Gladstone School (Masterton)

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report  

Background 

This Profile Report was written with the Education Review Office and ​Gladstone School (Masterton)​ 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  

Gladstone School is situated east of Masterton. It provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. 

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

• improve student outcomes in writing 
• improve student attendance 
• further develop the localised curriculum to reflect local stories, learning aspirations and traditions.  

You can obtain a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan from the ​Gladstone School (Masterton)​ website. 

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the impact of new teaching practices on student confidence and achievement in writing. 

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is a need to:  

• raise the engagement and achievement of students in writing
• identify and implement effective practices in the teaching of writing at all class levels. 

The school expects to see students who are engaged and enjoying writing, with teachers using strategies proving to be the most effective in teaching writing. The board and leaders also expect to see a rise in achievement and confidence in writing across the school. 

Strengths 

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate the impact of new teaching practices on student confidence and achievement in writing: 

• strong relationships with families that support a shared sense of belonging and support for ongoing learning 
• a broad and localised curriculum that supports the development of the whole child and offers enrichment opportunities in a rural environment 
• teaching teams that demonstrate a willingness to engage in new and increasingly collaborative teaching practices. 

Where to next? 

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:  

• providing students with opportunities that grow their writing skills, confidence and a positive attitude to this area 
• provision of support to staff to develop their understanding of effective teaching in writing 
• review assessment practices to ensure these align with achievement expectations. 

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​ 

​​1 July 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