Sunset Primary School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 24 months of the Education Review Office and Sunset Primary 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

Sunset Primary School is situated in Rotorua and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6 in English and bilingual medium pathways. The board and staff promote the school mission, mā te Mahitahi ka tutuki, as one we can achieve.

Sunset Primary School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• create a safe and inclusive culture where diversity is valued and all learner/ākonga and staff feel they belong
• reduce financial dependence on families and whānau 
• adjust learning opportunities, teaching approaches and supports to improve outcomes for students
• develop opportunities for teachers/kaiako and leaders to build their capability, knowledge and skills in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori
• invest in opportunities for teachers/ kaiako and staff to strengthen teaching, leadership and learning support where required.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well changes to mathematics programmes have improved student achievement.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• to inform the continued development of common practices that strengthen teaching and learning programmes
• to continue to accelerate student progress in mathematics 
• to inform the school’s strategic direction.

The school expects to see:

• the identification and use of practices and strategies that impact the most on raising student outcomes
• improved student achievement, attendance and engagement.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal of improving teaching and learning, and student outcomes, in mathematics:

• leaders and staff are aware of the need, and are committed to improving outcomes for all learners 
• a school-wide focus on the wellbeing of staff and ākonga
• a focus on mahitahi that sets the foundation for collaboration and collective practice
• the implementation of the school’s local curriculum to improve students’ sense of belonging, language, culture and identity.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• the evaluation of the effectiveness of mathematics initiatives on learners’ progress, achievement and engagement
•  the evaluation of the impact of the local curriculum on learning outcomes.

Recommendation

ERO recommends that the school develops procedures to support policy implementation, as per current school policy documentation, particularly in aspects of health and safety policy implementation.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

22 January 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