Findings
The school provides students with a supportive inclusive environment that promotes learning and good levels of achievement. Teachers are focused on improving student learning outcomes. A new leadership team is leading ongoing school improvement, including a review of the school curriculum to increase its effectiveness in promoting student’s learning.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
1 Context
What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?
Albany Junior High School caters for students from Years 7 to 10. It serves an ethnically diverse community. The school has a growing roll with the number of Pākehā, Chinese, Indian and Middle Eastern students increasing. Seven percent identify as Māori.
Through its mission statement the school aspires to empower each learner to excel in a fast moving world. Students report a sense of pride and belonging in their school and they appreciate the school’s supportive culture.
Since the 2013 ERO review, there have been personnel changes to the school. A new principal was appointed in 2014, and two new leaders are part of a reduced senior leadership team. Structural changes in leadership reflect shared responsibilities across school operations. A number of new heads of faculty have been appointed, including a new head of data and assessment, a head of digital learning and a head of performing arts.
Staff are undertaking a number of professional learning programmes for 2016. Each project is targeted at a different level of the school operations and include leadership and assessment, secondary English language learning, gifted and talented education and accelerating learning in literacy.
ERO’s 2013 report identified recommendations for school improvement and steps have been taken to address these.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
The school uses achievement information well to make positive changes to learners’ progress and achievement.
The school’s achievement information shows that most students in Years 7 and 8 achieve at and above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Over the past three years there have been improvements in the percentages of students achieving National Standards. Māori student achievement has also improved, although there is still a disparity with their achievement in writing in Years 9 and 10. Pacific student achievement has declined in in reading and writing at Years 7 and 8, and overall in Years 9 and 10.
The school's achievement information identifies students at risk of not achieving National Standards and is used to set school improvement targets. School leaders are aware of the need to lift the achievement in boys’ writing. School data also shows the need to improve the achievement of Pacific students.
Teachers are identifying valid assessment measures to enable the collation of Year 9 and 10 data and to track student progress and achievement. They are becoming familiar with curriculum levels appropriate to expectations for student achievement. Analysing student achievement information across Years 7 to 10, including ethnic and gender analysis and information about accelerated student progress in learning over time would further enhance decision making and resourcing.
A more cohesive approach to the expectations and use of student achievement information could help teachers plan for students’ learning needs and to guide adjustments to course content and curriculum delivery. This information would also assist teachers to more consistently report student progress across the curriculum and to personalise planning for specific groups of students.
Years 7 and 8 teachers moderate writing achievement as a team and with local schools. The principal agrees that the use of the Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT) should help teachers moderate their overall judgements on student progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
Students with special learning needs and abilities are well supported by teachers and support staff. Students benefit from teachers’ in depth knowledge about their learning requirements. School systems and processes and the effective liaison between specialists and other resource personnel supports improved outcomes for these students. An Academic Accelerate class has been introduced to provide for learners needs more specifically. The impacts of programmes and initiatives designed to bring about positive changes for students should be regularly evaluated and reported.
To enhance student learning school leaders could further:
- build teacher capability to improve the use of assessment data to inform programmes and practice
- deepen the analysis and evaluation of achievement information at faculty and teacher levels
- sharpen targets so they have a greater focus on students whose progress needs accelerating and regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these students.
These developments could assist the school to bring about increased improvement for all students, especially those who need to make accelerated progress.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
Albany Junior High School’s curriculum is currently being reviewed under the direction of the senior leadership team who share curriculum responsibilities. This is to make it more effective in promoting and supporting student learning by providing greater clarity in its purpose and expectations.
Teachers use a variety of teaching approaches and strategies to engage students in their programmes and encourage collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. Good quality relationships are acknowledged as the basis for effective learning. Students talk positively and meaningfully about their learning experiences.
Curriculum improvements have been put in place to broaden the opportunities for students in robotics and digital technology. These are adding more relevant and authentic learning programmes that connect well with students. Mandarin and French have been introduced. Year 9 options have been divided into two semesters to increase a range of learning opportunities for students. Māori themes are evident in teachers’ planning in different curriculum areas and year levels.
A Years 7 to 10 curriculum could reflect a curriculum that responds well to students’ identified strengths, needs, and prior knowledge. Building sound foundations for continuity across Years 7 to 10 curriculum continues to be a priority. Ongoing monitoring systems would support the evaluation on the quality and impact of the curriculum and ensure it is contributing to improved student outcomes.
