Richmond Road 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 

Richmond Road School is in central Auckland and provides education for a diverse community of learners in Years 1 to 6. The school consists of four rōpū: Te Whānau Whāriki (Rumaki Māori), Kiwi Connection (English medium unit), Mua i Malae (Samoan bilingual unit), and L’Archipel (French bilingual unit). The school's mission to grow together and celebrate learners' unique identities is underpinned by the values of bravery and resilience, compassion and empathy, diversity and inclusiveness, and respect for all.

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 and 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

Outcomes for most learners are increasingly equitable and excellent.

• Whole school data shows that most learners across the school achieve at or above the expected curriculum level in reading and mathematics and the majority of learners in writing.
• Learners with additional needs progress and improved outcomes are evident; interventions are effectively identified and tailored to support their learning.
• Bilingual and immersion pathways contribute to learners having a positive sense of belonging and pride in their school which supports their wellbeing and engagement with learning.
• The school works closely with its community to support regular attendance; the majority of students attend regularly but the school is not yet meeting the Ministry of Education target.

Conditions to support learner success

School leadership is continuing to build a culture of collaboration across the school community.

• A new senior leadership model is building the leadership capabilities of the rōpū team leaders to set and pursue improvement-focused goals and targets across the school.
• Leaders value and nurture a professional culture committed to high quality teaching, professional growth and development that supports ongoing improvement in teaching and learning.
• Leaders are strengthening relational trust and effective collaboration within the school, local school networks and the wider community, to achieve the school’s strategic vision and improvement goals.

Curriculum and teaching practices are responsive to learners’ needs, interests and cultural identities.

• The different curriculum pathways offered effectively promote learner engagement and outcomes by enabling learners to see themselves and understand that their identity and culture are valued.
• Well-aligned professional learning builds the capability of teachers to implement evidence-based and responsive strategies that improve outcomes for learners.
• Teachers increasingly integrate quality te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori learning opportunities throughout the curriculum.

Increasingly well-aligned systems, structures and practices enable success and improvement over time.

• The board effectively uses information and data to make decisions for resourcing that promotes improved student learning; it is working towards a co-governance model which will embed partnerships and processes for shared decision-making.
• Parents and whānau are provided and positively engage in a wide range of opportunities to be actively involved in their children’s learning.
• Learner wellbeing is promoted through respectful relationships and well-established restorative practices.

Rumaki Outcomes and Conditions to Support Learner Success

Tamariki success and wellbeing 

• Tamariki are engaging in a meaningful curriculum that develops confidence in mātauranga Māori.
• Data reflects that most tamariki are progressing towards their expected curriculum level.
• Tamariki confidently converse in te reo Māori.
• Collaborative relationships with parents and whānau support tamariki learning outside the classroom.

Conditions to support tamariki success

• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa guides teaching and learning practices that recognise the cultural needs of Te Whānau Whāriki.
• Consistent routines and clear expectations create calm, focused learning environments.
• Leadership encourages professional learning opportunities to support teaching through the provision of te reo Māori.
• Whānau are valued learning partners.

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• build teachers’ evaluative capability across all learning areas to collect and analyse assessment data that measures learning outcomes and informs their teaching practice to accelerate learner achievement
• continue to implement a range of strategies to support learners to take ownership of their learning, progress and achievement
• continue to focus on improving regular attendance rates for all students to meet Ministry of Education targets
• continue to develop the marau-ā-kura based around Ngati Whātua strategic plan, specific to the surrounding tribes, kōrero tuku iho and in consultation with mana whenua.

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

Within six months:

• continue to engage with mana whenua and Kahui Ako to complete draft development of marau-ā-kura
• trial and monitor the draft marau-ā-kura for improvement.

Every six months:

• continue to analyse and monitor learner progress, achievement and attendance information to inform and adapt teaching and learning
• further build teacher data literacy and embed the use of appropriate assessment practices
• implement strategies to support learners to reflect on their learning and monitor their strengths and next steps for improvement.

Annually:

• using learner progress and achievement data and a range of other sources, evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to improve learning, attendance and engagement, and report the outcomes to the board to inform improvement planning
• review the impact of professional development and the use of data to inform teaching and learning programmes to improve student outcomes
• monitor and evaluate the implementation and impact of marau-ā-kura in Te Whānau Whāriki.

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

• improved progress, achievement, engagement and attendance for all learners
• robust and valid assessments used confidently across the school to inform teaching and learning
• learners able to reflect on their learning and monitor their strengths and next steps for improvement
• the development and implementation of marau-ā-kura in Te Whānau Whāriki.

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

12 December 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