, whānau and its community for the benefit of learners?

The school is improving its reporting to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress.

The school should improve its collection and use of information gathered through community consultation to inform strategic planning and curriculum decisions.

Student Health and SafetyThe school needs to ensure a physically and emotionally safe learning environment.

Achievement in Years 0 to 8 

This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Foundation Skills

 
ReadingERO was unable to verify the extent to that learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Reliable data was not available.
WritingERO was unable to verify the extent to that learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Reliable data was not available.
MathematicsERO was unable to verify the extent to that learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Reliable data was not available.

Attendance

The school is behind the target of 80% regular attendance.

The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.

Regular attendance is not yet improving towards or beyond the target.

Chronic absence is not yet reducing over time.

Assessment

The school is not yet using an appropriate approach and reliable practices to accurately find out about achievement against the curriculum.

Teachers are developing assessment information to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.

Progress 

The school is developing good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.

The school is yet to show whether it has improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.

The school is yet to show whether it has extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review.

The school is not making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets for 2030 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.

Support

During the course of this review ERO had concerns about the quality of education being provided and made recommendations for support and/or intervention to the Secretary / Ministry of Education.

An explanation of the terms used in the Parent Summary can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office
 

Part B: Findings for the school

This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.

Areas of Strength

Learners have positive relationships with staff.

Recently appointed leaders have prioritised growing staff capability, setting strategic priorities with goals to improve outcomes for all learners. Recent engagement in professional learning is building teaching capability.

Structured literacy is embedded for younger learners and is beginning to be extended through to the senior areas of the school; structured mathematics is currently being implemented.

Inquiry into effective teaching practice has recently been implemented, with a planned approach to evaluation for improvement being developed.

Key priorities and actions for improvement 

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

  • develop a schoolwide assessment framework based on high quality evidence and effective tools to improve teacher practices
  • provide opportunities for all learners to progress and achieve with their learning and wellbeing
  • develop a consistent learning environment that supports each learner’s needs using high-quality teaching practices.

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

Within three months:

  • confirm assessment tools and provide teachers with professional learning in their use to inform planning and practice, improving learner outcomes
  • undertake learner and staff wellbeing surveys
  • develop a shared, collaborative understanding of high-quality teaching practice that is context specific for the school
  • introduce strategies and initiatives to increase regular attendance

Within six months:

  • led by the acting principal review the progress of the application and consistency of high-quality teaching practices to plan for next steps in teacher development

Every six months:

  • gather, analyse and use reliable assessment information on all learners to inform teaching planning and practice to improve learner outcomes
  • gather, collate and respond with actions to wellbeing feedback
  • monitor and review the application and consistency of expected teaching practices to inform next steps
  • review and implement additional strategies and resources to further increase regular attendance and reduce chronic absence

Annually:

  • review and refine the consistency of assessment practices to establish the impact on learner programmes, progress and achievement
  • plan for strategies and resourcing to progress learner and staff wellbeing
  • evaluate the impact of high-quality teaching practice to plan for future learning and resourcing
  • evaluate strategies to improve attendance, tracking progress against government targets and reallocating resources as needed.

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

  • accurate and consistent achievement information, aligned with national priorities, used to inform teaching
  • positive wellbeing of learners and staff, reflected by high levels of engagement and participation in learning
  • consistent high-quality teaching and delivery of programmes that increase learner progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
  • improved and sustained regular attendance of learners and reduced chronic absence.

Part C: Regulatory and Legislative Requirements 

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:

Board Administration

No

Curriculum

No

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

No

Personnel Management

Yes

Actions for Compliance

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

  • board administration must meet each of the primary objectives in governing a school
    [Section 127 (1)(a), (1)(b)(i), (1)(c), (1)(d) and Sections 145 and 639, Education and Training Act, 2020]
  • learning programmes must have particular regard to the National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP) and give effect to foundation curriculum statements, national curriculum statements, national performance measures, teaching and learning programmes, monitoring and reporting students’ progress
    [Section 127 (2)(a), (2)(b) and Sections 5, 90, 164, 165, 639, Education and Training Act, 2020; National Education and Learning Priorities]
  • provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students through practices that are known, understood and effectively implemented.
    [Section 127 (1) and (2) Education and Training Act, 2020; Health and Safety at Work Act, 2015; Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations, 2016]

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

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education/Ministry of Education consider intervention for the dissolution of the board and appointment of a commissioner as listed in section 181, Education and Training Act 2020, to bring about the following improvements:

  • governance knowledge and effective implementation of the board’s roles and responsibilities
  • effective implementation of health and safety practices
  • develop high-quality schoolwide learning programmes, supported by effective assessment, to improve learners’ progress and achievement
  • develop a consistent learning environment that supports each learner’s needs using high-quality teaching practices.

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education/Ministry of Education consider intervention for the dissolution of the board and appointment of a commissioner as listed in section 181, Education and Training Act 2020, to bring about the following improvements:

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 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

Sharon Kelly
Director of Schools (Acting)

19 May 2025

Education Counts

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Bamford School - 25/09/2019

School Context

Bamford School is situated in Woolston, Christchurch, and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. At the time of this review, the school’s roll was 133 students.

