Waitaki Girls' High School

School Context

Waitaki Girls’ High School is a state secondary girls’ school for students in Years 9 to 13. The school has a roll of 402 students. Students have diverse ethnic backgrounds, with 12% identifying as Māori and 9% identifying with Pacific ethnicities. A small number of international students attend the school. Around 10% of students are accommodated in the school’s adjacent boarding hostel, Waitaki House.

The school’s vision is to provide an all-round education that equips and nurtures young women to achieve their potential, have the skills and abilities they need for their futures, and contribute to their communities. The school’s values are respect, responsibility and resilience, with a particular focus on promoting these values in relation to diversity and environmental sustainability.

To enact the vision, trustees and leaders have identified the following strategic goals:

• use of digital technology to enhance teaching and learning

• use of effective systems to provide academic and pastoral support for all students

• collaboration with students, families and community to meet the needs of students

• improving student engagement, and developing coherent learning pathways through school and on to work and further learning.

To know about the success of these strategies and goals the board receives schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• senior student achievement in national qualifications (NCEA)
• achievement of Year 9 and 10 students against curriculum levels in some learning areas
• students’ post-school destinations
• students’ participation in a wide range of co-curricular activities
• indicators of student wellbeing.

Since the school’s 2016 ERO review, there have been some changes in senior leadership and board membership and leadership. The school has made very good progress in addressing the areas identified for improvement in its last ERO report. These included strengthening:

• internal evaluation
• targets and planning for raising achievement and improving equity for all groups of students
• support for the success of Māori and Pacific learners
• systems for tracking student achievement and progress.

The school is a member of the Waitaki Ara 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?

The school is very effective in achieving positive educational outcomes for students. School information shows that:

• the majority of students in Years 9 and 10 achieve at expected curriculum levels in English and mathematics

• a high proportion of students gain NCEA level 2

• most students attempting NCEA level 3, and a good majority of those attempting University Entrance, are successful

• about 40% of students gain endorsements on their NCEA qualifications at Levels 2 and 3

• nearly all students participating in industry and tertiary learning programmes achieve relevant qualifications

• a very high proportion of students are actively participating in and contributing to the school and wider community through involvement in a wide range of co-curricular activities

• nearly all students make positive transitions to work and further learning

• the majority of students report that their wellbeing is effectively supported.

The school is close to achieving equitable outcomes for all groups of students in terms of achievement of NCEA Level 2. School information shows a smaller proportion of Māori and Pacific students, than other groups, achieve at and above expectations in Years 9 and 10.

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

The school has not yet analysed information to know if learning has been accelerated for junior students needing this. However useful systems are in the process of being developed. School information shows that senior students who are at risk of not achieving national qualifications or making a positive transition to work or further study are effectively supported to experience success.

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?

The curriculum responds very effectively to students’ needs, interests and abilities. Leaders and teachers use students’ feedback about their learning and information about students’ achievement to plan appropriate programmes of learning. They are working to align course content across learning areas and year levels to strengthen students’ preparation for and success in senior courses. The diverse needs and future pathways of students are well catered for by a wide range of programmes. Partnerships with employers and local secondary and tertiary education organisations provide further choice and support effective transitions to work and tertiary learning. Students have many opportunities to develop leadership skills and contribute to the school and local community through participation and leadership of a large number of interest groups and clubs.

Students needing additional help with learning and wellbeing are quickly identified and interventions put in place to support their success. Leaders and teachers have effective systems for monitoring the wellbeing and learning of all students. They are working more collaboratively to identify actions and strategies to support positive outcomes for students. This includes collaborating with students through mentoring relationships; across learning areas; with parents, families and whānau; and with community initiatives and groups. The board is providing increased resourcing for learning and wellbeing support to better meet student needs. Students with high and complex needs participate in individualised programmes that promote their confidence, independence and wellbeing.

The school’s values of respect, responsibility and resilience (The Waitaki Way) are effectively promoted throughout the school and are supporting positive relationships and attitudes toward learning. Students lead planning for, and evaluation of, the school’s values programme. The school collects and responds to student feedback about factors impacting on their wellbeing at school. Leaders and teachers are actively reflecting on how they implement these values in their teaching practice, including for positive behaviour management. The school has recently strengthened its commitment to environmental education in response to student demand. Teachers are increasingly incorporating this, and a focus on understanding cultural diversity, into learning programmes.

