Tutira School

School Context

Tutira School is a small rural school, situated on the main road between Napier and Wairoa. It draws students from a wide geographical area. Students bus to school with some living a significant distance from the bus stop and school. There is a reasonably high turnover of students due to the seasonal workforce and rural and farming nature of the community. At the time of this ERO evaluation there are 28 students enrolled, with 14 identifying as Māori.

Since the July 2016 ERO report there have been significant changes in staffing and board personnel. In 2018, the school operated for some time with a relief teacher in the junior room and no release teacher for the principal. Since the beginning of term 2 2019, the school is fully staffed.

The school responded positively to the recommendation from the previous ERO evaluation. A Raising Achievement Plan was developed and steps taken to progress areas identified for ongoing improvement. These did not progress as expected during 2018.

The school vision states ‘Stand together to learn, to grow, to succeed’. School and community learning values emphasise: ‘Authenticity; Innovation; Inspiration; Engagement’. These sit alongside school behaviour values of: ‘Respect; Integrity; Kindness; Responsibility’.

The school continues to be an active participant in the Enviroschools programme.

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

• reading, writing and mathematics.

The school is a member of the Mataruahou Napier City Kāhui Ako.

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?

School reported data for 2018 data shows equitable outcomes for students. Most students achieve at curriculum expectations. Māori students achieve well with most at expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. The data from the end of 2018 showed that all Year 8 students achieved above expectations. The board and teachers now have more dependable data to discern trends and patterns over time and move more students to achieve above expectations towards excellence.

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

Most students targeted in writing in 2018 made expected progress with some making accelerated progress.

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 inclusive environment supports the individual needs of students and they are encouraged to be successful learners. Teachers know children well and work quickly to implement strategies to assist them to experience success at school. Virtual learning classrooms are used well to engage children in a range of learning experiences that extend them. These are evident for mathematics, art and te reo Māori.

Students engage in a broad range of authentic learning experiences. The curriculum encompasses the local environment. Sustainable practices are a natural part of children’s daily lives. They work confidently alongside external agencies such as the Department of Conservation and Regional Council. Students are confident environment champions.

The board governs the school well. The succession plan provides for future development. Trustees undertake appropriate training and demonstrate support for the principal, teachers and staff to provide children with appropriate resources and experiences for them to experience success as learners. There is an ongoing focus on strengthening trustee capabilities.

The teaching team is relatively new and staff work collaboratively to extend and improve practices to benefit children. Professional learning and development clearly focuses on working as a team and developing consistency across the school.

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

Achievement targets were not set across the school in reading, writing and mathematics in 2018. Teachers should set appropriate literacy and mathematics achievement targets and actions to accelerate student achievement for those who need this. A key step is to regularly monitor and report to the board how well the school is raising achievement, particularly for those students whose progress needs accelerating.

Continuing to promote collaborative learning partnerships with parents and whānau should encourage their ongoing involvement in their children’s learning. The curriculum is in the process of review and this provides opportunity to continue to include a place-based element and support parents and the board to understand how it will be implemented.

Staff continue to develop agreed assessment practices so that ongoing, reliable achievement information informs teaching and learning. This includes teachers’ use of The Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT) for making dependable judgements about students’ achievement.

The principal has recently introduced an online system to monitor and track student achievement. It has the potential to increase students’ understanding and expectations for their learning and achievement. Understanding of, and capability to use this tool by parents, trustees, students and teachers is ongoing.

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 Tutira School’s performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

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:

• a focus on achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for students
• a culture of collaboration among trustees and staff that focuses on maintaining a positive climate and expectations for teaching and learning throughout the school
• deliberate learning experiences for students that are focused on them making connections with the wider environment while demonstrating school learning and behaviour values.

Next steps

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

• continuing to strengthen assessment across the school to determine ongoing strategies to achieve equity and excellence for all students
• using data from a range of sources, for internal evaluation that determines the impact of initiatives and innovations on student outcomes
• implementing the new Tutira School Curriculum to support ongoing student learning
• developing and implementing consistent and sustainable learning-focused partnerships with parents and whānau to support positive outcomes for students.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

8 August 2019

About the school

1 Context

Tutira School is a full primary school (Years 1 to 8) located in the small rural settlement of Tutira, 40 kilometres north of Napier. The school has 32 students enrolled, and 18 are Māori.

A new principal was appointed at the beginning of 2015. Stability in governance and teaching staff since the April 2012 ERO report contributes to sustained and ongoing improvement.

Well maintained spacious grounds enable students to engage in a wide range of activities and to be physically challenged.

A feature of the school is its focus on sustainable practices. In the national Enviroschools programme, it has reached the level of silver achievement.

2 Equity and excellence

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are for them to be respectful, confident, literate and numerate and aspire to be lifelong learners. This vision is underpinned by learning values; authenticity, innovation, inspiration and engagement and behaviour values; respect, integrity, kindness and responsibility. These values were reviewed in consultation with the school community in 2015.

The school’s achievement information shows that most students, including Māori, achieved at and above National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics in 2015. However, most of those students below National Standards identify as Māori. Over the past three years the number of Māori students achieving below National Standards has reduced.

