School Context
Moanataiari School, located in Thames, provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s roll of 212 includes 56 Māori students. There is increasing cultural diversity in the student population.
Since the previous ERO review in 2015 the school has experienced significant roll growth. A new deputy principal was appointed at the beginning of 2017. In 2017, the school experienced many changes to the teaching team. School leaders identified that these changes impacted significantly on many aspects of the school. Staffing in 2018 is more consistent. Teachers have undertaken school-wide professional learning and development in literacy. There is a recently appointed chairperson, and a newly co-opted trustee on the board.
The school’s vision is to learn and grow together within the community, whānau and family. Promoting values of ako, tino pai rawa, manawaroa, whakaute, manaakitanga and whakawhanaungatanga are stated priorities of the school.
The 2018 charter identifies priority areas for improving student achievement with a focus on writing, teaching as inquiry, teacher planning and moderation.
The school is a member of the Thames – Kauaeranga Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako
Leaders and teachers report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
- reading, writing and mathematics
- wellbeing.
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 working towards achieving equity for all its students.
The school’s achievement information from 2015-2017 shows that the majority of students achieved national expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. This data shows that girls achieved at significantly higher levels than boys in literacy and that this disparity has remained consistent over the last three years. Girls and boys have achieved similarly in mathematics over this time. There continues to be disparity in achievement for Māori in comparison to other groups in reading and mathematics and declining achievement in writing.
Data from a 2018 wellbeing survey for students in Years 4 to 8 indicates that the school has a positive culture for learning.
Students with special learning needs have individual education plans and are making progress against their personal learning and development goals
1.2 How well is the school accelerating learning for those Māori and other students who need this?
The school responds well to some of the Māori and other students whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.
Leaders collated achievement information during the ERO review that showed Māori and other students have made accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is yet to develop systems and processes to regularly track and monitor rates of acceleration for all at-risk learners.
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?
Leaders have open and trusting relationships. There is a focus on building teacher capability underpinned by current research and theory. This supports the provision of opportunities for students to be extended across curriculum areas including technology and languages. There is a range of appropriate programmes to support children with additional learning needs. The recently appointed deputy principal who is also the special needs coordinator is reviewing the programmes and systems to identify and more closely monitor students with diverse learning and behaviour needs.
The board is providing good-quality governance. Trustees undertake consultation, are representative of the school community, and have accessed training to strengthen their effectiveness. Along with school leaders, they are committed to ongoing school improvement. Resourcing decisions are based on information received from leaders about students whose achievement needs accelerating. There are open and positive relationships between trustees, leaders and teachers. Trustees are supportive of initiatives that improve progress for students, including those whose learning is at risk.
Teachers have respectful relationships with students. They are positive and affirming in their interactions and provide cooperative learning opportunities for students. Classroom environments have a strong focus on reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers are reflective practitioners who use a range of effective strategies that include scaffolding learning, feedback to students, teacher modelling, small group work and time to revisit concepts taught. They integrate culturally responsive practices into learning and teaching including the use of te reo Māori and aspects of tikanga. The well-embedded school values support this practice and are highly visible for students, teachers, parents and support staff. Students learn in orderly and supportive classrooms which contribute to high levels of student engagement.
2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence, and acceleration of learning?
In order to achieve excellence and equity further development is needed to strengthen internal evaluation and leadership of learning.
Leaders need to improve the way achievement information is managed and used at all levels of the school. Particular attention should be given to:
- collating and analysing student achievement data to evaluate the effectiveness of classroom teaching, programmes of learning and interventions
- reviewing school-wide targets to include all at-risk learners and report regularly to the board on the progress of these students, including rates of acceleration
- teachers making better diagnostic use of classroom assessment information to plan specifically to meet the needs of at-risk learners and support students to understand their progress and specific next learning steps
- developing leaders capability to manage, implement and evaluate action plans within agreed timeframes
- ensuring a consistent approach to teacher planning and assessment for students whose learning needs acceleration
- strengthening relationships with the Māori community.
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 consultation with the school’s Māori community.
In order to address this, the board of trustees must:
- in consultation with the Māori community, develop and make known to the school’s community, policies, plans and targets for improving the progress and achievement of Māori students.
[National Administration Guidelines 1 (e)]
Areas for improved compliance practice
To improve current practice, the board of trustees should:
- maintain the regular review of policies and procedures that guide school operations.
4 Going forward
Key strengths of the school
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
- learning opportunities that support student engagement
- an inclusive culture for learning and wellbeing.
Next steps
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
- targeted planning to accelerate learning [ERO will monitor and discuss progress with the school.]
- internal evaluation processes and practices.
[ERO will provide an internal evaluation workshop for trustees and senior leaders.]
ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing
ERO intends to carry out a process of ongoing external evaluation to support development over the course of one-to-two years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
20 July 2018
About the school
| Location | Thames |
| Ministry of Education profile number | 1829 |
| School type | Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
| School roll | 212 |
| Gender composition | Boys 54% Girls 46% |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 26%
Pākehā 54%
Indian 6%
South East Asian 5%
Other 9% |
| Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) | Yes |
| Provision of Māori medium education | No |
| Review team on site | May 2018 |
| Date of this report | 20 July 2018 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review June 2015
Education Review August 2012 |