Waitakaruru School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within six months of the Education Review Office and Waitakaruru 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 

Waitakaruru School is located in the Hauraki District and provides education for students in Years 0 to 8. The school’s SHARP values (Self-discipline, Honesty, Aspiration, Respect, Perseverance) and graduate profile provide a foundation for its pastoral system and localised curriculum.

Waitakaruru School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

• give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

• ensure every student is able to gain their highest possible standard in educational achievement

• ensure the school is a physically and emotionally safe place

• ensure the school is inclusive and caters for students with differing learning needs.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which strengthened wellbeing practices are improving resilience, engagement and learning outcomes for all students.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• the need to respond to a significant number of students who require support

• the significant difference this focus will make to learners most at risk of underachieving.

The school expects to see:

• a wellbeing framework guiding a coherent, comprehensive approach to wellbeing and engagement

• a range of strategies being implemented to promote wellbeing and engagement that respond effectively to individual students’ needs

• improved student resilience, engagement and wellbeing leading to improved learning outcomes.

Strengths

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

• strengthened systems and practices for identifying students with additional needs and tracking their progress

• relationships within and beyond the school that promote connection and inclusion

• leadership that is committed to developing an inclusive environment that meets the needs of individual learners.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• developing a comprehensive and coherent approach to wellbeing based around the SHARP values

• continuing to strengthen staff understanding of responsive wellbeing strategies

• implementing a range of wellbeing practices to support increased engagement and resilience

• using student wellbeing data and student achievement information to monitor the impact of improvements to wellbeing practices.

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

20 July 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