The school has intentionally strengthened opportunities for Māori students to learn about and participate in aspects of their culture and language. Leaders have worked collaboratively with local runaka to develop protocols to use in school events and to access cultural knowledge to support learning programmes. They have appointed specialist staff to provide pastoral and language learning support to students. The school is in the early stages of developing similar programmes, relationships and responses to support Pacific student success.

School leaders collaboratively develop and pursue the school’s vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence. They have used internal evaluation information effectively to identify relevant goals and targets and to develop plans and strategies for improving outcomes for students. They actively promote ongoing teacher learning and development through providing the structures, resourcing training and guidelines. As a result teachers are reflecting deeply on their teaching practice and the difference it makes to student outcomes.

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

The school needs to extend the analysis of learning information to know how well all students are progressing in their learning from Year 9 to Yr 10, particularly those targeted for acceleration. The school has introduced new practices for tracking the achievement of junior students. Leaders and teachers are using the system well to identify students who may be at risk with their learning. In addition to tracking achievement, they now need to use this information to evaluate the rate of progress students are making. This will enable teachers, leaders and trustees to better evaluate and report the effectiveness and impact of junior programmes and learning support interventions on learning and progress over time.

ERO acknowledges the school is in the early stages of developing relationships and collaborative actions to support the success of Pacific students. School leaders are committed to building the sustainability of these approaches through effective school planning, professional learning, collaboration with students, families and communities and the evaluation of outcomes. They should use internal evaluation processes to ensure sustainability of improvements.

3 Other Matters

Provision for students in the school hostel

The school hostel, Waitaki House, currently accommodates 42 students. The hostel is owned by the Waitaki Girls’ High School Board of Trustees. The owner has attested that all requirements of the Hostel Regulations have been met. The principal has oversight of the hostel. She is supported by the hostel manager. ERO’s investigations confirm that there are sound processes to manage students’ safety and support their learning.

Positive features of the hostel include supportive relationships between the hostel and the school, regular surveying of students and valuing of their input, and good levels of pastoral care. The close proximity of the hostel to the school provides easy access to WGHS facilities. The hostel is responsive in supporting students who have extensive sporting, curriculum and performance commitments. The hostel is well managed by an experienced manager.

The hostel staff focus on the provision of a safe and supportive living and learning environment for the boarders.

Provision for international students

Waitaki Girls’ High 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 three international students attending the school. ERO’s investigations confirmed that the school’s processes for reviewing compliance against the code are robust, well documented and lead to change where needed.

Students receive a welcoming and personalised orientation and induction to the school community. The international department and hostel staff collaborate to ensure international students’ needs are met throughout their stay. Valued outcomes for international students include academic and language learning, social integration, and participation in all that the school has to offer. Trustees receive regular reports about the provision for international students.

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 Waitaki Girls’ High School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Strong.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance 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:

• provision of a broad curriculum that responds very well to students’ interests and needs and provides coherent pathways to work and further learning
• effective systems for monitoring all students’ learning and wellbeing and supporting collaborative approaches to improving outcomes for students
• a caring, inclusive school culture providing a positive environment for learning.

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in continuing to extend the analysis of learning information and intervention outcomes for students in Years 9 and 10.

The board needs to ensure that the reviews of policies, procedures and emergency drills are being effectively implemented and reported.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

8 August 2019

About the school

Findings

Students at Waitaki Girls' High School are proud of their school and its history. Staff are highly committed to providing well for their students. More students are experiencing success in NCEA. The principal is effectively leading staff development and a focus on improvement. Effective partnerships to support students’ learning are strengthening. Relationships are positive throughout the school and supportive of all students.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Waitaki Girls’ High School is a long-established secondary school for girls in Oamaru. Students are proud of their school with its extensive history. Students enjoy the tuakana-teina relationships that are fostered through the whānau group, peer support and competitive house system. The school’s boarding hostel, Waitaki House, is well established and on site. Along with New Zealand students, a small number of international students live there as boarders.

The school’s values of being ‘Respectful, Responsive and Resilient’ are helping to support the school in embedding a school-wide, positive-behaviour-for-learning programme. Students are well aware of these values. The school’s positive culture, recognised in the last ERO review, continues to be very evident.

Staff members work well together, ably led by the principal. There has been a small number of staff changes since the last ERO review (including two senior leaders). The student roll overall has remained stable. However, Māori and Pacific student numbers have increased.

