Kaitao Intermediate

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 24 months of the Education Review Office and Kaitao Intermediate 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 

Kaitao Intermediate is located in Rotorua and provides English and dual-medium te reo Māori education for students in Years 7 and 8. A new deputy principal has been appointed since the last ERO review.

Kaitao Intermediate’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• enhancing teaching and assessment practices through a focused inquiry approach

• investigating and utilising proven evidence-based instructional approaches to teaching and learning.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Kaitao Intermediate’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the achievement of all students in reading using a focused inquiry on student achievement (FISA) approach to cement research-based teaching and learning approaches.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• reading results are lower than expected across the school

• to enhance the consistency and effectiveness of approaches to the teaching and assessment of reading.

The school expects to see:

• professional learning conversations focused on raising student achievement guided by strengthened assessment practices

• identified priority students making accelerated progress supported by learning focused partnerships

• the FISA process embedded as a regular part of leaders’ and teachers’ professional growth cycles (PGCs)

• teaching and learning approaches enhanced with students benefiting from improved teaching practice.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal of raising the achievement of all students in reading using a focused inquiry approach:

• The senior leadership team work collaboratively to focus on practices that are most effective in improving student achievement.

• The professional growth cycle (PGC) promotes conversations focused on building teacher capability and sharing best practice.

• There is a school focus on developing innovative practices that contribute to inclusion, engagement and a sense of belonging.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• embedding PGC practices focused on improving student achievement and informed by reliable data

• regular meetings to discuss priority learner progress and challenges within curriculum teams

• ongoing professional development, including co-teaching and modelling teaching, to support student progress and build teacher capability.

ERO has concerns about

The school has identified low levels of student achievement as being of concern and is focused on addressing this concern as part of the evaluation process alongside ERO.

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

25 July 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