Mount Biggs School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 6 months of the Education Review Office and Mount Biggs 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

Mount Biggs School is located in a rural setting on the outskirts of Feilding and caters for students in Years 1 to 8. 

Mount Biggs School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• to maximise individual capability through quality teaching and learning
• to deliver the Mount Biggs School curriculum through collaborative, flexible practices and by focusing on children’s diverse needs to achieve their full potential
• to develop strong leadership capabilities through all aspects of the school using targeted professional development
• to manage and prioritise human and physical resources to achieve the ongoing vision of confident, connected, happy, and actively involved in learning
• celebrate the cultural diversity of the school and community
• to promote and enhance the school culture reflective of the school values and vision.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well delivery of the literacy curriculum achieves equitable and excellent outcomes for learners. 

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• leaders have guided the implementation of changes in the approach and delivery of their literacy curriculum. Further development continues through embedding of literacy approaches and implementation of the literacy progressions. ERO and the school will work together to evaluate and report the impact of these changes in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. 

The school expects to see: 

• equitable and excellent outcomes for learners in literacy and accelerated progress for learners working toward curriculum expectations
• effective teaching and learning practice that incorporates new learning and reflects shared expectations in the delivery of literacy strategies and practice
• a highly inclusive learning environment, reflective of the schools agreed shared values, encouraging positive engagement at school and in learning
• te ao Māori evident in design and enactment of the localised curriculum reflecting a reciprocal partnership between the school and Ngati Kauwhata.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to build approaches and strategies in literacy to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners:

• leaders, trustees, and teaching staff collaboratively pursue the school’s vision, goals, and targets designed to promote learner success
• learning environments, reflective of shared school values, support positive conditions at school and encourage purposeful engagement in learning
• staff know students well. Collaborative practice between leaders, teachers and support staff promotes a well-considered response in meeting the learning and engagement needs of students.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise: 

• continuing to collaboratively engage teaching and support staff in professional learning and development to implement literacy learning progressions that promote continuity and consistency of practice across the school
• utilising reciprocal partnerships with whānau, iwi and the community to further reflect their collective body of knowledge through continued refinement of the localised curriculum.

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

22 January 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