This cluster evaluation highlights improvements in the overall performance of the six kura kaupapa Māori and 12 English-medium schools on the North Island’s East Coast.
The Education Review Office (ERO) first reported on schooling on the East Coast in 1997. That report, Improving Schooling on the East Coast, noted that the quality of education most of the students received was not high enough. Two further ERO reports in 2001 and 2002 identified steady progress for schools on the East Coast. By the end of 2002 only two schools were not performing well.
Since then, the context of education in the Ngāti Porou region has changed. The 2003/04 Ministry of Education Network Review resulted in school mergers, restructuring and closures. In 2010, an additional kura kaupapa Māori was established catering for students in Years 1 to 15. Various professional learning and development (PLD) initiatives were provided across the region.
This report highlights some significant changes in these schools over the last 14 years. Three of the 18 East Coast schools and kura were judged to have such high quality self review, likely to help sustain ongoing improvement, that ERO indicated their next review would be in four-to-five years. In 12 schools and kura reviews ERO judged that the schools were likely to continue to focus on improving student progress and achievement and so indicated a three year return. ERO will work with the remaining three schools and kura to help them build their self-review capacity, and to improve students’ education.
Whānau involvement in governance and management, and in curriculum review and design has increased and contributed to improvements in the schools and kura. Whānau are actively involved in their schools and proud of them. They have supported the implementation of the curriculum by sharing their knowledge and expertise related to the local physical, historical and cultural environment.
School leaders’ professional learning and development PLD has also contributed to leaders’ and teachers’ increased confidence with designing their school’s curriculum and introducing related teaching practice. Kura kaupapa Māori cooperated to share strategies, and many English-medium schools participated in cluster PLD. Those working in the clusters or with other schools gained new knowledge, decided on future development plans, mentored colleagues and in some cases introduced new practices in their own school. Continued targeted professional learning support for leaders and teachers is crucial to sustain the improvements highlighted in this evaluation report and to address areas where development is needed.
In many schools teachers collect assessment data that they should use to plan targeted teaching programmes and to share the information with students. Some leaders are already discussing school-wide assessment information with school trustees so they can identify how well their students are achieving the goals outlined in their school’s charter. School leaders and teachers now need ongoing opportunities to spread the successful practices across the region, for the benefit of all students.