700 Main North Road , Belfast, Christchurch
View on mapTēnā 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.
Pūtahi Belfast School operates as a single kura across two physical sites, a junior and a senior campus. It is situated in Christchurch and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school values, care – awhina, share – mahi tahi, learn – ako and grow – e tipu, underpin their curriculum.
There are three parts to this report.
Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation.
Part B: 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 C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.
Since the previous report in August 2022, the school and ERO have worked together to evaluate how well the localised curriculum provides guidance for a cohesive and consistent approach for teaching and learning.
The school expected to see:
Deepening of reciprocal relationships with iwi.
Strengthening of partnerships with parents.
Increased equity in learning outcomes across various groups of students in the school.
The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action has been embedding the cultural narrative into the local curriculum. Students increasingly experience their own cultures and identities within teaching and learning enhancing their wellbeing and sense of belonging.
The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.
| Learners are engaged and their achievement outcomes continue to improve. |
| A highly collaborative leadership team effectively drives continuous improvement. |
| Teaching and learning are increasingly responsive to students’ languages, cultures and identities. |
| Key organisational conditions are well established to support improved outcomes for learners. |
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months:
Every six months:
Annually:
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
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
Sharon Kelly
Acting Director of Schools
26 February 2025
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
As of May 2024, the Pūtahi Belfast School Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
ERO and the board have identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
The board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.
For further information please contact Pūtahi Belfast School, 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.
Sharon Kelly
Acting Director of Schools
26 February 2025
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
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.
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.
Sharon Kelly
Acting Director of Schools
26 February 2025
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
This Profile Report was written within 15 months of the Education Review Office and Belfast 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
Belfast School is a full primary school situated in northwest Christchurch. Their vision is ‘navigating a successful future together’. Belfast School is currently part of the Greater Christchurch Schools Rebuild programme (GCSR).
Belfast School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:
ensure all students have successful access to a broad and innovative curriculum relevant to their cultural, academic, developmental, and emotional needs, and interests
foster a positive school culture and strengthen home school relationships to support student’s engagement and achievement
provide an innovative and motivating physical environment that supports the intentions of the Belfast School curriculum and creates a sense of belonging and inclusion for all learners and whānau.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Belfast School’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the localised curriculum provides a cohesive and consistent approach for teaching and learning.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
with the establishment of a two site school it is important to have a coherent pathway and aligned practice across and between both sites. This will enable clear and meaningful learning progressions for ākonga attending Belfast School
a localised and place-based curriculum will provide an authentic context, creating a sense of belonging and develop a reciprocal, meaningful partnership with the community and local iwi.
The school expects to see increased parity in learning outcomes across various groups of students in the school, a deepening of reciprocal relationships with iwi and the strengthening of partnerships with parents.
The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to evaluate the localised curriculum.
a collaborative leadership team with a strategic approach to improving outcomes for all students
existing systems and processes which support effective evaluation
a well-established plan that clarifies actions and provides indicators for success.
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
strengthening of learning centred relationships with parents, whānau, hapu and iwi Māori
to identify key aspects of the localised, place-based curriculum which will enhance cohesion and consistency across teaching and learning.
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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
30 August 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
As of June 2022, the 3292 Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
For further information please contact 3292 Board.
The next 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
30 August 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
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.
The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.
At the time of this review there was one international student attending the school, and no exchange students.
The school is highly effective in providing for the education and pastoral care of its international students. Students and their families are welcomed and included in the life of the school. Students have access to a wide range of opportunities to further their academic and cultural development.
Internal evaluation of all aspects of the international programme ensures that it is meeting the needs of the students and their families.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
30 August 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Belfast School is a large, full-primary school catering for an increasingly diverse student roll. Some building development has occurred since the 2010 ERO review, including a new learning space for senior students. The board and staff have maintained and built on the many strengths outlined in the previous ERO report and successfully addressed the report’s recommendations.
The school motto 'Care, Share, Learn, Grow' is very well known by the school community and is linked to all aspects of student learning and the way the school operates.
The school continues to be closely involved in the local community. Teachers maintain effective links with local early childhood services and secondary schools so that children experience successful transitions to and from the school.
School leaders and teachers make very good use of student achievement information to promote students’ engagement, progress and achievement. The majority of students are achieving at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.
Analysis and use of achievement data has strengthened in the school since the 2010 ERO review.
