Auckland Secondary Schools’ Centre

Introduction

Auckland Secondary Schools’ Centre is one of 14 Activity Centres in New Zealand that cater for secondary school students (Years 9 to 13) who are at risk of disengaging from mainstream schooling and at risk of low educational, social and vocational outcomes.

Activity Centres provide a specialised learning programme which will lead to increased attendance, engagement and achievement at school, social outcomes and successful transition rates. Registered teachers support students to increase their achievement and engagement in education guided by an Individual Learning Programme (ILP) which is responsive to the needs of each student. The ILP details the student’s learning goals and is developed in partnership with the student, teacher, parents/whānau and enrolling school.

A key component of the programme for activity centre students is to successfully transition back into the enrolling school or move on to further education or employment.

Western Springs College is the managing school for this activity centre. The school's board of trustees holds governance responsibility for the activity centre and is responsible for providing high quality educational service in a physically and emotionally safe learning environment.

Terms of reference

This review is based on an evaluation of the performance of Auckland Secondary Schools’ Activity Centre in relation to the terms of reference developed with the Ministry of Education. The terms of reference are:

• management and governance practices including planning, internal evaluation and professional capacity building
• the use of information to plan and implement individual programmes for, and with, students, and to monitor their progress
• support for students to achieve improved social and educational outcomes
• educational and social outcomes for students, including the extent to which students’ learning has been accelerated
• students’ experience of interagency support for them and their families
• transitions in and out of the Activity Centre.

The key evaluative question is:

How effective is this Activity Centre at achieving positive outcomes for students?

Context

Auckland Secondary Schools’ Centre opened in the late 1980s and caters for up to 20 students in its central Auckland location of Herne Bay. Students are drawn from up to 50 different secondary schools throughout the central, north, east and west of Auckland. Currently students are all from years 9 - 11.

Currently, 14 students are enrolled from about 13 different secondary schools. There is a relatively balanced gender mix of students, and most are either Pākehā or Māori with a small number of Pacific students.

The long-serving director is on study leave for 2017. An experienced teacher, new to the activity centre, has the role of acting director. Three other part-time, registered teachers and two teacher aides make up the teaching team. A part-time administrator supports the daily running of the centre.

The new principal of the managing school, Western Springs College, has a long association with the management of the activity centre. He continues his involvement alongside the school’s deputy principal and the board of trustees.

The 2013 ERO report identified many areas of good practice that continue to be evident. An area for continued development identified in the report was to ensure that staff have access to appropriate professional learning with other activity centre staff.

Since the 2013 ERO evaluation, the activity centre has received approval from the Ministry of Education for rebuilding. This development is expected to be completed in 2018.

Findings

How effective is the Activity Centre at achieving positive outcomes for students?

The activity centre is effective in achieving positive outcomes for students.

Leaders understand clearly the overarching expectation for students to return to their enrolling schools. Their own strategic goal is to have 85 percent of students reintegrating into enrolling schools. This has been achieved at different times over the 2014 to 2016 period.

On average over the past seven years, 72 percent of students returned to their enrolling schools or to tertiary education. This figure compares with 66 percent in 2016 who either returned to their schools or entered tertiary education. Some students who do not return to secondary schooling remain at the activity centre. A small number move into employment.

Staff are successful in supporting young people to be more reliable with regard to attending school. This aspect is one of the centre’s key valued outcomes, and success is evident in the high number of students who improve their attendance patterns while at the activity centre.

Staff have high expectations for students to complete learning tasks, work independently and be accountable to their peers for learning and behaviour. As a result, students learn to develop confidence speaking in a group, and learn skills to manage their own behaviour.

Most students adequately complete their Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura) correspondence programmes. Older students achieve credits for National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in subjects of choice and interest.

What is the quality of governance and leadership of the Activity Centre?

The quality of governance and leadership of this activity centre is good.

The managing school leaders and board of trustees are very supportive of activity centre staff and the daily operation of the facility. This support includes input into strategic planning and the development and review of policies. Communication between the managing school and the activity centre is regular and positive.

The management committee comprises delegates from the managing school and selected enrolling schools and a parent representative. The committee meets regularly to support centre staff and to evaluate the impact of programmes on students. These meetings, and other clear and well managed systems support positive transitions for students, including helping students to reintegrate back into secondary school.

Both the acting director and director, currently on leave, provide good leadership for staff and students. They value the skills and strengths of staff and promote a positive and inclusive culture.

