Auroa School

Education institution number:

2152

School type:

Full Primary

School gender:

Co-Educational

Definition:

Not Applicable

Total roll:

180

Website:

http://auroa.school.nz

Telephone:

06 274 5629

Address:

734 Auroa Road, Hawera

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Auroa School - 15/10/2019

15 Oct 2019

School Context

Auroa School is a full primary school located between Hawera and Opunake in South Taranaki. Of the 199 students, 19% identify as Māori.

The vision for all children is, Te Mana Akoranga – Educate to Empower.

Strategic goals for 2019 to 2021 are based on empowering:

students through developing creative, confident and engaged learners who model the characteristics and skills outlined in the school values
equity of opportunity and access for all students to develop their cultural identity
stewardship through strategic decision making, and robust review processes
community partnerships, and awareness of local characteristics.

Targeting and raising the achievement of boys’ literacy and Māori learners in writing, are ongoing priorities to promote equitable outcomes for all students.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, school wide information about outcomes for students in the following area:

progress and achievement in literacy and mathematics.

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?

Trends indicate that student outcomes are moving towards being equitable. Many students achieved curriculum level expectations in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of 2018.

Achievement trends between 2016 to 2017, indicate a slight increase for all groups in reading, writing and mathematics. Māori student achievement improved over the same period, generally reflecting similar outcomes to New Zealand European/Pākehā students in reading and writing and slightly lower in mathematics.

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

The school responds well to those Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. Many students targeted in literacy and mathematics in 2018 made expected progress with over half of Māori learners in Years 5 to 8 accelerating their achievement.

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 collective capability of leaders, teachers and trustees suitably promotes the valued outcomes and vision of the school.

Leaders manage ongoing development strategically and collaboratively. Teachers are well supported through their involvement in relevant professional learning and development aligned to key teaching strategies. Teachers purposefully foster the skills and competencies for students to become active participants in learning. Resourcing by the board is well aligned to the school’s strategic goals and priorities. Inquiry and appraisal frameworks impact positively in developing teachers’ and leaders’ capability and practice.

A wide range of learning experiences, including extension activities, foster students’ interests and motivates their engagement at school. Contexts for learning suitably reflect the culture, language and identity of Māori students. Innovative curriculum design and delivery is well matched to the school’s vision for learner success. Access to digital technologies enable students to explore and review key learning objectives aligned to their specific needs.

Inclusive school and classroom environments foster positive student, parent and wider community involvement at school. Leaders gather relevant information in relation to student wellbeing to support their ongoing review. Staff are highly collaborative promoting an environment conducive in fostering purposeful relationships. Parents, whānau and the community regularly contribute their skills and knowledge to extend curriculum experiences for students.

Students identified with additional and complex learning needs receive appropriate support to promote their inclusion and achievement. Parents, families, teachers and external specialists work collaboratively to comprehensively plan for the specific needs of individual students. Transition in, through and out of school is well managed.

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

In 2018, leaders implemented changes to assessment practice. Further development is required to consolidate these changes. Leaders should continue to build the collective knowledge of teachers in relation to curriculum levels and align achievement targets for those students requiring their achievement accelerated.

The school identifies that further implementation of teaching and learning strategies aligned to their curriculum vision for learner success is needed. As changes continue, leaders should strengthen evaluation practice and align teachers’ inquiry to determine how well these changes are impacting on achieving equity and excellence for priority groups and all students.

Staff are in the initial stages of trialling progressions for the inclusion of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori from Years 1 to 8. Gathering the views of Māori whānau is planned. Development of shared expectations should provide a basis to strengthen teaching and learning and provide indicators to support evaluation into how well actions promote culturally responsive practice.

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 Children’s Act 2014.

4 ERO’s Overall Judgement

On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO’s overall evaluation judgement of Auroa School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

appropriate use of systems and processes that support students with identified additional and complex learning needs
providing an inclusive environment that encourages highly collaborative school and community engagement
organisational conditions and practices that collectively pursue the vision and valued outcomes of the school
learning that meets the needs and interest of students, promoting their engagement and achievement.

Next steps

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

build assessment and moderation practice between teachers to ensure consistency of overall teacher judgements aligned to curriculum levels
revise achievement targets to ensure groups experiencing disparity are identified and actions undertaken to strengthen outcomes are evaluated
trial cultural progressions to ensure the school builds their collective response to Māori learners and the aspirations of whānau
strengthen evaluation and align inquiry to know the impact of curriculum changes on achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all students.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

15 October 2019

About the school

Location	Hawera
Ministry of Education profile number	2152
School type	Full Primary, Years 1 to 8
School roll	199
Gender composition	Male 51%, Female 49%
Ethnic composition	Māori 19% NZ European/Pākehā 77% Pacific 2% Other ethnicities 2%
Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS)	Yes
Provision of Māori medium education	No
Review team on site	August 2019
Date of this report	15 October 2019
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review, August 2016 Education Review, May 2013 Education Review, March 2010

Auroa School - 15/08/2016

15 Aug 2016

1 Context

Auroa School is a full primary school located in rural South Taranaki. It caters for students in Years 1 to 8. At the time ERO visited the school the roll was 190, including 33 Māori. Significant staff changes have taken place since the May 2013 ERO report, including the appointment of a new principal, in term one 2016.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are 'Te Mana Akoranga - Educate to Empower'. These are further unpacked to express the school's localised curriculum and what it seeks to achieve for learners, including: students attaining foundation skills in reading, writing and mathematics; and developing as digital citizens for the 21st century and beyond. The desired outcomes of the school's curriculum reflect the principles and key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum.

