Education Review Office Report 2019

This is what the Education Review Office had to say about our kura, following their visit in 2019:

Findings
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO's overall evaluation judgement of the performance of Te Kura o Kokohuia in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

ERO's Framework: Overall School Performance is available on ERO's website.

1 Context
Te Kura o Kokohuia is located in the suburb of Castlecliff in Whanganui. The kura provides Māori medium education for students from Years 1 to 15. There are 126 students attending the kura which is a significant increase from 56 students at the time of the previous ERO review. The identity and wellbeing of students is strongly associated to the Whanganui river: Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au. The board of trustees and kura leaders work collectively to align their curriculum to the education plan of the local iwi.

2 Student Outcomes
Students are immersed in Whanganuitanga. Learning content and contexts reflect the vision for whānau, hapū and iwi. The kura curriculum reinforces the importance of the Whanganui river and the marae. There is alignment of the kura curriculum to the Whanganui iwi strategic plan and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. Local knowledge, traditions, history and significant places along the river provide learning experiences for students that are relevant to who they are. Students explore learning contexts that raise their awareness of their cultural and social responsibilities. Students participate in local events that are significant to their iwi. Students acknowledge their place in the kura, community, hapū and iwi.

Students learn in a caring, collaborative and inclusive environment. There are clear expectations for how students and teachers will work together through the learning process. The support for tuākana and tēina relationships is evident in the kura. They show care and support for each other. Students are encouraged to lead daily practices across the kura such as karakia. Teachers celebrate and acknowledge students' successes. Students see the values of the kura actively promoted as part of their learning within the kura and in their community.

Students are supported to speak te reo Maori. The use of the Whanganui dialect is prominent as the language of communication within the kura, and normalises the presence of the dialect in their learning and the kura. Students demonstrate confidence in their language skills to discuss and debate topics and to share their ideas with others. Teachers use good strategies to increase vocabulary and support students to be confident readers and writers of Māori. Students are developing as confident speakers of te reo Māori.

Students' learning is monitored and tracked. Teachers use a range of assessment tools to gather and collate student achievement information for the board of trustees and whānau. They know their students well and achievement information is used each year to identify groups of students who require extra learning support. Increasing students? confidence in learning by encouraging them to set learning goals supports them to talk meaningfully about their learning. Professional learning and development for teachers is well supported.

Student achievement remains a priority within the kura. The board of trustees receive regular reports from the principal about student achievement and progress. There has been some progress and improvement in achievement, however sustained and more targeted action is required to accelerate student achievement in literacy and numeracy. It is critical that planned actions are focussed on the specific needs of identified students and groups of students. Achievement in NCEA is improving. Staff have focussed on strengthening internal systems and practices to support learning and achievement in the wharekura. Future pathways for wharekura students are well supported.

Key Next Steps
To support ongoing developments within the kura, the principal and staff should:
- enhance processes for the analysis and reporting of student achievement information
- establish assessment guidelines for the standards developed within the kura curriculum
- strengthen evaluation of the kura curriculum to identify areas of success and areas for ongoing improvement.

3 Self Review and Leadership
The board of trustees and kura leaders work well together for the benefit of students. There is a strong commitment to the vision and future of the kura. The board of trustees has implemented a review cycle to monitor and review key aspects of kura operations. Raising student achievement is a strong focus for kura leaders and the board of trustees. The principal has maintained strong connections within the kura and its community.

Partnerships with whānau are strong. There is a continued effort to maintain shared ownership and responsibility for the educational welfare of students. The board of trustees continues to uphold the strong connections to Whanganui and the river through the development and implementation of the localised kura curriculum. There are many positive aspects to the kura which have contributed to an increase in the roll over recent years.

4 Board assurance on legal requirements
Before the evaluation, the board of trustees and principal completed the Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to:
- board administration
- curriculum
- management of health, safety and welfare
- personnel management
- financial management
- asset management.

During the evaluation, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
- emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
- physical safety of students
- teacher registration and certification
- processes for appointing staff
- stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
attendance
- compliance with the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

5 Recommendations
ERO recommends that the board of trustees, principal and kaiako:
- seek support and targeted guidance for the principal and kaiako to strengthen the focus on raising the quality of education for all students
continue to strengthen professional leadership and school governance.

Conclusion
On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO's overall evaluation judgement of the performance of Te Kura o Kokohuia in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Developing.

Gloria Takuira
Acting Toka ā-nuku

9 July 2019
Review team on site 1 April 2019
Date of this report 9 July 2019