Donovan Primary School

School 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.

About the School

Donovan school, located in the northwest of Invercargill, provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school’s roll is 384. Most students are New Zealand/Pākehā, with 21% Māori and smaller numbers of Pacific and Middle East, Latin and African learners. The school aims to have students who are resilient, empathetic, adaptable and lifelong learners. 

A Ruru Special School satellite class is based onsite. 

Part A: Parent Summary

Progress since July 2022 ERO report

The school has evaluated how well teaching and learning have supported positive outcomes for learners. Deliberate professional development has promoted teachers’ collective understanding of learning and progression in teaching mathematics. As a result of this action, most learners are achieving well in mathematics. 

Teachers enhance their practice through explicit training for delivering structured approaches to literacy and mathematics.

Leaders expected to see increased teaching capacity to identify and respond to learner needs for accelerated progress. A robust evaluation process is used to identify learners requiring further support. A variety of interventions results in increased achievement and engagement across all year levels of the school. 

How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?

How well are learners succeeding?Success and progress for all learners is increasing.What is the quality of teaching and learning?

Learners benefit from high quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. 

 

How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs?

Learners have rich opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.

There is a consistent focus on supporting learners to gain skills in literacy and mathematics.

Learners with complex needs are well supported to achieve their education goals.

How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement?School planning and conditions to support ongoing improvement to the quality of education for learners are well established.How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing?The school successfully promotes learners’ engagement, wellbeing and inclusion.How well does the school partner with parents, whānau and its community for the benefit of learners?

The school reports usefully and accurately to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress.

The school responds well to a wide range of information gathered through community consultation, to inform strategic planning and curriculum decisions.

Student Health and SafetyThe school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.

Achievement in Years 0 to 8

This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Foundation Skills

 Reading

Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Attendance

The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.

The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.

Regular attendance is improving towards the target.

Chronic absence is reducing over time. 

Assessment

The school uses an appropriate approach and reliable practices to find out about achievement against the curriculum.

Assessment information is used well to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.

Progress

The school has good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.

The school has significantly improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.

The school has to some extent extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review.

The school is making progress towards Government reading, writing and mathematics targets and is likely to meet them by 2030. 

An explanation of the terms used in the Parent Summary can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office

Part B: Findings for the school

This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.

Areas of Strength

Leaders, with the board, staff, students and community, collaboratively set the school’s strategic vision and direction of the school. Leaders foster and maintain expectations for high quality teaching and equitable and excellence outcomes for all learners.

Staff use thorough systems and processes to identify students at risk of not achieving and evidence-based interventions increasingly target additional support for learners.

Learners have a rich and responsive curriculum that reflects their cultures and whānau aspirations; staff provide student-led opportunities to increase their agency (make choices, take initiative, and actively participate in their learning process). 

Through ongoing staff inquiry, leaders and teachers work collaboratively to grow professional capability and a shared understanding of high-quality teaching practice.

Structured approaches to literacy and mathematics are a key focus for the school as it continues to enhance teaching knowledge and capacity through ongoing professional development. 

Strong, positive relationships between the school and community are evident, including effective communication and consultation approaches that contribute to strategic planning.

The board are fully involved in strategic planning and resource initiatives to increase student attendance and achievement; trustees have specific focus on the wellbeing of all students. 

Key priorities and actions for improvement 

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• strengthen the school attendance plan to increase regular attendance
• have consistency in structured approaches in literacy and mathematics, to increase learner outcomes in writing and mathematics
• enhance data analysis practices and report to the board outcomes for all learners, to further support strategic decision making and resourcing
• strengthen culturally responsive approaches and practices for all cultures in the school, to increase engagement and achievement of learners. 

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

Within six months:

• through the school’s attendance plan, share with the school community expectations for regular attendance
• consult and plan with the school’s diverse cultural community, for ways to build responsive practices in the school environment that support learners to engage and achieve
• leaders work with the board, to identify specific data and information needed, that will support trustees in strategic planning for equitable outcomes for all learners 

Every six months:

• review the attendance plan and identify further action
• evaluate structured approaches to literacy and mathematics, to monitor consistency of teacher practice across the school and improvement to learner outcomes
• analyse and report to the board the progress of all learners, to identify those groups that require further support in literacy and numeracy
• review culturally responsive practices in the school and identify areas for further development

Annually:

• analyse attendance data looking for trends and patterns; report on the effectiveness of the attendance strategies to the school community and adjust the attendance plan as needed
• evaluate the impact of structured approaches to teaching literacy and mathematics, to plan for decision making about future professional development
• scrutinise data analysis practices, to ensure all learners are represented in reporting, and consequently inform decision making for all groups of learners
• evaluate the school’s response to culturally responsive approaches and initiatives, to identify practices that impact on learner engagement and increased achievement. 

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

• all students regularly attending
• consistent and structured teaching approaches in literacy and mathematics
• robust data analysis to inform strategic planning
• culturally responsive practices that reflect the diverse range of cultures in the school.

Part C: Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

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

Sharon Kelly
Director of Schools (Acting)

15 May 2025

Education Counts

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home