ERO REPORT

This Profile Report was written within 18 months of the Education Review Office and Iona College working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools.

For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz

Context

Iona College is a state-integrated, Presbyterian school for girls founded on Christian values. The college, situated in Havelock North, offers boarding and day facilities and provides education for students in Years 7 to 13. The school’s vision is ‘Empowering Girls for life’, with a special character based on four cornerstones - academic, sporting, cultural and spiritual.

Iona College’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:

  • build school culture and embrace the school’s special character

  • enhance wellbeing, engagement and achievement through effective care

  • cultivate pathways which lead to equity and success for all

  • make a positive difference through a strong connected community.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Iona College’s website.

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the effectiveness of culturally responsive and relational teaching to promote an inclusive learning climate that supports equitable and excellent outcomes for all students, including Māori learners and students with diverse learning needs.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:

  • to strengthen the implementation of culturally responsive and relational pedagogy and the need to embed effective practices in teaching and learning programmes

  • to continue to respond effectively to the needs of all learners, enhance student agency and strengthen the inclusive learning climate across the school

  • to support the ongoing development of a localised curriculum that is responsive to all learners and reflects whānau aspirations within the Special Character of the school.

The school expects to see:

  • culturally responsive and relational teaching practices embedded within teaching and learning programmes that support learners’ language, culture and identity

  • learners with diverse learning needs well-supported by rich learning programmes within an inclusive climate

  • an engaging and responsive localised curriculum that reflects the high aspirations of all learners and whānau within the special character of the school.

Strengths

The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in evaluating the effectiveness of culturally responsive and relational teaching:

  • effective leadership that promotes the school vision and values, with a focus on equitable opportunities and achieving excellent outcomes for all learners

  • an inclusive culture with respectful, positive and supportive relationships that reflect the values and special character of the school

  • the school is strengthening professional capabilities and collective capacity to enhance learner outcomes with a focus on continuous improvement

  • effective systematic and sustained school processes, practices and actions value wellbeing, student agency and academic success.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise:

  • targeted professional learning opportunities that strengthen culturally responsive and relational teacher practice and positively impact on student engagement and learner outcomes

  • strengthening relationships with whānau and community to ensure aspirations inform a responsive and engaging localised curriculum

  • continuing to strengthen learning enhancement processes and practices to ensure learners with diverse needs are well supported.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.