Three Kings 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 

Three Kings School | Te Tātua o Rakataura is located in Three Kings, Auckland and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school’s values encourage mahi tahi, wairua auaha, whakaute and pakari (collaborative, creative, respectful, and resilient learners). Three Kings School is a member of the Puketāpapa Kāhui Ako.

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 December 2022, ERO and the school worked together to evaluate the extent to which specific teacher professional development in culturally responsive practices and localised curriculum contributed to equitable outcomes for all learners. 

Expected Improvements and Findings 

The school expected to see:

Teachers identify effective strategies to acknowledge the culture and identity of learners.

• Leaders and teachers developed and use a Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy Rubric for teaching; action plans for lifting Māori and Pacific achievement have been implemented in conjunction with the rubric. 
• The rubric supports teachers to recognise and plan effective approaches to address disparity for Māori and Pacific learners in writing and mathematics.
• The principles of whanaungatanga, high expectations, connectedness and curriculum and learning focused conversations are embedded in teacher practice.
• Teachers deliberately use strategies to respond to a learner’s culture and identity and the clear expectation of accelerated learning. 

A localised, culturally responsive curriculum will ensure teachers continue to adapt and adjust their teaching to ensure equity in outcomes for all learners. 

• Leaders and teachers revised the curriculum to ensure it meets and responds to the needs of Three Kings School learners.
• Teachers’ planning and practice has become more consistent through the use of curriculum guidelines.
• Leaders and teachers use a range of assessments to evaluate the success of curriculum initiatives and to further adapt teaching for those who need more support. 

Other Findings 

During the course of the evaluation, it was found that intentional and planned community engagement activities strengthened genuine and learning-focused relationships with parents and whānau.

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action is that learners are more connected and confident in their own languages, cultures and identities.  

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 and above curriculum expectation in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Most Māori and Pacific learners achieve at and above in reading; there is minimal disparity in writing and mathematics.
• Most learners attend school regularly; the school has met the Ministry of Education’s targets for regular attendance in 2024. 

Conditions to support learner success

• Leaders set coherent improvement goals, including the acceleration of achievement for learners who are at risk of underachieving.
• Leaders actively support teachers in their professional growth, including developing leadership capability across the school. 
• Leaders ensure that professional learning aligns with the school’s strategic priorities and identified needs of learners and teachers. 

• Teachers set high expectations for success and have mutually respectful relationships with learners.
• Teachers encourage learners to talk about their learning, try new ideas and problem solve in meaningful ways.
• Learners experience a broad range of learning opportunities through a theme-based and localised approach to learning.

• Leaders and teachers use a range of effective strategies to support access to learning for all, including those with learning needs.
• Strong assessment systems and processes guide leaders and teachers to make evidence-based decisions. 
• Leaders and teachers value the cultural backgrounds of all learners and seek purposeful opportunities to strengthen relationships with parents and whānau.
• The board effectively represents and works with the local community to develop the school’s vision, values, strategic direction and improvement priorities. 

Part C: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• consistently use and embed effective teaching practices to respond to the increasing diversity of learners’ interests, choices and needs 
• further strengthen community partnerships so that there is wide input into school priorities and actions
• continue to analyse and respond to attendance, achievement and engagement information to ensure that initiatives lead to equity and excellence for all learners. 

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

Within six months:

• implement revised Three Kings School curriculum guidelines which incorporate recent professional learning and reflect the school’s valued outcomes for teaching and learning.

Every six months:

• review teaching, learning and curriculum initiatives to ensure that there is consistency of practice 
• utilise a variety of opportunities, including community events, to gather diverse community voice
• analyse attendance, progress and achievement information to inform initiatives and plan staff professional learning accordingly. 

Annually:

• evaluate and refine the Three Kings School local curriculum so that it continues to respond to the increasing diversity of learners’ interests, choices and needs 
• review community partnership initiatives to ensure collective decision making and that the school strategic plan reflects learner and whānau priorities and aspirations 
• evaluate and report on attendance, progress and achievement information to ensure that targeted actions have been effective in raising achievement for all and inform strategic decision making.

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

• equitable and excellent learning outcomes for all learners
• consistency in teaching practice which is based on a localised curriculum that responds to diverse learner needs and community aspirations 
• learning-focused community partnerships. 

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 August 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