Kaipara Flats School

Kaipara Flats School is a welcoming place for students. It provides a broad curriculum based on The New Zealand Curriculum. Most students are achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics. The new principal and board are strengthening aspects of educational leadership, governance and school self-review.

Kaipara Flats School is a small rural primary school situated north of Auckland. The school provides education for students from Years 1 to 6. Children learn in small, multi-level classes. They experience individualised attention and support. Students of different ages and year levels are very supportive of each other.

Students and families are proud of the long standing and inter-generational connections the school has with its community. Local community events and school traditions are very important to parents and the wider community. These events and traditions continue to feature in school programmes. Student wellbeing and students’ sense of belonging are fostered through positive relationships. The inclusive tone in the school supports the learning of all students. The physical environment is attractive and well cared for. The school is well resourced and facilities are shared with the wider community.

The school is using student achievement information increasingly well to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement.

The school’s student achievement information shows that most students are achieving at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers provide the board with a large amount of achievement data. The board could make better use of this information if it was collated and analysed to show trends and patterns in student progress and achievement. It would be beneficial if it included information related to groups identified by the Government as priority learners.

Teachers reflect on their practice in a number of ways to make positive changes for learners. They use a variety of assessment tools. They use assessment information for programme planning and to help them make overall teacher judgements about student achievement levels. They monitor all students closely. Students needing additional help are well supported in classrooms through additional programmes and teacher aide resourcing.

A next step for the school is to develop greater shared understandings of the teaching practices that are most effective in promoting student progress and learning. High quality external professional learning and development (PLD) should now be accessed to strengthen educational leadership and teachers' evaluation of their teaching. Work in these areas should include a focus on extending student learning so that more students are challenged to achieve at levels above the National Standards.

Parents receive information about their children’s learning in all curriculum areas through a variety of methods. Teachers welcome informal discussions with parents. Parents also receive written reports about their children’s progress and achievement against the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The school's plans to review and refine these reporting formats should help ensure that reports provide clear information that is useful to parents and students.

The schools’ curriculum supports and promotes student learning. Students have access to a wide range of resources and tools to support their learning. They are confident and articulate. Students work enthusiastically in groups and/or independently. The school curriculum covers all areas of The New Zealand Curriculum. Teachers use different approaches to integrate curriculum learning areas to help students make connections in their learning.

Students' learning opportunities are enhanced by a significant focus on integrating information and communication technologies (ICT) into teaching and learning programmes. The board is committed to continuing to fund ICT resources. They are also planning to develop learning spaces that support collaborative learning. Students’ questioning, thinking and inquiry skills and abilities are promoted by teachers.

Teachers are using strategies to increase students’ independence and understanding of their own learning. As a result, the school is becoming better placed to increase students' sense of owning their learning.

Students are settled and willing to learn. They benefit from multi-level class structures, where they have opportunities to work with other children of different ages. Senior students have many opportunities to take on responsibilities and leadership roles within the school and in community events.