Recent and ongoing external staff development has included participation in the (Pacific) Talanoa Project and the positive-behaviour programme.

Since the last ERO review, the library (Whare Mātauranga) has been relocated and successfully upgraded with increased student usage. In addition, some classrooms have been refurbished. The school has made good progress in addressing many areas identified in ERO’s 2013 report as needing to be improved. These areas include:

• teaching as inquiry
• shared (collaborative) inquiry into effective teaching practice
• strategic use of learning information
• curriculum review.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

The school is using individual student achievement information well to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement. This has been an area of substantial progress since the last ERO review. Student achievement is widely acknowledged and celebrated.

Student achievement information

Senior student achievement information shows:

• achievement across the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Levels I, 2 and 3 is increasing and higher than national comparisons
• significant gains in the percentage of students gaining NCEA Levels 1 and 2 in 2015
• most school leavers leave after their 17th birthday and have attained at least NCEA Level 2
• achievement in literacy and numeracy for NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3 has increased over the last four years
• students in transition programmes experience high levels of success in gaining credits towards NCEA.

Students throughout the school participate and achieve in a wide range of sporting and cultural activities.

Use of student achievement information

Students in Years 9 and 10 are collating portfolios of their achievement and progress. All students are being encouraged and supported to reflect on the quality of their learning. Some senior students could have better access to individual NCEA credit tracking.

A current school-wide focus is for teachers to ‘know the learner’. Teachers are:

• using electronic profiles well to record, track and share achievement, progress and the support provided for junior students
• mentoring and supporting senior students who are at risk of not achieving NCEA
• providing specific feedback and next learning steps to students.

A challenge for teachers is to ensure all students understand their next steps.

There is improved reporting to parents, for example by sharing attendance and achievement information through an online portal.

Curriculum, pastoral and senior leaders are making good use of student engagement and achievement information to provide specific support for students at risk with their learning. Senior leaders have implemented effective systems to ensure early identification, more frequent sharing, appropriate support and close monitoring for these students. Staff are now confidently using the relatively new student-management system to support them in this.

The board is receiving useful information, mostly about senior student achievement, from the principal and curriculum leaders. This includes trends and patterns in NCEA achievement and future actions identified to promote improved outcomes for students.

Next steps

With improved use of student learning information, the school is now in a better position to:

• focus charter targets specifically on accelerating the progress of groups of students who are achieving at low levels with specific, collaborative planning for this
• ensure there is ongoing monitoring and reporting of progress towards meeting these targets at all levels of the school (involving teachers, curriculum and senior leaders and the board)
• provide the board with more useful information about the achievement and progress of students in Years 9 and 10, including for specific groups.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The school’s curriculum is effective in promoting students’ learning. It actively supports students’ opportunities to learn and is responsive to their immediate and future needs.

Students benefit from a curriculum increasingly focused on meeting their needs, interests and abilities. This can be seen through:

• increased opportunities for senior students to explore vocational pathways
• useful collaborations with local businesses and tertiary providers
• Level 1 NCEA adapted courses and increased use of distance learning
• extensive use of local learning contexts including local history, businesses, galleries and gardens
• high levels of achievement in literacy and numeracy in NCEA enabling students to achieve certificates in Levels 1, 2 or 3.

The school is making very effective use of connections that are educationally powerful. These include useful links with the Pacific community, teacher networks with other schools and transition processes with contributing schools.

There has been a school-wide focus (including useful professional learning and development) on developing and supporting the capabilities of middle leaders. Middle leaders are reporting student achievement and progress to senior leaders more frequently. There are increased opportunities for collaborations across departments. A cycle of curriculum review has begun. Useful departmental goals and reporting mean that senior leaders are very well informed about how well departments are providing for students.

Next steps

Leaders and teachers should extend their current e-learning planning and implementation to explore how modern teaching and learning strategies can be effectively used for all students.

Reporting to senior leaders and the board should be strengthened so that is it more evaluative.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori and Pacific as Pacific?

The proportion of Māori and Pacific students achieving NCEA qualifications has increased over time. Some Pacific students are receiving support with their English language learning.

Since the last ERO review, the language, culture and identity of Māori and Pacific students have been increasingly reflected in the life of the school. This is being actively promoted by the principal.

