Findings
Students at Waitakere Seventh Day Adventist School are generally progressing and achieving in reading, writing and mathematics and other learning areas in the New Zealand Curriculum. Positive learning and working relationships among trustees, school leaders, teachers, children and community members will support ongoing school development.
ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.
1 Background and Context
What is the background and context for this school’s review?
Waitakere Seventh-day Adventist School is a small, state integrated and special character school that caters for students from Years 1 to 8. The school is adjacent to the Seventh Day Adventist Church located in Henderson, West Auckland.
In 2014 the ERO report identified it was necessary to significantly improve student achievement outcomes, the quality of teaching, assessment systems and practices and school management and leadership. Student achievement overall was below expectations and children were not developing the key learning competencies as outlined in the New Zealand Curriculum document (NZC).
In 2015 school leaders, ERO and the Ministry of Education (MoE) met to begin a longitudinal review process. A review and development plan was developed to support school leaders and teachers to improve outcomes for children.
This plan was actioned during 2015 and resulted in some positive outcomes. Late in 2016 personnel issues within the school meant that the longitudinal review process was suspended until the new principal was appointed at the beginning of 2018. Two new teachers joined the staff during this time.
The board chairperson and some current trustees have been elected to the board since 2014. The board has agreed to continued support by ERO over the next 1 to 2 years in order to help the new principal and teachers build their capability and capacity to bring about the necessary improvements to teaching practice.
2 Review and Development
How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development?
Priorities identified for review and development
In 2014 the school’s strategic goals were confirmed by school leaders, the Ministry of Education and ERO. They aligned to the key areas for development identified in ERO’s 2014 report. They included:
- improving the quality of teachers’ professional practice
- developing teachers’ use of progress and achievement data to inform planning
- increasing student engagement in learning
- strengthening curriculum planning and delivery
- improving the quality and coverage of teachers’ reports to parents at mid and end of year.
Progress
The school continues to work towards making progress in the priority areas identified for development.
During 2015 and 2016 the Ministry of Education provided external expertise to help improve teacher practice and implement curriculum development. This professional learning covered some of the early stages of assessment for learning. As a result, children became familiar with new teaching and learning strategies including using learning intentions and success criteria to support their understanding of what they are learning and why.
Teachers were becoming increasingly able to manage the learning of targeted priority children within their class programmes. Achievement data was collected more systematically for reading, writing and mathematics. Moderation processes were introduced to bring consistency to teacher judgements about children’s progress and achievement. Reports to parents provided clearer information about each child's progress and achievement.
Students within the school have benefited from these improvements over time. However, staffing changes, including the resignation of the principal, has meant that these new developments have not been embedded long-term.
In 2018 the new principal and recently appointed staff are re-establishing some of this professional learning. Currently, teachers are working towards their appraisal goals which relate to ensuring:
- planning is informed by data evidence and is responsive to children's learning needs
- teaching as inquiry includes an evaluation of the impact acceleration strategies are having on lifting achievement.
Key next steps
ERO, the board of trustees and school leaders agree that the current phase of school development should prioritise:
- the acceleration of children's learning in all areas of literacy and mathematics
- meeting the diverse learning needs of all children, particularly those who need to make accelerated progress
- creating powerful learning relationships with whānau, families and community
- establishing a reflective, professional learning culture
- implementing teacher performance management and appraisal systems to meet the revised requirements of the NZ Education Council.
3 Sustainable performance and self review
How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance?
Findings
The school is working towards being well placed to sustain and improve its performance and continues to require external support. ERO has confidence in the current board of trustees who are making significant progress in understanding their governance responsibilities and obligations.
Self-review and evaluation practices need to develop further so that children, parents and staff play a greater role in contributing to the success of the school’s future direction. Lifting student achievement, improving curriculum design and the quality of teacher practice continue to be the key areas for schoolwide development. Therefore, the principal and trustees appreciate the opportunity to continue to engage positively in an ERO longitudinal review process.
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.
During the course of the review ERO identified areas of non-compliance. In order to address these, the board of trustees must:
- maintain an ongoing programme of self-review in relation to the board’s policies, plans and programmes, including the evaluation of student achievement information
National Administration Guidelines, 2 (b)
- develop and implement personnel policies and procedures to meet legal requirements and good employer obligations, and for the annual appraisal of all staff National Administration Guidelines 3; State Sector Act 1988, s77C
- report to the school’s community regular and useful information about the achievement of Māori students against plans and targets
National Administration Guidelines 2(c)
- consult with the school's Māori community
National Administration Guidelines 1 (e)
- consult with the community and adopt a statement on the delivery of the health curriculum
Education Act 1989, Section 60B
- review all health and safety policies, procedures and practices to ensure there is a safe physical and emotional environment for students and to comply with all legal requirements, including those relating to behaviour management and discipline, food safety laws and crisis management National Administration Guidelines 5.
In order to improve practice, the board of trustees should:
- ensure that all students from Years 7 to 8 receive appropriate career education guidance and support
- develop a performance agreement with the principal
- receive at least once a year a report on staff professional development programmes and outcomes.
4 Recommendations
Recommendations, including any to other agencies for ongoing or additional support.
ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education consider further staffing resourcing in order to bring about improvement in:
- student achievement data analysis and evaluation to inform teachers’ planning
- school curriculum design and implementation
- children being able to take responsibility for and ownership of their learning
- teacher performance management and appraisal.
ERO recommends that the board access New Zealand School Trustees Association support to assist with the following improvements:
- board administration and governance including building a policy framework
- human resources management.
Conclusion
Students at Waitakere Seventh Day Adventist School are generally progressing and achieving in reading, writing and mathematics and other learning areas in the New Zealand Curriculum. Positive learning and working relationships among trustees, school leaders, teachers, children and community members will support ongoing school development.
ERO intends to carry out another review over the course of one-to-two years.
Violet Tu’uga Stevenson
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
25 October 2018
About the School
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Location
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Henderson, Auckland
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Ministry of Education profile number
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4151
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School type
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Integrated Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)
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School roll
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44
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Gender composition
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Girls 23 Boys 21
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Ethnic composition
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Māori
Samoan
Cook Islands Māori
African
other Pacific
other ethnic groups
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6
7
4
4
11
12
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Review team on site
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June 2018
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Date of this report
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25 October 2018
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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November 2014
December 2011
August 2009
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