Wyndham 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

Wyndham School is located in eastern Southland and provides education for students in Year 1 to 6. Since the last ERO review a new principal and leadership team have been appointed. The school vision of inspiring children to succeed is underpinned by the school values; to be respectful, responsible and considerate.

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

Students are engaged, make sufficient progress and achieve well.

• Most students achieve at or above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Improving equity for groups of students’ achievement remains a priority, including Māori students in reading and writing. 
• The majority of students attend school regularly; the school is not yet achieving the Ministry of Education attendance target.

Conditions to support learner success

Strategic leadership works collaboratively to improve outcomes for learners.

• Teachers and leaders value students, parents and whānau feedback and ideas for improvement; they keep the school board and community well informed on the progress towards achieving goals and aspirations.
• Leaders facilitate meaningful development of teacher capabilities, set and monitor evidence-based improvement targets that improve outcomes for learners.
• Leaders and teachers carefully monitor and track progress and achievement for those students who are at risk of not achieving and respond in a timely way. 

Curriculum and teaching practices are increasingly responsive to the needs of the learners.

• Teachers and leaders establish clear expectations for high-quality teaching and learning; these continue to be embedded school wide. 
• Teachers work collaboratively to develop and implement teaching and learning opportunities that are increasingly inclusive of students’ language, culture and identity. 
• Students with additional learning needs are well supported to access the breadth and depth of the localised curriculum; these learners benefit from well-considered plans and effective strategies.

Key organisational conditions increasingly support learner success and wellbeing.

• Leaders maintain a strong focus on improving culturally responsive practices; this is increasing learner engagement and success in learning.
• Teachers and leaders have meaningful partnerships with a wide range of external agencies, that support improved wellbeing and achievement outcomes for learners.
• The school board is well informed by leaders about teaching and learning across curriculum areas and progress and achievement for all students; this supports effective decision making about resourcing.

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• strengthen leaders’ and teachers’ knowledge and use of effective strategies in teaching writing for Māori learners and boys 
• engage with students, parents and whānau to identify strategies to improve regular attendance at school
• embed expectations for high quality teaching and learning to strengthen consistency and enhance learner success school wide. 

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

Within three months:

• leaders and teachers review current strategies for addressing attendance concerns to identify what is working and what is not

Every six months: 

• take deliberate action in response to emerging data trends, with particular attention to those learners at risk of not achieving and those with lower rates of regular attendance
• identify effective practice in literacy teaching and use this to inform enhanced strategies for responding to learner needs

Annually:

• continue to use and report on student progress and achievement data to inform responsive decision making and effective strategies for improving attendance, teaching and learning 
• evaluate the impact of initiatives for continued improvements in achievement and attendance.

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

• improved student outcomes, particularly for Māori learners and boys in writing
• improved and sustained rates of regular attendance at school
• effective use of ongoing monitoring and internal evaluation to guide ongoing improvement.

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

1 November 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