Te Awa School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 22 months of the Education Review Office and Te Awa 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 

Te Awa School is located in Napier in Hawke’s Bay and has learners from Years 1 to 6. A new principal was appointed in 2023. 

Te Awa School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• to increase te reo Māori me ōna tikanga within a localised curriculum 
• to develop a caring environment where kaitiakitanga is treasured
• to implement literacy and numeracy through a tikanga lens.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively evidenced based and culturally responsive and relational pedagogy promotes engagement and supports improved learner outcomes for all.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is: 

• to promote equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners in better monitoring of progress in literacy and mathematics and informed teaching
• to ensure that professional learning is translated into tangible and actionable steps that lead to improved outcomes for learners
• to support and strengthen purposeful internal evaluation that builds collective capacity and contributes to sustained improvement.

The school expects to see:

• improved engagement with equitable and excellent learner outcomes through better monitoring of progress in literacy and mathematics to inform teaching
• evidence based and culturally responsive strategies providing purposeful learning opportunities
• te ao Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori woven through a local curriculum.

Strengths 

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal of evidenced based and culturally responsive and relational pedagogy promoting engagement and supporting improved learner outcomes:

• learners experience an inclusive learning climate where there is focus on responding to diverse learning needs and student well being
• positive, respectful relationships with students and whānau support learning and wellbeing outcomes
• a collaborative teaching team demonstrate commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise: 

• professional learning to further develop culturally responsive capabilities and effective teaching practice to improve equitable learner outcomes
• assessment information used to track and monitor progress and achievement in literacy and numeracy and inform teaching and learning
• implementing a responsive, localised curriculum that responds to culture, language and identity that includes te ao Māori, te reo Māori me ōna tikanga and mātauranga Māori.

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 April 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