The school states that its vision is ‘to strive for meaningful, respectful, positive relationships so that children feel valued, cared for and safe’. The school values are Respect/Whakaute, Responsibility/Takohanga and Kindness/Atawhai.

The school’s current strategic priorities are:

  • accelerating student achievement in mathematics, reading and writing
  • accelerating the rate of progress for students in Years 3, 5 and 7 who are not able to fully access the curriculum at the appropriate level.

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

  • student achievement and progress in reading, writing and mathematics
  • outcomes related to engagement and wellbeing for success
  • outcomes for students with additional learning needs.

Recent professional learning and development has been undertaken across the school in the areas of literacy, numeracy, restorative practices, wellbeing and engagement.

The school had a limited statutory manager in place from June 2015 to January 2017, and had Ministry of Education support by way of a student achievement function practitioner (SAF) for 2017 to 2019. ERO has had an ongoing relationship with the school since the last report in April 2015.

Since the last education review in 2015 a new principal and a significant number of new teachers have been appointed.

Bamford School is part of the Tamai 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?

Leaders and teachers are working towards equitable outcomes for all students. However, ERO was unable to fully evaluate the school’s progress as early achievement data needs further analysis to better identify student outcomes.

Student achievement data from 2016, 2018 and early 2019 shows that the majority of students are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics. However a major priority for the school is to continue to raise the achievement of all students.

A recent survey showed that most students responded positively about how their wellbeing is supported at the school. Leaders are aware of and are responding to the areas identified by students that need improvement.

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

Achievement information provided by the school shows that learning is being effectively accelerated for those Māori and other students who need this.

Data on the progress of priority students in 2018 shows that the majority of priority learners, including Māori and Pacific learners, are making accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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 participate in caring and inclusive learning environments where relationships are respectful and productive. A relevant and responsive local curriculum engages students and provides opportunities for them to interact with their community. Students are increasingly able to identify their own learning needs, set goals and discuss their learning.

Parents and whānau are welcomed and involved in school activities. There has been a deliberate focus on building effective collaborative relationships at all levels of the school and in the wider educational community. Parents and whānau receive information on, and have opportunities to participate constructively in, their children’s learning.

School leaders have established an orderly and supportive environment with consistently high expectations for student learning and wellbeing. To meet the identified valued outcomes for students, a well-considered strategic vision supports a coherent and consistent approach to schoolwide improvement.

The redevelopment of the school curriculum is providing clear guidelines to inform teaching and learning programmes and practices. Leaders and teachers are increasingly using evidence of student learning and progress as a catalyst for ongoing collaborative dialogue on improving student outcomes. Opportunities for professional learning respond to the identified learning needs of students, challenge assumptions and beliefs about teaching and learning, and support the realisation of the school’s vision, values and goals.

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

School leaders have identified, and ERO agrees, that the board of trustees needs to improve the effectiveness of governance by:

  • establishing robust processes for measuring its own effectiveness to better identify how effectively initiatives are supporting improved student outcomes
  • improving induction processes for new trustees to sustain understanding of the school’s current priorities and future direction
  • ensuring all trustees have relevant and ongoing training opportunities about their roles and responsibilities to individually and collectively promote high quality school governance.

Leaders and teachers must ensure that they maintain a significant focus on improving learning outcomes for students. The board and ERO have agreed that robust information about student progress and achievement is a priority for informing decision making. This includes:

  • teachers and leaders continuing to set and pursue goals and targets to accelerate the learning, progress and achievement of all students
  • leaders regularly reporting to the board about progress in relation to these goals and targets to ensure that any disparity in outcomes is identified and addressed.

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

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:

  • collaborative and improvement focused leadership
  • a collaborative school culture that is focused on continuing to improve outcomes for learners
  • a welcoming, positive and inclusive environment that values students’ culture, language and identity.

Next steps

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

  • continuing to improve the progress and achievement of all students, especially those whose learning is at risk
  • improving the quality and effectiveness of school governance, including regular reporting to the board about student progress over time
  • continue to build data capability and expertise across all levels of the school.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to:

  • consultation with the Māori community

In order to address this, the board of trustees must:

  • In consultation with the school’s Māori community, develop and make known to the school’s community policies, plans and targets for improving the progress and achievement of Māori students.
    [NAG 1(e)]

Dr Lesley Patterson 
Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini
Southern Region
25 September 2019

About the school

LocationChristchurch
Ministry of Education profile number3288
School typeFull Primary (Years 1 to 8)
School roll133
Gender composition

Boys 61%

Girls 39%

Ethnic composition

Māori 29%

NZ European/Pākehā 47%

Pacific 8%

Asian 12%

Other ethnicities 5%

Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)Yes
Provision of Māori medium educationNo
Review team on siteJuly 2019
Date of this report25 September 2019
Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review April 2015

Education Review April 2012