3 Arawhena Street , Te Araroa
View on mapTe Waha O Rerekohu Area School
Te Waha O Rerekohu Area 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
Te Waha O Rerekohu Area School is located in Te Araroa, East Cape and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 13. The school’s vision is for the students to feel inspired, feel the strength of their heritage and to believe in themselves. A new principal was appointed in 2023.
There are two parts to this report.
Part A: 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 B: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.
Part A: Current State
The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.
Learner Success and Wellbeing
For learners in Years 1 to 8, outcomes are increasingly equitable and excellent; achievement outcomes for those in Years 9 to 13 require improvement. |
- Most students in Years 1 to 8 achieve at expected curriculum levels in reading and mathematics and for writing the majority of learners achieve well.
- For Years 9 to 10 school data shows a small majority of learners achieve at the expected curriculum levels in these learning areas, however, assessment practices are inconsistent and data not yet reliable.
- Most learners achieve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 1 with some learners achieving Levels 2 and 3, gaining endorsements in art and te reo Māori; most students successfully complete internal achievement standards but not the external achievement standards.
- A large majority of learners at the school are Māori and whakapapa Ngāti Porou and Te Whānau Āpanui iwi; these learners have a strong sense of belonging and are confident in their language, culture and identity that supports, in the junior school, a positive sense of wellbeing.
- Although regular attendance rates currently do not meet Ministry of Education targets, school leaders and the board of trustees are taking steps to set targets and develop strategies to support improved attendance, including the regular review and analysis of attendance information.
Conditions to support learner success
Leaders are taking steps to foster a professional culture focused on improving teaching and learner outcomes. |
- Leaders are beginning to set and actively pursue key improvement goals that are focused on accelerating the progress of those learners most at risk of underachievement, particularly in literacy.
- Leadership is beginning to plan and coordinate the school’s curriculum and set expectations for high quality teaching.
- School leaders are taking steps to establish educationally-focused relationships with other education providers and community groups, to provide secondary school learners with a greater range of learning opportunities.
The school is taking steps to provide a responsive curriculum and high-quality teaching practices. |
- Appropriate assessment information is beginning to be collected and used to inform teaching and learning, focused on improved outcomes for all learners.
- Leaders and some teachers are beginning to collect, analyse and interpret data to make
evidence-based decisions for schoolwide improvement actions. - Local contexts are reflected in the curriculum and schoolwide practices so that learners can see themselves, their identity and culture.
Organisational conditions including leadership, practices, systems and processes are being established to drive schoolwide improvement. |
- Professional learning opportunities for teachers increasingly align to improvement goals and learner needs, particularly for those learners most at risk of underachievement.
- Relational trust and communication between staff increasingly support professional collaboration focused on high-quality teaching, particularly in the primary school.
- Leaders and teachers are beginning to use evaluative evidence to understand the impact of their practice on learner outcomes, and to plan and take action for improvement.
- The board of trustees understands its statutory obligations and has in places systems and processes to regularly review policies and procedures that are fit for purpose.
Part B: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
- develop strategic and annual plans informed by the community and focused on high-quality, collaborative teaching practices that support improved attendance, engagement, and outcomes for all learners
- implement literacy programmes in both te reo Māori and English for Years 1 to 10 that are responsive to the needs of all learners, and use structured literacy to accelerate the progress of those learners most at risk of underachieving
- ensure consistent assessment and moderation practices across the school, particularly in Years 9 and 10, and to strengthen data analysis capability so staff can better meet the needs of those learners most at risk of underachieving
- develop and implement a coherent localised curriculum informed by community aspirations that addresses the breadth and depth of The New Zealand Curriculum.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within three months:
- establish clear expectations for consistent schoolwide assessment practices; conduct comprehensive literacy assessments in both te reo Māori and English for Years 1 to 10 and regularly track and monitor learner progress
- provide extensive professional development for teachers in structured literacy approaches to support accelerated learner progress, particularly for those most at risk of underachievement
- implement professional development so teachers will be well-equipped to understand and implement the Year 9 and 10 literacy and numeracy NCEA co-requisites, leading to improved student outcomes in these areas
- gather input from the whole school community on their aspirations and expectations of the school’s local curriculum and strategic and annual plans for improved learner engagement, attendance, and achievement.
