Rise UP Academy

Rise UP Academy

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 

Rise UP Academy is a special character school located in Mangere, south Auckland and provides education for students from Year 1 to 8. There have been three new appointments to the senior leadership team since the previous ERO report. The school values are resilience, integrity, stewardship, and excellence.

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 

A small majority of students are engaged and make sufficient progress in their learning. 
  • A small majority of students achieve at expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics; Māori students achieve as well as their peers in reading and mathematics. 
  • Learners with additional needs make good progress and are well-supported in their learning.
  • A small majority of students attend school regularly; the school is strategically working towards meeting the Ministry of Education’s target for regular attendance. 

Conditions to support learner success

Leaders are establishing ways to build teachers’ capability.
  • School leaders are strengthening a positive school culture with strong values that support students’ success.
  • Students are encouraged to lead in their learning and have opportunities to serve the school community. 
  • Leaders are beginning to participate in professional learning to further develop their leadership skills. 
Teachers are taking steps to provide a responsive curriculum for students to succeed.
  • Students experience a curriculum with a strong focus on the school’s special character and increasing opportunities for their active participation in learning. 
  • Teachers participate in professional learning to improve effective teaching practices in reading and writing.
  • Teachers are beginning to implement consistent teaching practices to improve students’ reading and writing and to use achievement data more effectively.
Conditions for success increasingly promote strategic ongoing improvement. 
  • Inclusive practices support students’ wellbeing and sense of belonging.
  • Whānau and parents’ cultural backgrounds are celebrated and highly valued in contributing to their children’s success.
  • Stewardship is supportive of school priorities and ensures the progression of the school’s strategic goals.
  • School processes for review and evaluation are beginning to drive further improvement. 

Part B: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

  • embed teachers’ use of effective teaching strategies schoolwide to engage and challenge learners and to promote improved attendance 
  • ensure teachers’ active participation in professional learning in effective reading and writing strategies to improve their teaching capability
  • use achievement data effectively to inform teaching and programmes to better respond to students’ learning needs
  • use indicators of effective practice to evaluate the impact of initiatives and to progress strategic improvement. 

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

Within three months:

  • document the expectations for effective teaching strategies including reading and writing to support consistent practice and improve students’ learning outcomes.

Every six months:

  • Implement, reflect and review the use of effective teaching particularly in reading and writing for all students
  • analyse student achievement data effectively to inform improvements to teaching and learning
  • monitor, support and report on students’ regular attendance levels.

Annually:

  • evaluate the consistent use of effective teaching strategies to improve students' learning outcomes and attendance 
  • use student achievement data to inform teaching and programme planning and reporting to the board for decision making about ongoing improvement priorities 
  • use indicators of effective practice to evaluate the impact of initiatives and to inform related strategic goals. 

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

  • improved student learning outcomes particularly in reading and writing for all year levels
  • increased levels in students’ attendance, engagement and confidence in their learning
  • improved teacher capability and consistency in the effective teaching of reading and writing
  • sustained levels of whanau/parents’ engagement to support their child’s learning. 

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

11 December 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

Rise UP Academy

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024 to 2027 

As of June 2024, the Rise Up Academy Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

No

Finance

Yes

Assets

Yes

Actions for Compliance 

ERO has identified the following area of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

  • ensure safety checks are completed and documented before staff appointments.
    Section 31 and 32, Children’s Act 2014

The board has since taken steps to address the areas of non-compliance identified.

Further Information

For further information please contact Rise Up Academy 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

11 December 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

Rise UP Academy

1 Introduction

A New School Assurance Review is a review of particular areas of school performance and is undertaken to specific terms of reference.

Terms of Reference

This review is based on an evaluation of the performance of Rise UP Academy. The terms of reference for the review are to provide assurance to the community:

  • that the school is well placed to provide for students
  • that the school is operating in accordance with the vision articulated by the board of trustees.

2 Context

Rise UP Academy is a designated character school for Years 1 to 8 students. The school’s vision, values and mission statement are founded on Pacific and Christian values and principles. The school is temporarily located on the grounds of Sir Douglas Bader Intermediate School. At the time of this review about 70 students were enrolled.

3 Background

Since 2018 the Establishment Board of Trustees (EBoT) and school leaders have been involved in ongoing discussion with the Ministry of Education (MoE) regarding the school’s premises and permanent location. The location of the school has been a significant challenge for Rise UP Academy.

In early 2020 the school relocated to buildings on the Sir Douglas Bader Intermediate School site. School leaders and the EBoT have successfully established the school at the current site. The current school site is temporary and likely to be so for up to three years.

4 Findings

Rise UP Academy’s guiding principles and values are well embedded. The school has a strong focus on partnership with parents and the wider school community. Whānau programmes are well considered and integral to school operations. The board manages community liaison well, including planning around future growth.

The school’s vision and values are well reflected in leadership, teaching practice and the curriculum that students readily engage in. Relevant programmes and practices have been developed to ensure children who require extra support are known and well supported. Teachers make good use of centralised and coherent systems for planning and assessment to guide their work.

Leaders and teachers have a strong commitment to wellbeing for all children and their whānau. Children experience positive and respectful interactions with teachers who know them well. Their learning environments provide a calm and positive tone. Students can talk knowledgeably about their learning.

Clear processes are in place for assessment and reporting to parents and whānau. Teachers report individual children’s ongoing progress and achievement. Parents, children and teachers also have the opportunity for face-to-face discussions to set goals that are holistic, child and whānau centred.

Senior leaders provide high quality professional leadership that is guided by the school’s vision, and founded on building relationships for positive learner, whānau and community outcomes. Leaders and teachers engage in purposeful and appropriate professional learning and development (PLD). They continue to plan ongoing PLD to further consolidate and develop assessment for learning practices.

Trustees are engaged, reflective and improvement focused. They work closely with staff and the wider school community. Trustees are well informed and receive useful progress reports in relation to student achievement at their monthly meetings. The school should continue to work with the MoE to transition to an elected board, determine future property provision and school growth capability.

A school policy framework is in place. Continued work on policy review and alignment will ensure that all policies meet requirements of the shared site. Staff and students have access to appropriate resources, furniture and equipment including digital technologies.

Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board and principal of the school completed the ERO (Education Review Office) 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:

  • school management and reporting
  • 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.

Conclusion

The opening and relocation of Rise UP Academy has been well managed by the establishment board, principal and leadership team in consultation with the school community. The school is capably led and governed. The school is well placed to cater for the needs of its foundation students. The school continues to work with the MoE to ensure clarity around the transition to an elected board and location of future premises and school growth capability.

The school will transition into ERO’s School Evaluation for Improvement process in due course.

Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki

28 May 2021

About the School                                       

Location

Mangere, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

879

School type

Full Primary (Years 1 to 8)

School roll

72

Ethnic composition

Māori

Samoan

Tongan

Cook Island Māori

Niuean

other Pacific

12

29

11

10

  9

  1

Review team on site

February 2021

Date of this report

28 May 2021