Rolleston Christian School

The same report — the board assurance report of 25 October 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 and the board have identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

Reporting to the school community on progress and achievement of groups of students and Māori students [Regulation 21 Education (School Boards) Amendments Regulations 2022]

Ensuring that student’s parents or caregivers provide written informed consent if a section on physical restraint is appended to the student’s support plan [Education and Training Act 2020, Education (Physical Restraint) Rules 2023]

Checking forms of original primary and secondary identity documents for safety checking of workforce Children’s Act 2014, Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015]

The board has since taken steps to address the areas 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 25 October 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

Rolleston Christian School is a state integrated, special character primary school providing education for students from Years 1 to 8. The school values are Hope, Excellence, Love and Peace .

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.

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

Outcomes for learners are increasingly equitable and most learners achieve well.

Most learners achieve at or above expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics.

Learners have a strong sense of belonging deeply embedded through specific learning programmes aligned with the school values.

Most learners attend school regularly; the school meets the Ministry of Education targets for attendance.

Conditions to support learner success:

Leaders strengthen relational trust and effective collaboration across the school to achieve the strategic vison and improve outcomes for all learners.

Leaders support teachers in their professional growth through coaching sessions which strengthen their reflective practice.

School leaders model the school values when collaborating to explore ways to improve school programmes and outcomes for learners.

School leaders support teachers by effectively responding to learners’ behavioural and or learning challenges through a dapted support for individuals and groups.

Teachers effectively engage learners through a responsive, localised curriculum.

Leaders and teachers align curriculum learning with community people, places, resources and contexts to successfully support learning opportunities and learners' achievement outcomes.

Teachers collaboratively develop agreed teaching practices that engage and stretch learners; practices are linked to improving outcomes for learners particularly those at risk of not achieving.

The inquiry model is well embedded into teachers’ professional growth cycles; this supports teachers to think about their programmes and ways of teaching to improve equitable and excellent outcomes for groups of learners.

Key conditions that underpin successful schooling are embedded and well aligned.

Learners have sufficient opportunities to gain foundation skills in reading writing and mathematics.

Leaders and teachers use a wellbeing and behaviour initiative that strengthens an inclusive environment for all learners.

The Living Christianly curriculum is used and monitored successfully by teachers to develop a growth mindset and self-compassion to enhance and practise wellbeing across all contexts.

Part B: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

fully implement the school wide behaviour and wellbeing programme to promote a strong focus on learning and behaviour

refine assessment systems and practices to align changes in the school’s teaching practices and curriculum content

extend teacher capabilities and confidence to use tikanga Māori and te reo Māori into classroom programmes so that it is evident in all learning areas, to affirm learners' cultural identity

continue to sustain and monitor student attendance and engagement levels.

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

Within six months:

leaders and teachers finalise and begin implementation of the school wide behaviour and wellbeing programme.

Every six months:

leaders monitor behaviour and wellbeing data to check how well the programme is being consistently implemented and its impact on learner engagement

leaders and teachers examine learners’ work, discuss benchmarks and align assessments to ensure assessment judgements are agreed and at appropriate levels

leaders and teachers continue to improve their confidence and capability in te reo and tikanga Māori in learning programmes, to improve engagement in learning and outcomes for Māori students.

Annually:

leaders and teachers gather and analyse achievement and engagement data to inform planning and resourcing

review the implementation and progress of a whole school behaviour programme and respond to findings

review the assessment schedule against literacy and numeracy benchmarks to ensure that it provides accurate and timely information about learner progress

leaders and teachers continue to improve their confidence and capability in te reo and tikanga Māori in learning programmes, to improve engagement in learning and outcomes for Māori students.

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

improved engagement and participation in learning

assessments that give learners more understanding of their progress and support them to plan their next steps

leaders and teachers effectively and intentionally weaving te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori opportunities through teaching and learning contexts to improve engagement in learning and outcomes for 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

25 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

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →