Kimbolton 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

Kimbolton School is located in rural northern Manawatū and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s vision is to ‘unleash the potential of all’, and is supported by the values of ‘whānau, attitude, kindness and achievement’.

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

Outcomes for learners show continuous improvement over time.

• Most learners achieve at or above expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics. 
• Achieving equity for groups of learners, particularly for Māori in mathematics, and boys in literacy, remains a priority for the school.
• Learners express a positive sense of belonging and pride in their school that supports their wellbeing and engagement with learning.
• In relation to the Ministry of Education’s 2024 attendance target, a small majority of learners attend school regularly; the school is yet to meet the target and is working to improve attendance for all learners.

Conditions to support learner success

Leaders foster a collaborative school culture with a strategic focus on improving learner outcomes.

• School leaders ensure expectations for high quality teaching and learning practices are clear, well implemented and responsive, to support all learners.
• Leaders are engaged in professional knowledge building with teachers to enhance teaching effectiveness and learner outcomes.
• To further support student success, leaders are strengthening evaluative capabilities to understand the impact of initiatives and strategies on learner outcomes.

Teaching practices and the curriculum are increasingly responsive to the needs and interests of learners.

• Teachers and staff implement structured and well-matched learning programmes that assist students to engage and make progress with their learning.
• Students needing additional in-class support benefit from consistent and targeted assistance, this contributes to learner progress within positive and inclusive classroom environments. 
• The teaching of the school’s curriculum provides students with a broad range of opportunities and experiences in which to participate and apply new learning.

Key conditions continue to be strengthened to support improvement and learner success.

• The board and leaders have a clear focus on embedding the school’s vision and values, prioritising the implementation of improvement goals related to achievement, learning and wellbeing.
• Leaders and teachers communicate well with parents and whānau to understand their aspirations for learning, and to share the progress, achievement and next learning steps for their children. 
• The board and leaders actively work to address barriers to education and facilitate access to learning for all students.

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• continue to improve achievement outcomes for all learners with a focus on achieving equity for Māori in mathematics and boys in literacy
• use a systematic evidence-based approach to evaluate school improvement initiatives and monitor their impact on learner outcomes
• continue to embed a curriculum that reflects the goals and aspirations of students, whānau and community, with a focus on improving learners’ achievement and attendance outcomes.

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

Within six months:

• design and implement a systematic evidence-based approach to evaluate school improvement initiatives and monitor their impact on learner outcomes

Every six months: 

• moderate, monitor and report on the progress and achievement of all learners, with a focus on achieving equity for groups of learners at risk of not achieving
• gather and evaluate evidence and report on the effectiveness of school initiatives, including attendance, designed to improve learner outcomes; use this information to inform future planning decisions

Annually:

• analyse and report schoolwide achievement information to the board, including progress made in achieving equity for groups of learners at risk of not achieving
• gather student, whānau and community feedback to evaluate the impact of the school’s curriculum on learners’ achievement and attendance outcomes.

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

• improved attendance, achievement and equity of outcomes for all learners
• a shared understanding of systems, processes and practices that support learner progress, achievement and wellbeing 
• an embedded local curriculum that reflects the goals and aspirations of all stakeholders.

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

8 November 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