Kaihu Valley School

School Evaluation Report

Tēnā koutou e mau manawa rahi ki te kaupapa e aro ake nei, ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa. Mā wai rā e kawe, mā tātau katoa.

We acknowledge the collective effort, responsibility and commitment by all to ensure that the child remains at the heart of the matter.

Context 

Kaihu Valley School a small rural school, north of Dargaville, provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. At the time of the review, the school board was in the process of appointing a new principal.

There are two parts to this report.

Part A: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings. 

Part B: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Current State 

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

• Insufficient achievement information is available to identify students’ achievement in relation to curriculum levels and track their progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Students experience caring relationships with school staff and external support professionals. 
• Regular student attendance is below the Ministry of Education targets and impacts the continuity of learning. 

Conditions to support learner success

• Leaders are yet to provide clear guidance and expectations for improved outcomes for all students. 
• Leaders do not plan and co-ordinate the school’s curriculum and teaching.

• Students do not yet experience planned and consistent learning opportunities.
• A localised curriculum framework is yet to be developed. 

• Leaders and teachers do not collect student achievement information to inform decision making. 
• A relevant and up-to-date strategic plan is yet to be developed by the board.
• The board does not have policies and procedures to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of students. 

Part B: Where to next?

The next steps for the school are to: 

• develop a strategic plan focused on raising student achievement and improving attendance
• implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with statutory obligations
• construct a curriculum framework that reflects the local community, aligns to The New Zealand Curriculum and responds to the needs of all students
• design and implement schoolwide assessment of children’s learning so that teachers can plan purposeful lessons. 

The actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within three months:

• take immediate action to address all areas of non-compliance as identified in the Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements Report 2024-2027
• set strategic improvement goals and actions for teaching and learning, including strategies to monitor and improve student attendance
• develop and implement a local curriculum based on The New Zealand Curriculum that meet reading, writing and mathematics requirements 
• develop an assessment strategy to collect recognised achievement information in reading, writing and mathematics

Every six months:

• collect and report student attendance progress and achievement information in reading, writing and mathematics to whānau and the board 
• school leaders review progress against strategic improvement goals and targets with a focus on priorities identified by ERO  
• analyse student attendance, achievement and progress to inform teaching and learning improvement actions 

Annually:

• the board, with school leaders, implement a regular policy review cycle to assure a safe physical and emotional learning environment for learners
• collect and report student attendance, achievement and progress to inform teaching and learning improvement actions
• board review strategic planning priorities using student attendance, achievement and progress information. 

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:

• students achieving at expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 8
• a learning-focused environment where students attend regularly and experience success
• a localised curriculum that meets the requirements of The New Zealand Curriculum and is responsive to the aspirations of whānau
• strong systems and processes to support school improvement. 

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education 

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education consider the intervention listed in section 180 of the Education and Training Act 2020 in order to bring about the following improvements:

• governance including statutory obligations, strategic planning, policy and procedures
• leadership of learning
• curriculum, including teaching and assessment practice.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.

Me mahi tahi tonu tātau, kia whai oranga a tātau tamariki
Let’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

16 September 2024 

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.  educationcounts.govt.nz/home