Broadwood Area School

School Context

Broadwood Area School, Te Kura Takiwa o Manganuiowae is located in the north Hokianga area. It caters for 77 students in Years 1 to 15. Nearly allstudents are Māori. The local Māori community and marae are within the tribal boundaries of Ngāpuhi and Te Rarawa.

The board’s overarching mission statement and vision promote a supportive, bicultural learning environment that nurtures respectful, responsive, confident and responsible learners who experience success. The school’s values and philosophy are underpinned by the concept of ‘Ko te mea nui ko te tika, te pono me te aroha’ (our greatest asset is a love that encompasses honesty and integrity).

Current achievement targets are focused on lifting the achievement of all learners in reading, writing, mathematics, NCEA and Vocational Pathways. Leaders and teachers report to the board, information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
• achievement within the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.

Since the 2015 ERO review the board is mostly new, and is led by an experienced board chairperson. At the beginning of 2018 a new principal and leadership team were appointed, after a period of long-serving school leadership.

During 2017, the school went through a period of significant changes in leadership and teacher staffing. Further changes to the leadership and teaching teams have continued in 2018. The school roll is decreasing and fluctuates during the year due to transience within the community.

Over time, teachers have participated in professional learning and development (PLD) in using digital technology in the classroom. The school has also been involved in a programme that promotes positive strategies for learning and behaviour.

The 2015 ERO report highlighted several next steps relating to developing a cohesive schoolwide curriculum, meeting assessment requirements, collecting and reporting achievement information, and establishing effective appraisal processes. Aspects of each of these are underway and have yet to be well embedded.

Broadwood Area School is part of the Hokianga Community of Learning l 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 developing its capability and capacity to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students.

School achievement information for students in Years 1 to 8 show variable results in reading and mathematics and an overall decline in achievement in writing over time. Significant disparity for boys in each of these areas has not been reduced.

More recently in 2017, data showed that the large majority of students in Years 1 to 8 achieved at or above expected New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) levels in reading, writing and mathematics. The majority of students made expected progress and some students made accelerated learning progress.

The board should more closely scrutinise the achievement and valued outcomes for students in Years 9 and 10. This would help trustees with resourcing decisions to support the learning pathways of this group of students.

Roll-based achievement information shows that the majority of students achieve Level 1 in National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualifications. Most students achieve well at Level 2 NCEA. However, achievement at Level 3 is not as strong.

Leaders identify that strengthening moderation processes to ensure greater reliability of achievement is an area of development.

The most highly valued student outcomes in this school relate to learning te reo me ngā tikanga o Hokianga. These outcomes are evident through students who:

• have a strong sense of themselves as Māori learners

• know each other well and value their tuakana/teina relationships

• value the leadership opportunities given them to succeed as Māori.

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

The school is in the early stages of developing its schoolwide capability to accelerate the learning of those students who need this.

The school reports specific examples of programmes and teaching practices that successfully accelerate the learning and achievement of some students most at risk of not achieving. These strategies often respond to a current need and are not yet well established as part of schoolwide practice. Students with high learning needs receive good support.

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 principal is focused on change and improvement. There is a renewed emphasis on developing leadership capability and a professional teaching and learning culture that is focused on valued outcomes for students. The board and principal are promoting greater collaboration by seeking input from staff, students and the community to inform new directions for the school. Good access to digital technology is contributing to improved collaboration.

The vision and values underpin the school curriculum, culture, practices and valued outcomes for students/learners. School programmes provide good opportunities for students to learn through te ao Māori as Māori. Students learn through hearing high levels of spoken te reo Māori and demonstrate competence and confidence as speakers of te reo. They successfully and proudly participate in manakura (leadership roles) at hui-a-kura and events such as Manu Kōrero.

The board, school leaders and staff are building positive relationships and connections with their community, parents and whānau. Seeking community input is a priority for the board. Whānau involvement in the school includes support for in-class programmes and the on-site playgroup. School events, such as noho marae and sports outside of school successfully draw parents and whānau into the school.

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

A challenging period of staffing change has impacted on the progress and sustainability of ongoing improvement. The board and school leaders require more time to fully implement and embed several developments that have begun.

The principal has had a strategic focus on developing leadership capability and distributing leadership opportunities. An external professional learning and development (PLD) provider is supporting school leaders to work with teachers to:

• achieve greater consistency of schoolwide processes and practices

• improve the quality of teaching practice and learning opportunities for students.

Leaders are re-introducing several initiatives, with the help of some PLD that has the potential for improving learner success. These worthwhile developments include:

• strengthening the teacher appraisal process, including more regular opportunities for leaders and teachers to inquire into and adapt their practice

• improving the analysis and moderation of assessment information, contributing to greater reliability of teacher judgements and targeted teaching programmes

• strengthening processes for regular tracking and monitoring of student progress and achievement over time.

Leaders have also started reviewing the curriculum with a recent focus on designing clear learning pathways, particularly for senior secondary students. School plans prioritise documenting a curriculum that features a schoolwide cohesive approach, local contexts and valued outcomes for students. Such a curriculum will help guide teaching and learning.

