Nukuhou North School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within nine months of the Education Review Office and Nukuhou North 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 

Nukuhou North School is located at the foothills of the Waimana and Matahi Valleys in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and provides education for students in Years 0 – 8. The school appointed a first-time principal in 2021. Over the past two years, the school has seen a significant increase in the number of Māori students on its roll.

Nukuhou North School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• to improve student achievement in literacy

• to embed te ao Māori in the Nukuhou North curriculum

• to promote student wellbeing and increase engagement in school-life.

The school’s website is currently being rebuilt. A copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan will be available on Nukuhou North School’s website from Term 2, 2023 and copies are available at the school.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which school-wide literacy teaching practices are being strengthened to support equitable outcomes for all learners. The school has identified that more needs to be done to ensure parity and excellence for Māori learners.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• the need to ensure equity for Māori learners in literacy

• the opportunity to understand which improvements to literacy teaching practices are having the greatest impact on student outcomes

• the potential impact on pathways for learners as they progress through primary and into secondary schooling.

The school expects to see more equitable outcomes resulting from:

• teachers using curriculum knowledge and assessment to identify student needs and refining their teaching practice to meet those needs

• regular, consistent and effective literacy teaching at all levels

• robust systems and processes for identifying and responding to students with additional needs.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to strengthen literacy outcomes:

• a genuine commitment to meeting the school’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi

• staff and leaders with the cultural capacity to respond to the needs of Māori learners

• community connections that support an increasingly localised curriculum.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• developing a shared understanding of effective literacy assessment and teaching practices

• supporting teachers to implement consistent and effective literacy practices that pinpoint and respond to learner needs and promote more equitable outcomes

• continuing to strengthen the systems and processes for identifying and responding to students with additional needs.

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.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

6 April 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