Okoia School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 14 months of the Education Review Office and Okoia 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 

Okoia School is located close to Whanganui and caters for learners in Years 1 to 8. An acting principal was appointed at the beginning of 2023.

Okoia School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

• build strong learning opportunities to ensure every student progresses and achieves to their full potential
• provide a safe, inclusive environment, that promotes a high level of equity, excellence and belonging
• promote strong partnerships by caring for and effectively communicating with all students, parents, staff, and the community
• provide the physical and financial resources to support learning outcomes.

A copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan can be requested from Okoia School.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school responds to the individual needs of learners to achieve positive progress, achievement, engagement, and attendance outcomes.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• reported information shows many learners require additional support to achieve positive engagement and accelerate their progress in literacy and mathematics. ERO and the school will work together to evaluate the impact of teaching, learning and school conditions on achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners.

The school expects to see:

• positive student engagement, attendance and accelerated progress for learners working toward curriculum expectations in literacy and mathematics
• implementation of the recently revised strategic plan to guide the school towards achieving parents, whānau and community priorities
• the schools’ localised curriculum is documented overtime to reflect shared expectations for teaching, learning and curriculum delivery
• implementation of a robust professional growth cycle that effectively guides and develops teacher practice aligned to professional standards and agreed effective practice.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to accelerate progress and respond to the individual needs of learners:

• learners with additional and complex needs are identified and monitored. Access to specialist programmes, in class support, including the provision of additional personnel, encourages the positive engagement and progress of learners
• collaborative discussion, and opportunities to participate in professional learning and development (PLD) for teachers and support staff, encourages development of shared strategies to meet the diverse learning and engagement needs of students
• trustees resourcing is responsive to the needs of learners.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• continued participation of staff in relevant PLD to build their collective capability and practice to meet the diverse needs of learners
• further development and documenting of the Okoia School curriculum that provides shared expectations for teaching, learning and culturally responsive practice
• development and implementation of a robust professional growth cycle to guide and support teachers’ professional practice expectations and build their collective capacity and capability.

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

12 September 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