Dannevirke South School

The same report — the board assurance report of 12 March 2024 — also sets out actions for compliance: the non-compliance ERO identified during that process. This is that section of the report in full, in ERO’s words.

The board has identified the following area of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

Provision of second language instruction in Years 7 and 8 is insufficient. [ The New Zealand Curriculum]

Provision of Careers instruction in Years 7 and 8 [ NAG 1 (f)].

Consultation on the Health Curriculum has not taken place in the past 2 years. [ Section 91 Education and Training Act 2020 ]

A statement about being a good employer is needed in the school’s Annual Report. [ Section 597 (1) Education and Training Act 2020 ]

The board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.

Read this board assurance report on ero.govt.nz →

The roll ERO recorded, and when

ERO writes a roll into each report it publishes: a count taken for that report, on the day shown, by the review team that was there. The Ministry of Education’s current roll for this school is 266 — the figure at the top of this page, and the one to use for how big the school is now. These are a different measurement by a different body, so they will rarely agree, and a difference between them is not a change in the school.

1. September 2019

   284

   Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 7 November 2019

This is one count taken for one report. It says what the roll was on that day, and nothing about how the roll has moved.

What ERO wrote in its latest report

This is ERO’s report of 12 March 2024 — “Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.

Background

This Profile Report was written within two years of the Education Review Office and Dannevirke South 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

Dannevirke South School is a full primary school, catering for learners in Years 1 to 8. The school’s values are honesty, respect, confidence, caring, excellence and courtesy.

Dannevirke South School ’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners for 2022-24 are to:

celebrate Māori culture through growing the development of te reo Māori , provision of cultural opportunities and gaining an understanding of local history

raise student achievement, especially that of priority learners, and understand the impact of teaching on student progress

develop a curriculum that meets the needs of all students

ensure smooth transitions into and through school and on to high school

build a strong school culture that supports wellbeing through the nurturing of a sense of belonging and pride.

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

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively increased student agency and further building of a positive culture impacts positively on student engagement and achievement, especially in writing.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:

raise student attendance and improve engagement in learning

raise student achievement, especially in writing

identify and implement schoolwide effective teaching and assessment practices.

The school expects to see improved student attendance, engagement and agency that result in increased achievement, especially in writing. It also expects to see improved assessment practices across the school that provide teachers with more accurate and useful data to inform and improve teacher practice.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to improve student outcomes, especially in writing, student engagement and teacher effectiveness.

The growth of a learning culture that values effective teacher practice and reflective practice.

Leadership that is evaluative and works to make better use of data to inform teaching.

Deepened relationships (student, staff, board of trustees, iwi and community) that support a holistic view of children and the place of learning in their lives.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

raising student agency to improve attendance and engagement in learning

implement consistent assessment practices and identify effective teacher practices in writing

work with local iwi to integrate Māori culture throughout the school within the curriculum and environment.

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

12 March 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/homes

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →