Amesbury School - 17/08/2016
1 Context
Amesbury School opened in 2012. Since the August 2013 ERO report, the roll has grown significantly to 211 students. Of these, 5% identify as Māori and 25% as Asian. The school celebrates the cultural diversity of the wide range of ethnic groups within the school. Learning spaces are organised in two hubs and are used in flexible ways to respond to the needs, strengths and interests of all students. The leadership team has been at the school since opening. New board members have joined experienced ones at the last elections.
This report evaluates how effectively inquiry and innovation supports the school to:
2 Equity and excellence
The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all students is for every student to experience what it means to be fully human and continually fulfil their potential. The mantra 'learning for life-learning to live, joy for learning-joyful living', is at the forefront of school practice and operation. Supporting the realisation of the vision and valued outcomes is the 'Amesbury High Five': excellence; connecting and including; authenticity; creating and inquiring; and sustainability.
The school’s achievement information shows that over the past three years, over 80% of students are achieving at and above National Standard expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. This includes Māori students. Senior leaders report that the coaching approach used to build teacher capability is contributing effectively to strengthening outcomes for students.
School leaders and teachers work collaboratively to ensure the consistency, validity and reliability of judgements about students' progress and achievement. Well-considered, planned processes support assessment within hubs and across the school.
Since the previous ERO evaluation the school has continued to develop and implement processes and systems to support students to continually improve their progress and reach their achievement potential through:
3 Accelerating achievement
The school effectively identifies students, including Māori, whose progress and learning needs accelerating, using a thorough assessment process and setting appropriate annual targets. Teachers plan collaboratively for target students in each hub. There is a collective responsibility for students through teacher collaboration, modelling, sharing practice and inquiring into data to identify next learning. There is a relentless focus on student progress, particularly for those identified in target groups.
Staff work together to track and monitor progress of students over time. The Amesbury Learning Framework (ALF), an online tool, gives clear guidance for expected achievement levels and next learning steps. Teachers, students and parents access and provide evidence in relation to children's learning journey.
4 School conditions
Open, transparent relationships between the board of trustees and school leaders result in reciprocal high trust and integrity. Trustees are well informed and have a persistent focus on improving student achievement and wellbeing. They bring a wide range of expertise and skill to their stewardship role. The board is resolute in their strategic thinking.
The cohesive leadership team works collaboratively to develop and enact the school's vision, values, goals and priorities. School leaders are actively involved in planning, modelling pedagogy and curriculum design. They know students, teachers and the school's community well. Leaders are highly focused on building the collective capacity of the staff to best meet the precise needs of every student. Responsive capability plans for teachers enhance professional growth.
The school has developed a flexible, future-focused curriculum where students are:
Student voice is highly valued to inform change and innovation.
An extensive range of communication tools is used to support parents' knowledge about their children's learning, progress and achievement. Learning-centred relationships are supporting effective engagement and involvement of parents in the school and their children's education. Parents' aspirations for their children are responded to and their feedback valued, supporting decision-making about school practice and operation.
Students are engaged in purposeful learning activities. They know the expectations for their individual learning and confidently articulate their learning levels and goals. Their independence is fostered, enabling them to know how, where and when to access support and who from. Teachers collaboratively plan and deliver personalised programmes that enhance student ownership.
Leaders have developed systems and structures that outline expectations to guide highly effective teaching and learning. Continuing their implementation should strengthen the consistency of schoolwide practice.
The school has consulted with Māori whānau and together have formed a well-considered approach to build authentic integration through learning contexts. This has informed:
ERO and the school have identified that having gone through the responsive start-up phase of a new school, it is now transitioning to a more stable establishment phase. Continuing to ensure the foundation procedures and practice are guided by clear documentation would further support this transition.
A clear framework and practice for review and inquiry that influences strategic direction and change is evident. Strengthening this to more explicitly incorporate expected results, should further enhance effective evaluation. This should strengthen identification of the impact innovations and initiatives are having on improving student progress, achievement and equitable outcomes.
5 Going forward
Leaders and teachers:
The board, school leaders and teachers work together and with parents to create a learning community that fosters children's wellbeing and engagement in learning. Students are confident and articulate and demonstrate that they know what it means to be a successful learner. The strong enactment of the school's vision and values, results in high levels of progress and achievement for all learners.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
6 Board assurance on legal requirements
Before the review the board of trustees and principal of the school completed the ERO 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 the following:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
7 Recommendation
ERO recommends that to enable students to fulfil their potential, school leaders should continue to focus on promoting teachers' capability to foster student learning in a future-focused environment. More explicitly articulating intended outcomes should further support internal evaluation.
Joyce GebbieDeputy Chief Review Officer Central
17 August 2016
School type: Contributing (Years 1 to 6)
School roll: 211
AMESBURY SCHOOL REPORTS
