Endeavour School | Education Review Office (original) (raw)

School Context

Endeavour School is located in the Hamilton suburb of Flagstaff and caters for students in Years 1 to 6. The school opened in 2015 with a roll of 115. Since then the roll has grown rapidly to 496 and is on track to reach 600 by the end of 2018. Currently there are 72 Māori, 84 Asian and smaller numbers of students from diverse ethnic backgrounds enrolled. The school also has a significant number of students for whom English is not their first language. This is the first full education review for the school following the completion of the New School Assurance Review process in March 2016.

School growth has necessitated major building developments with six learning areas now operating in age-based ‘Learning Communities’. Each community features flexible learning spaces, digital technologies and areas that support collaborative teaching practice. The school environment and buildings are set up to promote innovative teaching and learning.

The Endeavour Learner is described by the school as a ‘thinker, explorer and citizen who is able to interact effectively with thought and care for themselves, each other, their environment and the wider community both local and global’. The school’s overarching vision is ‘learning without limits’.

The Endeavour inquiry learning process is described by the school as a step-by-step journey that learners follow to explore, research and investigate different parts of The New Zealand Curriculum, enabling them to have increased levels of ownership and decision making in their learning.

Since the previous ERO review a significant number of new teachers has been employed and a new deputy principal began in May 2016. The principal continues in his role and there have been some minor changes to board membership.

The school is part of the Te Pae Here Kāhui Ako Te Raki Rāwhiti o Kirikiriroa Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.

Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, school-wide information about outcomes for students in reading, writing and mathematics.

Evaluation Findings

1 Equity and excellence – valued outcomes for students

1.1 How well is the school achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all its students?

The school is making very good progress towards achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all students. Achievement data for 2016 shows that in reading and mathematics most students achieved at or above expected levels. Significantly lower results were evident in writing.

Māori students proportionally achieved at similar levels to their non-Māori peers in reading and writing and at slightly lower levels in mathematics. Almost all Asian students achieved at or above expected levels in mathematics. However, achievement for this group in reading and writing was lower.

Girls achieved at similar levels to boys in reading and mathematics, and proportionally at better levels in writing.

1.2 How effectively does this school respond to those Māori and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

The school responds effectively to Māori and other students whose learning and achievement need acceleration.

School data for 2017, shows that of the students enrolled at the beginning of the year whose learning was at risk, approximately 50% made accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Outcomes for Māori and non-Māori students are now comparable in mathematics, and disparity between boys and girls has decreased in writing.

2 School conditions for equity and excellence

2.1 What school processes and practices are effective in enabling achievement of equity and excellence?

Leadership of learning is highly effective. Coherent and responsive practices and processes build teacher capability to focus on accelerating progress for all students. There are high expectations for teacher performance. These expectations, and ongoing support, contribute to teacher accountability and commitment. Leaders work closely with teachers to ensure close monitoring and tracking of student progress, and targeted strategies to accelerate learning. There are well-established systems for mentoring and coaching to build teacher capability.

Internal evaluation for ongoing improvement is well understood and effectively implemented.Leaders plan and oversee a programme of internal review focused on school priorities that are closely aligned with accelerating student progress. Teachers continuously reflect on and review their practice in relation to their effectiveness in accelerating progress for at-risk students. Ongoing internal evaluation enables leaders make evidence-based decisions about teacher professional learning appraisal goals.

Student achievement information is used well at all levels of the school. Leaders are able to maintain a coherent focus on accelerating progress for at-risk students, and on informing strategic direction. Trustees closely scrutinise achievement data to make responsive, well-informed decisions that are focused on improved outcomes for students.

Leaders manage data effectively. A range of appropriate tools and strategies are used to gather, store and retrieve achievement data and moderate student achievement and progress. Teachers use data well to set specific, measureable targets and plan deliberate actions to accelerate progress for all students, especially those whose learning is at risk.

A highly collaborative environment for learning has been developed. A collective sense of responsibility among trustees, leaders and teachers actively promotes student engagement and success. There is a shared language and understanding of learning among teachers and students, and high levels of relational trust across the teaching and leadership teams. Teachers work closely with parents and families to provide well-coordinated support for students with high needs. Calm and unhurried learning environments are evident across the school.

2.2 What further developments are needed in school processes and practices for achievement of equity and excellence?

Consolidation of student voice in internal evaluation linked to school strategic goals is needed to provide greater student ownership of school direction and priorities.

Building on relationships with iwi and whānau to develop the way te reo, local tikanga and history are included in the school curriculum is also a priority for school development.

Before the review, the board 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:

4 Going forward

Key strengths of the school

For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:

Next steps

For sustained improvement and future learner success, development priorities are in:

ERO’s next external evaluation process and timing

ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

7 February 2018

About the school

Location Hamilton
Ministry of Education profile number 6941
School type Primary (Years 1 to 6)
School roll 496
Gender composition Girls 51% Boys 49%
Ethnic composition Māori 15% Pākehā 50% Chinese 9% Indian 5% South East Asian 4% Other Asian 3% Other European 3% Pacific 3% Other ethnicities 8%
Provision of Māori medium education No
Review team on site November 2017
Date of this report 7 February 2018
Most recent ERO report(s) Assurance Review March 2016