Hedgehope School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 6 months of the Education Review Office and Hedgehope 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 

Hedgehope School is situated in rural Central Southland, an equal distance from Invercargill, Gore and Winton. The school provides education for students in Years 1 -8. Their mission statement is ‘to inspire students to be curious, to discover, explore and actively engage in their dynamic learning community.’

Hedgehope School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• inspiring students to discover, explore and engage in their individual learning path with excitement

• supporting students to engage and aspire for their own learning, social and mental wellbeing

• enhancing positive behaviours for all learners

• embracing cultural diversity and the unique position of Māori culture.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Hedgehope School’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively the school curriculum strengthens student agency and fosters learner outcomes that are both excellent and equitable.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

• the school has developed a matrix of inquiry learning progressions and wishes to evaluate its impact for learners 

• the school has engaged with PLD providers to strengthen student agency in recent years. 

The school expects to see students developing a vocabulary and a deepening awareness of their own personal learning journey, in order to identify and articulate their current achievement levels and make deliberate informed choices about their next learning steps. 

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to strengthen student agency and foster learner outcomes that are both excellent and equitable:

• a well-considered matrix of inquiry learning progressions to guide teachers and students

• teachers have positive relationships with students and are responsive to their learning needs

• high levels of community engagement and support foster learning focused relationships.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• upskilling teachers in the ‘You Plan It’ (YPI) platform to provide learners with increasing opportunity to choose personalized learning pathways, co-construct success criteria and peer and self-assess

• gathering information about students’ capabilities against the matrix of inquiry learning progressions to provide baseline data for future evaluation and to further strengthen outcomes for students.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

9 December 2022 

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