Within six months:
- collaboratively and collectively analyse schoolwide achievement and progress data to inform and design teaching and learning programmes that are responsive to learner need, especially those most at risk of underachievement
- leaders and teachers engage in critical discussion about the impact of their teaching on learner outcomes through the school professional growth cycle, and to adapt practice and programmes to ensure improved and excellent outcomes for all learners
- complete development and documentation of a comprehensive, schoolwide localised curriculum.
Annually:
- board and staff rigorously analyse and scrutinise schoolwide achievement data to understand the impact of teaching practice and programmes on learner outcomes and to inform decision making for the next school year
- implement a robust professional growth cycle focused on improving teacher practice, leading to improved outcomes for all learners, especially those most at risk of underachievement
- gather input from the whole school community on the development and implementation of the strategic and annual plans, and localised curriculum, to inform improvements that are relentlessly focused on improved engagement and outcomes for all learners
- organise workshops for whānau and community members to grow knowledge of key learning areas across the school; identify how they can further support attendance, learning at home and contribute to ongoing curriculum development.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
- teaching and learning that is evidence-informed and meets the needs of all learners, especially those most at risk of underachievement
- improved student attendance, engagement, and achievement
- strengthened systems and processes of internal evaluation that result in improved teaching practices, and outcomes for all learners
- school leaders, staff, whānau, learners, and wider community members collectively and collaboratively making decisions about and evaluating a school curriculum that meets their aspirations and results in excellent outcomes for all learners.
Recommendation to the Ministry of Education
ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education consider tailored support in order to bring about the following improvements in the secondary school:
- the development of a curriculum that addresses the depth and breadth of The New Zealand Curriculum for the secondary school
- staff development in assessment practices for Years 9 and 10.
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
10 September 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
Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School
Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024 to 2027
As of April 2024, the Te Waha o Rerekohu Area 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 Te Waha o Rerekohu Area 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
10 September 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
Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School - 02/05/2019
School Context
Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School is located in the rural township of Te Araroa on the east coast beneath Te Maunga o Whetumatarau. At the time of this ERO review there were 103 students enrolled from Years 1 to 13. Almost all students are Māori and whakapapa to Hinerupe and Tuwhakairiora and te iwi o Ngāti Porou.
The school’s whakataukī is ‘Whakapono kia koe – Believe in yourself’. The school has developed ‘The Rerekohu Way’ that has set clear expectations for behaviour and learning.
Since the previous ERO report in 2016, a new principal and deputy principal have been appointed. The long serving board chair is knowledgeable and continues in his role as do the majority of trustees. There have been new appointments to the teaching and support staff. The roll has increased over the last three years.
The school has a rūmaki reo immersion unit with students in Years 1 to 8. Te reo instruction is also available for National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Levels 1, 2 and 3.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
- reading, writing and mathematics
- panui, tuhituhi, pāngarau and taha korero
- NCEA and qualifications on the New Zealand qualifications framework
- attendance, business in the classroom and conduct (ABC’s)
- value added to student knowledge and understanding of the localised curriculum.
Teachers have participated in a range of professional learning and development (PLD) programmes including teaching as inquiry, numeracy and literacy strategies and effective use of digital technology.
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 working towards achieving equity and excellence for all its students
The school can show in 2018 in Years 1 to 8 most of the students were achieving at the expected curriculum levels in reading and the majority in writing and mathematics. Boys were significantly outperforming girls in reading. Though there is disparity between girls and boys in writing and mathematics the gap has been decreasing over time.
The school can show that the majority of students in the rūmaki reo immersion unit are achieving at the expected levels in panui, tuhituhi, pāngarau and taha korero.
Achievement at Years 9 and 10 shows half the students are achieving in reading and writing and less than half in mathematics and this pattern has been relatively consistent over the last two years.
2018 NCEA data confirmed by NZQA shows almost all students are achieving Level 1, the majority are achieving Level 2 and all that stay for Year 13 are achieving Level 3 and University Entrance. Few students are endorsed with merit.
Over the last three years there has been no consistent pattern of disparity.
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
The school can show some effective acceleration for at-risk learners in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders collated and analysed acceleration data for 2018 while ERO was onsite.
