Ngongotaha 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

Ngongotaha School is located in the village of Ngongotahā, on the northwestern shores of Lake Rotorua, and provides education for students in Years 1-6. The school’s values and vision ‘Iti rearea Kahikatea ka taea – Aim high Stand proud’, underpin school-life. Three Rumaki classrooms offer learning at Level 1 Māori immersion.

There are three parts to this report.

Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation. 

Part B: 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 C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals 

Since the previous report in October 2022, ERO and the school worked together to evaluate how well the focus on improving learner aspirations resulted in improved engagement, motivation and self-management and responsibility for learning. 

Expected Improvements and Findings 

The school expected to see:

Measurable improvement in students’ academic achievement.

• Student achievement data over time shows that most year groups attained a positive shift in literacy and mathematics, however inequity is still evident for some groups of learners.

Students knowing their strengths and setting appropriate goals for personal growth.

• Processes for student goal setting and self-management of learning are not yet consistent across the school.

Ongoing improvement in school and whānau learning engagement through whānau curriculum workshops. 

• Whānau are engaged in partnerships for learning through regular opportunities for consultation and workshops.
• Meaningful opportunities for whānau to build understanding around a variety of topics that positively impact learning, such as resilience, differentiated learning and positive behaviour, have strengthened home-school learning partnerships.

Other Findings 

During the course of the evaluation, it was found that recently implemented professional learning for literacy in the junior school positively impacts on learner outcomes and teacher practice. 

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action is the positive impact on student engagement in writing in the junior school alongside improvements in the teaching of reading and writing.

Part B: Current State 

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

Outcomes for learners are becoming more equitable.

• The majority of learners achieved at or above curriculum expectations in literacy; achievement outcomes in mathematics is lower. 
• Disparity in achievement is evident for some groups of learners; reducing this disparity remains a priority for improvement.
• The majority of learners attend school regularly; increased attendance is supported through consistent monitoring and celebrating improved attendance. 

Conditions to support learner success

Leaders foster a culture committed to quality teaching and working towards equity in learner outcomes.

• Leaders focus on strengthening the consistency of teaching programmes to support raising expectations for quality teaching and learning.
• Leaders build positive relationships with education providers and community groups to support and increase opportunities for learning and success.
• Leaders increasingly involve whānau and iwi in sharing aspirations for learner outcomes, and this information supports school decision making.

Teaching is increasingly intentional and responsive to the diverse needs of learners.

• A structured approach to the teaching and learning of literacy supports improved learner outcomes and teacher practice.
• Learners needing additional support are identified and provided with increasingly effective assistance that progresses their learning. 
• Learners engage in meaningful real-life learning contexts through a culturally connected localised curriculum. 

The school has well established conditions that underpin school improvement.

• Leaders and teachers facilitate regular opportunities for parents and whānau to engage in school life and to share their aspirations for learner success.
• Positive outcomes for learner behaviour and wellbeing are supported and enhanced through established programmes and processes. 
• Leaders and teachers are strengthening the use of information from a range of sources to plan for ongoing improvement. 
• Tailored support for groups of learners, in partnership with Ngāti Whakaue, enables the improvement of outcomes for these learners. 

Rumaki/Bilingual Outcomes and Condition to Support Learner Success 

Learner success and wellbeing

Tamariki are:

• intentionally exposed to the rich cultural narratives of Ngongotahā and Te Arawa
• developing an understanding of lifelong values through Ngā Pou o Te Whānau Maunga
• thriving in an ākonga-centric learning environment.

Conditions to support learners

• The curriculum is inclusive and responsive to the aspirations of tamariki, whānau and iwi.
• A holistically inclusive and caring culture focuses on celebrating success and embracing diversity.
• Learning is deliberately adapted to meet the individual needs of tamariki.
• Kaiako actively draw on educational and iwi relationships to ensure tamariki are exposed to wider community events and people.

Part C: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• enhance schoolwide consistency in the planning and implementation of literacy and mathematics teaching and learning
• establish collective and dependable processes for teachers to regularly monitor and evaluate the impact of their teaching on learner progress and achievement 
• strengthen responsive and adaptive te reo Māori teaching and learning programmes and practices to accelerate progress and achievement for those tamariki underachieving or at risk of underachieving
• continue to focus on improving attendance rates for all students to meet Ministry of Education targets
• co-construct a fluid transition programme with kōhanga reo and kura to build confidence in both tamariki and whānau in their choices of Māori medium pathway options.

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

Within three months: 

• connect with local kōhanga and local kura and begin to develop a Māori medium pathway plan

Within six months:

• establish dependable processes to collectively monitor the impact of teaching, learning and use of assessment on learner progress and achievement 
• identify teachers’ strengths and development needs in literacy and mathematics 
• develop an action plan for literacy and mathematics improvement and engage teachers in relevant professional learning to strengthen consistent quality practice 
• develop an improvement plan and engage relevant professional learning for kaiako to support planned improvements to accelerate progress for Tamariki.

Every six months:

• monitor how well assessment information is used to guide effective and responsive teaching and learning 
• monitor accelerated learning progress for tamariki identified as underachieving or at risk of underachieving 
• monitor the impact of strategies used to improve attendance rates for all
• monitor the implementation and effectiveness of literacy and mathematics learning programmes.

Annually:

• evaluate improvements in literacy and mathematics outcomes for learners
• evaluate patterns and improvements in attendance that are inclusive of all learners across the school
• evaluate how well collective monitoring processes have improved teaching and assessment practices, and outcomes for learners
• evaluate the impact of te reo Māori programmes and initiatives implemented to accelerate learning for tamariki underachieving or at risk of underachieving
• monitor and evaluate the success of tamariki transitions through Māori medium pathways.

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

• improved levels of engagement, confidence and achievement outcomes for all students in literacy and mathematics
• improved progress and achievement outcomes for all tamariki in rumaki classes 
• embedded processes for collective and dependable monitoring and evaluation of the impact of teaching on learner progress and achievement
• continued improvement in attendance rates for all learners
• an increase of tamariki more readily prepared to transition into and through a Māori medium pathway. 

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

14 August 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