Paroa School (Greymouth)

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within twelve months of the Education Review Office and Paroa 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 

Paroa School (Greymouth) is a co-educational primary school located in Greymouth on the West Coast of the South Island and caters for students in Years 0-8.

Paroa School (Greymouth)’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

• increase students’ progress and achievement through the New Zealand Curriculum by ensuring responsiveness to the needs of all ākonga to enable them to be happy, healthy and successful
• foster positive relationships within the school, with whānau, Kāhui Ako, Ngāti Waewae (mana whenua), the community and beyond
• develop and maintain a positive, safe and welcoming learning environment for all ākonga and create an inclusive environment where children have a sense of belonging and pride in themselves and their surroundings.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Paroa School (Greymouth)’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to determine the extent to which the reviewed teaching and learning programmes support equity and excellence in learner outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• the school is currently reviewing the local curriculum which includes the Enviroschools’ kaupapa and the Toki Pounamu ‘Learn, Create, Share’ pedagogy
• to improve student achievement in literacy and mathematics for all learners
• to improve the equity gap between boys’ and girls’ achievement in literacy and mathematics.

The school expects to see improved outcomes for students’ achievement and equity in literacy and mathematics.

Strengths 

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to improve student outcomes in terms of achievement and engagement:

• school leaders and teachers have a clear understanding of acceleration and use this to set expectations for progress.
• teachers have a strong focus on increasing children’s engagement, and make appropriate use of children’s needs, interests, and abilities to help shape learning programmes.
• the school is inclusive, and relationship focused.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• supporting teachers to grow their confidence and capability in developing curriculum programmes that reflect the local context
• analysing and monitoring achievement data to ensure that the programme promotes equity and excellence for all students.

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

5 May 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