Akaroa Area 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  

​​Akaroa Area School​, located on Banks Peninsula in Canterbury, provides education for learners in Years 1 to 13. The school’s vision is Kotahitanga, embrace the future. The school values are Respect, Integrity, Perseverance and Pride. Since the previous ERO review, a new principal has been appointed.   

There are three parts to this report. 

Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation.  

Part B: 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 C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.  

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals  

Since the previous ERO report of June 2023, ERO and the school have worked together to evaluate the impact of the changed curriculum on improving student engagement and achievement across the school, from Years 1 to 13. 

Expected Improvements and Findings  

The school expected to see: 

Increased student engagement and achievement. 

• The school is yet to determine the impact of the changed curriculum on improving student engagement and achievement across the school. 
• Students have begun leading conferences with their caregivers to discuss their learning, and their ideas are increasingly utilised to help inform change.  
• Leaders have taken steps to examine and respond to student data to inform curriculum planning to improve achievement.   

A responsive curriculum weaving iwi history, location, environment, community, and values into an aligned Years 1 to 13 teaching and learning programme. 

• Limited progress has been made in developing an aligned Years 1 to 13 curriculum.  
• An aligned teaching and learning programme in mathematics is under development and will be used as a model across other curriculum areas.  
• Work is ongoing to strengthen knowledge and understanding of iwi history along with connections to the community.  

Shared understandings and expectations about quality teaching knowledge, practices, and processes.  

• There is a more cohesive understanding of quality teaching practice; this includes the development of a teacher profile and staff code of conduct. 
• The quality of teaching practices is variable; leaders and teachers’ participation in ongoing professional development and professional learning groups is strengthening teaching practices.  

Clarity of valued outcomes for each student, including cultural, academic, social, wellbeing, and leadership. 

• A learner profile, reflective of student, whānau and teacher feedback has been developed identifying desired skills and outcomes for students; leaders and teachers are taking steps to incorporate this into strategies for positive behaviour.  
• The development of cultural and leadership opportunities for students is ongoing.  

Part B: Current State  

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement. 

Learner Success and Wellbeing

Improvements are required to ensure all learners are engaged, make sufficient progress and achieve equitable outcomes. 

• Most students in Years 1 to 10 are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading and writing, a large majority are meeting expected standards in mathematics; significant disparities have been identified for Years 1 to 10 Māori students and boys’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.  
• Most students achieve Level one of the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA), almost all students achieve Levels two and three and University Entrance.   
• Students express a strong sense of belonging to their school; greater consistency of teacher expectations and behaviour management is required. 
• The school is yet to achieve the Ministry of Education’s regular attendance target; the board is unsure of the accuracy of attendance data and leaders have prioritised improvement of attendance systems. 

Conditions to support learner success 

Leaders are taking steps to establish a cohesive and collaborative school culture.   

• School leaders are implementing shared understandings for how to work together effectively as a leadership team to facilitate growth and lead change.  
• Leadership is beginning to establish consistent frameworks with all staff for curriculum, analysis of data and the development of a positive culture for student learning.  
• School leaders continue to foster and grow connections and partnerships with the wider community and local iwi to enhance learning opportunities.

Teachers, alongside teacher aides, increasingly collaborate to strengthen consistent and responsive teaching practice. 

• Teaching and support staff are developing agreed and cohesive processes for recognising and reinforcing positive behaviour in all students; this is improving the consistency of expectations that students’ experience. 
• Leaders have introduced a coaching model to strengthen teachers’ inquiry into the impact of their practice on improving student engagement, achievement and attendance.  
• Students with additional needs are identified by leaders and teachers and steps are being taken to better address and support their learning and progress.

Leaders and the board are taking well-considered steps in establishing school conditions that enhance student success.  

• The board is focusing on school improvement through developing systematic review and strategic use of resources. 
• Improving data collection and analysis by the board, leaders and teachers is strengthening decision making and planning. 
• External expertise is being accessed by the board and utilised effectively to support improvement; this is strengthening evaluative capability.  
• Intentional steps taken by leaders and teachers to develop professional networks and collaborate with external agencies are enhancing student engagement, progress, achievement and school culture. 

Part C: Where to next?  

The agreed next steps for the school are to:  

• review policies and practices to strengthen compliance with legislation and regulations 
• use focused coaching to develop and strengthen consistent, high-quality teaching practice, within a clearly aligned Years 1 to 13 curriculum, to improve equity of student achievement 
• prioritise wellbeing and the positive management of relationships and behaviour across the school to improve student engagement and rates of attendance.  

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

Within six months: 

• complete a Health and Safety audit and act on any recommendations 
• review and confirm the school’s mission, values and strategic goals to inform expectations for the curriculum design 
• consolidate and embed the teacher and learner profiles in practice to strengthen the consistent use of these for teaching and learning 
• continue responding to recent wellbeing surveys and implement consistent behaviour management strategies across the school.

Every six months: 

• use appropriate student attendance, progress and achievement information to determine the impact of teaching practices on the equity of student progress and achievement and plan for future development 
• undertake wellbeing surveys of students and staff to review the consistency and effectiveness of behaviour management and use findings to refine approaches going forward 
• Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of coaching processes on developing high quality teaching practices to lift student achievement.

Annually: 

• review and respond to progress towards strategic and annual priorities, and report to the board to inform ongoing decision making for improvement 
• evaluate professional support and development for teachers and plan for future development 
• consider and respond to the wellbeing needs of students and staff. 

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

• improved wellbeing, positive behaviour, engagement and equitable progress and achievement for all students 
• consistent, positive teaching practices within an aligned Years 1 to 13 curriculum 
• increased progress towards the Ministry of Education’s target for regular attendance.  

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education  

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education provide tailored support for:  

• developing consistent, high quality teaching practice and effective use of achievement information.  

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​ 

​​12 December 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