210 Lake Road, Takapuna, Auckland
View on mapTakapuna Grammar School
Takapuna Grammar School - 25/05/2017
Findings
Students at Takapuna Grammar School are highly engaged in learning and value the rich opportunities they have to develop personally and academically. School leaders and teachers work in partnership with students to think, inquire and learn. NCEA, Scholarship and IB qualifications in the school continue to reflect students' very high levels of success. The school has a strong commitment to student wellbeing for learning, supported by specialists and peer support systems.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
1 Context
What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?
Takapuna Grammar School is a large co-educational secondary school catering for students from Years 9 to 13. It is located on Auckland's North Shore, servicing the peninsula communities of Takapuna and Devonport. The diverse student roll is predominantly Pākehā, with Māori as a significant group of seven percent.
The school aspires to offering young people inclusive and equitable educational opportunities. Students are challenged to discover and develop their own personalised learning that will lead to the choice of a successful tertiary education or employment pathway. The school fosters a culture of high expectations for academic achievement balanced with a caring focus on student wellbeing. The vision statement affirms students as being inherently capable of achieving personal excellence.
Since the 2011 ERO evaluation there has been a change of principal and a new senior leadership team has formed. The current principal has the confidence of the wider school community to lead the Devonport Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako (CoL). This CoL includes one secondary, one intermediate and five contributing primary schools.
The board of trustees has sustained good governance practice, including frequent consultation with parents and whānau. Strategic and annual planning is informed by purposeful evaluation that seeks out multiple points of view from teachers, students, parents, whānau and the community.
Trustees are representative of the diverse school community. They bring considerable expertise to their stewardship roles. Their skills are particularly useful at present for the school’s building project, which will provide innovative new learning environments, strengthen the older buildings and recreate the main entrance to the school.
A dual qualification pathway has been implemented in the school since the previous ERO review. This offers students a choice of the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and the International Baccalaureate (IB). A number of responsive teaching and learning initiatives to keep pace with best professional practice, have further up-skilled the teaching staff. Initiatives include a focus on biculturalism, whānau learning relationships, digital technology to enhance learning and the fostering of student voice and agency within the school’s organisation and curriculum design.
The school has a positive reporting history with ERO and this review finds that professional capacity and improvements to school systems and operations have continued to develop positively.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
The school makes highly effective use of student achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement. The leaders of each learning area together with their teachers, modify programmes and teaching approaches to tailor learning for different student groups and individuals.
School achievement information shows that most students are highly successful in NCEA and the IB qualifications. In 2015/2016 the pass rates at Level 1 and 2 NCEA showed parity for Māori and Pacific learners. There is a current school-wide leadership inquiry to evaluate and strengthen parity for Māori students at Level 3 NCEA and for University Entrance. The school is already exceeding the 2017 government targets of 85 percent of students achieving NCEA Level 2 or above when they leave school. In 2016, NCEA Scholarship candidates achieved the school’s second highest total of successful passes. A strategic goal for the next phase of school development, is to continue to sustain the school's high percentage of quality pass rates.
Teachers work intensively with older students in Years 11, 12, and 13 to support pathways success. They do this by effectively tracking, monitoring and supporting each student’s progress towards achievement. Whānau or form class teachers act as the ‘significant’ adult carrying the learning profile of each student through a four to five year learning journey. Pathways planning is a significant part of the school’s systems. Each student benefits from personal counselling for subject choices, career selections and university preferences. Careers and Gateway staff contribute to individualised learning pathways. The school’s self review indicates that personalising learning is increasingly effective in promoting achievement. It has been particularly effective for students who have different and specific learning needs and who need continuing support through targeted action.
Achievement information is used very well to help engage Year 9 and 10 students. They are tracked and monitored from baseline data collected on entry. This gives teachers the opportunity to get to know learners well as they begin their pathway through the junior school. Student progress is monitored using information about students, about their literacy, numeracy and reasoning knowledge and skills, and movement through curriculum levels.
Students and teaching staff benefit from learning relationships that are respectful and reciprocal. Students at all levels of the school demonstrate a strong work ethic and a high level of cognitive engagement with learning. The cohesion and responsiveness of student support services, further reflects the commitment of the board, leadership team and teachers to ensuring all students are successful, engaged learners.
