Karamea Area School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 13 months of the Education Review Office and Karamea Area 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 

Karamea Area School provides education for students in Years 1 to 15. It is situated in Karamea, in the far north of the Buller region on the West Coast of the South Island. A new principal has recently been appointed.

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

• include education outside the classroom in the curriculum and use the local environment in teaching and learning programmes

• integrate digital technology and increase student motivation, agency and understanding across the curriculum areas

• develop and implement strategies which raise the emotional, social, psychological and spiritual well-being of the school community.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which culturally responsive teaching practice and the local curriculum contribute to excellence and equity in achievement and wellbeing for all students.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• for every student to achieve to their potential and for every teacher to differentiate their teaching to make this possible

• strengthen and embed culturally responsive practice in teaching and learning

• collaborate with the school community by consulting with parents and whānau

• embed internal evaluation and inquiry in a systematic and coherent way.

The school expects to see teaching practice and a collaboratively developed local curriculum supporting the identification and monitoring of target students at each year level to ensure they achieve at expected levels and have their individual learning and wellbeing needs met.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal of reviewing and evaluating teaching practice and the local curriculum to contribute to excellence and equity in achievement and well-being for all students.

• The board of trustees focuses on resourcing the school to support student achievement and wellbeing and supporting the school journey of continuous improvement.

• There is a positive school culture where teachers prioritise the best possible outcomes for all students.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• consulting with whanāu and the school community to develop the school’s strategic direction

• developing a local curriculum to make the best use of the local environment and resources

• strengthening internal evaluation practices.

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 July 2023 

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