Ashburton Borough School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 18 months of the Education Review Office and Ashburton Borough 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

Ashburton Borough School is situated in the centre of Ashburton township. The school caters for students from years 1 to 8. Mā ngā huruhuru ke rere ai te manu – With feathers the bird will fly, is the vison statement that drives the school’s intention to support every learner to Achieve, Believe and Succeed (ABS).

Ashburton Borough School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• all learners experience their own success at their own pace
• we celebrate success which is based on evidence 
• we engage in purposeful learning, knowing why we learn and what our goals are 
• hauora (wellbeing) is at our core.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the impact of a responsive and inclusive curriculum on improving outcomes for all students. 

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• to embed teacher understanding and capability around culturally responsive practices and learning design
• to further strengthen teacher planning to meet the diversity of learning needs
• to continue with the trajectory of improvement for all students.

The school expects to see:

• improved student engagement and behaviour
• students having meaningful input in directing their own learning
• strengthened positive and participatory relationships with whānau.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to evaluate the impact responsive and inclusive curriculum to improve outcomes for all students:

• teachers have the skills and understanding to meet the diversity of learner’s needs across learning contexts
• the localised curriculum enables learners to show their strengths
• a strong and cohesive staff that utilise their skills and care to support diverse learners.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• knowing the progress of learners and supporting learners to understand their next steps
• teachers using evidence to promote practices that improve outcomes for all learners 
• teaching and support staff continuing to grow expertise in differentiation of the curriculum so that all learners make progress.

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

13 December 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