School leaders, trustees and ERO agree that a key step for the school is to define and embed acceleration pedagogy for priority learners. This should help to ensure that all students are progressing towards achievement within an expected time frame.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
Takapuna Grammar School’s curriculum is aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and promotes and supports student learning very effectively. The school's vision, mission and values inform and influence the eight learning areas. Developing students' key competencies for lifelong learning are prioritised alongside qualifications success. Learning associated with social competencies, social ethics and integrity is evident within curriculum delivery.
The curriculum is designed to be inclusive and culturally responsive. It also challenges students to develop and grow academically and personally. Bicultural content in learning programmes is significantly evident. This has been a main area of development since the 2011 ERO review. There is a focus on manaakitanga throughout the school. This is foundational to the way that pastoral care is effectively carried through the whānau classes. The focus on wellbeing for learning is a marked strength of the school.
The school’s learning culture is highly focused and purposeful. Teachers have benefitted from training in areas such as formative learning practice, growth mind set and developing learners’ dispositions. Teachers provide a variety of approaches so that students have small group and individual learning opportunities. Learners who require special and different programmes are catered for in a flexible, responsive way and enjoy mainstream learning opportunities where they are useful and relevant. Student peer supporters are involved in these inclusive processes to support learning.
Consistent teaching approaches and highly effective learning strategies developed by staff are enabling authentic, relevant and innovative learning. Students are encouraged to explore through inquiry and investigation across the eight learning areas of NZC. Various courses, experiences and projects allow students to deepen their learning and to develop key skills such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking. The akonga principle where both adults and young people learn together is evident in classrooms, particularly in relation to digital learning. Student voice is used well to engage and connect learners to their chosen interests and pathways. Parents are actively encouraged to contribute to planning their children's pathways and selecting courses.
Digital technologies support and enhance student learning and are currently a key element in teachers’ professional development. The board and school leaders plan initiatives and opportunities for effective teacher professional learning. The expertise of teachers within the school is used well to promote different teaching approaches. Leadership is frequently grown and distributed from within the school.
Students reported to ERO that they value the opportunities they have in curriculum programmes to make meaningful choices about their learning and to understand themselves as learners. Rich tasks, linked to authentic learning, are being further extended for Year 9 and 10 students to engage in deeper learning.
The college offers an enriching range of co-curricular activities. There are many opportunities for students to experience success and build leadership capability and social competencies. A variety of cultural, academic and sporting events celebrate student achievement.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
The school is becoming increasingly effective in promoting successful educational outcomes for Māori students as Māori. Māori student achievement in NCEA Level 1 and 2 has improved steadily. Māori students' high pass rates are now comparable with the rest of the school cohort.
The school is working effectively to affirm te reo me ōna tikanga Māori. The charter vision for the Tu Tangata programme is “to aspire to excellence”. This highly effective programme is focused on supporting learners to achieve positive levels of success as Māori within a whānau-centred environment. It aims to use Māori values to nurture students and to affirm Māori identity, language and culture. Since the 2011 ERO evaluation, the Tu Tangata programme has expanded. An in-depth review was undertaken of Tu Tangata to set further expectations at high levels for Māori student engagement and achievement. Māori learners value the leadership roles associated with this key initiative. They demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility and care for other students, especially juniors.
Effective leadership from key Māori staff is enhancing the school’s cultural responsiveness. Professional learning and development for teachers on bicultural practices over several years has effectively supported the integration of biculturalism into other curriculum areas. Staff are showing considerable openness and receptiveness to personalised professional development that is building their bicultural capability.
The school has iwi partners who are present for significant events in the school calendar. There is a school kaumātua who advises and guides school tikanga. The naval marae, Te Taua o te Moana, has a very important relationship with the school. This influence is becoming increasingly significant as the CoL establishes. Whānau are meeting for regular hui and discussing aspirations for their young people.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The school is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. The board clearly has an ongoing commitment to education that promotes excellence and equity. There is an ethos in the school of collective responsibility for the achievement of all.
The school vision, mission and values are shared, understood and supported by the school community. Parents, whānau, the business community and local stakeholders give considerable time and expertise to the school. This results in some outstanding specialist learning that is richly beneficial for young people.
The importance of leadership and knowledge-building for local, national and global citizenship is reflected in the mission statement. This dimension of the School Charter was recently refreshed through community consultation.
Senior and middle leaders in the school are focusing effectively on capacity and capability building. Their planning is underpinned by leadership inquiry and informed by ongoing research into best practice.
