Dannevirke High School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within eight months of the Education Review Office and Dannevirke High 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 

Dannevirke High School, situated in Dannevirke in the Tararua District, caters for students from Years 9-13. The school aims to empower students to become confident, actively involved, self-aware, lifelong learners through a student-centred curriculum. 

Dannevirke High School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• redevelopment of the school curriculum to reflect the central role of the learner within a culturally responsive framework

• professional learning and consolidation of culturally responsive practice for all staff

• ensuring meaningful engagement and consultation with whānau, Māori and other partners.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate to what extent changes to curriculum and teaching practices result in improved outcomes for learners.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• maintaining focus on equity and excellence for all learners through giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

• further develop a curriculum reflective of student aspirations, interests and identities - including Māori succeeding as Māori

• support teachers to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of innovative, responsive and localised learning experiences.

The school expects to see a more culturally responsive school environment. This will be seen in increased opportunities for involvement in cultural activities and a flexible curriculum which responds to student needs. The school expects this to result in improved outcomes for learners.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to raise achievement for students in need of accelerated progress through culturally responsive practice:

• a clear programme of planned self-review across school conditions that informs improvement and recognises success

• use of internal expertise and student/whānau consultation to review schoolwide initiatives with “what makes a difference” and “what next” factors identified

• partnerships with iwi, whānau and learning partners that support the development of teacher expertise in culturally responsive learning strategies.

Where to next? 

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• strengthening staff capability to use culturally responsive practices and pedagogy

• developing high quality programmes of teaching and learning incorporating the NZ Refresh, NZ Histories Curriculum and NCEA changes

• implementing the use of self-review tools to help leaders and teachers better understand the factors most affecting the achievement 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.

Kathy Lye
Acting Director Review and Improvement (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

21 April 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