Mohaka School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 16 months of the Education Review Office and Mohaka 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 

Mohaka is a full primary, rural school south of Wairoa. The school caters for learners from Years 1 to 8. The kura has whānau, hapu and iwi connections to Ngāti Pāhauwera. The guiding tauparapara for Mohaka school is: taku rekereke, taku tūrangawaewae: where I plant my feet, is where I make a stand.

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

• to raise levels of achievement in literacy
• to raise levels of achievement in mathematics.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan available at the school.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively teaching practices in literacy and numeracy promote improved outcomes for all learners.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• the need to improve learner outcomes in literacy and numeracy across all year levels of the school
• to ensure that professional learning in literacy is translated into tangible and actionable steps that lead to improved outcomes for learners
• that consistent teaching expectations are aligned with best practice, research and evidence to promote learner progress and achievement
• strong literacy and numeracy foundations will empower learners as they transition through their schooling.

The school expects to see equitable and excellent outcomes in literacy and numeracy for all learners with accelerated progress for target students.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate how effectively teaching practices in literacy and numeracy promote improved outcomes for all learners:

• whakawhanaungatanga is valued and central to school's community and sense of belonging
• well-established connections, communications and relationships with whānau, hapū, iwi to support student learning and outcomes
• school practices that effectively support students within an environment that grows their identity, language and culture for Māori to succeed as Māori
• a commitment to continued growth in teacher capacity and capability through professional learning leading to improve outcomes for all learners.

Where to next?

Moving forward the school will prioritise:

• targeted professional learning aligned to literacy and numeracy needs
• further analysis of data to identify specific areas of need and ongoing monitoring of learner progress and achievement
• ensuring that assessment activities are fit for purpose and support targeted instruction/deliberate teaching and learning
• strengthening reciprocal and learning centred relationships with community, families and whānau to support improved achievement in literacy and numeracy.

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

13 November 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