Motueka South School

School Evaluation 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.

Context 

Motueka South School is located in Motueka and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s vision of He kura mā tatou | A school for everyone is underpinned by the values of Tū-rite - Manage self, Manaakitanga - Show respect, Ākona - Strive to learn. The school is a member of the Kahui Ako ki Motueka.

There are two parts to this report.

Part A: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings.

Part B: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.

Part A: Current State

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing

Student progress and achievement are increasingly equitable and excellent.

• A large majority of students achieve at or above curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The school has yet to have Māori and Pacific students’ achievement at the same level as their peers in reading, writing and mathematics and for boys in writing; improving equity for all groups of students is a school priority.
• Evidence indicates that most students experience a strong sense of belonging supported by consistent use of inclusive practices.
• A small majority of students attend school regularly; the school has yet to meet the Government’s national target and strategies are in place to improve and support regular attendance for all students.

Conditions to support learner success

Leaders set improvement goals and targets that effectively foster a culture of high-quality teaching to improve outcomes for students.

• Leaders involve students, staff and whānau in strategic decision making to further improve progress, achievement and wellbeing for students.
• Leaders use good quality assessment information effectively to collaboratively plan, monitor and review the school’s improvement priorities.
• Leaders strengthening of relational trust and effective collaboration across the school is improving outcomes for students.

Students’ needs and strengths are appropriately responded to through purposeful, well planned teaching practice.

• Teachers gather, analyse and use a range of relevant assessment information effectively to inform planning and practice to further improve student outcomes.
• Students experience a curriculum that increasingly reflects local contexts, teachers provide meaningful learning opportunities that enhance student engagement in learning.
• Students needing additional support or extension are clearly identified by teachers who use a range of evidence-based strategies to reduce barriers to learning and provide challenges to extend students’ learning.

Clear systems and processes that underpin successful schooling are increasingly well embedded to improve student outcomes.

• The board thoroughly reviews and evaluates student information and works collaboratively with leaders to identify strategic goals and resourcing decisions.
• Students’ learning and wellbeing are enhanced through valued partnerships with whānau, the community, including Kāhui Ako and external agencies.
• Professional learning for teachers is clearly linked with the school’s strategic goals to strengthen teaching practice; te ao Māori is increasingly embedded through the school’s curriculum.
• Student wellbeing and engagement in learning is strengthened through inclusive teaching programmes that reflect the school values.

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• develop teaching and learning strategies to further improve progress, achievement and equitable outcomes for all students in reading, writing and mathematics
• continue to develop the school’s curriculum so that it increasingly reflects students’ interests, community aspirations and the changes of The New Zealand Curriculum
• extend teachers' knowledge to further respond to students’ cultures, languages and identities
• continue to increase regular attendance through initiating a range of strategies.

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

Within six months:

• teachers continue to engage in professional learning in reading, writing and mathematics and adjust programmes and teaching approaches accordingly
• track and monitor regular attendance and review the effectiveness of current strategies in place.

Every six months

• continue to monitor, review and report student progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
• ensure current assessment practices and reporting practices continue to align with the changes in The New Zealand Curriculum.

Annually:

• gather, analyse and use student, staff and whānau feedback to strengthen the school’s curriculum, teaching and assessment practices, and strategic direction
• reporting student progress, achievement, engagement and regular attendance to inform the school’s strategic planning
• review and evaluate professional learning needs for alignment with the changes to The New Zealand Curriculum
• continue to review and develop teachers’ cultural knowledge and understanding of students’ cultures, languages and identities to respond to their many different needs
• evaluate the impact of strategies, and adapt if required, to increase regular student attendance.

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

• increased progress, achievement and equitable outcomes for all students in reading, writing and mathematics
• students’ cultures, languages and identities increasingly valued and celebrated within an inclusive environment
• strengthened programmes and teacher practices that respond to the interests and learning needs of the students, reflects community aspirations and the changes to The New Zealand Curriculum
• increased regular student attendance.

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 Evaluation 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
Acting Director of Schools

4 March 2025

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