Good Shepherd School (Balmoral)

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 15 months of the Education Review Office and Good Shepherd School working in Te Ara Huarau, 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 

Good Shepherd School is an integrated Catholic Primary School located in central Auckland. It provides education for students from years 1 to 6. The school values are inherent in the tradition of the order of the Sisters of St Joseph.

Good Shepherd School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

• provide a stimulating learning environment that allows students to develop their individual potential

• support students to develop habits and skills to support their physical, emotional, spiritual and mental wellbeing

• support students to develop a personal relationship with God and grow in knowledge of Jesus the Good Shepherd, living and experiencing his values on a daily basis.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school’s responsive curriculum supports equitable outcomes for all ākonga/learners, in particular Māori and Pacific learners.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• there is a focus and commitment to equitable and excellent outcomes for all ākonga

• data has identified a need to consider levels of consistency in Mathematics and statistics teaching

• to re-establish home-school connections and re-engage parents and whānau as partners in their children’s learning, after the challenges of the Covid pandemic

• the impact this evaluation focus will have on the school’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for all ākonga.

The school expects to see:

• a focus on improving mathematics and statistics learning outcomes to ensure equitable outcomes for all ākonga

• increased consistency in teaching practice, as teacher’s implement a curriculum that responds effectively and equitably to diverse ākonga

• shared, common and sustainable understanding of effective and responsive teaching and learning practices.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to evaluate how well the school’s responsive curriculum supports equitable outcomes for all ākonga/learners, in particular Māori and Pacific ākonga.

• strong, collaborative leadership and teaching teams focussed on ākonga reaching their fullest potential through high levels of relational trust

• systems and processes to track ākonga achievement and progress and support personalised and purposeful interventions

• school values, stemming from Catholic traditions, inform all decision making and shape all relationships providing a strong sense of community

• collaboratively developed and monitored evidence- based strategic plan.  

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• sustaining effective practice for diverse ākonga across all learning areas

• gather data to determine and plan for future improvement needs for mathematics and statistics teaching and learning outcomes

• implement clear learning expectations to guide the schoolwide responsive localised curriculum

• continue to engage with Māori and Pacific whānau and all parents as partners in their children’s learning.

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

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Te Tai Raki | Northern Region

14 April 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