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.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to students having access to a curriculum that provides breadth and depth of learning related to the needs, abilities and interests of students in Years 1 to 15 and the scope of The National Curriculum, as expressed inThe New Zealand Curriculum.

National AdministrationGuideline 1: 2, 9, 10, 11

Areas for improved compliance practice

To improve current practice, the board of trustees should review its:

• processes for documenting discussions when the public is excluded

• policy and practices in regard to risk analysis and management when students are involved in education outside the classroom

• processes for Whānau Tautoko, to ensure they meet requirements relating to stand-downs, suspensions and exclusions.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

• the values and vision that underpin the school’s culture and foster a community of bicultural learning for all

• a strong school identity that promotes various opportunities for students to enjoy success as Māori

• school leaders and trustees who are keen to promote greater collaboration with students, staff, parents and whānau.

Next steps

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

• more regular opportunities for leaders and teachers to inquire into and adapt their practice, in order to improve the quality of teaching practice and learning opportunities for students

• documenting a schoolwide curriculum to help guide teaching and learning

• evaluation processes to help the board, leaders and teachers scrutinise the impact of strategies that make the most difference for learners.

Recommendations to other agencies

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education provide support in order to bring about improvements in:

• developing and implementing a change and improvement plan to bring about accelerated learning and achievement for students at risk of not achieving

• documenting a school curriculum for Years 1 to 15

• building school capability to enable significant change through internal evaluation processes and practices that will be sustainable over time.

ERO recommends that New Zealand School Trustees Association consider providing support for the board of trustees in order to bring about improvements in strategic and annual planning.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

ERO intends to carry out a process of ongoing external evaluation to support development over the course of one-to-two years.

Violet Tu’uga Stevenson

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

15 November 2018

About the school

1 Context

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

Ka mihi tonu kia koutou, e ngā rangatira, ngā kaiako, ngā tauira, te Poari me ngā mātua o e te kura e kaha ana ki te mahi kia hakaritengia ngā moemoea o ngā tauira me ngā mātua kia tae ai wa tātou tamāriki ki ngā teiteitanga o te ao pena ko tenā te tumanako o rātou me o rātou whanau.

Te Kura o Manganuiowae, Broadwood Area School is located in the North Hokianga within the tribal boundaries of Ngāpuhi and Te Rarawa. The school continues to be the hub of its small isolated community. Ninety eight percent of students are of Māori descent, and are linked to local hapū and iwi. Teachers, staff, and students enact and embrace school values. Manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, tikanga and respect are clearly apparent.

The school plays a significant role in the North Hokianga, particularly for the small rural outer schools. It also provides opportunities for students to re-engage in learning when they have been unsuccessful in other schools. Staff and student turnover in the school presents challenges for learning in this small community context.

Over the last two years, the school has participated in professional development in literacy and Starpath contracts, and in the He Kakano initiative using external facilitators. The school has recently begun externally provided professional learning contracts in mathematics and in positive behaviour for learning (PB4L). There has been a significant focus on developing information technologies, especially in the secondary area of the school.

Since the 2012 ERO review the leadership team has grown to a team of three. The experienced principal provides important leadership in the school and community. School leaders continue to be actively involved in whānau, hapu and iwi matters.

2 Learning

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

Teachers have received significant professional development in how to assess student learning, and how to use assessment data to help promote that learning. As a result, assessment practices are slowly improving. Teachers are beginning to use more reliable data to assess and monitor student progress and achievement effectively.

The collection and analysis of assessment information is beginning to improve as a result of teacher professional learning and development (PLD). Teachers' analysis is becoming more in-depth and the reporting of student achievement to parents and students has improved. Students in Years 1 to 10 know more about their achievement levels in reading, writing, and mathematics. Senior students know about how well they are meeting the requirements of their selected learning pathways.

Achievement information gathered by the school shows that more students in Years 1 to 8 are achieving at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Patterns of achievement since 2013 indicate that student achievement in National Standards has been trending upwards.

However, further development is needed to strengthen assessment practices in Years 1 - 8. Senior leaders are aware that quality assurance systems should be improved to ensure the validity and reliability of assessment data. The principal is developing strategies to improve these practices and systems. ERO agrees that this is a priority area for development. Improvements should include implementing better processes for managing data and strengthening the quality and regularity of information that is reported about the progress of targeted students.

Student achievement at Years 9 and 10 continues to be an area for improvement. Senior leaders agree that the achievement targets for individual students at these year levels should be reviewed and refined.

There are cases of positive achievement outcomes for individual students in National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in senior secondary classes. Level 1 NCEA results have begun to improve, and in 2014 they exceeded national levels for schools of similar decile.

Roll-based public achievement information shows that while numbers are low, some cohorts of students achieve very well in Level 2 NCEA. However, similar data on school leavers indicates that the number of students leaving without a Level 2 qualification is increasing. Raising student achievement levels in NCEA must remain a matter of urgency for the school.

