Mahana School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 16 months of the Education Review Office and Mahana 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 

Mahana School is located rurally in Upper Moutere in the Tasman district and is a member of Kāhui Ako Ki Motueka. The school caters for learners in Years 1 to 8.

Mahana School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are that:

• wellbeing and engagement are at the centre of learning, so that students are known, valued and cared for in a safe, positive and inclusive culture

• improved learning and achievement outcomes for all students are fostered with high aspirations, barrier-free access to the curriculum and learning opportunities that accelerate progress

• teachers continue to develop pedagogy for effective teaching and learning practices with a strengthened localised curriculum, understanding and knowledge.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate capability-building in mathematics teaching, underpinned by a culturally responsive pedagogy of relationships and a focus on making learning visible.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• the school has been developing culturally responsive practices and visible learning strategies to underpin and enhance all teaching

• the school and Kāhui Ako are involved in professional development to grow mathematics, reflected in strategic planning

• there is scope to revisit use of assessment tools and analysis of data to inform teaching and leadership decision-making, to enhance outcomes for learners in mathematics.

• improved mathematics teaching practices will inform the school’s review of its curriculum guidelines and a progression of learning from Years 1 to 8 in the core learning areas.

The school expects to see confident and engaged learners, actively involved in goal-setting activities, discussing mathematical strategies and monitoring and identifying their progress. Learner progress will be visible to families and whānau, with a range of opportunities for the community to actively participate in and support the school’s mathematics journey. The teaching team will demonstrate consistent practices, with responsive, evidence-based and explicit teaching that builds on students’ strengths and prior knowledge. Teachers will use effective formative assessment feedback strategies and techniques so that students are supported to understand how to move forward in their own learning.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to enhance mathematics teaching and learning:

• a collaborative and diligent teaching team, demonstrating a shared commitment to growing improved practices that is enhancing curriculum experiences for learners

• a deliberate focus on growing formative practices, student agency and decision making through a visible learning pedagogy

• teachers working collaboratively to create learning progressions, including in mathematics, to inform assessment.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• using an ERO Evaluation Plan to investigate current practices and outcomes for learners in mathematics, to then identify further opportunities for embedding and sustaining improvements

• reviewing and updating current guiding documents for mathematics teaching that will underpin future pedagogy and practice.

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

23 June 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