Kopuarahi School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within five months of the Education Review Office and Kopuarahi 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 

Kopuarahi School is located 14 kilometres west of Thames on State Highway 25 near Pipiroa and provides education for students in years 0 to 8. The school is focused on ‘pointing kids in the right direction’ by fostering BEST learning, BEST service, and BEST self.

Kopuarahi School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

• provide an environment where every learner feels safe, appreciated and included
• provide rich, child-centred learning opportunities through a curriculum built on empowering students
• grow effective and strategic governance and management.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which individual learning and wellbeing plans and programmes are supporting progress towards excellent and equitable outcomes.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• the small number of learners enrolled in the school
• the significant difference it will make to those learners with additional learning and wellbeing needs.

The school expects to see equitable and excellent outcomes resulting from:

• a range of tools being used to identify the learning and wellbeing needs of each student accurately
• the wellbeing and learning needs of each student being deliberately targeted with responsive, tailored programmes
• learning-focused partnerships with whānau and outside agencies supporting student success.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to meet the needs of every child:

• a localised, hands-on curriculum that promotes engagement
• positive and caring relationships that support connection and responsiveness
• experienced leadership committed to meeting the needs of individual learners.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise continuing to:

• gather accurate information to support a clear understanding of each student’s learning and well-being needs
• develop individualised wellbeing and learning programmes to target student need and monitor progress
• foster meaningful educational connections with whānau and outside agencies to support students to succeed.

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

15 September 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