Teachers’ success in effectively engaging learners is supported through high quality performance management. This includes the well integrated use of 'teaching as inquiry', robust appraisal processes and tailored, strategic, professional development programmes.
School leaders, trustees and ERO have identified some useful considerations for the next phase of school development including:
- using the opportunities afforded through the Devonport Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako to further accelerate the progress of all Year 9 and 10 students in writing and mathematics
- continuing to strategically build Māori language, culture and identity with direction and leadership from iwi, hapū and whānau
- continuing to develop definition and clarity in valued student outcomes that express the depth of the NZC already evident in the school’s curriculum
- increasing authentic contexts for students to engage in, experience and build their possible future pathways.
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 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 221 international students attending the school, including exchange students.
International students at Takapuna Grammar School are provided with high levels of pastoral care. They are effectively supported to achieve educational success and to integrate into the school community. Students are very involved in a range of student led initiatives and leadership roles, and participate in the wider life of the school.
Very effective systems are in place to monitor compliance with the Code, and to review the quality of pastoral care and educational achievement. Establishing a system for regular reporting to the board of trustees should strengthen internal evaluation of the school’s provision for international students. This would ensure systems and approaches continue to develop according to best practice.
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
Students at Takapuna Grammar School are highly engaged in learning and value the rich opportunities they have to develop personally and academically. School leaders and teachers work in partnership with students to think, inquire and learn. NCEA, Scholarship and IB qualifications in the school continue to reflect students' very high levels of success. The school has a strong commitment to student wellbeing for learning, supported by specialists and peer support systems.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
Steffan Brough
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
25 May 2017
About the School
Location |
Takapuna, Auckland |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
36 |
|
School type |
Secondary (Years 9 to 13) |
|
School roll |
1500 |
|
Number of international students |
221 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 53% Girls 47% |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese Pacific Indian other European other Asian other |
6% 53% 6% 3% 2% 10% 4% 16% |
Special Features |
Special Education Unit |
|
Review team on site |
March 2017 |
|
Date of this report |
25 May 2017 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Education Review |
September 2011 September 2008 |
Takapuna Grammar School - 30/09/2011
1 Context
What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?
Students at Takapuna Grammar School on Auckland’s North Shore are confident and friendly and are proud of their school’s history and traditions. They benefit from a student-focused and inclusive school culture and enjoy learning within a stimulating physical environment.
Previous ERO reports have commended the variety of learning opportunities available to students and the strong links forged with the local community. The principal, his senior managers and teachers, continue to build on the positive learning behaviours and competencies that promote personal excellence, high standards of student achievement and skills for life-long learning.
The board of trustees plans strategically and continues to provide students and teachers with high quality facilities for teaching and learning. Trustees have a variety of professional backgrounds and experiences that are relevant and useful in the governance of the school.
2 Learning
How well are students learning – engaging, progressing and achieving?
Students continue to achieve very well at all year levels and in all learning areas of the school. Students in Years 9 and 10 are well supported to make very good progress and most achieve at high levels in literacy and numeracy. Achievement information for students in Years 11 to 13 shows:
- increasingly high rates of achievement in National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Levels 1, 2 and 3, including University Entrance
- increasing numbers of merit and excellence endorsements at NCEA Levels 1,2 and 3
- consistently high rates of achievement in literacy and numeracy at NCEA Level 1.
The school’s NCEA results compare favourably with those of other schools of a similar type and decile across the country. Students, staff and parents are justifiably proud of these achievements.
School leaders and teachers continue to strengthen their use of student achievement information. They use data to set broad achievement targets at board and departmental levels and to develop specific goals for individual students at classroom level. Students understand their levels of achievement and track their own progress during the year.
The school has a variety of programmes that support students to be successful in their learning. The school’s Targeting for Success initiative is proving effective in raising the achievement levels of students who find it challenging to meet their academic potential. This initiative provides students with on-going academic mentoring. Well managed support programmes enable students to improve their literacy and numeracy skills and to gain meaningful qualifications. Students with high learning needs are provided with a combination of regular classroom programmes and specialist programmes.
Senior leaders and teachers have high expectations for students to excel. Levels of student engagement are high. Students have access to strong pastoral support, provided by teachers and through a range of peer support programmes. Achievement in all areas of the school curriculum is celebrated. Parents receive regular reports on their child’s progress.
