Aoraki Mount Cook School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 24 months of the Education Review Office and Aoraki Mt Cook 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 

Aoraki Mount Cook School is a rural primary school in the heart of Aoraki|Mount Cook National Park. The school caters for New Entrants through to Year 8 students from families who work in or near the National Park. There has been a significant rebuild of the school and the new buildings will be officially opened in March 2023.

Aoraki Mt Cook’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to strengthen:

• engagement in literacy activities that strengthen their skills and understanding so all learners can access all areas of the curriculum

• the rich curriculum so that it celebrates the school’s diversity, school values and local priorities

• the school community so they become united where all school partners are valued are empowered.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Aoraki Mt Cook’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the effectiveness of the revised curriculum overview.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• to ensure the curriculum is unique to the school and focused on ākonga

• that it will embrace diversity, isolation, the school’s history and localised needs

• to build increased knowledge and understanding of the school community

• so that the learners are well connected and knowledgeable of their community.

The school expects to see greater knowledge and awareness of what effective teaching and learning looks like at the kura and the processes and programmes that support citizenship, strong engagement and excellent achievement.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to implement the curriculum overview:

• experienced and knowledgeable teaching staff that provide dynamic programmes for individualised learning

• strong evaluation systems in place that inform ongoing school improvements

• highly supportive and active board that make well informed decisions to support high quality teaching and learning

• expertise and support from the local community to enhance learning opportunities.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• maintaining values, standards and relationships with predicted roll growth

• overcoming barriers to learning due to the isolation of the school

• ongoing evaluation of the impact the changes the curriculum overview have on improving 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.

Kathy Lye
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

31 March 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