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5 November 2009
To the Parents and Community of Richmond School
These are the findings of the Education Review Office's latest report on Richmond School.
Richmond School is a suburban primary school situated in Richmond, south of Nelson, in the Tasman Bay district. It caters for students in years 1 to 6. At the time of this review in July 2009, most of the 392 students are from New Zealand European/Pakeha backgrounds with 3% from other European cultures. Maori students comprise 9% of the roll. The school has a positive reporting history with ERO.
Since the 2006 ERO review, the principal has continued to develop collaborative leadership approaches that recognise the expertise and interests of managers and teachers. Over recent years, senior managers have promoted a strong emphasis on effective physical education programmes. School-wide leadership, development and coaching in this area contribute to high quality teaching in many classes. Students engage readily in planned learning activities and report that they enjoy physical education lessons. A high level of organised and informal participation in active games is evident in the playground. Achievement in sport and physical activity is celebrated.
In all classes teachers maintain high expectations for students' behaviour and engagement in learning tasks. Classrooms are attractive and print-rich and there is increasing use of information and communication technologies as a tool for learning. Teachers promote and sustain respectful, caring and inclusive environments that reflect school values. Regular learning activities with buddy classes provide opportunities to foster the school's family atmosphere. These effective practices, underpinned by the positive school climate, result in settled classes and influence high levels of engagement in learning tasks.
Students are generally confident, articulate and proud of their school. They appreciate their settled learning environments and many opportunities for participation in sports and cultural activities including a recent musical production and the skilled and well-trained choir and kapa-haka groups. Leadership opportunities include school and sports' councils. Nationally -referenced assessments for 2009 indicate that about 50% of students in years 4 to 6 are achieving at or above expectation for their year levels in mathematics and more than half are in this range for reading comprehension. Those with identified learning neeeds receive targeted support to accelerate their progress.
Partnership with parents is strongly encouraged and evident. Parents are involved in managing and coaching sports teams, assisting with class programmes and providing supervision at camps and other education outside the classroom events and activities.
They receive reliable information about their children's progress and achievement, particuarly at mid-year interviews.
The Board Of Trustees is committed to fostering student achievement and providing a well- maintained school for staff and students. Comprehensive annual reports provide the community with well-presented information about school successes. The recently upgraded library provides a welcoming, attractive and educationally stimulating environment for students to develop research skills and an interest in reading for pleasure. ERO finds that there is a need to streamline and strengthen strategic planning and self-review systems in order to sustain consistently high quality teaching and a momentum of continual improvement.
Future Action
ERO is confdent that the Board Of Trustees can govern the school in the interest of the students and the Crown and bring about the improvements outlined in this report. ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
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 cental to student achievement and useful to this school.