The school's achievement information shows that most students, including Māori, achieve at or above in relation to the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Between 2013 and 2015, the school's reported student achievement data showed similar results. In 2015, more students accelerated their progress in reading and writing in the junior school. More equitable reading and mathematics achievement for boys, girls and for Māori learners occurred. Continuing to improve disparity in writing between boys and girls is a key next step.

Assessment practices continue to develop. Teacher judgements about students' achievement are based on observations and a range of assessment information. These are discussed within teaching teams and across the school as part of a moderation process. Leaders should further improve this process by documenting the expectations for internal and external moderation, to support ongoing improvements to data reliability.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has focused on curriculum review to:

further develop assessment practices across the curriculum
incorporate changes in teaching and learning through the use of digital technologies
establish teaching as inquiry to progress the school's annual aims and improve outcomes for learners
increase the focus on learners at risk of poor educational outcomes
respond to the aspirations of students, parents and whānau by providing specialist facilities to deliver technology to Year 7 and 8 learners
strengthen partnerships with whānau Māori and provide Māori learners the opportunity to be more immersed in their culture.

3 Accelerating achievement

How effectively does this school respond to Māori children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

An appropriate range of assessment information is used to identify the achievement of Māori learners. The school responds well in meeting the learning needs of most of these students. Leaders and teachers know the Māori students whose learning requires acceleration. They are focused on improving the school's planning and responses to this group, to achieve increased equity and excellence in learning outcomes.

The establishment of a whānau group, during 2014, has contributed to the school's curriculum being more responsive and reflective of Māori culture, language and identity. Students now have opportunities to participate in kapa haka and te reo Māori is taught during the year. The school increasingly shares its achievement challenges with the whānau. Partnerships for learning are becoming established.

The school self identifies that a next step is to make greater use of Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners, to guide effective teaching practice.

How effectively does this school respond to other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

Teachers increasingly use National Standards and other achievement data to consider how well teaching, interventions and innovations improve outcomes for students identified as requiring additional support. The next step is to strengthen the school's internal evaluation to better identify and understand the impact of teaching and decision making on learners whose achievement needs accelerating.

4 School conditions

How effectively do the school’s curriculum and other organisational processes and practices develop and enact the school’s vision, values, goals and targets for equity and excellence?

Trustees and school leaders provide a learning environment conducive to students' wellbeing. The active participation of parents, whānau and the wider community, in the school, is encouraged and valued. A positive tone and inclusive practice prevail. The curriculum promotes most students', including Māori, academic achievement.

Trustees, leaders and teachers work collaboratively to progress the school's vision, values, annual aims and targets. Organisational processes and systems encourage leaders and teachers to critically inquire more deeply into their practice. Ongoing curriculum review and development is informed by parents' and whānau aspirations. There is a clear focus on improving teaching and learning.

Teachers' professional learning and inquiries contribute to the school priorities. Teachers are supported to build their knowledge and practices. A culture of sharing good practice is building the school's capacity to better respond to the needs of students.

Parents and whānau are encouraged to be actively involved in their children's education. This includes promoting students learning at home through relevant opportunities, resources and digital technology. Continuing to strengthen learning partnerships for students that need targeted support is a next step.

The school has an appraisal process in place that is focused on building leaders' and teachers' professional capability. It is timely to review practice to better meet the Education Council Guidelines. This includes the role of goals, observations, evidence, feedback and links to the target students in the teaching as inquiry process.

School leaders should improve processes already in place to sharpen teachers' focus on students whose progress requires acceleration to enjoy success. This includes improving student achievement targets to better focus on students that need acceleration to actions in classrooms by teachers. Continuing to strengthen teachers' tracking, analysis and reporting of target student progress should assist with this.

5 Going forward

How well placed is the school to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children?

Leaders and teachers:

know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
act on what they know works well for each child
build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

Key factors contributing to sustainability include:

improved collaboration at all levels of the school to promote improved student outcomes
a well-designed curriculum that responds learners interests, experiences and whānau aspirations
increasingly sound use of achievement information to plan targeted action for teaching and learning
an inclusive culture that values parent and whānau
input resources allocated to support more equitable student outcomes.

The school is in a good position to sharpen the focus on students whose achievement needs accelerating. Better use of school targets, teaching as inquiry and appraisal should support effective teaching strategies, interventions and innovations which should assist improved student outcomes.

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

6 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 the following:

board administration
curriculum
management of health, safety and welfare
personnel management
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
processes for appointing staff
stand down, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
attendance
compliance with the provisions of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

7 Recommendation

ERO recommends that trustees, leaders and teachers continue to build internal evaluation to support a cohesive and evidence-based approach to sustain and improve equitable and excellent student outcomes.

Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

15 August 2016

About the school

Location	Hawera
Ministry of Education profile number	2152
School type	Full Primary Year 1 to 8
School roll	190
Gender composition	Female 52%, Male 48%
Ethnic composition	Māori Pākehā Samoan Other ethnic groups	20% 73% 1% 6%
Review team on site	June 2016
Date of this report	15 August 2016
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review Education Review Education Review	May 2013 March 2010 April 2006