Te Kura O Take Kārara

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 Kura o Take Kārara is a state contributing, Years 1 to 6 primary school located in Wānaka and situated on a former Mahinga Kai, that carries the school’s name. The school's vision is to nurture learners to navigate pathways to the future.

There are three parts to this report. 

Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) published report and subsequent evaluation.

Part B: An evaluative summary of learner outcomes and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including education in Rumaki/bilingual settings. 

Part C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals 

Since the previous report in October 2022, ERO and the school have worked together evaluate the impact of the mathematics curriculum on learner success.

Expected Improvements and Findings

The school expected to see:

Accelerated learner progress in mathematics towards learners’ expected levels of achievement.

• Most learners, including Māori and English language learners, make equitable progress in mathematics, with most achieving at or above expected curriculum levels.
• Teachers successfully extend learners within their current curriculum levels in mathematics, exposing them to essential mathematical concepts so that no learner is left behind.
• Teachers develop a detailed knowledge of each learner as a mathematician and use this knowledge to plan explicit next steps specific to each learner’s needs.

Teachers growing in skills, confidence and understanding in delivering the mathematics curriculum.

• Teachers increasingly develop learners’ understandings of key mathematical concepts which allow them to successfully progress in their learning.
• The design of the learning environment encourages teacher collaboration; regular modelling and coaching builds teachers’ confidence and effectiveness in mathematics teaching and learning.
• The school tracks the progress of a group of target learners to evaluate the impact of teacher professional development on student learning; this information is used to further strengthen teachers’ effectiveness in mathematics teaching and learning across the school.

The gathering of teacher and learner voice about mathematical engagement and success.

• Learner feedback shows continued improvements in their confidence, engagement and progress in mathematics.
• Teachers regularly share learners’ current mathematics learning with parents and caregivers and increasingly involve them in developing their children’s mathematical skills.
• The board receives detailed regular reporting on mathematics teaching and learning and its impact on improving learner progress, achievement and confidence in mathematics.

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s actions is affirming every learner for their progress and achievement in mathematics, to create a mana enhancing learning environment.

Part B: Current state

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing

• Most learners achieve at or above expected levels in literacy and mathematics with equitable achievement for Māori learners; consistent patterns of learner achievement have been sustained.
• The school closely and regularly monitors learners’ achievement in literacy and mathematics, leading to clarity about next learning steps for sustained progress.
• Targeted interventions are in place for learners not achieving at expected levels to successfully accelerate progress and achievement in literacy and mathematics.
• Improving levels of regular attendance are approaching, but not yet at, the Government target; a large majority of learners attend regularly.

Conditions to support learner success

• Leaders implement cohesive professional learning for all teachers, that continues to make a positive impact on improving teacher practice, leading to improved learner outcomes in literacy and mathematics.
• Leaders develop data informed improvement goals and associated actions that successfully accelerate learner progress.
• Leaders and teachers collaborate across the school effectively to share learner progress and next steps; outcomes are improved.

• Teachers’ growing use of evidence informed teaching and learning strategies, including small group teaching and the flexible grouping of students for learning acceleration, extend and challenge learners.
• An inclusive learning environment and teacher collaboration increasingly provide opportunities to recognise and respond to priority learners’ needs so that they progress.
• Evaluations of curriculum and assessment practices ensure that teachers are providing all learners with appropriate and engaging literacy and mathematics learning.

• Teachers support learner success and wellbeing through ‘building mana for others by others’, where celebrating the growth of learners’ and teachers’ skills and confidence in learning and teaching effectively builds collective capacity.
• The board ensures that resourcing decisions enable the school to effectively support learners’ progress, including English language learners and those with learning support needs.
• The school provides opportunities for parents and whānau to be involved in their child’s learning through well supported open classrooms and learning workshops for families to engage in learning together.

Part C: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• build a learner profile to monitor and support learners’ learning progress in literacy and mathematics across the curriculum as they move through the school
• continue to implement the curriculum in ways that respond to the aspirations of learners, parents and whānau and reflect this in strategic and annual planning.

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within six months

• teachers continue to develop a robust learner profile in literacy and mathematics that identifies key skills and next steps so teachers can respond in a timely way to maximise student progress
• leaders and teachers continue to provide opportunities to develop parent and whānau understandings which support learner progress in literacy and mathematics.

Every six months

• teachers report on progress and achievement using the learner profile to know whether learners have met literacy and mathematics learning milestones and implement plans to accelerate the progress of identified priority learners where required.

Annually

• leaders evaluate curriculum delivery to determine how well it achieves agreed outcomes in learner progress, achievement and wellbeing and informs annual and strategic planning
• leaders report to the board on learner achievement trends to inform annual and strategic planning in order to improve student learning outcomes.

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in: 

• strengthened annual and strategic planning informed by curriculum evaluation, focusing on improved learner progress
• a learner profile that is well understood by parents and whānau, resulting in learning partnerships that support progress and achievement
• improved and sustained achievement and regular attendance.

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

Sharon Kelly
Acting Director of Schools

26 February 2025

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

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024 to 2027

As of November 2024, the Te Kura o Take Kārara 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 Kura o Take Kārara, 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.

Sharon Kelly
Acting Director of Schools

26 February 2025

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