Riverton School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Riverton 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 

Riverton School provides education for students from Years 0-6. The CARE values (community, aroha, resilience and engagement) are at the forefront of everything they do.

Riverton School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

• attain high levels of student achievement in mathematics and literacy learning areas in relation to the curriculum levels and Riverton School’s expectations
• consolidate effective processes for analysing student achievement data
• use the Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) to provide support and guidance to teachers and teacher aides
• respond to the findings identified through the self-review process for improving literacy.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the localised curriculum, supported by culturally responsive practice and targeted programmes, is having on improving student outcomes.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

• target achievement in literacy to increase the number of students achieving at, or above the school-wide expectations for writing and reading
• improve the confidence of all students to take risks when writing and reading
• connect with the community within their learning journey, using the Aoteoroa New Zealand Histories curriculum to drive who they are and where they belong.

The school expects to see:

• all staff deepening their understanding of how best to teach literacy in a structured way
• the literacy programme being taught in a similar way across the school but with adaptations to suit the different levels
• increased engagement, progress, and achievement for students
• strengthening learning partnerships with whānau/parents
• the parent and wider community involved in the local curriculum development.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support it in its goal to effectively strengthen the literacy programme and the development of a culturally responsive localised curriculum:

• a collaborative, professional teaching and support staff dedicated to increasing their understanding of and consistency in the delivery of programmes across the school
• a whole school focus on structured literacy over the last 3 years
• a supportive community that has a strong desire to be involved in students’ learning
• a values system that is highly visible throughout the school
• the cultural diversity of all students that is recognised and embraced.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

• ensuring that teaching and assessment practices for literacy and mathematics align with school expectations and are supported by targeted professional learning and development
• whānau and parents participating in the development of the local curriculum driven by Aotearoa New Zealand Histories
• raising student and staff knowledge of Māori tikanga in the school in a culturally responsive and inclusive manner.

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 August 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