Taitoko School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 14 months of the Education Review Office and Taitoko 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 

Taitoko School is located in Levin and caters for students in years 1 to 8.

Taitoko School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• improving student learning and achievement
• developing a quality learning environment
• promoting education for sustainability.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well delivery of the school’s literacy curriculum achieves equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners?  

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• analysis of learner outcomes in writing at the end of 2022 has identified to leaders a need to further develop delivery of literacy practice. Several literacy initiatives are implemented or planned for 2023. ERO and the school will work in partnership to evaluate changes in delivery of the literacy curriculum and report the impact on achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners.   

The school expects to see:

• equity and excellence for students and accelerated progress for learners working toward curriculum expectations in literacy
• effective teaching and learning, reflecting shared strategies and new approaches, in the delivery of literacy 
• teacher inquiry identifies the impact of strategies on learner outcomes and how barriers have been considered and addressed to accelerate the progress of students working toward curriculum expectations
• the schools’ localised curriculum is documented overtime to reflect shared expectations for teaching, learning and culturally responsive practice.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners in literacy:

• leaders’ and trustees’ decision making aligns appropriate resourcing to support the introduction of new approaches and access to professional learning and development (PLD) to strengthen delivery of the literacy curriculum
• the school has established systems and processes to purposefully respond to learners with additional and complex learning needs
• collaborative practice between staff provides regular opportunities to inquire into their literacy practice, share teaching strategies and incorporate new learning to support learner engagement, progress, and achievement.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• continued opportunities for teachers, trustees, and support staff, to participate in relevant PLD to build their collective capability and capacity 
• ongoing documenting of changes to the Taitoko School literacy curriculum as new approaches are embedded into practice
• gathering information, at points in time, using progress data, teacher inquiry and stakeholder voice to inform evaluation insights into the impact of changes to literacy practice on outcomes for learners. 

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

26 May 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