Picton School

School 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.

About the School 

Picton school is situated in the port of Picton in the Marlborough district. It provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. There are currently 114 learners at the school; 51% identifying as Māori and 49% New Zealand European/Pākehā. The school values of Te Tautuhi, Manaakitanga and Rangatiratanga are expressed by the learners as ways to set high expectations regarding their learning and ways of getting on with others. 

Part A – Parent Summary

Progress since August 2022 ERO report

The school has made significant progress in developing curriculum contexts where learners can see their identity culture and community represented through specific teaching practices. There has been a strong drive to strengthen community-based partnerships so that leaders and teachers draw on and work with community resources to support learners’ wellbeing. There is a clear focus on restorative and relational approaches to problem solving which includes input form learners, teachers and whānau.

How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?

How well are learners succeeding?The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners.What is the quality of teaching and learning?Learners benefit from good quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs?

Learners have rich opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.

There is a consistent focus on supporting learners to gain skills in literacy and mathematics.

Learners with complex needs are well supported to achieve their education goals.

How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement?The school is establishing planning and conditions that support improvements in the quality of education for learners.How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing?The school successfully promotes learners’ engagement, wellbeing and inclusion.How well does the school partner with parents, whānau and its community for the benefit of learners?

The school reports usefully and accurately to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress.

The school responds well to a wide range of information gathered through community consultation, to inform strategic planning and curriculum decisions.

Student Health and SafetyThe school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.

Achievement in Years 0 to 8

This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Foundation Skills

 Reading

A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

Less than half of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Attendance

The school is behind the target of 80% regular attendance.

The school has a suitable plan in place to improve attendance.

Regular attendance is improving towards or beyond the target.

Chronic absence is reducing over time. 

Assessment

The school uses an appropriate approach and reliable practices to find out about achievement against the curriculum.

Teachers are developing assessment information to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.

Progress

The school has good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.

The school has to some extent improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.

The school has to some extent extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review.

The school is making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets for 2030 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.

An explanation of the terms used in the Parent Summary can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office

Part B - Findings for the school

This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.

Areas of Strength

• Teachers are becoming more responsive to the needs of all learners as they monitor and celebrate success and progress of all; learners say they enjoy coming to school as teachers care for them and help them to learn in a variety of ways.
• A consistent focus on cultural identity across learning programmes enables learners to contribute and learn in contexts that build connections across their everyday experiences.
• Strong effective leaders foster relationships of trust amongst teachers to support collaborative practices that have a positive impact on outcomes for learners.
• Shared school-wide understanding of evaluation for improvement is developing; leaders and teachers increasingly seek the voices of learners, parents and whanau voices to inform decision making for school planning and improvement.

Key priorities and actions for improvement 

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• Embed school wide models of teaching and learning to improve outcomes and equity for all learners
• align structured literacy levels with the revised English curriculum to support consistent teaching and assessment practices across the school
• implement the school attendance plan to improve levels of attendance.

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

Within three months:

• analyse achievement data to inform planning and practice
• teachers engage in further professional learning around structured literacy
• monitor and implement the attendance procedure

Every six months:

• analyse achievement and progress data reported to the Board to support future resourcing decisions
• share learners’ progress with their whānau and involve them in setting their children's next learning goals
• review the impact of interventions that are in place for target learners to respond to their changing needs

Annually:

• refine the curriculum overview to be responsive to learners' needs and interests and to embed consistency of teacher practices across all learning areas
• review assessment practices to align with the sequence of learning contexts
• revisit the school culture and school wide expectations with all staff to continue to keep learners at the centre of all practice
• continue to monitor learners’ attendance. 

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

• equitable outcomes for learners across the school
• increased progress for target learners who have been part of specific interventions
• consistently high teaching and learning practices across the school
• improved learner regular attendance levels.

Part C: Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

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 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
Director of Schools (Acting)

6 May 2025

Education Counts

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home