Westburn Te Kura O Hereora

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 

Westburn Te Kura o Hereora is located in Christchurch. The school provides education for Years 1 to 8, with a vision of Today’s learners – Tomorrow’s leaders. An established specialist music programme is a key feature. The school has been gifted the name Te Kura o Hereora, by Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. 

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. 

Part C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals

Since the previous ERO report of May 2023, ERO and the school have been working together to evaluate the development of coherent and responsive teaching and learning practices and the impact on learner success and wellbeing.

Expected Improvements and Findings

The school expected to see:

Excited, motivated learners who feel valued and appreciated.

• Learner wellbeing is monitored effectively, and they express enthusiasm about their learning opportunities.

Strong attendance and engagement, where learners have a strong connection to the school that enables them to do their best and excel.

• The school is meeting the Ministry of Education’s target for regular attendance.
• More learners achieve at or above curriculum level expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.

All staff see learners’ potential and promote their strengths by nurturing relationships with learners and their whānau and families.

• Professional development for staff has grown the use of relationship-based learning, that positively influences teaching practices and promotes an inclusive culture and connections with whānau and parents.
• A commitment to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi is strongly evident and supported through the establishment of a dedicated cultural coordinator role.

Teachers have a shared understanding of quality teaching approaches, demonstrated in consistent and inquiring practices.

• Leaders foster teachers’ increasing shared understanding of best practice with proactive review and refinement of the school’s guiding curriculum.

Other Findings 

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action is leaders conducting deliberate observations of classroom practice; providing feedback grows capability and consistency of teaching practice for learner success.

Part B: Current State

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

• By Year 8, most learners achieve at or above the appropriate curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The majority of Māori and Pacific learners achieve at or above curriculum levels; the school sets targets to support the accelerated progress of learners who are at risk of underachievement.
• Learners demonstrate a strong sense of wellbeing, supported by a well-considered hauora programme and embedded school values.
• The majority of learners attend regularly, and the school meets the current Ministry of Education targets for regular attendance.

Conditions to support learner success

• Leaders develop their skills through deliberate training and mentoring programmes designed to enhance team building, collaboration and evaluation for improvement.
• Leaders use learner wellbeing, engagement, progress and achievement information to set targets, monitor interventions and evaluate improved outcomes for learners.
• Leaders provide professional development for all staff, aligned to strategic priorities and goals, and feedback from learners, whānau and families.

• Responsive professional development assists teachers to embed structured learning approaches in practice, and enhance learner success in reading, writing, mathematics and science.
• A thoughtfully designed, evidence-based hauora programme fosters a school-wide focus on growing relationship-based learning and extending learner engagement.
• Leaders actively partner with mana whenua to reflect local tikanga, knowledge and histories in teaching practice, as well as increasing use of te reo Māori, which enriches learner understanding and experiences.

• Leaders’ systematic evaluation for improvement focus creates opportunities to improve teaching quality and accelerate progress for those learners who require more support. 
• Teachers and teacher aides are well supported to collaboratively review and improve practice and share planning that promotes a common understanding to support learners. 
• Parents and whānau are provided with a range of opportunities to actively collaborate in their child’s learning; community feedback is used to inform strategic decision making 

Part C: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• continue to grow the influence of middle leaders to embed improvement initiatives that support accelerated success for learners at risk of underachievement
• develop consistent teaching strategies that foster greater understanding and engagement for English language learners in classroom programmes
• further develop engaging and meaningful learning experiences designed to differentiate teaching and lift learner engagement and achievement in writing 
• build on training with formalised and regular opportunities for the board to collectively evaluate its effectiveness and refine established processes and practices. 

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

Within six months:

• complete observations and feedback to teachers, including learner feedback, that pinpoint opportunities for further development in structured teaching and learning approaches
• develop an implementation plan to improve teacher capability in effective writing programmes 
• agree a formalised approach for the board’s internal review of effectiveness, document and apply this collectively to identify possible improvements

Every six months:

• monitor progress toward goals and targets, and for groups of learners who are identified as needing to accelerate progress, achievement and engagement
• review the impacts of improved teaching and learning practices on learner success and wellbeing, including for learner engagement and progress in writing
• seek learner, staff and community feedback on curriculum, teaching and learning developments to further refine programmes and improve learner outcomes, including attendance

Annually:

• analyse and report schoolwide progress and achievement to the board and community for reading, writing and mathematics, tracking shifts in the data and identifying further actions for improvement 
• review the attendance, progress and achievement for groups of learners requiring differentiated supports; determine the success of programmes and strategies designed to promote improvements and sustain high levels of attendance
• review the delivery of the school’s curriculum in relation to the gains achieved for learners over time, and feedback on wellbeing and satisfaction from learners, whānau and parents.

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

• teachers' strengthened capability to consistently use structured teaching and learning approaches with accelerated progress for those learners at risk of underachievement
• continued improvement in reading, writing and mathematics achievement for Māori and Pacific learners, with explicit planning and relationship-based teaching for equity
• teachers further differentiating their practice to support English Language Learners’ involvement and understanding in day-to-day classroom programmes and discussions
• effective governance practices and strong partnership with whānau and families, which further support leaders and staff to deliver a highly responsive, broad and engaging curriculum.

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

1 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

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024 to 2027

As of September 2024, the Westburn Te Kura o Hereora 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 Westburn Te Kura o Hereora, 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

1 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

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 and has completed an annual self review of its implementation of the Code.

At the time of this review there were 10 international students attending the school, and no exchange students.

The school’s process for annual self-review is sound and its provision for pastoral care is personalised to the needs of the individual child and their family. The quality of education and care is capably overseen by a designated coordinator. Students express their enthusiasm for, and sense of belonging to, the school.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

1 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