Takanini School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within six months of the Education Review Office and Takanini 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 

Takanini School is in South Auckland and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school culture is underpinned by the values of ‘Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga and Mātauranga’ and places the Takanini Learner at the heart of decision making.

Takanini School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• developing a progressive and enabling Takanini School curriculum

• improving outcomes for learners through whānau and iwi partnerships

• growing teachers as leaders and learners.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school conditions promote and sustain the achievement of Māori learners across the curriculum.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

• build on the school's success of raising the achievement of Pacific learners in mathematics and use this knowledge to accelerate the achievement of Māori learners

• continue to strengthen teaching practice to ensure consistency across the school.

The school expects to see more equitable outcomes in the achievement of Māori learners, with Māori becoming confident, connected and actively involved in their learning. Teachers will consistently use effective teaching practices and strategies in adaptive ways that support positive outcomes for Māori learners. The school and whānau will engage in reciprocal learning partnerships to enrich opportunities for all learners.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to promote and sustain the achievement of Māori learners:

• learners experience a school culture that promotes a strong sense of belonging and cultural identity

• learner wellbeing is positively and consistently promoted through different wellbeing and pastoral initiatives

• the school environment reflects a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi with te reo me ōna tikanga Māori visible across the school

• teachers are well supported to undertake professional learning opportunities to grow their practice.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• applying the knowledge and strategies gained from raising Pacific achievement in mathematics to accelerate the progress of Māori learners across the curriculum

• using evaluation, inquiry and collaborative approaches with teaching staff to strengthen teaching practice and ensure school-wide consistency.

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.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

5 July 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