Our Lady of the Snows School (Methven)

School Context

Our Lady of the Snows School (Methven) is a small Catholic school located in Methven. It provides education for 36 children, a third of whom are from the Philippines.

The school’s vision is ‘believing and achieving’. This underlies the school’s commitment to provide an education for all of its students that will ensure they are successful and confident members of the community and have an embedded life-long love of learning.

The school’s values, known as the STAR ME and Mercy values are: Rato/Awhina (Service), Tika (social justice), Aroha (compassion), Te Tapu o te tāngata (Respect), Manaakitanga (hospitality) and Panekiritanga (Excellence).

The school’s strategic goals are based on achievement goals in reading, writing and mathematics, celebrating and promoting special character, excellence in teaching and learning, and the sustainability of the school.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:

• achievement in reading, writing, mathematics and religious education
• students with additional learning needs
• progress of targeted students and in relation to school targets
• wellbeing for success.

The school is an active member of the Opuke Kāhui Āko|Community of Learning.

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 making good progress in working towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for learners. Almost all learners are achieving in relation to curriculum expectations in reading and most of its students in writing and mathematics.

School information shows that since 2016 there has been an upward trend in all areas of learning.

There is disparity for girls and Pākehā in mathematics, and boys and Filipino learners in writing. There is parity for all learners in reading.

Most students report that they feel safe and included at school. Over time there has been an upward trend in achievement in aspects of religious education.

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

The school is highly effective in accelerating progress for those children who need this in reading. The school is reporting on the progress of children in writing and mathematics. Some students have made accelerated progress in their learning in these areas.

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?

Students participate and learn in a caring, positive and inclusive environment. They enjoy a sense of belonging and connection to the school and take an active role in daily school life. The school’s values are enacted and modelled at all levels of the school. Students, teachers and leaders have developed opportunities to share these values within their community. The positive school culture strongly supports student wellbeing and learning.

Students learn within a connected, supportive learning community. School and community relationships are focussed on achieving positive outcomes for learners. Parents, whānau and community are welcomed and involved in the school and a focus on increased communication between the school, home and the community has strengthened relationships between the school and wider community. Strong networks with other external organisations support teachers and leaders in their improvement focus.

Student learning is supported by a responsive curriculum. Teachers know their children well and are responsive to each students’ strengths, learning needs and interests. The curriculum aligns to the school’s special character in reading, writing and mathematics. Students’ identities and cultures are valued and celebrated.

Leaders collaboratively develop and pursue the school’s vision, special character, goals and targets. Relationships between trustees and professional leaders are based on trust, integrity and openness. The board is committed to providing equity of opportunity for all learners. Student wellbeing and achievement is a core focus. Teachers and leaders are active contributors to the parish and wider community.

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

The board, leaders and teachers need to further consolidate, embed and review systems, processes and good practices made since the 2017 ERO review. These include implementing a robust principal appraisal, clearer policies and procedures, focussed strategic plan and charter, building on community confidence in the school, its leadership and school culture.

Leaders and teachers need to further strengthen students’ abilities to assess their own learning and build students’ learning-to-learn capability. This includes constructing with students challenging learning goals and explicit success criteria across the curriculum.

Leaders and teachers need to strengthen internal-evaluation practices. They need to clearly justify priorities for improving student learning outcomes. These priorities then need to be monitored and evaluated so that leaders and teachers know the impact and effectiveness of board resourcing and teacher interventions on their learners.

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 Our Lady of the Snows School (Methven)’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed.

ERO’s Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO’s website.

5 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

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

• its strong connections with home, whanau, parish, external agencies and the wider community that promotes a sense of belonging and contributes to learner success
• a positive environment for learning that responds to learners’ individual needs, strengths and interests
• culturally inclusive practices within and beyond the school that contribute to positive outcomes for students and their whānau and families.

Next steps

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

• continuing to embed and review systems to build on the good practices in place
• strengthen student assessment and learning-to-learn capabilities to build student agency
• strengthen internal-evaluation practices to better identify what is working well for students’ learning and where improvements are needed.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

19 August 2019

About the school