The appointment of two additional teachers who support the teaching programme in a part-time capacity enhances teaching and is promoting staff wellbeing. Next steps for the principal and board chair will include further improving the provision of non-contact time for teachers, supporting staff to access counselling supervision and aligning policy review with legislative changes and requirements.

How effective are the selection and transition processes?

The selection and transition processes for this activity centre are effective.

Student selection is a collaborative process involving the relevant staff of the enrolling school and activity centre, and consultation with families. Students and families are welcomed into the centre. Students are very well supported to understand expectations and be part of the centre routines and activities. This inclusive approach has students working alongside a staff member to prepare, cook and serve lunch for other students and staff. These experiences of preparing and sharing meals are prefaced by student-led karakia. Students and staff enjoy this family-like experience that provides opportunities to learn how to socially interact around meal times and to informally converse.

Staff regularly monitor and check in with students and families/caregivers about their experience of transitioning into the centre. The centre director meets with each student more formally as often as necessary during the school week.

The success of transitions back to secondary schools depends largely on the individual needs and preferences of students and their families. Some students and whānau choose to attend another secondary or tertiary facility, and some students move onto work.

Leaders have some information about the ongoing success of students who return to their enrolling schools. However, it is generally difficult for them to track students’ longer-term progress beyond transitioning out of the activity centre.

How well does the Activity Centre identify the social, emotional and academic needs of each student?

Staff clearly identify and have a very good understanding of students’ various social, emotional and learning needs. They have very good systems to assess, monitor and support young people during their time at the centre. This information is shared at least weekly with students, parents/caregivers and enrolling schools.

Leaders and teachers access relevant specialist health services, including counselling to cater for the individual needs of students and families. High staff ratios provide students with opportunities for individualised support and guidance from their teachers. Staff set clear boundaries and establish routines for all students to create a settled and productive environment.

How well do the specialised learning programmes meet the needs of each student?

The specialised learning programmes generally meet the needs of students well.

Students are very settled in their learning environment and focus on independent learning tasks. Teachers at the centre mostly use tasks available from Te Kura. Teachers and teacher aides ably support students with their Te Kura work, and provide group programmes that improve literacy and numeracy skills.

Health education programmes appropriately support students’ wellbeing and integrate programmes run by outside agencies. Physical education programmes are limited by the facility and resources, but staff and students make good use of nearby sports grounds and local swimming pool. Onsite programmes generally comprise of group games and fitness activities. Students participate either in weekly public service or work experience, and all take turns to plan and cook lunch for other students and staff. These varied programmes engage students, improve their social skills and promote their confidence.

The centre has a good process for using individual education and behaviour programmes (IEBPs). This system is currently under review in 2017. Students’ progress towards meeting learning and behaviour goals is measured through daily reflections. Leaders plan to re-establish the use of IEBPs for students later in 2017.

Currently, teachers question whether Te Kura courses are the most effective use of learning time, or provide appropriate pathways for all students. Teachers agree that it could be useful to evaluate this approach and the overall effectiveness of the current curriculum design and enactment. Conducting such an evaluation would help teachers to ensure that programmes are increasingly relevant, integrated and authentic for students.

How effectively are students prepared for their future pathways?

The activity centre is mostly effective in formally preparing students for their future pathways.

Students experience varied useful programmes including good connections with local business and enterprise that prepare them well for their future pathways. They are well supported to develop the skills and knowledge required to seek employment or to access further study. Leaders plan to evaluate and refine their IEBP model in 2018 to ensure that it appropriately captures students' planning for their futures, including career pathways.

Teachers maintain very good communication with enrolling schools while students are at the activity centre, and especially if students plan to transition back to their secondary school. Teachers also have good knowledge about students’ future interests and career aspirations.

Recommendations

ERO recommends that the principal and board chair further improve the provision of non-contact time for teachers and support staff to access counselling supervision and align policy review with legislative changes and requirements.

In addition, ERO recommends that teachers evaluate the overall effectiveness of Te Kura courses and the current curriculum design and enactment.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

14 December 2017

About the Activity Centre

Location

Herne Bay, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

6109

School type

Activity Centre

School roll

12

Gender composition

Boys 8 Girls 4

Ethnic composition

Pākehā
Māori
Tongan
Cook Island Māori
Samoan

5
3
2
1
1

Review team on site

August 2017

Date of this report

14 December 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Special Review
Special Review
Special Review

January 2013
October 2009
March 2009