CHARTER 2020 AKAROA AREA SCHOOL
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AKAROA AREA SCHOOL
CHARTER
2020
‘Mā te huruhuru, ka rere te manu.’
Adorn this bird with feathers to enable it to fly.CONTENTS
Introduction 3
School Profile 4
SECTION 1: AKAROA AREA SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN
A. Strategic Focus 5
B. Principal’s Statement 5
C. Statement of Mission 6
D. Statement of Vision 6
E. Aspirations for the development of a successful student 7
F. Statement of Values 7
G. The unique position of the Tangata Whenua 7
H. Priority learners 9
I. Tipu Maia – Collaborative Partnerships for Learning 9
J. Strategic goals 9
K. Critical factors aligned to strategic goals 10
SECTION 2: AKAROA AREA SCHOOL ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE
A. Introduction 12
B. Refocusing the strategic plan to align compliance and performance 12
C. Strategic Goal: To empower students to achieve personal success
1. Leadership 14
2. High Qualification Attainment 15
3. Future Opportunity Ready 16
SECTION 3: ANNUAL PLAN 2020 – AKAROA AREA SCHOOL
A. Introduction 17
B. Annual Plan PLD Focus Areas 17
1. Learner Agency Annual Plan 18
2. Project Based Learning (PBL) Annual Plan 19
3. Digital Fluency Annual Plan 20
4. Local Curriculum Annual Plan 21
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 2INTRODUCTION
A charter sets the direction for the school and identifies the priorities the commissioner expects
the principal to be leading. The Education Act requires every school’s ‘board of trustees’ to:
• prepare and maintain a charter
• send a reviewed and updated charter to the Ministry of Education every year.
The charter is the key-planning document for schools in New Zealand. It includes strategic aims and
annual plans which:
• reflect the goals and aspirations the community has for the school and its students for the
next 3 to 5 years
• outline how the school is implementing the government’s priorities as set out in the National
Education Guidelines and the National Administration Guidelines
• identify the key areas the board will focus on, both in the longer term and the coming year,
to improve the progress and achievement of all students.
In the words of the Education Act, Section 63:
‘A school charter has effect as an undertaking by the board to the Minister to take all reasonable
steps (not inconsistent with any enactment, or the general law of New Zealand) to ensure that -
a) the school is managed, organised, conducted, and administered for the purposes set out in the
school charter; and
b) the school, and its students and community, achieve the aims and objectives set out in the
school charter.
The commissioner has overall responsibility for developing and reviewing the school’s charter. It plays
an active role in setting the strategic direction. There is a governance – management partnership
between the Commissioner and the Principal. The Principal and Commissioner will participate in this
partnership to develop and implement the charter.
• Developing 3 to 5 year strategic aims and expected outcomes for students is a governance
role. The Principal will be working with the commissioner to do this.
• Determining the specific steps that the school will take year by year in order to achieve the
strategic aims is a management role.
The Professional Standards for Principals’ within the Partnership and Networks section, reinforces the
governance-management partnership needed to develop and implement a charter.
A charter needs to be a “living” document and a shared document for the school community. The
principal plays a key role in making that happen. To give the charter life, the Principal needs to look at
how they can intentionally link the structures and systems in the school to progressing and reviewing
the school’s strategic aims.
The Education Act, Section 61, describes three sections for a charter:
• An introductory section – usually includes mission, vision and values
• A strategic section – looks at the next 3-5 years
• An annual section – identifies targets and planned actions.
Anyone picking up a charter today would reasonably expect to get a sense of the school and its
community, its priorities and expectations for students.
The strategic plan, and thus each year’s annual plan, needs to focus on what is most important to
achieve the school’s vision or mission and the government’s priorities.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 3SCHOOL PROFILE Akaroa Area School is a Composite School (Yrs 1 – 15) and has a current roll of 104 students. It is situated in Akaroa, 84km south-east of Christchurch (1.5 hrs drive) and 25km east of Little River. Canterbury’s oldest town, Akaroa was founded in August 1840 by French settlers. It has been suggested that French interest in New Zealand speeded up Britain’s decision to annex New Zealand. By the time French settlers arrived, the Treaty of Waitangi between the British Crown and Máori Chiefs had been signed. [source: NZ History Govt NZ]. Akaroa Area School is nestled within the stunning Akaroa harbour between French Bay and Glen Bay, a quick walk from popular Beach Road. The first school was built in Akaroa during 1857 at a cost of 141 pounds. Over the first year, the roll grew from 19 to about 30. In 1881,the Akaroa High School Bill was passed which enabled efforts to be directed at opening a high school. The “Akaroa Boys School” opened with 11 students in 1883 and offered a wide range of subjects. In the following year, girls were admitted. The school flourished in the 1880’s and academic success was evident, however, in January 1900 an advertisement in the Akaroa Mail stated that unless applications were received from 14 paying pupils, the school would be forced to close. The following month saw the closure of the boys’ school. When the school reopened in 1901, it was as a free District High School. Akaroa was thus the first locality in the North Canterbury Education district to be granted the advantage of free secondary education. By the middle of 1902 there were 33 pupils in the high school. The current site was purchased in 1930 and the first school building built here in 1935. Transfer of the junior school onto the same site was first brought up in 1938. This eventually happened in 2007, the year the school celebrated 150 years of existence. Akaroa Area School is a small school with strong community links and a family atmosphere. Students from Years 1 to Year 13 mix naturally and harmoniously with each other in an environment where we embrace whanaungatanga (familiness) as the foundation for ako (learning), where our tuakana (seniors or older siblings) mentor, support and care for our teina (juniors or younger siblings). We are committed to catering for the needs of our students in a positive, supportive and caring learning environment. Our small class sizes and wonderful facilities help us to provide courses to suit each individual, our goal being that all our students reach their full potential and achieve personal excellence while here, and that they take with them a desire to continue learning throughout their lives. As a rural school we value our close relationship with the local runanga. We support each other in our respective roles as tangata whenua (hosts) and kaiako (facilitators of learning). Akaroa Area School follows the kawa (protocols) of our local runanga, has a consultation process in place and we value local representation at all formal occasions. As a result of these direct links with our local runanga we consider ourselves as family and therefore part of the Onuku Marae whanau. Akaroa Area School Charter Page 4
SECTION 1: STRATEGIC PLAN - AKAROA AREA SCHOOL
A. STRATEGIC FOCUS
The Akaroa Area School charter sets out our obligations and our aspirations to being a dynamic,
caring, community-based environment, inspiring and empowering life-long 21st Century learners.
It also documents our commitment to continuously improving our education provision on behalf
of every student. Students are at the centre of our work and we have an obligation and a
commitment on behalf of our community to ensure every student has a meaningful and relevant
learning journey and that they experience success and gain achievement to effectively transition
to further learning so that they become valued members of our society and contribute to making
a difference to this world we live in.
The school is also strongly focused on the three great challenges that have a significant impact on
how we view and deliver education:
• pursuing excellence and equity simultaneously and aggressively
• combining flexibility in delivery with accountability for results
• meeting the demand that universal services should have a personal focus.
The purpose of this charter is to establish the mission, aims, objectives, directions and targets of
the school that will give effect to the Government’s National Education Guidelines and the
school’s priorities. Under the National Administration Guidelines (NAG2(a)), a board is required
to develop a strategic plan which documents how they are giving effect to the National Education
Guidelines through their policies, plans and programmes, including those for curriculum,
assessment and staff professional development.
A charter must contain all annual or long-term plans or a summary of each plan or reference to it.
The strategic plan required by NAG2(a) must be included in the charter (or summary of or
reference to it). The charter also assists the Board of Trustees to prioritise its aspirations for
students, with a specific focus on Māori, Pasifika, and special needs students.
B. PRINCIPAL’S STATEMENT
Akaroa Area School is a stunning learning environment made up of great families and the most
wonderful young people you could imagine set in a local environment that is unique and special
in every sense of the word. It is an honour and a privilege to be the acting Principal of such a
school with staff that have a passion and commitment to every student.
Akaroa Area School is on a great journey to making a real difference to the lives of its students
and making a positive impact on the community that it serves. The potential at the school and
within the community to inspire student futures and transform student lives is very real and
significant. To realise this potential the school needs that spark of insight to recognise all the
great things it has, to believe in itself, and to have the courage and imagination to make it
happen. The school must be transformative. That is both the challenge I give to the school and
the community and the aspiration I provide for its future. We must be transformative, now.
That process has started. Akaroa Area School wants to create learning opportunities and
experiences for students that are innovative, inspiring and empowering that attract students
from all over New Zealand. We want to have a culture of wellbeing that not only looks after
students but grows them in the dispositions and skills they require to be resourceful and
successful in any learning situation. We want to have all our students with strong learner agency
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 5so that they have the power to act, to make choices, to have articulate voices, and, most of all, self-efficacy in everything they do. Above all, we want our students to be leaders and kaitiaki, to be well qualified, and for them to be future opportunity ready. There is a poem from Guillaume Apollinaire that says “Come to the edge,” he said. “We can’t, we’re afraid!” they responded. “Come to the edge,” he said. “We can’t, we will fall!” they responded. “Come to the edge,” he said. And so they came. And he pushed them. And they flew. On behalf of every parent this is what I aspire for our students. I want them to fly. Akaroa Area School is proud of its past and continues to be strongly focused on its future. Brent Ingram ACTING PRINCIPAL C. STATEMENT OF MISSION The mission of Akaroa Area School is to enable and empower students to thrive and for them to achieve personal success. D. STATEMENT OF VISION Our vision is to empower and inspire the development of 21st century learners to enable students to embrace the future and to make a difference to this world we live in. Kotahitanga – Awhinatia a nga ra (Our oneness empowers us to embrace the future). This vision will be achieved through: the creation of innovative learning environments; the provision of a positive, supportive culture to grow the wellbeing of students; and the development of learner agency to ensure all students have the ‘power to act’ in learning. The school will also engage the community in partnerships for learning and in the life of the school to enable our learners to be actively connected, culturally aware and caring citizens. At the heart of our vision and at the centre of our work are students studying at all levels of their schooling and we want the best for them. We want to see them profoundly engaged in learning and through this engagement to have them experience personal success through leadership, the acquisition of skills and dispositions, becoming kaitiaki, gaining appropriate qualifications and being future opportunity ready. We want to enable and empower learners to develop and grow as people to maximise their human capacity by contributing to a sustainable future for all. To achieve our vision the school must continuously improve to ensure our vision matches our practice. We have a commitment to implement and maintain a culture of rigorous critical reflection and self-review that will contribute effectively to sustaining the school’s positive performance and continuous improvement. This will involve building a culture of organisational renewal and transformation. The vision for Akaroa Area School is captured in the whakatauki “Ma te kotahitanga e whai kaha ai tatau”. In unity we have strength. This unity means we are committed to being on the same waka, paddling together in unison towards the same destination. We aspire for our school and the area of Akaroa to be our Turangawaewae and for our students to become kaitiaki (guardians and protectors) of this place. Akaroa Area School Charter Page 6
E. ASPIRATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT
Akaroa has a commitment to develop students so that they have the skills and attributes to be
successful learners and members of our society. These skills and attributes are grounded in the
New Zealand Curriculum and/or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
While we recognize that every student’s learning journey is very personal and that they will be at
different places on that learning journey our aspirations for all of them are clear and transparent.
We want every student at Akaroa Area School to be:
• Confident in their identity, language and culture as citizens of Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Socially and emotionally competent, resilient and optimistic about the future.
• A successful lifelong learner.
• Participating and contributing confidently in a range of contexts – cultural, local,
national and global.
To assist us with the implementation of these aspirations the school has identified the learning
attributes we want our students to develop as they progress through school. We want our
students to develop the qualities to become: adaptable; connected; contributing; intuitive;
curious; creative; courageous; resilient; empathetic, expressive, aware, flexible; agile and
independent. In developing these attributes we would expect our students be; respectful;
focused; confident; well rounded; happy; proud; open minded; inclusive accountable; and
responsible life-long learners.
F. STATEMENT OF VALUES
Akaroa Area School’s values are its basic beliefs about what really matters, which guide how
things should be done. These values are based on the school’s culture of being a dynamic, caring,
community-based environment, inspiring lifelong learning.
The work at Akaroa Area School is guided and informed by our beliefs and commitment to:
• Whakahi: Pride
• Manawanui: Perseverance
• Whakaute: Respect
• Ngakau Tapatahi: Integrity
Living, breathing and celebrating our values enables our learners to be connected with family,
school, community and the environment.
G. THE UNIQUE POSITION OF THE TANGATA WHENUA
Akaroa Area School through its culture, policies and practices reflects the unique position of the
Māori culture. The school has a commitment to undertake the implementation of the National
Education Goals with specific reference to NEG 9 and NEG 10.
• Increased participation and success by Māori through the advancement of Māori
education initiatives, including education in Te Reo Māori, consistent with the principles
of the Treaty of Waitangi.
• Respect for the diverse ethnic and cultural heritage of New Zealand people, with
acknowledgment of the unique place of Māori, and New Zealand's role in the Pacific and
as a member of the international community of nations.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 7Akaroa Area School addresses NAG 1e by implementing a process where Māori students are identified as Māori and monitored, staff assess abilities and needs in each subject focusing on literacy and numeracy. The Learning Support Coordinator, in consultation with staff develops an action plan to identify Māori students needing intervention or extension, and reporting is to the Senior Leadership Team. Consultation with parents, whanau and iwi takes place regularly. This process takes place annually by implementing the ‘Strategies for Māori Students’ at Akaroa Area School and acknowledges the underlying objectives within Ka Hikitia; Managing for Success; Māori Education Strategy; Tataiako; and the Ngai Tahu Memorandum of Understanding for all schools in the Ngai Tahu rohe. In partnership with Ngai Tahu and our local Runanga we see it as our responsibility to nurture all Māori and pasifika children who live within the Ngāi Tahu area of Te Pataka o Rakaihautu (Banks Peninsula). Akaroa Area School values our close relationship with the local runanga and marae. We support each other in our respective roles as tangata whenua (hosts) and kaiako (facilitators of learning). We embrace kawa (protocols) of our local runanga and consider ourselves as part of the Onuku Runanga whanau. The school has a relationship with the Ōnuku marae which is located 5 km beyond Akaroa township. It is home to the hapū of Ngāi Tarewa and Ngāti Irakēhu of Ngāi Tahu. The whare tūpuna is named Karaweko and was opened on 5 February 1997. The wharekai was built in 1990 and bears the name Amiria Puhirere. Ōnuku connects ancestrally to the waka Takitimu, the moana Akaroa and the maunga Ōteauheke. The foundation stone for Te Whare Karakia o Ōnuku was laid in 1876, and the church officially opened in 1878 as the first non-denominational church in New Zealand. Ōnuku is a place of historical significance as the first of the three locations in the South Island where Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed. At Akaroa Area School all students from Years 1-10 are provided with instruction in tikanga Māori (Māori culture) and te reo Māori (Māori language) as we see it as being vitally important in this environment that our young people grow their capacity and awareness in Te Reo me Te Ao Māori. Our students are therefore well equipped to further their studies in Maori and all reasonable steps are taken to ensure that students have the opportunity to continue learning te reo Māori at senior level if it is requested. The school is also committed to the concept of ‘Māori enjoying success as Māori’. This vision recognizes the widespread aspirations of Māori to live and succeed as Māori in te Ao Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand society and in the wider world. This means providing Māori learners with the opportunity to get what they require to realize their own unique potential to succeed in their lives as Māori. In particular this involves recognizing the importance of the Treaty of Waitangi and valuing Māori language, culture and identity in education has for enabling Māori students to not only reach their full potential but to achieve and succeed as Māori. Akaroa Area School is also committed to the concept of ako, as described in Ka Hikitia. This is a teaching and learning relationship in which learning is reciprocal between teachers and students. It acknowledges that high-quality teaching is the most important influence on education for Māori students and that incorporating culture and productive partnerships into learning leads to student success. In recognising the unique position of the Māori culture Akaroa Area School takes all reasonable steps to provide instruction in Tikanga (Māori culture) and Te Reo Māori (Māori language) for all students and actively works to raise the achievement levels of our Māori students together with students from other cultural backgrounds. Akaroa Area School Charter Page 8
H. PRIORITY LEARNERS
Akaroa Area School is committed to making a difference for priority learners. Priority learners are
groups of students who have been identified as historically not experiencing success in the New
Zealand schooling system. These include many Māori and Pacific learners, those from low socio-
economic backgrounds, and students with special education needs. To make a difference for
these priority learners requires the school to understand and action the background of these
learners, that is their identity, language and culture. It also requires a commitment to having a
curriculum that is relevant and tailored to the needs and aspirations of learners, their culture and
their strengths. Creating innovative learning environments is a strategic priority for the school.
I. TIPU MAIA – COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS FOR LEARNING
Akaroa Area School belongs to a community of learning (Kahui Ako) called Tipu Maia. This Kahui
Ako consists of 13 rural schools from the Canterbury region with over 2,200 students. The
participating schools are: Akaroa Area School, Amuri Area School, Cheviot Area School, Greta
Valley School, Hanmer Springs School, Hurunui College, Omihi School, Oxford Area School,
Rangiora New Life, Rotheram School, Waiau School, Waikari School and Waipara School.
The mission for Tipu Maia is to build brave, capable, confident learners working together to
enable high quality schools with excellent teaching to create the best future for each and every
learner. The vision is ‘succeeding through collaboration and inquiry with the overall goal of
increasing student achievement for Years 1 – 13 students through agency, collaboration and
engagement underpinned by inquiry as the levers to enable success (ACE).
J. STRATEGIC GOALS
There are five strategic goals that are derived from Akaroa Area School’s vision statement. These
five strategic goals are the planned outcomes that the school strives to achieve for its students.
These goals encompass our plans and vision for the school. These goals are achievable and reflect
a realistic assessment of the current and projected school environment.
1. Innovative Learning Environments: To provide a dynamic and sustainable learning
environment that engages all learners to achieve their full potential.
2. A Wellbeing Culture: To nurture and drive a culture where all learners grow their
dispositions and competencies so that they become confident, connected and resilient
21st century learners.
3. Learner Agency: To enable and empower students to take ownership of and
responsibility for their learning so that they are active in the learning process and have
the ‘power to act’.
4. Student Achievement: To enable and empower learners to grow and maximise their
human capacity by contributing to a sustainable future for all.
5. Self-Review & Evaluation: Building a culture of organizational renewal and
transformation through rigorous reflection and self-review.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 9K. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS ALIGNED TO STRATEGIC GOALS
Each of the five strategic goals has a number of critical success factors. These critical success
factors are limited in number and have a tremendous impact on the effectiveness, efficiency and
viability on achieving the strategic goal. Activities associated with critical success factors (CSF)
must be performed at the highest possible level to achieve the intended overall objectives.
1. Innovative Learning Environments: To provide a dynamic and sustainable learning
environment that engages all learners to achieve their full potential.
Critical Success Factors
a. Establish visible learning and a common language of learning.
b. Develop an authentic, engaged and connected curriculum by using the building
blocks for innovative learning environments.
c. Ensure that all student learning needs are well supported with personalized
learning programmes.
d. Enhance a professional learning and teaching culture.
e. Embrace ‘Ko Taku Turangawaewae – Ko Tuku Kaitiakitanga’ (My place – My
guardianship).
f. Create engaging, dynamic and innovative learning opportunities.
2. A Wellbeing Culture: To nurture and drive a culture where all learners grow their
dispositions and competencies so that they become confident, connected and resilient
21st century learners.
Critical Success Factors
a) Identify key dispositions for all students and develop a system for measuring
student achievement in disposition attainment.
b) Develop and extend Hauora (wellbeing) throughout the whole school
community using the whanau ora initiative.
c) Strengthen Whanaungatanga (family connection and relationships).
d) Build relational trust and effective communication.
e) Grow capability and capacity across resource accountability, compliance and
sustainability.
3. Learner Agency: To develop in students the skills and attributes to have the ‘power to
act’ in their learning.
Critical Success Factors
a. All staff to be committed to: placing students at the centre of all their work;
encouraging students to develop the skills for learner agency; and providing
increasing opportunities where students have the ‘power to act’ in learning.
b. Implement the use of personalised learning plans (PLP’s) as a way of
personalising the approach of learning. This could be developed through a UDL
lens that creates a personal learner profile and a personal learner backpack to
collectively form the personal learning plan.
c. Develop and implement pedagogical approaches throughout the school that
are student centred such as co-operative learning and project-based learning.
d. Involve students in the whole learning process which includes the development
of student choice, voice, engagement, motivation, self-efficacy and ownership
e. Teacher professionalism is paramount with the building of professional
capability and collective capacity.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 10f. A strong impact on the emotional health of the school through the quality of
internal relationships, the sense of collective agency and the passion for the
work.
4. Student Achievement: To enable and empower learners to grow and maximise their
human capacity by contributing to a sustainable future for all.
Critical Success Factor
a. Build leadership skills in all learners and provide them with opportunities and
experiences to demonstrate those skills.
b. Grow a willingness to learn (key dispositions) and to use these skills to act on
this learning.
c. Develop our learners as Kaitiaki (guardians and protectors of our place, our
land and our environment).
d. Attain the highest qualification possible for each learner.
e. Provide ‘future opportunity ready’ experiences for students with hands-on,
one-to-one, community mentorships.
5. Self-Review & Evaluation: Building a culture of organizational renewal and
transformation through rigorous reflection and self-review.
Critical Success Factor
a. The school has a documented and approved Charter (BOT and MOE) that
identifies strategic goals, strategic priorities and critical success factors for
effective performance.
b. Every strategic goal (portfolio) in the Charter has an annual performance plan
that sets targets, key activities, and achievement objectives for the year.
c. The school annually reviews all portfolio areas within an established model of
self-review and evaluation in conjunction with ERO ‘best practice’.
d. There is comprehensive reporting on school performance and improvement for
the benefit of students and the impact on their retention, engagement
achievement and transitions.
e. An analysis of variance is undertaken on the school’s annual strategic priorities
and strategic goal 4.
f. The Commissioner (BOT) regularly reviews and evaluates its governance roles
and responsibilities and its effectiveness in realizing the vision for the school.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 11SECTION 2: ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE – AKAROA AREA SCHOOL
A. INTRODUCTION
The Akaroa Area School analysis of variance highlights for the community the progress the school
has made in achieving the goals and targets set out in its school charter. It shows parents,
families and whānau the actions taken to achieve these and how successful these actions have
been for improving student achievement.
The analysis of variance is an important part of the planning and reporting process and provides
the commissioner and school leaders with a valuable learning opportunity to reflect on the
success of improvement strategies for the past year. It enables the Commissioner and Principal to
evaluate results against the goals and targets in the school charter, with a focus on the school’s
goals and targets for improving student progress and achievement. As the analysis of variance
outlines the difference between the targets that were set and what was actually achieved, the
Commissioner and Principal are able to identify what has and hasn’t been effective in
accelerating student achievement.
The analysis of variance will also assist the Commissioner and Principal in identifying the kinds of
decisions they will need to consider in the future and the type of information they will need to
assist with this. The information contained in the analysis of variance is vital for future target
setting and resourcing decisions. It allows the Commissioner and Principal to identify the
priorities for the coming year and to reassess actions from the past year that have not been
successful in improving student progress and achievement.
B. REFOCUSING THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO ALIGN COMPLIANCE AND PERFORMANCE.
The Acting Principal, Brent Ingram, has worked with the Commissioner to strengthen and realign
the Akaroa Area School strategic plan for the next 3-5 years. This refocussing has been based on
staff, student and community feedback over the last 18 months to ensure the aspirations of the
students, parents, staff and community are translated into the practices of the school.
The previous charter had two very strong strategic goals and importantly these have been
retained. These goals are:
• To provide a progressive and sustainable learning environment that engages all learners
to achieve their full potential (Innovative Learning Environments).
• To nurture a culture where all learners are confident, connected and resilient
(Wellbeing).
To support these two goals a third goal has been identified. The focus of this goal is to describe
the attributes our learners need to develop to be successful. For a successful 21st century learner
this is student agency. The goal is ‘to develop in students the skills and attributes to have the
‘power to act’ in their learning’ (Learner Agency).
Collectively, these three goals establish the school’s best practice that enable and inspire the
development of 21st century life-long learners.
The remaining question for the school was ‘What effect are these three goals having on what we
are aspiring to achieve i.e. the development of successful students?’. To enable the school to
answer this question was to create a goal that we could report against that would identify the
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 12critical factors for student success and achievement. These factors are: Leadership; Learning
Levels; Qualifications; and Future Opportunity Ready. These are encompassed in the goal: ‘To
enable and empower students to achieve personal success’. It is through this goal that the school
will undertake the annual analysis of variance to report to the Ministry of Education and the
community.
It is important to note that the school has recognised the importance of evaluation and self-
review as a strong tool to ensure the school’s practice matches its purpose and gives the
mechanism for analysis and continuous improvement. This goal is ‘to build a culture of
organizational renewal and transformation through rigorous reflection and self-review’.
In summary, the school has five strategic goals relating to the achievement of its vision. These
goals are: Innovative Learning Environments; Culture & Wellbeing; Learner Agency; Student
Success; and Self-Review & Evaluation.
The school will report its Analysis of Variance against the goal for student success despite it being
a new goal. While this creates some difficulty in reporting against targets the major difficulty is
that the school has not set-up enough specific data collecting performance indicators for the
critical success factors that are important. However, it is important that the strategic plan and
the reporting framework are in alignment and that the future actions of the school and the data
collected is measuring what the school wants to achieve.
The current Analysis of Variance is reporting on the following strategic goal across three critical
success factors.
Goal: To empower students to achieve personal success.
Critical Success Factors
a. Build leadership skills in all students and provide them with opportunities and
experiences to demonstrate those skills.
b. Attain the highest qualification possible for each learner.
c. Provide ‘future opportunity ready’ experiences for students with hands-on,
one-to-one, community mentorships.
The fourth critical success factor will be reported fully in the 2020/21 analysis.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 13A. STRATEGIC GOAL - TO ENABLE AND EMPOWER STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL SUCCESS (LEADERSHIP)
Critical Success Factor: To develop student leadership skills and to provide leadership opportunities to enable students to achieve personal success.
