Nelson Park 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 

Nelson Park School is located in Napier and provides education for learners in Years 0 to 6. The school’s vision is to seek the highest in all things: Whaia ko te Taumata. The school’s values are Whakamahia: Participate, Whakapiki: Achieve, Whakamana: Respect and Whakaaroha: Kindness.

There are three parts to this report.

Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation. 

Part B: 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 C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals

Expected Improvements and Findings

Since the previous ERO report of August 2022, ERO and the school have worked together to evaluate how effectively professional learning in literacy promotes continuous improvement for all learners.  

The school expected to see: 

The close monitoring of learner progress as they transition from junior to middle school and beyond.  

• Learner progress is effectively monitored using a range of appropriate assessment tools. 
• School processes ensure effective communication of learner progress and achievement information as they transition across the school. 

Focused professional learning that sustains improvement goals.  

• Professional learning has resulted in an embedded understanding of how students learn and the ways in which teachers can cater to diversity in learners’ needs.  

The continued growth and repertoire of teaching practices that lead to improved literacy outcomes.  

• Teachers’ use of a variety of evidence-based teaching strategies is strengthening learner knowledge, confidence and achievement in reading and writing.

Other Findings

During the course of this evaluation, it was found that achievement in reading and mathematics has increased significantly over time; there is also evidence of improved achievement in writing. 

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action has been that structured approaches to teaching and assessing reading and writing are now embedded consistently across the school. 

Part B: Current State 

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

Most learners are engaged, make sustained progress and experience positive outcomes in relation to their learning and wellbeing.

• Most students achieve at or above curriculum expectations in reading and mathematics, and a large majority of students achieve these levels in writing; extending the progress of Māori learners, so that they are more represented at the higher curriculum levels, is an identified next step.
• The school has a trajectory of improved achievement in the foundation areas over time, and evidence of accelerated progress for many learners.
• Students benefit from an inclusive and supportive school learning environment; they are well supported by a holistic approach to wellbeing.
• The school is approaching the current Ministry of Education requirement for regular attendance. 

Conditions to support learner success

Leadership effectively fosters and sustains a culture committed to quality teaching and continuous improvement.  

• Leaders use high quality evidence to inform school direction and to evaluate the effectiveness of actions; a strong culture of inquiry for improvement is evident. 
• Leaders ensure a culture of collaboration and trust exists, within staff and between the school and whānau, to support student success. 
• Leaders prioritise ongoing professional learning that is aligned with school goals, develops teachers’ practice and grows leadership schoolwide; actions implemented are based on well evidenced research. 

Students have a range of opportunities to engage in learning through high quality and effective teaching practices.

• Teachers know their students well and use a variety of evidence-based teaching approaches to sequence purposeful, well-paced learning that is responsive to differing needs. 
• Teachers create orderly, affirming and inclusive environments for learning; te reo Māori, te ao Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori are increasingly woven through all aspects of the school’s curriculum. 
• Appropriate high quality assessment information is effectively used to inform planning and to monitor the progress and achievement of learners. 

The school has well established systems, practices and programmes that prioritise and promote learners’ wellbeing, learning and engagement for success.  

• The Nelson Park School Tikanga framework is increasingly used to guide teaching approaches and practices in ways that support the school’s goals and reflect its values.
• Diversity is valued and celebrated; culturally responsive practices are strengthening and students with additional needs are well supported to progress.
• The school has an embedded understanding of the role of evaluation for improvement.
• The school board works effectively with leadership to evaluate information and respond with appropriate support and resourcing to meet identified needs.

Part C: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• sustain and improve regular attendance for all students with a particular focus on improving attendance for Māori learners
• build consistency in the delivery of structured mathematics schoolwide
• extend the achievement and progress of learners working at or above curriculum expectations with a particular focus on Māori students
• continue to strengthen approaches for teaching and learning for students who are learning English as a second language.  

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

Within six months:

• collaborate with whānau to create an action plan to improve regular attendance
• commence professional learning in the delivery of structured mathematics and identify appropriate resources
• create a consistent programme schoolwide, supported by targeted specialist teachers, to further meet the needs of English language learners
• identify students currently working at expectation in reading and mathematics and develop strategies to extend their progress

Every six months:

• review and report to the board and community on the effectiveness of actions in improving and sustaining regular attendance
• critically review and report to the school board, the progress of all learners, identifying individuals and cohorts, including English Language learners

Annually:

• leaders evaluate and report attendance information to the board, showing the impact of strategies on achieving regular attendance, with a lens on Māori learners
• leaders gather and analyse progress and achievement data and evaluate progress on school goals, sharing this information with the school board and community. 

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

• improved regular attendance, with an increase in the number of Māori students attending school regularly
• structured mathematics approaches used consistently schoolwide, resulting in improved outcomes for all learners
• sustained progress and achievement of English Language Learners over time
• an increase in the number of students, including Māori students, working above curriculum expectations in reading and mathematics.

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

Sharon Kelly
Acting Director of Schools

26 February 2025

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