Snells Beach Primary 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 

Snells Beach Primary School, north of Auckland, is located on the Mahurangi East Peninsula. The school provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The community is currently experiencing rapid development resulting in roll growth for the school.

There are three parts to this report.

Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation. 

Part B: 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 C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals 

Since the last report ERO and the school have been working together to evaluate how well for all learners:

• the school’s planning for implementing te ao Māori, tikanga Māori and te reo Māori provide equitable opportunities
• the refined literacy programme ensures continuity of learning across the school. 

Expected Improvements and Findings 

The school expected to see:

Te ao Māori, te reo Māori and tikanga Māori evidenced across all aspects of school life.

• Learners experience a curriculum that values culture, language and identity.
• Tikanga and matauranga Māori are successfully woven through the curriculum. 
• Te reo Māori is visible throughout the school environment and within school documents.

A strengthened reciprocal relationship with Ngāti Manuhiri.

• Positive connections and reciprocal relationships with Ngāti Manuhiri are purposeful.
• Ngāti Manuhiri support the cultural induction of School Board members, staff and learners.
• Ngāti Manuhiri support school leaders to develop the Snells Beach Primary School kawa.

A refined literacy plan that provides effective continuity of learning across the school.

• Literacy planning has been strengthened to support structured literacy approaches and guidelines.
• Established routines and practices respond to the needs of learners and foster engagement in learning.
• The school has developed learning progressions in mathematics, writing and reading with a common language for school wide consistency.

Consistent and equitable opportunities for all learners to achieve excellent outcomes.

• Achievement information shows that most learners achieved at or greater than the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. 

Other Findings 

During the course of the evaluation, it was found that the achievement of Year 1 and 2 learners accelerated due to structured literacy teaching approaches. Teachers responded to this acceleration by adapting the learning programme for Year 3 learners who were able to apply this knowledge in a wider range of contexts. 

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action of implementing a structured approach to literacy and mathematics is greater consistency in teaching and improved learner outcomes. 

Part B: Current State 

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

Most learners are engaged, make good progress and achieve very well.

• Most learners are achieving at or above the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics; Māori learners are achieving as well as or better than all. 
• Learners know and express the school values, have a strong sense of belonging and purpose, and are confident in their identity.
• The school has yet to meet the Ministry of Education targets for attendance; the majority of learners attend school regularly and staff use specific strategies that encourage improved attendance rates.

Conditions to support learner success

School leaders are highly effective and lead ongoing improvement.  

• Leadership across the school is deliberately developed with a strong focus on growing teachers’ leadership capability to achieve the school’s vision and strategic intention.
• Leaders use a range of evidence to coherently plan and monitor progress of strategic improvement goals and evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to improve learning and wellbeing.
• Shared leadership responsibility ensures that systems, practices and processes are well known by staff, board, school community and sustainable. 

Learner success is supported by a mutually respectful school culture and high-quality teaching. 

• Staff know learners well, and work together to provide purposeful and challenging learning opportunities for all learners to engage positively and make progress. 
• Learners have an environment where they are encouraged to be independent and take risks that allow them to make the most of all learning opportunities.
• Learners needing additional support are identified promptly, provided with individualised and effective support to learn and progress at an appropriate pace. 

The school has well aligned systems, practices and programmes that promote learners’ wellbeing and engagement for success.

• Effective communication between the board, leaders and teachers supports collaboration, resourcing and contributes to a successful teaching and learning environment.
• Leaders and staff foster strong relationships across a wide range of professional networks including mana whenua to support capability building, improvement and innovation.
• Teachers and leaders share and work towards achieving equitable outcomes in the progress achievement and wellbeing of all learners.

Part C: Where to next? 

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• prepare to implement the new English and mathematics curriculum
• continue embedding te ao Māori, tikanga and te reo Māori
• continue to work in partnership with families to improve attendance rates and progress and achievement for all learners 
• continue to analyse and respond to attendance information to strengthen practices.

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

Every six months:

• analyse and respond to learner attendance, achievement, engagement and wellbeing information to know what is working and for who
• continue to engage in professional development to ensure that teaching and learning of the structured mathematics and literacy approaches meet the expectations of the new curriculum 
• continue to collaborate with local agencies and iwi as new initiatives become available.

Annually:

• continue to analyse and report school wide achievement, attendance and wellbeing data to the school board to strategically plan evidence-based actions 
• continue to embed and evaluate the professional capacity of teachers to increase the use of te reo and tikanga Māori and its impact on learner outcomes
• review and evaluate systems and processes to ensure that the school is best placed to sustain good practice and manage the rapid roll growth.

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

• successful implementation of the new English and mathematics curriculum 
• te ao Māori, tikanga and te reo Māori integral to the school’s culture
• improved attendance, progress and achievement for all learners. 

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

24 October 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