Focus: Student leadership is an integral part of student success. It's important for students to experience leadership opportunities during their schooling, to learn the art of building
relationships within teams, defining identities and achieving tasks effectively. It also provides an opportunity to learn to identify and display effective communication and interpersonal
skills. The development of leadership skills helps students think in unique and ‘out-of-box’ ways and enables them to work in an innovative and pro-active way in personal, school and
community initiatives. The school is aspiring to build tomorrow’s leaders today.
Strategic Aim: To build student leadership capacity throughout the school.
Annual Aim: To create learning opportunities and experiences that will build students leadership capabilities.
Baseline data: Te Awawhiti performance from 2018 (programme design, student feedback, qualification achievement), Tuakana-Teina practices, Tuhono programme
Target: The school will create opportunities for students to develop and grow their leadership skills (Te Awawhiti, Tuakana-Teina, Tuhono)
Actions Outcomes Reason for Variance Evaluation
Te Awawhiti programme design in place In 2018, Te Arawhiti produced significant The programme did not run in 2019 This programme has: High student engagement;
for 2019, reviewed and modified based success outcomes for senior students. This due to low student numbers. This Effective student agency; Personalised learning
on 2018 performance. Impacted by a included: the building of leadership changed in 2020 with 85% (6) Year programmes for students; Diverse learning
falling roll and as a result the characteristics such as communication, 13 enrolling into the programme. opportunities and experiences; High level of student
programme did not run in 2019. relationship building, integrity, awareness The school performs well above the wellbeing; High qualification performance.
and innovation; the engagement of NZ school mean for NCEA L3. The The school needs to grow the leadership programme
students in a diverse range of real life leadership programme performs at design and to market this effectively within and
experiences; and the high level an even higher NCEA L3 performance beyond the Akaroa community.
performance of students in national at 80% compared to a NZ school-
qualifications (80% NCEA L3) wide mean of 53.7%.
A range of leadership opportunities have Students throughout the school are growing A greater dedicated time One of the most significant initiatives for 2020 is
been created throughout the school. their leadership skill capacity. The tuakana- commitment was needed to support Whanau Ora which involves the whole school for up
This includes tuakana-teina relationships teina relationship is growing student all students in the school. This has to 150 minutes across three days/week. Whanau Ora
involving all senior and junior students. leadership skills with students supporting been timetabled for 2020 to enable is designed to grow senior students leadership skills,
The Tuhono initiative at Yrs 9/10 students with good outcomes but limited students to support students and to modelling leadership to younger students, and
involves Y12 mentors with student-led due to time constraints. Student voice in build the concept of tuakana-teina enhancing and engaging student support and
committees eliciting student voice. Tuhono (student council, enviro squad) relationships. wellbeing throughout the school.
Planning for 2020 school year: Te Arawhiti is a significant success story and should be used as a leading strategy for developing the three key components that enable and empower
students to achieve personal success (leadership, qualification attainment and being future opportunity ready). This programme should be one of the ‘flag ships’ for the school with the
potential to attract students nationally and internationally. The programme is being run in 2020 with the majority of Year 13 students involved. Whanau Ora is an internal flag ship for
the school to develop and increase leadership capacity through the context of involving the whole school in an active programme based on student wellbeing and support. It involves
peer support, goal setting and strengthening the tuakana-teina relationship. It has grown out of student agency - student voice & self-efficacy. The Tuhono initiative is a strength.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 14B. STRATEGIC GOAL - TO ENABLE AND EMPOWER STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL SUCCESS (QUALIFICATION ATTAINMENT)
Critical Success Factor: To ensure every student leaver has high qualification attainment and that the school performs above the NZ qualification achievement means.
Focus: Student qualification attainment is an integral part of student success. Academic qualifications can boost a student’s professional career by providing more career options and a
wealth of opportunities for entry into further training, education and advanced work experience. The National Certificate in Educational Achievement is the foundation qualification for
New Zealand schools. NCEA allows assessment of a wide range of subject areas and of a wide variety of skills and knowledge. It gives the best indication of a student's ability to succeed
at university and it is the preferred system of employers. NCEA is also a good international qualification. Taking NCEA gives students educational options and opportunities that other
qualifications do not.
Strategic Aim: To have all students leaving Akaroa Area School with strong qualification achievement.