Mathematics is a strength across the school. The achievement of girls in writing is better than boys. Improving achievement in writing for all students continues to be a priority.

Through the use of the progress and consistency tool (PaCT), assessment practices are being strengthened. The range of assessment tools used has increased. Internal moderation of reading and writing has occurred. This has increased the consistency of practice and teachers confidence in their overall judgements of students' progress and achievement.

A process to track and monitor the progress of all students is developing. Teachers should ensure that the progress and achievement of target students are closely monitored, including identifying which students have accelerated learning.

The board and principal have yet to fully consider how well they are accelerating achievement to promote equity and excellence.

Since the last ERO evaluation the school has:

• worked collaboratively to promote a positive school culture
• strengthened relationships with families and the wider community
• further developed the teaching as inquiry process
• reviewed appraisal
• reviewed and increased the range of assessment tools.

Many of the strengths identified in the previous ERO report have been sustained. There is now an increased focus on strengthening students' independence and ownership of learning.

3 Accelerating achievement

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

Teachers know students well. They have spoken to whānau Māori to identify students who are Māori. Through the analysis of achievement information teachers identified those students at risk of underachievement. Trustees have set achievement targets in writing and reading. Planning for meeting these targets should identify specific strategies to respond to individuals whose achievement needs acceleration.

In collaboration with parents and whānau teachers have put in place a range of programmes and teaching strategies to maximise students' motivation and engagement in learning. To improve the response to students whose achievement requires acceleration, teachers and trustees should:

• develop a shared understanding of acceleration
• strengthen achievement target setting and actions to accelerate target student achievement
• improve individual student action plans and evaluate the impact of interventions and programmes on accelerating achievement
• report more regularly to the board on the progress and achievement of target students.

This should support the board's understanding of how well they are promoting equitable and excellent outcomes for all students.

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

There is a strong focus on students' wellbeing and pastoral care. Students with specific needs are appropriately identified. They learn alongside their peers. Teachers work collaboratively with parents and external agencies to support student's participation and engagement in learning.

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 priorities for equity and excellence?

Processes and practices to promote equity and excellence for students are being strengthened.

Board members have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities as trustees. They access training to strengthen their knowledge. They actively seek advice and guidance from appropriate sources. Trustees receive useful information about student achievement, school practices and operations in relation to strategic goals. They use data to inform decision-making for improving student outcomes.

The principal is establishing a supportive environment conducive to promoting student learning and wellbeing. There are high expectations for teachers. They are provided with appropriate support for their professional growth and development.

Families are welcomed and valued as participants in the life of the school. A range of strategies are used to communicate with and engage families, whānau and the community. The principal acknowledges that establishing educational partnerships to support students' learning continues to be a priority.

Staff have respectful relationships with students and view them as capable and competent. Students are confident and eager to learn. They increasingly taking responsibility for their own learning.

The principal has identified and ERO's evaluation supports that continuing in-depth evaluation of the curriculum is a priority. This should include:

• New Zealand's bicultural heritage and culturally responsive practices
• responsiveness to the context of the school and community
• conditions that support 21st century learners
• the school's commitment to sustainability
• careers education in Years 7 and 8.

As part of this process, guidelines in reading, writing, mathematics and moderation should be developed, to outline effective practices and expectations for teaching and learning.

Teachers are enthusiastic about the changes being implemented across the school and the positive effect on their teaching. They are reflective and are beginning to inquire more deeply into the effectiveness of their teaching strategies and the impact on student achievement.

Appraisal has been reviewed and is being aligned to school priorities, student achievement, teaching as inquiry and to the Practising Teacher Criteria. This is at the early stages of implementation. Consistency of high quality teaching practice should remain a key priority.

Coherent organisational conditions are in place. The board and teachers should now focus on the practices and strategies that best engage Māori learners. This development should make use of Ka Hikitia - Accelerating Success 2013-2017 and Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners.

Trustees and staff should develop a shared understanding of internal evaluation and use this process to guide change, and improve outcomes for all students.

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
• need approaches that effectively meet the needs of each child
• need to ensure the school is well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

To improve learning outcomes and achievement trustees and teachers should:

• further refine target setting and reporting so that a clearer picture about student progress and the acceleration of target groups is evident
• review curriculum and culturally responsive practices for Māori learners
• continue to improve appraisal and teaching as inquiry
• establish internal evaluation across all levels of the school to systematically plan, monitor and measure effectiveness.

Action: The board, principal and teachers should participate in an internal evaluation workshop. They should use this workshop, ERO exemplars of good practice and the School Evaluation Indicators to address the findings of this evaluation and develop a Raising Achievement Plan that includes a significant focus on building teacher capability to accelerate learning and achievement.

As part of this review ERO will continue to monitor the school’s Raising Achievement Plan and the progress the school makes.

ERO is likely to carry out the next full 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 Recommendations

Trustees, leaders and teachers should improve systems and processes for target setting, including curriculum delivery, appraisal and internal evaluation to raise achievement for Māori learners. 

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

21 July 2016

About the school