STRATEGIC STATEMENT 2011
The Board completed its annual consultation with families in Nov 2010. The Board also consulted with its community in respect of the end of year ‘school report’ format as well as ‘Reporting against the Standards’.
The Board, following discussion in respect of changes to the NAGS, i.e. inclusion of National Standards, remains concerned that the impact this will have on the children and their families will be a negative one. The Board does not accept that the Standards meet the needs nor wishes of its families and will be harmful for their children’s learning as it has the potential to narrow the emphasis staff give to providing a broader type school learning programme which families have stated they want for their children. For this reason the Board is critical of any imposition of these National Standards on the children of the school. Families have indicated similar concerns, and while a few have had no problem with the idea of a standard, the majority of respondents were either not in favour or were confused about their impact on their children.
The Board is aware that parents are highly supportive of the school and have high expectations for their children’s learning. They want their children to be happy and achieving well. The Board’s view is that all children should be able to read and write to levels appropriate to their age. The members also recognise that children are unique, with different skills and abilities and should be treated accordingly, and have the opportunities, challenges and space where they can belong with their fellow classmates and within their school. The Board expects its teaching staff to ensure its assessment strategic trends provide reliable information not only on individual children’s performance achievement but also on progress across the school.
The work set by their teachers should suit their children’s needs and adequate support should be available to ensure the children have every chance to learn.
The Board is aware that there is a need to address the changes across the school’s roll profile with a significant growth in the number of Maori children enrolled. The Board’s strategic planning needs to account for the roll profile changes and the patterns of enrolments in contributing primary schools in town. The Board will continue to work with the Ministry Office to reduce the impact of the divisive enrolment scheme operating in the town. The Board will also address the various learning needs presented by its current cohorts. It will continue to support growth in programmes which meet these needs and work with agencies including Ministry of Education to manage the changes it perceives it needs to address, i.e. bilingual classes.
The Board will maintain a strong consultation programme with families and whanau over the current year as part of its strategic approach.
The Board is keen to encourage further development (continuing on from the staff’s initiatives in 2010) with programmes in Te Reo Maori and in Kapahaka. The Board is conscious of the growth in the numbers of Maori children attending Morrinsville Primary and the need to provide programmes to enhance all children’s knowledge and skill in Te Reo and Kapahaka. This is in keeping with its long term strategic position of ensuring Maori students achievements are in keeping with all other students in the school.
The Board is keen that the staff maintain the PE, sport and outdoor education programmes. The Board is committed to supporting the staff in providing the extra curriculum programmes which develop character and confidence in the children. The children should be encouraged to appreciate their environment and the world in which they live and they should grow up being respectful of others and develop a caring attitude.
The Board will continue to address the recommendations made by the Education Review Office in respect of strengthening relationships across its parent communities. The board is committed to developing strategies and opportunities for families to engage with the school to ensure their children achieve success in learning. The Board adopts as its reference document Ka Hikitia : Managing for Success.
The Board in its governance role will support those initiatives which assist its staff in implementing programmes which will achieve these goals. The Boards Annual Budget and Development Programmes are seen as part of its response in achieving its Governance responsibility.
Brett Johnstone 31 May 2011
Chairman
Principal and Staff
The School Curriculum for 2011 will aim to ensuring the core curriculum areas of mathematics, Reading and Writing are well resourced and teachers’ focus is directed towards monitoring children’s progress and developing teaching strategies, programmes and learning activities to meet individual, group and class needs.
The teachers will continue to maintain a broad outlook on the curriculum being presented to include the other curriculum areas outlined in the New Zealand Curriculum.
Other key areas of emphasis are:
1. Te Reo classes and kapahaka across the school.
2. PE and fitness programmes daily. School sport, teams coaching and outdoor education (camps
and trips) will also feature as part of this programme. The children will participate in sports
tournaments over the year.
3. Health and wellbeing of the children and the school community will include aspects of teaching
and engagement with others.
4. Science and Social Studies programmes will be integrated contextually relevant experiences,
e.g. earth science and school camps etc.
5. Our music programme will include class singing, choir and kapahaka including class/children
learning new waiata each term. The school will be involved in Choir Public Performances (e.g.
Kids for Kids), and a schoolwide musical production.
6. Our Art programme will focus on art expressed through a number of media. Children will also
work on art projects, e.g. mural etc. All classrooms will present artwork for public display over
the year.
Extension and Enhancement
1. We intend providing extension programmes in Maths and English, Te Reo and Kapahaka
2. We will be providing additional coaching and support for children in sport, e.g. engaging in
professional coaches to enhance children developing.
3. We will provide programmes in music and art for groups/individuals who wish to participate in
choir, instrumental tuition, art club etc.
Target Learning Support
1. We will address individual and small group needs within regular classrooms. We will provide
extension, PT teacher and teacher aide support to class groups identified through teacher and
senior needs analysis.
2. We will complete two formal assessment records, one in March and the other in November as
part of our evaluation programme on children’s progress. Class teachers will complete other
assessments with their classes to identify and monitor their children’s progress.
Key Learning Target Tasks
1. Literacy
a Daily programme timetabled
b Development of sub-skills to meet literacy learner needs
c Development of comprehension in respect of vocabulary, word meanings, literacy contexts,
sentence comprehension and paragraph comprehension.
d Development of text writing skills with a focus on use of appropriate nouns, verbs, adjectives
and adverbs strategies for writing based on what ‘good writers do’.
e Development of strong functional oral language.
2. Mathematics
a A strong emphasis on recall of basic number facts.
b Development numeral knowledge and strategies with target groups and well based teaching.
c Ensuring the other maths strands are covered (e.g. algebra, measurement etc .) in regular
timetabled periods over the year.
d Setting comprehensive targets in Mathematics, Reading and Writing for each year level with
reference to NZ strand arrived assessment tools and well established informal and non
standarized assessment scheduling.
School Reporting to Parents
1. We will formally report to parents in February/March, May/June and November/December. The May/June and November/December will include a formal written report.
2. Teachers will maintain an informal ongoing information sharing programme over the school year.
Assessment Tools
The tools used by teachers includes PAT Reading Comprehension, PAT Listening, PAY Vocabulary and PAT Mathematics. Teachers also use STAR and AsTTle. PM benchmarks (revised edition), Prove (senior classes), Reading Wedge Graphing and Numeracy Gloss, NUMPA and iKAN.
Teacher Professional Development and Support : Curriculum Targets
1. The school teaching staff are part of Year 1 of the Maths Numeracy Project and will be working
over the year with facilitators and lead teachers.
2. Lead teachers will also support the ongoing maintenance of the Literacy strategies development
over recent years.
3. Other professional development is outlined as part of the Board’s Development Plan.
4. All classes involved in school based Te Reo, attending classes with children.
Conclusion
Staff share the expectations of the Board and school families who want their children to achieve at school. Teaching staff hold to the expectation that all children can learn to read and write and complete mathematics tasks to the levels indicated in the NZ Curriculum Document.
The staff are committed to making the school experience work in the best interests of the children and to ensuring that their children’s learning and development needs are paramount in their professional activity.
Our staff culture is one of mutual support and collegial endeavours. The commitment is to create a school where everyone is valued and feels comfortable to be part of. Our values are enshrined in the qualities of Manaakitanga and Whanaungatanga.
This is manifested in action as we work as a team in meaningful, genuine, sincere and caring ways.
Shay Noonan
Principal 31 May 2011