School-wide achievement data is well analysed and used effectively to refine school achievement targets. As a result there is a strong focus on identifying and supporting students most at risk of not meeting National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.
The school has extensive processes in place to track the progress and achievement of individual students. Students with additional learning needs are quickly identified and a well-considered range of additional support programmes and interventions is put in place to help them experience success in their learning. The engagement, progress and achievement of students with high needs are well monitored.
Good quality information to the board about student learning helps inform decision making. The board provides significant additional funding to support initiatives that focus on raising student achievement.
Teachers have good systems in place for sharing achievement and general information so that students’ learning and wellbeing needs can continue to be well supported as they move from one class to the next.
Parents receive clear and useful reports about their children’s progress and achievement.
There is an increasing focus across the school on students self managing their learning. They regularly set and monitor their own learning goals. Students spoken to by ERO said that they are developing a strong awareness of their achievement and progress against their learning goals.
The leaders and teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that the next step is to focus on continuing to raise the achievement of boys, particularly in reading and writing.
Students experience a rich and varied curriculum that is highly effective in promoting their learning, enjoyment and engagement. The school’s values strongly foster a positive school culture. The curriculum is very well linked to the school’s vision for learning which underpins all learning and contributes to a strong school identity.
Relationships throughout the school promote learning and wellbeing. Supportive relationships among students (tuakana teina) are highly evident throughout the school. Students benefit from the shared responsibility for student learning and wellbeing from school leaders, teachers, teacher aides and support staff.
The curriculum has been well individualised to the school with good links to the key competencies and principles of the New Zealand Curriculum. A significant focus is on adapting the curriculum to best meet learners' needs.
The curriculum is well documented. Leaders promote school-wide use of effective teaching practices. There are consistent expectations and clear guidelines for high-quality teaching. Staff participate in useful and ongoing targeted internal and external professional learning opportunities. A variety of opportunities are created for staff to use and share expertise. Appraisal of teachers is well implemented with well-considered feedback. A school-wide focus on teaching as inquiry has supported teachers to inquire more deeply into the impact of their teaching on students’ learning.
ERO observed examples of high quality teaching in purposeful learning environments where students were engaged and talked about being interested and motivated in their learning.
The school leaders and ERO agree that the next steps are to continue to develop:
The school has been effective in increasing the visibility of Māori culture in the school and successfully promotes the learning of Māori students.
Māori students achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. The school has been part of the Māori Achievement Collaborative. There are clearly identified school protocols relating to te reo and tikanga Māori. Prominence and value is given to the Māori culture within the school community. Teachers have had increased access to professional learning in te reo and tikanga Māori and about Ka Hikitia the Māori Education Strategy. The school’s kapa haka group is very well supported. A teacher has recently taken responsibility for the oversight of success for Māori across the school.
The next step is for school leaders to formalise future priorities for supporting Māori students’ success as Māori.
This school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance.
The board, school leaders and staff have a strong focus on making a difference to student achievement and wellbeing. They maintain professional, collaborative relationships that prioritise students learning, achievement and wellbeing.
The school has well-embedded self-review systems. These support research and evidence-based improvement, and result in well-considered and well-informed decision making.
Strong leadership is provided by the principal who makes very good use of the deputy principals’ strengths, as well as his senior teachers, to effectively lead and manage the school.
The board has a clear understanding of governance roles and responsibilities. Good information sharing, effective reporting systems and clear responsibilities support effective decision making.
The school is a central part of its local community and has established significant relationships with other community groups. These strong home, school and community partnerships provide good support networks for students and their families. Parents’ views are sought and used to inform future planning and directions for the school.
The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.
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:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
Students experience a rich and varied curriculum that is highly effective in promoting their learning, enjoyment and engagement. The emphasis placed on the school’s values contributes to a positive and supportive learning environment for all students. The school is very well led, and has a sustained focus on continuous improvement. Well-maintained relationships with the community continue to strengthen support for children’s learning and wellbeing.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
11 June 2015
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Location |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
3292 |
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School type |
Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
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School roll |
471 |
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Number of international students |
0 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 45% Boys 55% |
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Ethnic composition |
New Zealand European Māori Pacific Asian Other ethnicities |
75% 15% 3% 3% 4% |
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Review team on site |
March 2015 |
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Date of this report |
11 June 2015 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Education Review Education Review |
November 2010 October 2007 June 2004 |