Parkside School

School Context

Parkside School is located in Pukekohe and provides special education for students aged 5 to 21. The school’s roll of 150 includes 51 Māori students. Parkside School is the base school and has five classes. There are 12 satellite classes hosted by other schools in Pukekohe and the Franklin district. Almost all students have high or very high needs and receive ongoing resourcing scheme (ORS) funding. The school also provides a specialist outreach service for ORS funded students who attend other schools in the local area. 

The school’s mission is to support the unique social-emotional, cognitive and physical needs of students and to provide a positive learning environment which prepares learners to live and participate in their community. Learning opportunities are designed to meet students’ needs through:

• increasing their communication, literacy and numeracy skills
• developing wellbeing and self esteem
• experiencing life skills, interdependence and positive life outcomes.

The school’s core values acknowledge that:

• all students can learn in different ways and at different rates
• all students have individual abilities and needs
• all students belong, are respected and valued
• when the school enrols a child, it also enrols the family and whānau.

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

• achievement of individual goals.

Since the previous review in 2014 roll numbers have steadily increased. There have been some changes to leadership and the teaching team. The principal, deputy principal and majority of trustees are experienced and long serving in their roles. Te Waka Tapawhā was established in 2016 for students over the age of 18 years to support their transition into the community.

The school is a member of the Pukekohe Community of Learning |Kāhui Ako (CoL).

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?

The school is highly responsive to Māori and other students’ individual learning and wellbeing needs and is achieving equitable outcomes for all.

The school’s data shows high levels of overall goal attainment for all students. This has been a consistent pattern over time. The data is not yet collated specifically for the numbers of students who have achieved their own learning goals.

During the onsite phase of the ERO review leaders collated the individual student goal data for 2016-2017. This showed most Māori students are achieving all of their individual goals. The majority of all other students achieved their goals in 2016 and term 1 of 2017, with most achieving all of their goals in term 3 2017. Data from 2018 is yet to be collated and analysed.

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

The school’s individualised approach to learning ensures that Māori and all other students have the opportunity to make progress, accelerate in and achieve their own learning goals.

Leaders, teachers, specialists, parents and whānau use a wide range of appropriate learning information to develop challenging and realistic goals for each student. IEPs (individual education plans) and ITPs (individual transition plans) are used effectively to guide staff, monitor progress and share outcomes and future direction with parents. Students are encouraged to have ownership of their own learning and monitor their progress through visual and written prompts.

Trustees are well informed about how students are being supported to make progress and achieve through the range of specialist programmes and planning.

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 school has a highly responsive and inclusive culture for learning. An extensive range of specialist support programmes and therapies address the complex needs of all students. An individualised approach to supporting students and their families enables positive transitions into, through and beyond the school. Effective liaison has increased the variety of work placement opportunities and supports the positive integration of students into the wider community. Kapa haka enriches cultural learning and provides opportunities for students to develop leadership. Māori students are affirmed in their language and culture.

Strong communication with parents and whānau enables positive partnerships for learning. Parents’ aspirations for their children are acknowledged and valued. There is a collaborative approach to goal setting. Individualised advice and guidance for parents supports learning and behaviour at home. A variety of events, including the annual family camp encourages whānau engagement and participation.

Effective teaching strategies support individualised learning pathways. Comprehensive individual plans are developed in consultation with teachers, specialists and families. They prioritise learning and wellbeing. Authentic contexts and multi-sensory learning strategies are relevant to the needs of students. Students’ communication is enhanced through the use of appropriate tools and assistive technology. Visual prompts promote students’ independence and self-management. Literacy and mathematics learning is naturally integrated into classroom programmes.

Sensitive and respectful relationships between adults and students create a positive environment for learning. There are opportunities for students to learn together and work co-operatively to develop positive social skills and relationships. Teachers develop students’ knowledge of their own learning goals and value their contributions.

Leadership builds relational trust and effective collaboration at all levels. Strong pastoral care and personalised support is provided to students, families and whānau. A strategic approach to developing teacher capability is evident in the comprehensive induction programme for teachers, specialists and support staff. Leaders contribute to research and the wider education community. Trustees are fully committed to the school and ensure the appropriate provision of professional learning and development to improve outcomes for learners.

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

Leaders now need to collate and report to the board on students’ progress and achievement to support ongoing internal evaluation of school programmes and practices.

Leaders and teachers should continue to develop shared understandings and teaching practices to further enhance students’ engagement for learning.

There is a need to further strengthen the teacher appraisal system to:

• review school guidelines to ensure alignment to the Teaching Council requirements
• formalise and document targeted observations on teaching practice in relation to goals
• ensure consistent implementation school wide.

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.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to personnel management.

In order to address this, the board of trustees must:

1. ensure procedures set in place to obtain and consider information from New Zealand Police for core and non-core workers are followed
   [Vulnerable Children Act 2014, regulations 5-8 of the Vulnerable Children Regulations 2015, requirements for safety checks of children’s workers, Education Act 1989, sections 78c to 78cd].

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• leadership that provides students with equitable opportunities to learn and succeed
• a curriculum that is highly responsive to students’ individual needs
• strong relationships that enable positive partnerships for learning within the school and community.

Next steps

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

• refining the reporting on student achievement to further enhance internal evaluation
• implementing a robust appraisal system for teachers and leaders.

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

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

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

13 March 2019

About the school