Kauri Flats 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 

Kauri Flats School is located within a rapidly expanding area of Takānini and provides education for learners from Years 1 to 8. Since 2023, there has been significant roll growth, including large numbers of learners with English as a second language. The school’s values of thinking, respect, empathy and courage underpin the vision of Unrelenting Curiosity for Learning.

The school has a Northern Health School satellite unit onsite.

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 

• The large majority of learners achieve at or above curriculum expectation in mathematics, and less than half of learners in reading and writing; addressing achievement in reading and writing remains an identified priority for leaders, teachers and the board.
• The school is working towards Māori learners achieving as well as other groups in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Learners’ strong sense of belonging and wellbeing is evident; they experience a positive, inclusive and supportive learning environment that celebrates their cultures, languages and identities. 
• The large majority of learners attend school regularly; the school is not yet meeting the Ministry of Education 2024 attendance target and continues to work towards consistently meeting this. 

Conditions to support learner success

• Leaders set and implement relevant strategic goals and actively monitor the impact of these on learner progress and achievement. 
• Leadership promotes clear expectations for teaching and learning through regular professional learning and coaching that is tailored to the individual needs of staff and the priorities of the school.
• Strong relational trust among leaders, staff and the community ensure open and robust professional conversations that focus on positive learner outcomes. 

• Innovative curriculum design, including intentional teaching and learning approaches, responds to learners’ strengths, interests and needs.
• Teachers establish warm, learning-focused environments that consistently support learners to take responsibility for their learning. 
• Learners experience an extensive range of relevant and authentic learning opportunities that provide them with choice in their learning, building their confidence and independence. 

• Parents and whānau are valued partners in their child’s learning; leaders and teachers communicate well with parents to share progress and ensure they understand their child’s next learning steps.
• Teachers increasingly integrate te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and māturanga Māori into class programmes, with learners taking on leadership roles for schoolwide mihi whakatau and class paepae. 
• Learners with additional needs and students with English as a second language are well supported through tailored programmes; their progress and achievement are closely monitored against personalised learning goals. 
• Leadership continues to strengthen teachers’ understanding and use of evaluation for improvement to positively impact teaching and learning. 

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• monitor and review initiatives to continue to increase all students’ regular attendance
• continue to strengthen teaching practice in reading and writing to improve progress and achievement for all learners, with a particular focus on Māori students and learners with English as a second language
• continue to embed te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori schoolwide in partnership with mana whenua. 

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

Within six months:

• design an implementation plan that supports the continued integration of te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori across the school
• continue to provide relevant professional learning opportunities that strengthen teachers’ understanding and use of structured literacy approaches

Every six months:

• evaluate the impact of initiatives on student attendance to inform further actions 
• monitor schoolwide progress with integrating te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori to identify next steps
• teachers engage with student learning information, analysing shifts and making decisions that improve outcomes for all learners, particularly in reading and writing

Annually:

• review and report to the board on student attendance, progress and achievement and the impact of initiatives in reading and writing for improving learner outcomes
• evaluate the schoolwide integration of te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori to inform future planning.

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

• students attending regularly 
• improved achievement for all learners, particularly in reading and writing 
• teachers consistently use effective strategies in structured literacy that positively impacts learner outcomes
• learners and teachers continuing to develop confidence in their knowledge of te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori.

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

29 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