St Pius X Catholic School (Melville)

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 6 months of the Education Review Office and St Pius X Catholic School (Melville) 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

St Pius X Melville is located behind the St Pius X Catholic church in the Hamilton suburb of Melville and provides provide education for students 0 to 8. The school promotes the values of their special character based on the Founding Order, reflected in their mission statement: to learn love, to learn wisdom, the way we are. The school is currently recruiting for a new principal in 2024.

St Pius X Catholic School (Melville)’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• targeted action to support priority learners to successfully transition into secondary education
• continue to implement and review relationship-based learning professional development, with a focus on new staff
• review ESOL programmes to ensure targeted learning plans are in place
• implementation of the New Zealand Curriculum refresh.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on St Pius X Catholic School (Melville)’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively the localised curriculum is improving outcomes for learners.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• further embed relationship-based learning into teaching and learning programmes so that it becomes part of the pedagogy of the school
• strengthening partnerships with mana whenua to further implement a localised curriculum.

The school expects to see regular review of relationship-based learning and meaningful partnerships with mana whenua, informing improvements in teaching practice, enhancing outcomes for learners and supporting the authentic delivery of the localised curriculum.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to improve outcomes for learners:

• Collaborative staff culture that promotes sharing and discussing of ideas and future development for the school and learners.
• Strong programmes are in place that support students with additional learning needs and ensure an inclusive school environment for all.
• A well-considered professional development plan is in place that support all new staff and on-going review of previous learning for existing staff.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• gathering a range of voice and information about relationship-based learning to inform next steps for all learners, staff and students
• engaging with mana whenua to know and understand their aspirations for learners and content of the localised curriculum.

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 School

16 November 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