Senior managers continue to monitor the progress and achievement of the small number of Pacific students enrolled at each year level. School information shows that Pacific students at the school achieve at levels that are similar to those of other students nationally.
How well does the school promote Māori student success and success as Māori?
Māori students engage, progress and achieve well, supported by the positive culture of the school. Māori student achievement at NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3 is significantly higher than that of Māori students nationally and is similar to the achievement of other students at the school.
Māori students are well represented in leadership roles in the school. The whānau class provides pastoral care within a tikanga Māori context. Tuakana-teina (senior and junior students) relationships are fostered. Māori students are engaged in the life of the school and their rates of retention at school are high. Pōwhiri and kapa haka have an increasingly high profile in the school, attracting greater numbers of Māori and non-Māori students. Staff participation in school kawa (Māori protocol) has also increased.
Māori students’ progress and achievement is monitored by senior managers, and their successes are celebrated in a variety of ways throughout the school year. Specific tracking of Māori student achievement at classroom and department level could help senior staff to more closely monitor the effect of school initiatives on Māori student success.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
Students experience a broad, relevant and meaningful curriculum. The school’s curriculum framework (Knowing, Connecting, Relating, Supporting) is well understood by students who talk positively about their learning and the many opportunities they have to succeed. School leaders ensure that academic, cross-curricular and co-curricular learning programmes are responsive to students’ interests, strengths and needs. Students with special talents respond positively to opportunities to explore their interests through a range of extension programmes. Student participation levels in the wide range of cultural and sporting opportunities available to them are high.
The New Zealand Curriculum has been well implemented. The school’s curriculum identifies values, principles and key competencies that are aligned with The New Zealand Curriculum and are reflected in classroom learning programmes for all students. Staff increasingly accept responsibility for acknowledging New Zealand’s bicultural identity in their teaching programmes. On-going review ensures that the school curriculum is future-focused and relevant.
Most teachers are highly skilled and provide students with challenging, interactive and stimulating lessons. Staff participation in high quality professional learning has supported the development of good teaching practice across the school. Teachers regularly reflect on ways to improve learning programmes. They could now consider using student achievement data as a tool for reviewing and evaluating their professional practice.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
The school is well placed to sustain and further improve its performance. High quality review and reporting practices are well established. Self review is student focused and helps to ensure that school systems meet the needs of the students.
Trustees plan strategically in response to the high quality information that they receive from the principal. The board and school leaders prioritise areas for development and monitor the progress and success of initiatives already in place. Trustees value staff and provide well for their ongoing professional learning and development.
The principal’s professional leadership is a key factor in the school’s success. He is supported by a capable senior leadership team who actively respond to emerging opportunities and needs. Senior leaders work collaboratively to foster a culture of mutual trust and respect in the school. The board and school leaders value the school’s strong and mutually beneficial relationships with the local community.
Provision for international students
The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. Takapuna Grammar School is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. At the time of this review there were 195 international students attending the school.
The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.
ERO’s investigations confirmed that the school’s self-review process for international students is thorough.
The school continues to have strong, well documented systems to guide its education and care of international students. The international department is well staffed to meet students’ educational, pastoral care and social needs. Staff regularly review practices and identify areas in which additional support and guidance would benefit students.
The progress and achievement of individual students is well monitored. Students are encouraged to participate fully in the wider social and co-curricular life of the school. They speak positively about their experiences in the school and the friendly and welcoming manner of teachers and their New Zealand peers.
Exit interviews are conducted when international students complete their time at the school as part of an ongoing focus on improving services for these students. As a regular part of self review, the school has recently moved to extend opportunities for students to provide confidential feedback on educational, pastoral care and home-stay provisions. The information gained should further improve ability of the board and staff to respond to the aspirations, needs and interests of international students.
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
- stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
- attendance.
When is ERO likely to review the school again?
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
Richard Thornton
National Manager
Review Services Northern Region
30 September 2011
About the School
Location |
Takapuna Auckland |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
36 |
|
School type |
Secondary (Years 9 to 13) |
|
School roll |
1420 |
|
Number of international students |
195 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 53%, Girls 47% |
|
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā Māori British/Irish Korean Chinese Indian Middle Eastern Pacific other European other Asian other |
65% 5% 9% 5% 3% 1% 1% 1% 5% 2% 3% |
Review team on site |
August 2011 |
|
Date of this report |
30 September 2011 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Special Review Education Review |
September 2008 May 2008 March 2005 |