Ebbett Park School

The same report — the board assurance report of 23 September 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.

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

ongoing commitment to staff training in child protection child protection policy [Children’s Act 2014, Sections 18 and 19]

The board has since taken steps to address the area of non-compliance identified.

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

What ERO wrote in its latest report

This is ERO’s report of 23 September 2024 — “School Evaluation Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.

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

Ebbett Park School, in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay, provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The core values of ‘excellence, pride and spirit’ underpin the school’s approach and systems.

The school hosts a Ko Taku Reo Deaf Hub which provides resources and support to students with hearing issues across Hawke’s Bay.

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 previous ERO report of December 2022, the school has focused on building professional capability to progress learning and positive wellbeing outcomes for students.

Expected Improvements and Findings

The school expected to see:

Systems and processes for data collection, tracking, monitoring and reporting of achievement information embedded across the school.

Teachers more confidently use a schoolwide data management system to track, monitor and respond to student achievement information; this continues to be an area for further development.

Strengthen teachers’ understanding of the use of assessment to inform teaching and learning that is responsive to individual learner needs.

Some progress has been made and continuing to strengthen and develop teachers’ understanding of the use of assessment information for dependability and to accurately inform teaching and learning; this continues to be a priority.

Use of a consistent communication tool to strengthen meaningful relationships and learning partnerships with parents, whānau and the community.

The use of a digital platform for communication and sharing students’ achievements with parents and whānau continues to build learning-focused partnerships.

Part B: Current State

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

Learner Success and Wellbeing

Overall, achievement of most students sits below curriculum expectations.

Less than half of students achieve at curriculum expectations for reading, writing and mathematics; i mproving students’ progress and achievement in writing and mathematics is a priority, including improving equitable outcomes for boys, Māori and Pacific students.

School data shows by the end of Year 6, most students meet curriculum expectations in reading with just over half of students at expectations in writing and mathematics; the dependability of this data is an area for improvement.

The school is not yet meeting the Ministry of Education target for regular student attendance.

Conditions to support learner success

Leadership gives priority to having an inclusive school culture where students are supported to access learning.

Students with additional learning needs are identified and well supported by schoolwide systems, external agencies and the growing use of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) in the school community.

Schoolwide professional learning and development in literacy and mathematics is increasingly building teacher capability and consistency of practice across the school, to support the improvement of outcomes for students.

The school is taking steps to develop a responsive cohesive curriculum and set clear expectations for teaching and learning.

Students are purposefully engaged in structured literacy learning schoolwide to improve progress and achievement.

Students respond well to explicit teaching and structured programmes; this supports them to develop problem solving and risk-taking skills.

Curriculum leaders continue to support teachers’ planning and the use of assessment information, with a on focus strengthening teaching and learning programmes.

Staff work collaboratively to promote an orderly and positive learning environment that makes the most of students’ learning time.

The school is taking steps to establish coherent conditions that underpin school improvement.

The school is establishing strategic school improvement priorities and aligning processes to understand how these impact on student outcomes.

Leaders and teachers continue to strengthen parent engagement and partnerships for learning through regular whānau hui , school events and celebrations.

Teachers are beginning to integrate te reo Māori and tikanga Māori learning opportunities in teaching programmes to promote learner success.

Part C: Where to next

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

improve attendance and achievement for all students in reading, writing and mathematics, prioritising equity in outcomes for boys, Māori and Pacific

develop a responsive cohesive school curriculum that provides clear guidance and expectation for planning, assessment, teaching and learning

continue to build teachers’ capability to plan and use dependable achievement information to plan targeted learning programmes

seek student voice in relation to their wellbeing to ensure that school systems and processes work well and respond to changing needs.

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

Within three months:

set annual achievement targets focused on improving regular attendance and accelerating the progress of students in reading, writing and mathematics

implement consistent schoolwide systems and processes to track and monitor accelerated progress and achievement of target students,

further strengthen individual education planning goals to better show learners’ progress

collate and report student views about their wellbeing and establish priorities for ongoing improvement.

Every six months:

report to the board on the progress and achievement of target students in relation to accelerated progress and strategies that improve regular school attendance

track, monitor and report the progress and achievement of those students with an individual education plan, to further plan and respond to their needs

continue to engage and monitor the impact of professional development for teachers on raising student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

teachers continue to collectively inquire into their teaching practices to improve learner outcomes including moderation of teachers’ assessment judgements.

Annually:

develop and implement a schoolwide evaluation approach to know how well key priorities and goals, have been met and to inform future planning, including strategies that improve student attendance

leaders and teachers will use gathered information, including the outcomes of their collective inquiries to inform relevant changes to curriculum delivery.

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

improved student outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics through accelerated progress with greater equity for boys, Māori and Pacific learners

robust and dependable student progress and achievement information collected over time to inform school priorities and teaching and learning

a cohesive and responsive curriculum that guides schoolwide planning, assessment, teaching and learning for a diverse range of learners

most students attending school regularly.

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education

ERO recommend the Ministry of Education provide tailored support for the school to:

further grow teaching capability to raise student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics

put in place strategies to improve regular attendance

develop sustainable systems and processes to collect and analyse student progress and achievement information.

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

23 September 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

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →