Wairakei School (Christchurch)

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 24 months of the Education Review Office and Wairakei School (Christchurch) 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 

Wairakei School (Christchurch) is a contributing primary school that caters for learners in Years 0 to 6 in Bryndwr, Christchurch. The school is a member of Waimairi-iri Kāhui Ako.

Wairakei School (Christchurch)’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• community - enhancing the wellbeing of the school community
• learning - enabling learners to experience success through holistic and experiential learning
• diversity - developing a culturally rich learning environment for all.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate leadership of sustainable and effective curriculum and teaching practices, in reading.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• the school has conducted an internal inquiry into the consistency and effectiveness of literacy practices
• that inquiry informed 2023 strategic goals that prioritise growth of teaching and learning in reading
• the school is working with an external facilitator to grow assessment practices and to develop use of achievement data, for more evidence-based planning and decision making.

The school expects to see child-centred practices with students reading with enjoyment and understanding for a range of purposes. Students will develop reading skills and strategies that support them to successfully access the breadth and depth of the localised curriculum. Use of robust assessment tools and practices will support planning and teaching that is responsive to students’ strengths and prior learning - and will be adaptive. Well-resourced and literacy-rich environments, including use of digital learning platforms, will scaffold students’ understanding and engagement. Whānau and parents will partner with the school in promoting improved reading outcomes.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to grow and sustain effective curriculum and teaching practices in reading:

• a collaboratively inquiring and reflective staff, with a student-centred improvement focus
• prioritising wellbeing within a culture of hauora and care, underpinned by embedded values
• a proactive leadership team creating purposeful connections with the wider community, including strong Kāhui Ako links, drawing on expertise and resources that will benefit the school.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• completing the investigation and sense-making phase of its Evaluation for Improvement Plan
• purposefully weaving these findings into the annual and action planning processes
• continuing to work alongside an external facilitator to enhance assessment practices, informing strategic goals, annual action plans and related leadership practices for sustainable improvement in 2023, and beyond.

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

18 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