Sumner 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 

Sumner School, located in Christchurch, provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The vision is ‘Connecting with our people, our learning and our place’. This is supported through the core values of Whanaungatanga, Mōhiotanga and Kaitiakitanga.

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 

• Most students achieve at the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics. 
• Students achieve equitably; leaders and teacher prioritise practices that successfully identify and address disparity within and between groups of students. 
• Student feedback and wellbeing data is carefully analysed and responded to by leaders with staff; this supports positive outcomes for students. 
• A large majority of learners attend school regularly, attendance is not yet meeting the Ministry of Education targets and this is a school priority. 

Conditions to support learner success

• Leaders purposefully build transparent, trusting relationships with staff and the wider community to enhance learning opportunities.
• A strong culture of evidence-based, quality teaching and reflective practice is encouraged, actively supported by leaders, and used by teachers to improve and sustain learning outcomes.
• Professional learning for staff is strategic, thoughtfully implemented, effectively monitored and embedded to ensure cohesive, consistent practices. 

• A variety of high-quality assessment practices are used to gain detailed understanding of each learner; effective targeted interventions for individual and groups are consistently implemented.
• Transition in, within, across and on from the school is carefully considered, purposefully planned and ensures learner’s needs are met. 
• Curriculum opportunities are rich and varied with priority given to understanding the cultural narrative of the school and use of the local environment to benefit learners and their families. 

• Board stewardship of resources and support of learner priorities is carefully considered; the focus remains on learner and staff well being, learning and engagement. 
• Purposeful collaboration with other schools in curriculum development strengthens professional development opportunities for staff and learning opportunities for learners. 
• Extensive community partnerships are fostered; a range of opportunities for the school community are evident. 
• Learners understand and demonstrate the school values; a positive, cohesive school culture is strongly promoted. 

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• incorporate national curriculum and assessment changes into the well-established school curriculum, continuing to connect people, learning and place to the curriculum
• further develop understanding and application of kaitiakitanga for learners in the local community to strengthen partnerships and assist in caring for their environment
• further develop understanding of te Ao Māori for staff and learners to build bi-cultural understanding
• continue to work towards the Ministry of Education’s regular attendance targets. 

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

Within six months:

• implement an adjusted curriculum aligned with national changes
• establish a more formalised framework for board self review

Every six months:

• review strategic goals and progress being made towards them to refine and strengthen next steps
• continue to review learner wellbeing, progress and achievement data to sustain a positive school culture and know the progress of learners
• plan for next steps for staff learning and development in response to learner needs

Annually:

• review strategic and annual plan progress to know the impact of initiatives on learning outcomes and inform planning
• intentionally respond to learner data through further targeted programmes and resourcing 
• plan for future staff professional development to assist learners in their learning, progress and achievement.

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

• sustained progress and achievement of all leaners at and beyond expected levels
• increased regular attendance
• continued positive engagement and relationships with families and the community that benefits learners and their learning.

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

6 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