Weymouth 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 

Weymouth School is situated on the southwest peninsula of Manurewa and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school’s guiding philosophy is Ka whakaaro tatou (We think), Ka āwhina tatou (We help), Ka ako tatou (We learn) and Ka tiaki tatou (We care). The school’s vision is Strive for Best and values are Respect and Honesty.

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/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 

• The large majority of learners are at or above curriculum level expectations for reading, writing and mathematics; achievement outcomes for groups of learners is equitable. 
• Half of learners attend school regularly; the school has not yet reached the Ministry of Education’s target for regular attendance.
• The achievement levels of learners with specific learning needs are closely monitored and targeted support is provided; many of these learners make significant progress in their learning. 
• The confidence of learners is enhanced by adults who affirm, value and cater for their diverse languages, cultures and identities in whānau-based contexts; improving overall student wellbeing is an ongoing focus area.

Conditions to support learner success

• School leaders exemplify a collaborative leadership model, consistently driving successful outcomes through clear communication, shared vision and responsibility, and agile decision-making. 
• Leaders set and routinely monitor strategic improvement goals and targets that are enhancing engagement and achievement.
• Leaders, teachers and support staff use a range of effective strategies to reduce barriers to education and promote access to learning. 

• Teachers carefully design learning programmes using well-structured, purposeful activities focused on supporting learners to gain sound foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Teachers are supported to develop high quality teaching practice through relevant and targeted professional development; a current focus is adapting practice to strengthen students’ ways of handling social situations. 
• Students experience a localised curriculum that integrates te ao Māori, clearly reflects students interests and supports their connection to the school and local area.

• Tikanga Māori, including karakia and himene, and te reo Māori is embedded in teaching programmes and across the school environment to affirm Māori learners and promote a positive school culture.
• Achievement data is effectively used to evaluate student progress, teaching effectiveness, and teaching programmes to ensure learner outcomes are optimised.
• Regular communication with whānau about their child’s progress and next steps builds effective home-school learning partnerships; there is a collective responsibility for improving outcomes for students.
• Student wellbeing is supported by teachers and leaders using relationship-based approaches and restorative practices to improve student accountability. 

Part B: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• continue to work with parents and whānau whose children attend school irregularly to better understand how this impacts on learner’s progress and achievement
• continue to strengthen teachers’ collective knowledge and delivery of teaching and learning strategies that enable students to lead their own learning and talk about their next steps (student agency)
• continue strengthening students’ ways of handling social situations at school and refine internal processes for managing students with complex behaviour.

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

Every six months:

• leaders will review and respond to the effectiveness of strategies used to improve attendance and support the school community to understand the link between regular attendance and achievement
• leaders will continue to engage teachers in relevant professional learning opportunities that will promote student-led learning so learners can confidently talk about their learning, achievement and next steps
• leaders will implement initiatives to strengthen students’ social strategies and refine internal processes for managing students with complex behavioural needs.

Annually:

• leaders will monitor, evaluate and report to the board about the impact of teachers’ professional learning on improving student agency on learner outcomes and engagement in learning
• leaders will collect, analyse and respond to student feedback and ideas on student wellbeing.

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

• higher rates of student attendance, leading to improved learning progress and achievement
• increased student confidence and ability to discuss their own learning and next steps
• students with strong social strategies and refined systems for managing complex behaviour resulting in improved wellbeing conditions for all learners.

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