To the Parents and Community of Te Kopuru School
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Te Kopuru School.
Te Kopuru School is an attractive and well resourced semi-rural school located on the Pouto peninsula in the Northern Wairoa district. Trustees, managers, teachers, and members of the community involved with the school work collaboratively to provide a high quality learning environment for children. All are committed to enhancing learning opportunities and improving student outcomes.
Students are respectful of adults and peers and their behaviour reflects the school’s philosophy of pono (truth), tika (honesty) and aroha (love), which underpin all aspects of school life. Students are motivated, confident and proud of their learning. They are able to share their achievements with parents and whānau in a variety of ways including student-led conferencing and reporting using individual e-portfolios.
School-wide assessment information indicates that the improved student progress in literacy and numeracy noted in the 2006 ERO review has been maintained. Literacy and numeracy achievement data for 2009 indicate that most Māori students are now achieving at or above expected levels. Since the 2006 review, the school has continued to use collated achievement information to set relevant achievement targets, which are reported on and contribute to the board’s strategic planning and decision making. Students are achieving well at Te Kopuru School.
The board has continued to provide a wide range of school-based and external professional development opportunities for all staff, based on school and personal development goals. Since 2006, intensive professional development has taken place in literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technologies (ICT) using independent facilitators and linked to the school’s leadership role in the Ministry of Education’s Northern Wairoa Extending Higher Standards Across Schools (EHSAS) initiative.
The principal is a visionary, collaborative and inclusive leader who sets high standards for herself and others. She encourages and supports innovation and ensures that leadership opportunities are available to staff, students and others who are associated with the school. Teachers are enthusiastic and thoughtful practitioners who have high expectations for, and positive and affirming relationships with, students.
The board of trustees continues to be committed to ongoing schooling improvement and high levels of student achievement. Trustees bring a wide range of experience and skills to their governance role and have developed well established self-review procedures and systems. They consult regularly with the school’s community and, as a result, have a shared, clearly articulated vision for the future development of Te Kopuru School and its students.
This review focuses on the quality of teaching and learning in numeracy. The report also comments on areas of national interest including progress in promoting the achievement of Māori and Pacific students, the teaching of literacy to Years 1 and 2, and school preparation for implementing the New Zealand Curriculum in 2010.
ERO finds that the school continues to perform at a high level and recommends that the board continue to provide professional development opportunities to support all teachers in numeracy teaching; and that teachers continue to meet the specific learning needs of all students through the use of formative assessment practices.
Future Action
ERO is very confident that the board of trustees can manage the school in the interests of the students and the Crown and bring about the improvements outlined in this report.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four to five years.
Review Coverage
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of school performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to student achievement and useful to this school.
If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the school or see the
ERO website,