Elstow-Waihou Combined 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

Elstow-Waihou Combined School is a full primary, school located in a rural community near Te Aroha, providing education for Years 1 to 8 students. The school's vision is promoted through the values of manaakitanga, ako, toitoi manawa and waewae kai kapua and whakapapa.

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 

Outcomes for learners show continuous improvement over time.

• The majority of students make sustained progress and achieve at the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics; disparity for some groups of students remains.
• Learners who need additional support progress and achieve well through individualised, relevant, and effective learning plans that are co-constructed with whānau and the learner.
• Most learners attend school regularly; the school has effective systems for addressing irregular attendance.

Conditions to support learner success

Collaborative and strategic leadership promotes a school culture of high expectations and continuous improvement. 

• Strong and intentional relationships with community support rich and engaging opportunities for student learning.
• A well-considered approach to clarify the roles, responsibilities and expectations of staff results in coherent and collaborative practices to enhance school improvement.
• Leaders prioritise meaningful and responsive programmes that benefit individuals and groups of students, particularly Māori and those with additional learning and wellbeing needs. 

Deliberate and responsive teaching, with a clear focus on the teaching of literacy and numeracy, ensures learners experience a meaningful and coherent curriculum.

• Students benefit from the provision of an engaging and localised curriculum that encourages deep inquiry into contexts for learning.
• Teachers increasingly integrate tikanga, te reo and mātauranga Māori learning throughout the curriculum, so that all learners know about and appreciate the place of tāngata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand. 
• Students learn in calm and purposeful learning environments where teaching practices are highly relational and affirming. 

Established school conditions for learning, wellbeing and community partnerships support ongoing improvement. 

• Learners have a positive sense of belonging within an inclusive learning environment.
• Parents and whānau are valued partners in their child’s learning; the community plays a significant role in the life of the school.
• The board effectively represents, serves, and works with the school community, so that leaders and teachers are supported to achieve the school’s vision and goals. 
• Student achievement and community consultation information are used well to inform decision making and understand the impact of actions on student outcomes.

Part B: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• develop a learning progression framework that support students and parents to know and understand what children are learning and their next steps
• consolidate staff understanding of effective teaching strategies that have the greatest impact on student engagement, progress and achievement
• strengthen the teachers’ capability and confidence in te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori.

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

Within six months:

• gather data on the extent to which teachers are consistently using high impact teaching strategies that accelerate student learning in their classroom practice, particularly those who are not achieving as well as their peers 
• implement a schoolwide learning progression framework that supports planning for teaching and learning
• review the school’s Te Ao Māori Development Plan with mana whenua to inform next steps towards achieving equitable outcomes. 

Annually:

• report to the board the progress and achievement that groups of learners make against the progression framework
• monitor the effectiveness of high impact teaching approaches to ensure continuous improvement of learner outcomes 
• review the integration of te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori within the school’s context and curriculum, to ensure continuing progress in strengthening knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori. 

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

• equitable and excellent outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics
• consistent use of highly effective teaching practices for all learners
• increased confidence and capability in te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori by students and staff.

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

13 September 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