TOMARATA SCHOOL ERO REPORT
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To the Parents and Community of Tomarata School
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on
Tomarata School.
Tomarata School is a small, rural school that caters for students from Years 1 to 8 in the Rodney area. It has a positive history of ERO reporting and continues to provide good learning opportunities and a nurturing environment for the children of its community.
Since the 2007 ERO review there has been a significant increase in the school’s roll. A number of trustees are new since the last review and, together with longer standing members of the board, bring a variety of relevant talents and knowledge to the task of school governance. The principal’s highly positive approach to Māori achievement is reflected in the attitudes of trustees to this area of board responsibility. The board and principal share a sense of purpose. Their commitment to self-review and reflection is clearly evident in the way that the school is governed and managed.
The principal, who is new to the school since the last review, provides good professional leadership for the staff. She has built upon the positive aspects of the school’s performance that were noted in the previous review. There have been significant initiatives to refine and develop approaches to teaching and learning. She has a clear vision of the school’s future direction and has inspired the loyalty and enthusiasm of the staff in pursuing this vision.
Teachers in the school are effective practitioners. They are becoming increasingly reflective and demonstrate a strong commitment to further professional learning and development. A number of the teachers are providing good models of purposeful, focussed teaching with high levels of child engagement in learning. These teachers demonstrate aspects of the school’s Leap into Learning model, which is aimed at enabling children to become self-managing, life-long learners.
Children throughout the school are outgoing, friendly and enjoy learning. They are noticeably caring and empathetic in their relationships with others, particularly with those who demonstrate a level of additional need. A tuakana-teina relationship is markedly evident between those in the junior and more senior areas of the school. The culture of acceptance and inclusiveness, which is clearly manifested in children as well as adults, is a positive feature of the school.
The wellbeing and achievement of children are central to the board’s decision making. Information initially gathered by class teachers is collated, analysed and used to inform planning and resourcing for groups and individuals across the school. Data and information provided by the school indicate that most children at the end of 2009 were achieving within a broad, average band in the areas of reading and mathematics.
Future Action
The board of trustees has demonstrated that it is governing the school in the interest of the children and the Crown. The board, together with the principal and school leaders, continues to focus on improving learning: engagement, progress and achievement. ERO is likely to carry out the next review within three years.
Review Coverage
This report provides an evaluation of how effectively the school’s curriculum promotes student learning: engagement, progress and achievement. ERO’s evaluation takes account of the school’s previous reporting history and is based on;
- what is known about student achievement information, including the achievement of Māori and Pacific students;
- decisions made to improve student achievement using the information; and
- teaching strategies and programmes implemented to give effect to the school’s curriculum.</li>
ERO’s review is responsive to the school’s context. For example, when ERO reviews a school, it takes into account the characteristics of the community, from which it draws its students, its location, and the aspirations the community has for its young people, and relevant local factors.
ERO also builds on the school’s own self-review information. That is, ERO is interested in how a school monitors the progress of its students and aspects of school life and culture, and how it uses this information.
ERO also gathers information during the review to contribute to its reports on national education evaluation topics. Comments relevant to this school are included in the report. The national reports are published on ERO’s website.
If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the school or see the ERO website, www.ero.govt.nz.
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