Al-Madinah School

School Context

Al-Madinah School in Mangere is an integrated school with an Islamic special character. The school caters for students from Years 1 to 13. The majority of the 550 students currently enrolled are of Fijian-Indian heritage. There are significant other groups of students whose families originate from Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa.

The school’s charter vision is for students’ all-round achievement within a commitment to the mission of Islam and citizenship of Aotearoa New Zealand. Aligned with this vision, the school’s valued outcomes for students are for each child to achieve and to develop skills and qualities that are school-based, linked to The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), and Islamic special character qualities.

The school’s educational goals and objectives are centred on providing a safe, caring and healthy learning environment that supports the intellectual, physical and spiritual development of each child. Under the school’s special character traditions, this includes providing Islamic studies and segregating boys’ and girls’ teaching and learning spaces, from Year 7 onward.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• progress and achievement in relation to school targets for reading, writing and mathematics
• achievement within the New Zealand Qualifications Framework
• outcomes for students with additional learning needs, including gifted and talented students
• participation and success in academic, sporting and cultural events.

Ineffective board governance has been a long-standing issue for the school. Support through the Ministry of Education (MoE) statutory interventions and other professional support for trustees have not resulted in sustainable, effective governance.

In 2016 the MoE put in place a Limited Statutory Manager (LSM) intervention. This intervention responded to findings of a 2015 MOE investigative report and the recommendations in ERO’s 2016 external evaluation of the school. In April 2019 the board of trustees was dissolved, and a commissioner was appointed to govern the school.

The school is part of the Mangere Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako (CoL).

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 supporting students to achieve excellent outcomes very well. However, students do not have equitable access to a curriculum that caters for their diverse needs and interests. The smaller range of subjects and option choices available to the secondary girls’ classes limits their opportunity to succeed in areas to realise their strengths and interests.

Senior students achieve very high levels of success in National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Achievement in NCEA has continued to increase since ERO’s 2016 review. In 2018 almost all students achieved the appropriate NCEA qualification for their year level. Most 2018 school leavers attained Level 3 NCEA and University Entrance (UE).

Reports on students’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics show that most students achieve expected curriculum levels when transitioning from the primary syndicate at the end of Year 6. Students continue to progress in these learning areas through Years 7 to 10, with a large majority of students achieving at or above expectations at the end of Year 10. The reports identify some areas where achievement needs to be lifted to attain school targets or provide more equitable outcomes.

There are gender disparities in NCEA results, in writing achievement levels, and particularly at UE level. Increasing boys’ achievement in writing is a school priority.

Students develop confidence in their identity as young Muslim New Zealanders through the school’s Islamic special character curriculum. They learn about the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand through NZC-based programmes.

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

School achievement data show that the school is accelerating the learning of many of the students who are at risk of underachieving.

Primary syndicate information shows accelerated progress for many of the targeted learners in each primary class over the course of a year. This acceleration is particularly evident in the progress of students in their first three years of school. Years 7 to 10 literacy and numeracy progress reports show some good areas of accelerated progress for learners who need this.

Learning support is well coordinated. Teachers, pastoral and learning support leaders, and external agencies collaborate well to provide programmes and resources that accelerate the learning of these students. The next challenge is to ensure there are equitable outcomes for all students with additional learning needs. This can be further supported by increasing the use of student wellbeing data.

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?

Leaders ensure that the curriculum reflects the school’s vision and develops students’ understanding of, and self-efficacy as, Muslim New Zealanders. The school’s special character and connections to the Islamic community engender a school culture of unity and pride. Students have opportunities to participate in local community and interschool events that build confidence, connections and understandings about citizenship in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Teaching is increasingly responsive to students’ learning needs . The growing use of digital technologies for teaching and learning increases student engagement and provides more personalised learning opportunities. Staff involved in the Innovative Learning Environment (ILE) classrooms are developing strategies to promote learning through student collaboration and integrated curriculum approaches.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of learners, trusting students to work independently. Students respond well to these expectations. Teachers across the school are developing strategies to increase students’ agency in their learning.

Learning area leaders and teachers make good use of assessment data to identify at-risk learners and provide appropriate interventions to target learning. Senior students at risk of not succeeding in NCEA qualifications are provided with learning pathways and course guidance that supports their attainment of qualifications. The progress of at-risk learners is well monitored. School involvement in the Mangere CoL is supporting developments in the use of assessment information.

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

School leaders need to develop a more coherent approach to evaluating and reporting to the board about student progress and achievement, particularly in literacy and mathematics. Currently, reports do not clearly show how well students progress as they move through year levels. They could be better informed by robust evaluation of the impact of school strategies in achieving more equitable outcomes for all students. Reports should include information about progress in relation to priorities such as raising boys’ achievement.

Leaders need to increase the range of data used to evaluate school effectiveness in achieving valued and equitable outcomes for all learners. They should also ensure that secondary girls have access to the same range of curriculum opportunities as boys. The school should use student survey data to provide a more extensive focus on student wellbeing and equity.

As a result of further external investigation regarding the past board’s financial management, the board has not yet received the audited accounts for its annual board report. The commissioner is working with the school leaders to address this.

The commissioner is re-establishing the school’s governance processes and is developing a productive stewardship partnership with school leaders. He has initiated consultation and information sharing with the school community and continues to work with school leaders to improve provision for staff and student wellbeing. The school is at an early stage of moving toward sustainable, effective governance by a board of trustees.

3 Other Matters

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 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 two international students attending the school. There were no exchange students.

International students are well integrated into the school community and benefit from the school’s educational programmes and pastoral support. Teachers and leaders monitor the progress and wellbeing of these 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 Al-Madinah School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

ERO’s Framework: Overall Findings and Judgement Tool derived from School Evaluation Indicators: Effective Practice for Improvement and Learner Success 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:

• a curriculum that develops students’ understanding and self-efficacy as Muslim New Zealanders
• teaching and learning practices that increasingly promote student agency
• use of assessment data to inform teaching and learning programmes.

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:

• providing equitable access to the curriculum for secondary girls
• developing more coherent evaluation and reporting of student progress and achievement
• reviewing the impact of initiatives to promote and support student wellbeing
• continuing developments that lead to effective self-governance.

Recommendations to other agencies

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education consider continuing intervention under Part 7A of the Education Act 1989 in order to bring about the improvement in governance.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

7 February 2020

About the school