Pacific students feel a strong sense of belonging in the school. Their levels of attendance, engagement and achievement have improved significantly. School leaders say that this is largely due to the collaborative efforts of staff and the local cluster of the Pacific Talanoa project.

School leaders acknowledge that work still needs to be done to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for Māori students. A dean has been appointed to oversee the school’s cultural initiatives and pastoral care and support for Māori and Pacific students. Students can learn te reo Māori through distance-learning. A challenge for this and other local schools is to find a teacher of te reo Māori.

ERO endorses the intention of school leaders’ to use the Talanoa model to guide the school’s planning for Māori Success. To help achieve this, the school should, in consultation with Māori students and their whānau:

• extend the ways in which Māori and Pacific language, culture and identity are promoted and made an integrated part of the school
• seek and act on ideas and opinions from Māori and Pacific students and their parents and whānau/aiga to inform internal evaluation and planning
• formalise planning to better show, monitor and report progress in enacting the above plans for Māori success.

4 Sustainable Performance

How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?

The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance. A school-wide culture of collaboration, reflection and improvement is focusing the board, leaders and teachers on achieving the best outcomes for students.

Board members bring a wide range of expertise and skills to their roles as trustees. Since the 2013 ERO review, the board has developed a useful governance manual to guide effective school governance. Trustees have participated in board training that has contributed to the review of school policies and procedures and strategic planning processes. The board is receiving more timely information about departmental performance, senior student achievement and future areas of development.

Senior leaders are focused on continuous improvement to school processes and practices. They are establishing clear expectations and systems that promote consistency and alignment throughout the school. The principal is effectively leading and prioritising time for teachers to reflect on, inquire into and share teaching practice which works for their students. This is strengthening a staff culture of collaboration and support across learning areas. Senior leaders have responded appropriately to staff perceptions about changes within the school. The school’s much-improved appraisal system is supporting and building teachers’ professional practice.

Areas for review or development

The board and senior leaders should now extend the scope of internal evaluation in the school. This should include:

• extending staff knowledge and understanding of high-quality internal evaluation practices
• establishing and formalising key principles and processes to guide and promote effective evaluation practice
• identifying internal evaluation priorities over time such as pastoral and learning support
• developing a cycle of review/internal evaluation that informs strategic planning
• ensuring student voice informs all internal evaluations/reviews.

The board should also ensure that robust processes are in place that provide regular anonymous feedback from all staff about their wellbeing and suggestions for ongoing improvement at the school.

Provision for international students

The 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. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. ERO’s investigations confirmed that the school’s internal evaluation process for international students is carried out each year.

At the time of this review there were three international students from Asia who live at the school hostel which supports their wellbeing and learning.

International students benefit from a high level of individual pastoral care and assistance with learning. This includes helpful English language support.

A new director of international students has been appointed. She monitors and ensures that international students have ample opportunities to be involved and included in the life of the school and wider community. A next step for the school is to provide an annual report to the board of trustees evaluating the success of the international student programme (for the students and the school).

Provision for students in the school hostel

Waitaki House, the school’s hostel, accommodates 49 students who make up 12% of the school roll. It is owned by the Waitaki Girls’ High School board of trustees. Girls attend the hostel from a wide geographical area.

The hostel manager works closely with the school principal and staff to provide a welcoming place for boarders that helps them to settle and develop a sense of belonging. Positive relationships among the boarders and with staff promote a caring atmosphere and support ongoing friendships. This is especially evident in the way older girls help younger girls. Some school staff come to the hostel regularly to help girls with their learning.

Since the 2013 ERO review:

• hostel policies have been reviewed and changed
• some aspects of hostel governance have been updated
• access to digital technology has improved throughout the hostel.

Parents have opportunities to meet with staff and provide their views about matters relating to the hostel. Although a formal survey has been conducted with the girls since the previous ERO review, feedback from boarders tends to be gathered and responded to informally.

Areas that need further development include:

• completing aspects of the governance manual for the hostel
• formalising processes for obtaining student and parent feedback about the hostel and increasing opportunities for consultation.

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 Waitaki Girls' High School are proud of their school and its history. Staff are highly committed to providing well for their students. More students are experiencing success in NCEA. The principal is effectively leading staff development and a focus on improvement. Effective partnerships to support students’ learning are strengthening. Relationships are positive throughout the school and supportive of all students.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Chris Rowe

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)

25 May 2016

About the School