Hobsonville Point Primary School

School Context

Hobsonville Point Primary School, Auckland, caters for students from Years 1 to 8. Nine percent of learners are Māori, and six percent have Pacific heritage, with Samoan being the largest group. Chinese students make up 17 percent of the roll. Since the school opened in 2013, the roll has doubled each year as families have moved into new housing in the surrounding area. The percentage of children who are learning English as an additional language has increased significantly.

The school was the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) facility to be built. It is designed for approximately 700 children. One board governs both the primary school and Hobsonville Point Secondary School.

The school’s mission is to develop lifelong learners who, through authentic learning opportunities, build on their strengths and areas for growth. The curriculum is designed to nurture the attitudes and behaviours that are likely to support children in achieving this. The flexible learning spaces called ‘learning commons’ promote collaborative teaching and learning practices. Groups of children of similar class levels learn together in these spaces.

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

• achievement in reading, writing and mathematics including learning outcomes for students with special or additional learning needs

• overall school achievement in relation to school targets and national targets

• opportunities and progress in curriculum learning areas including children’s development of learning dispositions.

Staff participate in professional learning and development designed to support the school’s vision for education. Senior leaders establish clear expectations with new teaching staff to ensure they implement the school’s curriculum to realise this shared vision. Middle leaders participate in programmes to build their capability to coach others.

Since the 2014 ERO report, an elected board has replaced the appointed Establishment Board of Trustees (Ebot).The school roll continues to grow as high density housing becomes available. The school is part of the Whiria Te Tangata Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning (CoL).

Evaluation Findings

1 Equity and excellence – valued outcomes for students

1.1 How well is the school achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students?

The school is effective in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students.

School data shows consistent achievement for students. The majority of students achieve at and above expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Different groups of children achieve at similar levels across these three learning areas, with Pacific achieving better in mathematics. Senior leaders have plans in place to address emerging disparities for boys in reading and writing.

Senior leaders note that overall school achievement data is not yet revealing significant or reliable trends. This is because of very rapid and significant roll growth and high numbers of students, new to the school, who speak English as an additional language. Once the school is through this period of rapid roll growth senior leaders will be well placed to identify trends and patterns in overall achievement.

Children achieve very well in relation to the school’s broader valued outcomes. They are confident, reflective learners who are well engaged in their learning. Children actively collaborate with their teachers and peers in authentic learning opportunities.

1.2 How effectively does this school respond to those Māori and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school is effective in responding to those Māori, Pacific and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

The school’s charter targets appropriately focus on groups of children who are working below, or well below expectations. Teachers develop individual learning plans for these children. They also establish goals focused on accelerating progress with parents. Children who need further support participate in additional in-school programs. School leaders and the board regularly monitor progress towards charter targets.

School leaders analyze data closely and compare the achievement of different groups of children. This assists teachers to target programs and be responsive to children’s learning needs. Systems to track and monitor the achievement of all children are effective. Teachers identify and share information about children who need to achieve better. They collaboratively design their responses to cater for each child’s learning needs.

2 School conditions for equity and excellence

2.1 What school processes and practices are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

The school’s vision for teaching and learning is embedded and promotes equity and excellence. Senior leaders and the establishment board considered the work of a variety of theorists and researchers when developing the vision.

A key principle that underpins all school operations is to provide children with an innovative education through personalised learning, powerful partnerships and challenging inquiry-learning programmes. Many parents consider these approaches will benefit their children.

Trustees are capable and bring significant experience and expertise to their roles. They demonstrate a keen understanding of, and commitment to the school’s vision. The board has positive relationships with the principal, teachers and parents/whanau and provides both support and scrutiny.

School leadership is very effective. Senior leaders provide professional leadership and guidance within the school more broadly. They work well together to ensure teachers and parents have a shared understandings of the school’s curriculum and approaches to teaching and learning. Senior leaders are visible in the school and familiar to students.

The school’s curriculum is distinctive and tailored to realise the school vision. It prioritises the development of students’ attitudes, dispositions and behaviours that are conducive to learning. Children have opportunities to develop and extend these while learning through major concepts. The school is exploring ways to measure the effectiveness of this approach.

Children are actively engaged in their learning. Frameworks and systems are in place and used well by children to manage their time and commitments. Children plan opportunities to teach others about their passions and interests. Those children who spoke with ERO find this way of working to be engaging.

The settled and purposeful atmosphere in the ‘learning commons’ are evidence of the positive school culture. Respectful relationships are evident between teachers and children. Senior leaders and teachers model expected behaviours and attributes for children. Displays of work in the flexible learning spaces celebrate and promote children’s thinking and collaboration.

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

Leaders agree that the following next steps will support ongoing improvement in the school:

• implementing the Māori and Pacific strategic plans to promote children’s identity, language and culture

• promoting the bicultural perspectives of Aotearoa New Zealand for all children

• continuing to build teachers’ use of achievement information to further personalise learning for children

• formalising internal evaluation processes.

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.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to theCode of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students(the Code) established undersection 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 no international students were attending the school.

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• governance and leadership that is committed to the enactment of the vision for equitable outcomes for all children

• curriculum design and implementation that promotes self-managing and lifelong learners

• the learning culture that values collaboration.

Next steps

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

• promoting cultural responsiveness and biculturalism

• further personalising learning for children

• strengthening internal evaluation.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Julie Foley

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

13 March 2018

About the school