ERO Report

ERO, the Education Review Office, reviews the performance of every school from time to time. The resulting report, called an Education Review Report, is a public document and is often used as a yardstick for a school's recent performance.

Here is a summary of the latest ERO Report on Sockburn School:

23 July 2008

To the Parents and Community ofSockburnSchool

These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report onSockburnSchool.

SockburnSchoolis located in southwestChristchurchand caters for students from Years 1 to 6. Students come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. The school has a good range of well-maintained facilities.

The school continues to make good progress. Many of the positive features of the school detailed in its 2005 Education Review Office report have been maintained and built upon. The principal and teachers have improved aspects of classroom programmes and appraisal practices.

This review focused on the quality of learning and teaching, and, in particular, the school’s integrated curriculum studies. It also evaluated the opportunities teachers have for professional learning and development. The progress the school has made since the last review in promoting Māori and Pacific student achievement and aspects of compliance including student safety were also reviewed.

The most positive features of the school evident during the review were:

· the quality of the learning environment teachers provide for students;

· the overall levels of student achievement in reading;

· the range of learning experiences students take part in and the steps teachers are taking to make sure these are appropriate and meaningful;

· the strong emphasis the school places on values education; and

· the improvements to the quality of teaching programmes being fostered through professional leadership and development.

The board, principal and senior staff recognise that they now need to give particular priority to:

· analysing patterns of student achievement and progress and improving students’ achievement in written language;

· extending the use of high quality teaching practices across the school;

· evaluating the quality of teaching programmes and the effectiveness of board plans, policies and procedures; and

· monitoring and improving the school’s financial situation.

The school has yet to gather comprehensive information about the achievement of its Māori and Pacific students or develop specific plans and targets for improving Māori student achievement.

After a period of change, the board’s new chairperson is helping to improve its governance practices. The board is supportive of staff and is now beginning to place greater emphasis on fostering student achievement.

The school’s strategic and annual plans provide some direction for the board. Annual student achievement targets are becoming more specific. The usefulness of these targets and plans will be increased when student achievement trends are analysed in a more thorough and timely way.

Future Action

ERO is 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 review the school again as part of the regular review cycle.

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, http://www.ero.govt.nz.

Isabell Sinclair Irwin
Area Manager

for Chief Review Officer