ERO agreed with our Management team in terms of 'where to next'. These are areas that we continue to develop:

Personalising learning:  Teachers are at various stages of implementing effective strategies that engage students in the learning process.  The implementation of these strategies is inconsistent schoolwide.  Consideration should be given by all teachers to providing more opportunities for students to:

• reflect on and identify next learning steps;
• provide opportunities consistently to meet the learning needs, interests and talents of students, particularly seniors;
• improve the use of critical and higher order thinking skills; and
• increase opportunities for students to facilitate, reflect and monitor their own learning.

Application of these learning strategies should further increase student ownership of learning and continue to raise student achievement.

Coherent school-wide Maori dimension:  Given the increased and equal numbers of students who identify as Maori in both mainstream and immersion classes, it would be beneficial for the school community to work together to develop a coherent and unified school-wide approach to strengthening the Maori dimension in the school.  These approaches could include:

• open dialogue to develop a shared understanding and appreciation of Te Puna Matauranga and mainstream philosophies and practices; and
• mainstream teachers strengthening their modelling of te reo and tikanga Maori and incorporating Maori perspectives in learning programmes.

A balanced cohesive approach should support the board’s commitment to further developing a bicultural partnership and ensure all Maori and non-Maori students benefit from Maori and Pakeha dimensions.