To help accelerate student progress, ERO and senior leaders agree that they should:

• take a school-wide approach to the analysis, evaluation, sharing and reporting of student progress and achievement information
• monitor and evaluate how well programmes are meeting the needs of identified learners
• review and refine specific achievement targets for Years 1 to 10
• improve ways of helping Year 1 - 10 students to know about and discuss the next steps in their learning
• ensure that systems are in place to make sure that NCEA assessment requirements are consistently met, and that roll-based achievement data is used to report on student achievement.

3 Curriculum

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

The school’s curriculum is effective in promoting and supporting student learning in terms of taha Māori. The values of compassion for whānau, students, community and tikanga remain at the heart of the principal’s curriculum leadership and direction. The school is responsive to its community. It embraces the heritage of its Māori students through the curriculum and through valuing the cultural aspects, processes and traditions that link particularly to Te Rarawa and Ngāpuhi. Supportive learning programmes enhance students’ levels of te Reo Māori me ona tikanga.

Positive and affirming relationships are evident between teachers and students. Teachers work very hard to support students to achieve. Some teachers successfully engage students in their learning. Good access to information technologies (IT), including iPads, is beginning to increase students' engagement with school, and is making learning more relevant for students. The board and school leaders are keen to continue the focus on and use of IT to support and promote student learning.

The curriculum appropriately emphasises literacy and mathematics in Years 1 to 10. There is an increasing focus on careers and learning pathways for students from Years 9 to 13. Students are encouraged into courses that are relevant to future pathways and lead to qualifications. They can learn through multi-levelled courses and, in some instances, individual programmes are being provided. The curriculum design has broadened students’ thinking about their futures.

However, the curriculum lacks a school-wide focus. The curriculum is currently developed separately in school syndicate groups; Years 1 - 6, Years 7 - 8, Years 9 and 10, and in Years 11 to 13. The lack of collaborative, coherent curriculum planning between the syndicates has resulted in disconnected curriculum experiences for students.

Senior leaders acknowledge that the potential for a more coherent curriculum lies in more collaborative curriculum leadership and the school-wide implementation of teacher professional development. Existing curriculum policies, procedures and planning practices should also be reviewed.

Timetabling of learning programmes at the secondary level should be regularly reviewed to ensure students have access to the best learning options. There should also be more appropriate timeframes provided for students to succeed in those options. Year 7 and 8 students should receive more formalised careers education.

At present formal bilingual classes begin at Year 7 and end at Year 8. Te reo Māori is used conversationally and informally across the school, however it is now timely for leaders to review the opportunities students have to learn Te reo Māori within the school curriculum. This includes implementing good processes for assessing students’ acquisition of Te Reo Māori.

School leaders, staff leaders and the board, in consultation with whānau, should ensure that better pathways for bilingual or immersion learning are provided in the school curriculum.

4 Sustainable Performance

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

The school should continue to engage with Ministry of Education support and targeted professional learning and development to sustain and improve its performance.

The board and the principal have accessed a range of PLD in recent years, to support the quality of teaching and learning, and to enhance governance processes and school operations. They have a clear vision for Manganuiowae, aiming to provide a supportive, challenging place of learning that nurtures learners academic, physical, social and spiritual endeavours. A shared, collaborative approach however, within the senior leadership team, is required to ensure that they can respond to and enact the schools vision.

Senior leaders will need to develop agreed ways of working together that demonstrate a collective commitment to, and responsibility for, student's success.

The board of trustees is a collaborative, capable group of independent thinkers who place students at the heart of decision making. They are committed to students and their community. Trustees have increased their knowledge about assessment and help to support the community’s understanding of National Standards and NCEA.

Trustees have recently developed a work plan to give direction to their governance of the school. Attention should now be given to strengthening the use of the board's strategic plan as a review tool to provide better information to guide the school’s future development. The board and principal have identified the need to make clearer links between the aims of the charter and annual planning goals to help them focus on key school development areas.

Senior leaders should conduct more formal and specific appraisals of staff. They should use appraisal processes to better identify staff strengths and development needs. Appraisal processes for senior leaders and for teachers should clearly document and communicate agreed expectations and desired outcomes. Expectations should clearly link to the Practicing Teacher Criteria and the schools vision and goals.

To support future progress, the leadership team should:

• develop coherent, sustainable school-wide management systems and practices aligned with the school’s strategic plan
• access external support to develop a school-wide curriculum
• evaluate how well teachers are implementing the professional learning they have received
• implement robust, effective appraisal processes to support leaders' and teachers' performance and development.

Since the on-site stage of this review, the board, with the principal, has assured ERO that an external appraiser has been employed to undertake the appraisals of all members of the senior leadership team, with a view to strengthening their collective leadership and effectiveness.

Effective, whole-school leadership is required to realise the areas for improvement identified by ERO and acknowledged by the board and the principal.

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 students' 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.

Recommendations to other agencies

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education provide on-going, targeted professional support for the board, school leaders and staff in order to bring about further improvements in governance, school leadership, assessment and curriculum.

Conclusion

Broadwood Area School continues to be the hub of its small community. It has a positive learning environment that supports students’ achievement and cultural wellbeing. Improvements in the leadership of assessment and curriculum should help students to improve their learning. Although progress has been made, continued work is required to accelerate student achievement and improve their learning opportunities.

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

Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

About the School