Takapuna Normal Intermediate

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 

Takapuna Normal Intermediate is on Auckland’s North Shore and provides education for learners in Years 7 and 8. The school’s vision is to develop compassionate, global, connected learners who strive for excellence through action. 

The school’s curriculum incorporates the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and The New Zealand Curriculum. Learners are grouped across mixed level composite classes. 

The school regularly hosts and supports a large number of student teachers in their initial teacher education.

There are three parts to this report.

Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation. 

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

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals

Since the previous ERO report of November 2022, the school has been evaluating the effectiveness of transition for Year 7 learners to Takapuna Normal Intermediate, to maximise quality teaching and learning for excellent and equitable learner outcomes.

Expected Improvements and Findings

The school expected to see:

All groups of learners experiencing success, especially ākonga Māori and Pacific learners.

• Improved data collection, at the time of enrolment, supports teachers and leaders to engage in more effective and culturally responsive practices and improve outcomes for all learners. 

A shared understanding of best practice informing deliberate acts of teaching.

• A school wide understanding of best practice, including explicit teaching to enhance learner independence and participation, has been established and implemented.
• Teachers and leaders confidently use data to inform next steps to further improve outcomes for all learners. 

Successful transitioning for all Year 7 ākonga to maximise time for teaching and learning.

• School data overtime indicates learners feel more confident and comfortable throughout their transition into the school; almost all learners report their transition into the school was a positive experience.
• Learner achievement information shows continuous improvement over time; most learners leave the school achieving at or above the expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Information collected from contributing schools has been refined further to enhance learner transition and class placement.
• Current Year 7 learners play an active role in supporting the successful transition of Year 6 learners into the school. 

Further growth of ākonga wellbeing, belonging and feelings of success to support improvement in ākonga outcomes.

• Almost all Year 7 learners report feeling safe, proud and connected after their first two terms at the school. 

Increased participation in a broad curriculum to include sport, music, the arts, and service in the community.

• An increase in the range of extra-curricular opportunities available for learners is evident; almost all learners participate in at least one extra-curricular activity in their time at the school. 

Other Findings 

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action was the improved quality of information received and used by the school to improve learners’ experience throughout the transition process. 

Part B: Current State

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

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

• Most learners achieve at or above expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Years 7 and 8.
• Learners report that they are proud, feel safe and connected to the school community.
• Learners with additional needs are well supported and make good progress.
• Most learners attend school regularly, exceeding the Ministry of Education’s 2024 targets for attendance; attendance remains a school wide priority and continues to improve over time. 

Conditions to support learner success

• Leadership builds and sustains strong, educationally focused relationships within and beyond the school to support learner transitions and increase opportunities for learning and success.
• Leaders are highly visible and communicate effectively at all levels of the school to ensure collective responsibility for improving outcomes for learners.
• Leaders drive a systematic approach to goal setting and planning for sustained school improvement, informed by high quality evidence and evaluation.

• Teachers and leaders maintain a focus on gaining sound foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics to enhance access to a broad curriculum and promote lifelong, globally connected learners.
• Teachers use a wide range of targeted student information to know and understand their learners; they maintain high expectations within a culture of care and continuous improvement.
• Learners are empowered to develop confidence and self-management skills through purposeful, planned and deliberate teaching; they experience positive and mutually respectful relationships within orderly and responsive environments where learning time is maximised.

• Coherent organisational conditions, including leadership, policies, systems, processes and practices, drive strategic improvement at all levels of the school.
• Leaders attract and retain effective teaching staff through high levels of trust; roles and responsibilities focus on improving outcomes for learners.
• Teachers and leaders are building collective confidence and capability to integrate te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori across the curriculum.
• The school board understand their role, actively promoting the examination and use of data to inform decision making to prioritise holistic outcomes for all learners; the board increasingly reflects the school community.

Part C: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• continue to collect, analyse and use data to inform next steps and maintain a focus on improving outcomes for all learners, in particular learners requiring accelerated progress
• use learning from professional growth processes to inform implementation priorities for improving teacher confidence and capability with te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori.
• plan for further professional learning aligned to current priorities, including structured approaches to literacy and numeracy. 

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

Within six months:

• implement professional learning related to the new curriculum, teaching and assessment requirements
• measure progress resulting from professional learning focused on te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori and plan next steps

Every six months:

• monitor progress against school and government priorities for attendance, literacy and numeracy to refine next steps
• review and refine professional learning plan related to curriculum, teaching and assessment requirements

Annually:

• analyse learner information related to school and government priorities for attendance, literacy and numeracy and report to the board
• evaluate progress made against annual and strategic priorities to inform next steps, including te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori.

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

• learners meet or exceed expectations in reading, writing and mathematics, while those with additional learning needs demonstrate accelerated progress during their time at the school
• learners, teachers and leaders consistently integrate te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori into school wide practices
• government priorities for attendance, literacy and numeracy are successfully implemented within existing frameworks. 

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

Sharon Kelly
Acting Director of Schools

3 March 2025

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