Tokoroa Intermediate

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Tokoroa Intermediate 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 

Tokoroa Intermediate school is located in the South Waikato township of Tokoroa within the tribal boundaries of Ngāti Raukawa. It caters for students in Years 7 and 8. An established leadership team continues in its role.

Tokoroa Intermediate’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• to develop, strengthen and embed the understanding and use of te reo Māori

• to develop a curriculum framework that is challenging, relevant and engaging

• to develop leadership and teacher capability

• to strengthen home/school partnerships and develop wider community relationships.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which teaching responds to the learning needs of all students, particularly those who are at risk of underachieving.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• to improve school-wide systems, such as data analysis and tracking and monitoring of student progress, to promote a more focused response to student needs

• to further embed the use of learning progressions to better understand and respond to student needs

• to further empower students to take responsibility for their own learning.

The school expects to see:

• a greater number of students making accelerated progress to ensure they are achieving at the expected curriculum level by the end of Year 8

• comprehensive and consistent use of learning progressions by all teachers to improve achievement

• students engaging with and supported to take responsibility for their learning.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths, to support its goal to evaluate the extent to which teaching responds to the learning needs of all students, particularly those who are at risk of underachieving:

• comprehensive and effective support for students with high social, pastoral, and behavioural needs

• highly effective and specific support for students with high learning needs

• a strong, positive and inclusive culture for learning.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• evaluating current assessment tools and the ways these are used by teachers to identify student curriculum levels and next steps in learning

• evaluating teacher planning with a focus on the extent to which this responds to the learning needs of individuals and groups of students.

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

28 June 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