The school’s whānau system of pastoral care supports students’ learning and wellbeing. The pastoral team is focused on students’ individual needs and welfare. Outside agencies are being appropriately accessed to support school-based provisions. Continuing to evaluate the pastoral data and report outcomes will continue to provide information about student wellbeing and inform future programmes and initiatives.
The school offers a range of co-curricular activities. There are opportunities for students to experience success and build their leadership capability and social competencies. A variety of sporting, cultural and academic events celebrate student success and achievement.
To further enhance the school’s curriculum, school leaders agree they could:
- document a curriculum that is reflective of The New Zealand Curriculum(NZC), vision, values and principles
- develop greater coherence between the curriculum and its implementation across the school
- continue to seek student input into decision making about curriculum provisions and learning pathways.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
The school is improving its effectiveness to support educational success for Māori as Māori.
Māori students in Year 7 and 8 achieve in literacy and numeracy at levels that are similar to those of their peers. Faculty heads of some curriculum areas identify the need to increase Māori students’ engagement and improve their achievement, particularly in Years 9 and 10.
Strategic staffing appointments provide the leadership and professional support to strengthen Māori students’ language, culture and identity. The school’s kaumatua and designated staff have significant roles in supporting the success of Māori students as Māori through their knowledge and influence in te reo and tikanga Māori.
Albany Junior High School students who are members of the school’s successful and growing kapa haka group report feeling proud to be part of New Zealand’s bi-cultural heritage.They value their journey towards building shared cultural understandings and a sense of whānau.
The board and senior leaders should continue to explore ways to further formalise collaborative partnerships with whānau Māori and create a strategic education plan to provide a more co-ordinated approach to raising success for Māori students. This planning could specify accelerated achievement targets and identify whānau and student aspirations for success as Māori.
This plan could also consider ways of increasing leaders’ and teachers’ culturally responsive practices and formalising ways to action the voice of Māori students to improve their success as Māori.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
Albany Junior High school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance.
The leadership team has the capability to work collaboratively and productively together. Each senior leader brings a different skill set to strengthen and build leadership capacity. They are creating the conditions that support the school’s vision, “Empower to excel in a fast moving world’.
New initiatives include a range of expectations for teachers to implement new frameworks and access a number of professional learning programmes. Appropriate teacher registration processes are in place for 2016. A more effective use of the appraisal process should enhance the professional capability of leaders, middle managers and teachers.
Recent school surveys reflect students,’ staff and the community voice. These help provide useful feedback in terms of change management and school culture. Focus groups and ‘Parent Chat’ groups support communication and have the potential to strengthen partnerships with the school community.
The board and principal agree improvement is needed in school practices to ensure all school policies and or procedures meet all legislative requirements.
While developing school capability and sustainability the board and school leaders should consider:
- using change management practices that encourage greater levels of partnership and shared ownership of the new school direction
- evaluation being used at all levels in the school for effective future planning.
Provision for international students
The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the education Act 1989. At the time of this review there were 43 international students attending the school.
The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. Good systems are followed to review the provision for international students.
Services for international students are very well managed by staff who bring a cultural awareness and language capability to respond appropriately to the needs of international students.
The education, involvement and integration of international students in the school and community are closely monitored, reviewed and improved in an ongoing way. High quality pastoral care, together with academic, arts and sporting programmes enable international students to be successful across a variety of learning opportunities.
Compliance with the Code, information about student achievement and other educational outcomes for international students should be reported to the board.
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.
To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:
- update the staff appointments policy and appraisal policy with some urgency
- update the curriculum policy
- review and update the ETOC policy to ensure EOTC guidelines are followed.
Conclusion
The school provides students with a supportive inclusive environment that promotes learning and good levels of achievement. Teachers are focused on improving student learning outcomes. A new leadership team is leading ongoing school improvement, including a review of the school curriculum to increase its effectiveness in promoting student’s learning.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
29 June 2016
About the School
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Location
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Albany, Auckland
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Ministry of Education profile number
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6948
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School type
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Secondary (Years 7 to 10)
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School roll
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1152
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Number of international students
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43
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Gender composition
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Boys 50% Girls 50%
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Ethnic composition
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Māori
Pākeha
Chinese
Indian
South East Asian
Pacific
Middle Eastern
other European
other Asian
other
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7%
57%
7%
4%
3%
2%
1%
9%
8%
2%
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Special Features
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Wilson school satellite unit
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Review team on site
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April 2016
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Date of this report
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29 June 2016
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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June 2013
February 2010
February 2007
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