Central Normal 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 

Central Normal School is located in Palmerston North and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The school’s vision Whaia Kia Tutuki, is that learners and staff strive to reach their potential.

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 

• Most learners are achieving at expected curriculum expectations in reading, with a large majority in writing and mathematics; the school is yet to achieve equitable outcomes for some groups of learners. 
• Learners who require additional support are well supported and make progress against appropriately challenging goals set in their individual learning plans. 
• Most learners regularly attend; the school is not yet meeting the Ministry of Education target for attendance.
• Learners have a strong sense of wellbeing; wellbeing data is regularly gathered, analysed, and acted on to ensure learner experiences are mana enhancing and to inform improvement actions.

Conditions to support learner success

• School leaders ensure expectations for high-quality practice are clear, shared, monitored and purposefully focused on improved outcomes for all learners. 
• Leadership is strengthening teacher practice through professional development for improved outcomes, particularly for those learners most at risk of underachievement. 
• Leadership builds and sustains high levels of relational trust, collaboration, and communication focused on improved professional practice.

• Teachers increasingly use appropriate and good quality assessment information to plan for and adapt teaching practice to respond to learner strengths and needs. 
• Leaders and teachers value the cultural backgrounds of their learners and demonstrate this through the school’s programmes, initiatives and practices.
• Staff use teaching and learning resources effectively to support curriculum delivery, teaching and learning.

• A shared approach to the collection and management of assessment information is being enhanced as staff grow their data analysis capability to support learner success. 
• Staff are strengthening their understanding of how their practice impacts on learner outcomes. 
• School leaders are focused on deepening schoolwide understanding of how to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and building in their partnership with mana whenua. 

Part B: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are:

• to provide professional development and guidance for teachers so that they use practices most effective in accelerating progress for learners most at risk of underachievement
• to strengthen the ways in which the school is giving effect to the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, to provide learning experiences and opportunities that further enhance learner engagement and support improved outcomes, particularly for Māori learners
• for the school board, leaders and staff to develop a collective and shared understanding of the aspirations of learners and whānau to inform strategic direction, schoolwide practices and teaching and learning programmes. 

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

Within six months:

• leaders to model in-depth data analysis to strengthen data literacy across the school and collective capacity in evidence-informed practices
• develop systems, processes and a timeline for the schoolwide Manaaki programme, focused on strengthening learner self-management and interpersonal relationships
• school leaders to seek support to further develop schoolwide understanding of the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, strengthening culturally sustaining practices to result in equitable outcomes for Māori learners
• the school board to develop a process of self-evaluation to ensure the effectiveness of their own performance

Every six months:

• school leaders and staff closely analyse learner progress and achievement data, identifying what is working and for who and next steps, resulting in teaching and learning practices and programmes that meet the needs of all learners
• the board to scrutinise schoolwide progress and achievement data to understand the impact of teaching programmes and to inform improvement actions 
• leadership and staff to evaluate the impact of schoolwide practices designed to enhance learner engagement and achievement, focused on reducing any equity gaps between groups of learners

Annually: 

• school leaders and staff use in-depth analysis of learner attendance, progress and achievement data from across the year to identify how they need to adapt practice to ensure excellent and equitable outcomes for all learners
• the school board rigorously scrutinise schoolwide attendance, progress and achievement data to understand the impact of programmes, and to inform improvement actions, annual and strategic planning
• school leaders gather whānau, hapū, iwi and learner voice about the quality of learning partnerships and the extent to which the school is giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• the board evaluates the effectiveness of their own performance and adapts practice and decision-making accordingly.

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

• excellent and equitable outcomes for all learners
• high levels of data literacy across the staff and evidence-informed practices leading to accelerated progress for those most at risk of underachievement 
• a high level of attendance and engagement from all learners, who know who they are as learners, and how to reach their potential.
• realising the school’s goal to have whānau, hapū, iwi and learners as equal partners in schoolwide decision making. 

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

20 September 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