Ohakune school gets top marks

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 638, 28 May 1996, Page 1

Ohakune school gets top marks

Ohakune Primary School was under the Education Review Office (ERO) microscope last week, and came through the process with a very good report. The review was an 'assurance audit' of the school, which looks at the way the * school is organised and run. It includes the board of trustees, principal and staff and the various documents that are involved in the organisation such as the school charter. An effectiveness audit usually follows an assurance audit. The team of reviewers arrived at the school last Monday to a powhiri (Maori welcome) by the whole school. They commented that this powhiri provided a "very positive" start to their four-day visit. Later, they commented that the school has one of the most competent team of Maori support people they have seen. Although it is a board of trustees concern, school principal Ellen Gould said the ERO team found that all charter policies and procedures were in place. She said it was acknowledged that the school' s emergency procedures booklet

was very comprehensive. They noted that behaviour in the playground was supportive, with older children often observed looking after younger ones. "Our behaviour management plan is working and is continually be'ing kept at the forefront of all activities within the school," said Mrs Gould. The reviewers made mention of the excellenf language and rich classroom displays in the kura kaupapa rooms at the Maungarongo Marae and the school' sjunior bilingual class. The reviewers were told that the board has made it top priority to upgrade the last block of classrooms to an acceptable standard. Staff reported that there was no shortage of resources in the school and that when curriculum committees put in budget requests, they were met. Further positive comments included: • The school has programmes running to increase children' s self-esteem. • Special education programmes recei ved special mention as did the much-improved Tuni to Page 2

Top school marks From Page 1 classroom following the redecoration. • It was acknowledged that "teachers are teaching very well" but that planning is something everyone is expected to have. • The new library and computer systems received positi ve comment. An area that needs follow-up concerns the school' s policy statements for some curriculum areas which were still in draft form, particularly in social studies and English. "We discussed teacher planning and the necessity to include essential skills in the unit plans. Staff believe they are already doing this and so will provide written documentation to the reviewers," said Mrs Gould. "Some staff need to include more detail in their plan." "Because of our multi-level organisation planning must show in more detail the provisions for each level."