Mayfield School (Mid-Canterbury)

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 

​​Mayfield School (Mid-Canterbury)​ is a rural school that provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s vision is for every student to have the opportunity to strive to their full potential through the school’s HEART values of Honesty, Enjoyment, Achievement, Respect, Trying your best. 

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

Outcomes are improving for most students. 

• Most students achieve at or above curriculum levels in writing and mathematics and a large majority of students achieve at or above in reading; leaders are prioritising a focus on raising progress and achievement for all students in reading, writing and mathematics. 
• Outcomes are increasingly equitable for all groups of students.  
• Students express a strong sense of belonging and are well supported through inclusive practices and celebrating their different cultures. 
• A large majority of students are attending school regularly and the school is almost meeting the Ministry of Education’s 2024 target for regular attendance; leaders have effective strategies in place to increase regular attendance. 

Conditions to support learner success

Leaders and teachers foster a culture of high quality teaching. 

• Relational trust is strengthening across the school and this has a positive impact on teaching practice and progress, achievement and wellbeing. 
• Leaders and teachers work collaboratively with the Ōpuke Kāhui Ako to build teacher capabilities for improving learning and wellbeing outcomes for students. 
• Leaders use assessment information and feedback from students, staff and, the community well to plan and monitor improvement priorities. 

The design of the school’s curriculum increasingly reflects community aspirations and students’ learning and wellbeing needs. 

• Teachers analyse and use a range of assessment information to strengthen planning and teaching practice to further improve outcomes for students. 
• Students’ learning needs are clearly identified; teachers use effective evidence-based strategies to reduce barriers to learning through targeted support. 
• Teachers increasingly provide purposeful learning opportunities and clear instruction which has a positive impact on student engagement and learning outcomes.

Increasingly effective systems and processes are clearly linked to the school’s strategic goals and targets. 

• The board is strengthening the way it reviews and evaluates student information collaboratively with leaders to identify strategic improvement priorities and resourcing decisions. 
• Partnerships with whānau and staff are valued and support students’ learning and wellbeing. 
• Professional learning is linked to the school’s strategic goals to strengthen teaching practice and increase the confidence and capabilities of all staff. 
• Leaders and teachers are increasingly using te ao Māori through the school curriculum to promote students’ wellbeing, identities, languages and cultures. 

Part B: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• continue to strengthen teacher capabilities to empower students to progress and achieve 
• continue to engage with the school community, the Kāhui Ako and professional learning providers to ensure the school curriculum is inclusive and links with the changes to The New Zealand Curriculum
• further strengthen students’ understanding of their own and the identities, languages and cultures of their peers, demonstrating the school’s HEART values 
• continue to implement effective strategies which increase regular attendance. 

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

Within six months: 

• continue to engage in professional learning around assessment and how this links to students’ learning and outcomes in writing and mathematics 
• implement the changes in the English and mathematics curriculum 
• review strategies in place for increasing regular attendance.

Every six months: 

• monitor, evaluate and analyse progress achievement in reading, writing and mathematics to inform planning 
• review implementation of the Kāhui Ako work on cultural competencies for increasing Te ao Māori across the school.

Annually: 

• gather student, staff and community feedback to inform future planning, resourcing and improvement priorities 
• review students’ and the community’s understanding and knowledge of the school’s HEART values through consultation 
• evaluate and refine school-wide assessment practices to ensure consistency  
• evaluate the impact of attendance strategies in place and make changes as necessary. 

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

• further improved student, progress, achievement and wellbeing 
• increased regular attendance  
• strengthened teaching and assessment capabilities and delivery of the New Zealand Curriculum  
• the school’s HEART values clearly understood and demonstrated by all students, staff and the community. 

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 

Shelley Booysen 
Director of Schools 

​​20 November 2024​ 

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