ERO Report

To the Parents and Community of Manchester Street School

These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Manchester Street School.

Manchester Street School is a contributing primary school in Feilding, catering for students in Years 1 to 6. Since the November 2006 ERO review, the school roll has grown considerably. At the time of this review, in June 2010, 331 students were attending, of whom 19% identified as Maori. A board of trustees’ focus has been ongoing property development to ensure enough space to accommodate the growing roll.

The school vision is clearly evident. The core values of relationships, learning, environment and future are represented in a stylised rainbow. Educating for sustainability is a significant focus for the school and contributes to students’ understanding of values that form the foundation of teaching and learning programmes. They feature in the school charter and provide a base from which a strategic direction is developed. The board’s ongoing self review around the values informs trustees, staff and community about the effectiveness and impact of decisions on raising student achievement.

A strong sense of community is illustrated by ongoing liaison between school personnel, the local Te Kauwhata iwi, early childhood centres, organisations and individuals. Parents actively engage in their children’s education by assisting in school, coaching sports teams and sharing their expertise. Students benefit from the many opportunities to participate in a wide range of experiences within and outside the school.

Students learn in a supportive environment. Teachers provide learning programmes that meet the needs of students at Manchester Street School. Ongoing assessment informs teachers, students, parents and the board about the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Generally students in Years 4 to 6 achieve at similar levels compared to national expectations in literacy and mathematics. Across the school, students engage positively with their teachers and each other. They display a sense of belonging

The board and staff demonstrate a positive attitude to improving outcomes for students. Teachers are reflective practitioners. Board self review informs ongoing school development. Trustees use student achievement information to make sound decisions to improve teaching and learning. There is a clear focus throughout the school on providing students with a high quality education.

Future Action

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four to five 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 Maori and Pacific students;

• decisions made to improve student achievement using assessment and self review information; and

• teaching strategies and programmes implemented to give effect to the school’s curriculum.

ERO also gathers information during the review to contribute to its national reports. 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.

Kathleen Atkins

National Manager Review Services

Central Region