Otatara School

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 

Otātārā School is a Years 1 to 6 contributing primary school situated within an area of environmental significance in semi-rural Otātārā, Southland. The school shares its site with the Otātārā Kindergarten and works closely with their staff and the Otātārā Preschool. There have been some changes within the leadership team since the last report.

The school’s aspirations and values are embedded within its graduate profile, which is for learners to be connected, self-managing and consistently striving for excellence.

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. 

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals 

In the past three years  ERO and the school have been working together to evaluate how well its local curriculum is supporting learners to achieve the school's graduate profile.

Expected Improvements and Findings

The school expected to see:

Greater ownership so that learners are more actively involved in monitoring their own progress towards the components of this graduate profile.

• Learners have a wide range of carefully considered high quality opportunities to monitor their progress against components of the OtātārāSchool Graduate Profile. These are contributing significantly to their engagement and success as learners.

Staff and whānau evaluating progress towards meeting the components of the profile.

• Staff and whānau are effectively evaluating progress towards meeting the components of the profile. This is strengthening and sustaining the home, school, community partnership and ensuring that the components of the graduate profiles are understood, valued and connected to learners lives within and beyond school.

The impact of the local curriculum in supporting learners to progress.

• Learners are supported as active decision makers to engage in a rich and responsive localised curriculum that connects with mātauranga Māori and has an explicit focus on all learners experiencing authentic learning in order to make progress towards the graduate profile.

The greatest shift that has occurred in response to the school’s action is the embedding of the Otātārā Graduate Profile into curriculum design and delivery at all levels of the school. This is ensuring all learners experience and thrive in a progressive and responsive curriculum closely linked to what the school and the community want for their learners. 

Part B: Current State

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

Learner Success and Wellbeing

• In 2023, most learners achieved at or above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori learners are reading at levels higher than non-Māori learners, however there is some disparity for Māori learners in writing and mathematics. Pacific learners achieve very well with almost all achieving at or above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Learners whose progress needs to be accelerated in reading, writing and mathematics receive specific support. Over half of these learners made accelerated progress in mathematics in 2023. Many learners targeted for acceleration in reading and writing reach the school’s expectations.
• Learners experience a school learning climate that is consistently positive, inclusive and culturally responsive. Collaborative approaches, validated through whānau hui, enhance trust and nurture respectful interactions between home and school to deliver whānau aspirations. 
• Learners demonstrate a strong sense of their belonging and connection to the school. Their wellbeing is consistently supported through a range of intentional approaches and programmes. 

Conditions to support learner success

• Leadership very effectively and collaboratively develops, promotes and enacts the school’s vision and values through all aspects of school life.
• Leaders ensure there is coherence across the school’s systems to ensure priorities are implemented, monitored and systematically evaluated.
• Leaders sustain a culture of high standards and expectations.
• Leaders are highly committed to equity and excellence through a consistent focus on best outcomes for learners. They actively seek and foster learner-centred partnerships within and beyond the school to maximise opportunities for learning and success.

• Learners with diverse learning requirements are a priority. They are supported through well-researched and adaptive interventions coupled with effective teaching strategies and practices that promote equity and success.
• Learners are well supported to be active decision makers in their learning processes through established positive classroom cultures and effective teaching where high expectations prevail. 
• Teachers intentionally facilitate learning and learners through effective, differentiated and culturally responsive teaching practices.
• The school uses the local natural environment and expertise to support student learning within its local curriculum.

• Purposeful and clear decision making by the board and school leadership is underpinned by effective resourcing and improvement focused strategic planning.
• Evaluation processes are very effectively used to inform the school’s direction with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Community collaborations are well-established to enrich opportunities for learners to become connected, self-managing learners striving for excellence.
• Reciprocal trusting relationships between staff, learners and whānau support learner success and wellbeing.

Part C: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• continue to focus on supporting consistently equitable outcomes for Māori learners in writing and mathematics
• extend teachers’ knowledge and understanding of elements of written language
• grow learners’ confidence and capability in te reo Māori language learning.

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

Within six months 

• Establish baseline information and planning for teachers’, leaders and learners in relation to te reo Māori progressions as set out in Poutama Reo.
• Continue to implement practices to identify and support learners whose progress needs to be accelerated.
• Continue to enhance teacher capability in the teaching of spelling and handwriting.

Every six months 

• Monitor target learners’ achievement and progress in relation to the tailored support they are receiving.
• Leaders, teachers and learners will evaluate progress in their understanding and use of te reo Māori.

Annually

• Evaluate the sufficiency of the progress targeted learners have made in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Carefully scrutinise outcomes for Māori learners.
• Leaders, teachers and learners will evaluate progress in their understanding and use of te reo Māori to inform future planning.

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

• an increase in learners’ overall achievement and progress in writing and mathematics
• reduced disparity for Māori learners in writing and mathematics
• teachers effectively support learners to value, progressively acquire and use Māori language.

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

22 April 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 March 2024, the Otātārā School 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 Otātārā 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.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

22 April 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