Leaders are still developing systems to monitor the extent, pace and sufficiency of progress to determine if students at-risk of underachieving are on track to achieve accelerated progress. Some teachers can show acceleration for individual students, but this is not inclusive of all students who require it.
Cohort tracking over a four-year period also shows that almost all the students who were at risk of underachieving in Year 9 and stayed until Year 12 and 13, made accelerated progress to achieve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement Level 2 or above.
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 and teachers build relational trust and effective collaboration across the school community to provide an environment conducive to learning. The school has developed, through whānau consultation, a contextual, localised curriculum that strengthens students’ knowledge and understanding of their language, culture and identity. There is a strategic and sequential approach to incorporating te reo me ōna tikanga o Tuwhakairiora specifically and Ngāti Porou. The school proactively identifies and draws on community resources to enhance learning opportunities, achievement and wellbeing for students.
The school actively promotes a culture of care for students and this fosters a strong sense of belonging and inclusion. Trustees generously fund a range of initiatives that provide equitable opportunities to learn for all students and respond to community aspirations. Leaders and teachers set high expectations for all learners through the ABC point system that supports students to build a sense of pride ‘in our place’. The school has a range of intervention and support programmes for students achieving below expected curriculum levels. There is an effective system for tracking and monitoring the progress and achievement of at-risk learners who are participating in NCEA. Most teachers have fully engaged with professional learning opportunities to grow their collective capacity in the teaching of mathematics, writing and te reo Māori. There are positive, respectful relationships at the school amongst leaders, teachers, students and their parents and this promotes a calm, settled environment for learning.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
In-school processes and practices need to be further refined to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners.
An urgent priority for senior leaders is to develop specific, measurable targets for the acceleration of at-risk learners and build a school wide understanding of internal evaluation. This is required to:
- establish a clear line of sight to at-risk learners through the alignment of targets from trustees, leaders, syndicates and teachers
- regularly track, monitor and report to the board on the progress of all target students particularly Years 1 to 10
- ensure all students with special educational needs are provided with individual learning plans
- strengthen the teaching as inquiry process to build teacher capability to accelerate the progress of those students who require it
- evaluate the effectiveness of programmes, processes and practices to accelerate the learning of students at risk of not achieving equitable outcomes.
Clarify roles, responsibilities and expectations for leadership and develop a more coherent and integrated way to make and sustain improvements overtime to lift school performance.
3 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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
4 ERO’s Overall Judgement
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.
ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.
5 Going forward
Key strengths of the school
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
- contextually rich curriculum that promotes student’s strong cultural identity
- a culture of collaboration among leaders, teachers, parents and whānau, that maintains high expectations for teaching and learning throughout the school
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
- internal evaluation processes that ensures the alignment of targets, action plans, teacher inquiry and regular reporting to monitor progress and acceleration for at-risk learners
- leadership working in a coherent and strategic way to ensure ongoing improvement for all students across the school.
Actions for compliance
ERO identified non-compliance in relation to the 2108 annual appraisal of the principal against the professional standards for principals.
In order to address this, the board of trustees must:
- Ensure the process for the principal’s appraisal in 2019 is fully implemented and meets legislative requirements.
[NZ Gazette and relevant Collective Employment Agreement]
Areas for improved compliance practice
To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:
- Ensure the online tool used for teachers’ appraisal is fully implemented to meet the requirements of the Teaching Council.
Phillip Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services Central
Central Region
2 May 2019
About the school
Location | Te Araroa |
Ministry of Education profile number | 550 |
School type | Composite (Years 1 to 13) |
School roll | 103 |
Gender composition | Boys 53% Girls 47% |
Ethnic composition | Māori 99% Pākehā 1% |
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) | Yes |
Provision of Māori medium education | Yes |
Number of Māori medium classes | 1 |
Total number of students in Māori medium (MME) | 8 |
Total number of students in Māori language in English medium (MLE) | 10 |
Number of students in Level 1 MME | 8 |
Number of students in Level 2 MME | 10 |
Review team on site | March 2019 |
Date of this report | 2 May 2019 |
Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review June 2015 Education Review May 2013 Education Review June 2010 |