Matapu School

School Evaluation Report 

Tēnā koutou e mau manawa rahi ki te kaupapa e aro ake nei, ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa. Mā wai rā e kawe, mā tātau katoa.

We acknowledge the collective effort, responsibility and commitment by all to ensure that the child remains at the heart of the matter.

Context 

Matapu School, in rural South Taranaki, provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s vision for lifelong learning is underpinned by the values of ‘respect, ambition, integrity, sustainability and effort’.

There are two parts to this report.

Part A: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings. 

Part B: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Current State

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

• A large majority of learners achieve at or above expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics; reduced disparity in outcomes for groups of learners is evident.
• Students with additional needs are provided with effective assistance to progress and achieve their learning goals.
• Students express a strong sense of belonging and pride in their school that supports their wellbeing and engagement in learning.
• Regular attendance is below the Ministry of Education target; leaders and teachers work closely with parents and whānau to improve attendance rates for learners.

Conditions to support learner success

• Leaders set improvement goals and targets with a clear focus on increasing the progress and achievement of learners at risk of not achieving.
• Leadership ensures teaching expectations are clear, well implemented and responsive to support all learners.
• Leaders are engaged in professional knowledge building (PLD) with teachers, to enhance teaching effectiveness and learner outcomes.

• Learners are supported by positive and affirming learning environments characterised by a culture of respect and inclusion.
• Curriculum planning and scheduling prioritises literacy and mathematics teaching to effectively support ongoing improvement in learning outcomes.
• Learners experience a curriculum that provides them with authentic and relevant learning opportunities, reflects the aspirations of the community and incorporates the culture and heritage of the local environment.

• The board and school leaders seek the aspirations of parents and whānau to set strategic and annual goals that align to their shared vision for learner success and wellbeing.
• Information provided to the board ensures resourcing decisions support agreed priorities and drive school improvement strategies and actions. 
• Well established, reciprocal education connections with whānau, hapū and iwi support the weaving of te reo Māori and mātauranga Māori through the curriculum, supporting knowledge building and learner outcomes.
• Leaders continue to strengthen the use and understanding of evaluation to measure the impact of initiatives designed to improve learner outcomes.

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• further strengthen the use of achievement information to inform responsive teaching practices and improve achievement outcomes for all learners, particularly for boys in literacy
• continue with the provision of professional learning opportunities for leaders and teachers, aligned to the school’s teaching and learning philosophy, improvement goals and learner needs
• use a systematic evidence-based approach to evaluate school improvement initiatives and monitor their impact on learner outcomes
• embed current strategies and whānau partnerships to improve the rate of regular attendance.

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within six months:

• develop efficient systems for the ongoing collection, collation and analysis of learner progress and achievement information 
• leaders and teachers will continue to participate in effective, targeted ongoing professional growth and development opportunities
• design and implement a systematic evidence-based approach to evaluate school improvement initiatives and monitor their impact on learner outcomes.

Every six months:

• collect, moderate, analyse and use data to report on the attendance, progress and achievement of all learners
• gather and use evaluative evidence to review the effectiveness of selected school initiatives designed to improve learner outcomes.

Annually:

• analyse and report school wide achievement data to the board, to strategically plan actions that will improve attendance, achievement and learner outcomes
• report on the effectiveness of selected school initiatives designed to improve learner outcomes to inform future planning decisions.

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:

• improved and sustained attendance, progress and achievement for all learners
• consistently effective and responsive teaching, learning and assessment practices schoolwide, supporting improved and equitable outcomes for all learners
• a shared understanding of systems, processes and practices that support learner progress, achievement and wellbeing.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.

Me mahi tahi tonu tātau, kia whai oranga a tātau tamariki
Let’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

21 October 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