Te Kura o Opawaho – Opawa 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 

Te Kura o Ōpāwaho - Opawa School is located in Christchurch and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The school’s RIVER values are: Manaakitaka|Respect, Kakau Tapatahi|Integrity, Voyager (the child is at the centre), Hiraka|Excellence, Kaweka|Responsibility and the school’s vision is nurturing lifelong learning within the school’s inclusive context.

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 

• A large majority of learners, including Māori learners, are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading; a small majority of learners in writing and mathematics.
• The school has identified disparity in Pacific learners’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics; leaders actively work with Pacific fanau to address this.
• Learners have a strong sense of belonging and are well supported through inclusive practices that effectively address wellbeing needs.
• The majority of learners attend school regularly; leadership is actively working towards meeting the Ministry of Education’s national target and strategies are in place to improve learners’ regular attendance.

Conditions to support learner success

• Leaders and teachers involve and value input from whānau, mana whenua and the broader community in decision making; this is reflected in the school’s vision, goals and improvement priorities.
• Leaders provide effective and targeted professional learning to build teachers’ capacity to improve and sustain outcomes for learners.
• Leaders and teachers prioritise wellbeing, progress and achievement for learners; goals are set and monitored which strengthen learning focused environments and continuous improvement for learners. 

• Teachers use evidence-based reading, writing and mathematics teaching strategies to intentionally and increasingly meet the needs of all learners.
• Learners with additional needs are identified; effective needs-based programmes improve learner outcomes and wellbeing.
• Teachers gather and analyse a range of useful assessment information to plan for and respond to learners’ strengths and needs.

• Leaders and teachers recognise, value and cater for the identities, languages and cultures of all learners. 
• Leaders and teachers plan and implement a range of effective strategies which specifically reduce barriers, and support access to learning, for all learners.
• Leaders and teachers build and sustain strong relationships with learners, whānau, and the community including partnerships with external providers to support inclusion and wellbeing.
• The board works collaboratively with leaders, teachers and the community to effectively plan for the school’s strategic direction, improvement priorities and resourcing.

Part B: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• increase progress and achievement outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics for all learners; reduce disparity in Pacific learners’ achievement
• sustain partnerships between school and home to improve regular attendance, learner engagement, and learning outcomes
• continue to provide opportunities for all learners to further develop key competencies and a growth mindset through managing risk, accepting new challenges, building resilience and being solution focused
• teachers continue to strengthen the use of assessment information to identify learner needs, inform planning and accelerate the progress and achievement for all learners.

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

Within three months:

• leaders and teachers continue to engage in targeted professional learning in reading, writing and mathematics to build capability and improve progress and achievement outcomes for all learners.

Every six months:

• leaders consult learners, teachers and whānau to gather feedback and ideas and review the usefulness of the reporting process
• use analysis of assessment data to refine teaching for reading, writing and mathematics
• closely monitor and report to the board on regular attendance.

Annually:

• leaders and teachers evaluate the effectiveness of school-wide teaching practices, assessment and reporting processes on increasing progress and achievement outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics 
• evaluate the impact of strategies in place to increase regular attendance. 

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

• improved progress, achievement and reduced disparity, particularly for Pacific learners
• increased regular attendance to meet the Ministry of Education’s national target 
• sustained partnerships with whānau, the community and external providers that positively impact on learner outcomes 
• confident, capable, connected and engaged learners who progress, achieve and maintain a strong sense of wellbeing.

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

18 October 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