Whenuakura School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report 

Background

This Profile Report was written within 8 months of the Education Review Office and Whenuakura 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

Whenuakura School is a rural coeducational contributing primary school that provides education for children from year 1 to year 6. It is located in rural South Taranaki 5km south of Pātea. The school appointed a new principal at the beginning of 2024.

Whenuakura School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• achievement for all
• safe and caring environment. 

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school’s localised curriculum supports improved confidence, progress, and achievement in writing for all students.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• to further support improved student confidence, progress, and achievement in writing 
• to strengthen the degree of student agency in writing
• to further strengthen teaching and learning practices in writing
• the impact this focus will have on meeting the school’s strategic goal of achievement for all.

The school expects to see: 

• improved and sustained progress and achievement in writing, over time
• a cohesive school-wide approach to writing 
• students well-supported to achieve success in the teaching and learning of writing
• increased student confidence and agency in writing.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths in its goal to develop a localised curriculum that supports improved student progress and achievement in writing:

• a positive learning culture characterised by respect, inclusion, empathy, collaboration and safety and underpinned by relational and culturally responsive teaching practices
• teachers positively engage with professional development that strengthens teaching capability with an equity focus
• foundational teaching and learning practices that support student’s learning and achievement in writing.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• identifying and engaging with evidence-based teaching and learning practices that support improved student confidence, progress and achievement in writing
• embedding evidence-based teaching and learning practices to grow and sustain student achievement in writing through a localised writing curriculum
• evaluating initiatives to ensure that teaching and learning practices are positively impacting students’ confidence, progress and achievement in writing. 

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

19 March 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