Totara Grove School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 24 months of the Education Review Office and Totara Grove School working in Te Ara Huarau, due to a change in Evaluation Partner and new principal appointment. Te Ara Huarau is an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz

Context 

Totara Grove School is located in Whangārei, Northland. It provides education for students in Years 0 to 6.

A new principal was appointed in Term 3, 2022.

The school’s vision is Tupu Tahi-Growing Together; Standing Strong; Reaching High. The school is a member of the Te Tai Raki Whangārei Kāhui Ako.

Totara Grove School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for ākonga are:

• Developing Curriculum/Ako.

• Fostering Wellbeing/ Manaakitanga, Tū Rangatira.

• Strengthening Connection/ Whanaungatanga.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Totara Grove School website.

The school and ERO are working together to evaluate how well targeted, specific professional development in writing is contributing to strengthening teacher pedagogical understanding, with a focus on planning, teaching and assessment practices.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

• tailoring writing professional development to support teacher pedagogical understanding in practice, including the introduction of Te Mātaiaho

• building schoolwide teacher consistency in teaching and learning, and assessment practices in writing

• improving schoolwide progress and achievement learning outcomes for all ākonga.

The school expects to see:

• a pedagogical shift in schoolwide teacher practice and their confidence in teaching writing
• teachers effectively schoolwide using data assessment in writing to inform next steps in teaching and learning for ākonga
• an improvement schoolwide in ākonga progress and achievement in writing.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate how well targeted, specific professional development in writing is contributing to strengthening teacher pedagogical understanding with a focus on planning, teaching and assessment practices.

• A schoolwide learning culture that is characterised by the school values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, ako and tū rangatira.

• Teachers and leaders fostering, promoting and valuing culturally responsive teaching and learning practices.

• A schoolwide commitment to developing best pedagogical practices to ensure the progress, achievement and learning outcomes for all ākonga.

• Leadership that collaboratively promotes relational trust and enacts the school vision and values.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• developing its own schoolwide writing programme to support best practice, including planning and  teaching

• developing its own schoolwide rubric to support teacher consistency in assessment through effective moderation practices

• continuing with teacher professional development support and improve the progress and achievement outcomes for all ākonga, including priority learners.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

19 September 2023

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