Annual Aim: Every school leaver will attain a minimum qualification of NCEA Level 2 (A leaver is defined as a student completing secondary schooling at Akaroa Area School)
Baseline data: National means for NCEA L2 and L3 (New Zealand, Decile 7, and Canterbury region)
Target: 80% students will achieve NCEA Level 2 (and above); 55% students will achieve NCEA Level 3 (Canterbury School mean); 80% Māori students will achieve NCEA Level 2 (and
above); 55% Māori students will achieve NCEA Level 3 (Canterbury School mean)
Actions Outcomes Reason for Variance Evaluation
• Diverse examples of project-based 100% student leavers achieved NCEA While student numbers are small the high There are some important features that are very
learning and inquiry based approaches. Level 2 or higher. This is 20% above performance is significant and the trends over significant for the school.
the target of 80%. This performance time have been sustained upwards. • High female Māori achievement (100% NCEA L3
• A culture of personalising the learning
has been sustained from 2018. The school has a strong commitment to its with Merit)
experience is demonstrated throughout
the school. Over 66% students achieved NCEA vision and strategic goals and staff are on a • No school leavers without qualifications or with
Level 3 which is 11% above the continuum of capability and capacity in formal attainment below NCEA L2.
• Strong parent interest and Canterbury School mean of 55%. delivering that vision.
involvement. • 100% school leavers with NCEA L2+.
100% Māori student leavers What drives the ‘success’ of the school is that it
• Many learning opportunities created The strategy of personalised learning which is
achieved NCEA Level 2 (and above); acts like a family with parents, staff and
that provide students with new central to the schools vision is now being
100% Māori student leavers students genuinely interested and caring about
experiences and access to building evidenced in enabling and empowering students
achieved NCEA Level 3. This is a wanting and being the best they can be. The
to achieve personal success. Growing the
qualifications. significant performance at 45% aspiration for this success is the strategic plan
capability and capacity in implementing this
• Learner agency is developed and higher than the Canterbury School and the engagement, ownership and
strategy is key.
evidenced throughout the school. mean. implementation of it by all.
Transformative initiatives must be enacted.
Planning for 2020 school year: It is important to grow the senior school roll especially at Year 13 to diversify and enrich the senior school population and to enable more students to
have the opportunity of personalised, project-based learning which is having a significant, positive impact on student learning and achievement. There is an expectation that the school
roll will reverse its downward trend and begin to climb again. This will be confirmed by the March RS40 return. It is also important to continue to grow the staff’s skill capacity and
capability around project-based learning, learner agency and competency and disposition implementation. The PLD initiative to develop next practice by increasing student agency and
the degree to which student learning is personalised through project-based learning using digital tools is critical for this success.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 15C. STRATEGIC GOAL - TO ENABLE AND EMPOWER STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL SUCCESS (FUTURE OPPORTUNITY READY)
Critical Success Factor: For every student that leaves Akaroa Area School to have a strong ‘future ready’ profile based on their competencies, dispositions and experiences.
Focus: Being ‘future opportunity ready’ is an integral part of student success. The school has identified that competencies, dispositions and experiences are the key features to being
future ready. Competencies are a student’s ability to learn. Dispositions are a student’s willingness to learn. These two features together with a range of different learning
opportunities and experiences enable students to have the demonstrated skills necessary for lifelong learning.
Strategic Aim: For every student that leaves Akaroa Area School to have a strong ‘future ready’ profile based on their competencies, dispositions and experiences.
Annual Aim: A range of ‘future opportunity ready’ experiences would be available to Year 11 – 13 students.
Baseline data: Future opportunity ready experiences were identified as: volunteering (community service), Gateway, STAR Courses, Career Expo
Target: All students across Years 11 – 13 will have the opportunity to engage in ‘future opportunities ready’ experiences.
Actions Outcomes Reason for Variance Evaluation
A range of experiences and learning Where students were involved in the The concept of ‘Future Opportunity Ready’ Good outcomes but limited ‘buy in’ by
opportunities were implemented for more formal experiences such as had not been established and therefore students. E.g. the school only utilised half its
senior students that connected students Gateway, they were valued and students were engaging in activities that had Gateway provision for 2019.
to the outside world such as gateway, frequently contributed to the students limited perceived value and staff were The issue during 2019 was that these valuable
volunteering, STAR courses and career job opportunities. The mentorship in viewing them as isolated learning opportunities sat in isolation and were self-
expo. Gateway was of a very high standard. components. Often the volunteering and selected (sometimes with encouragement) by
While the opportunity for all students to community activities were done with students but were not connected to a bigger
The Gateway placements included
engage was created by the school and enormous goodwill but not formally picture of how powerful these experiences
carpentry, park ranger (DOC), and recorded as part of the students
mechanics. thereby meeting the target it was also could be and how they could be developed as
evident that there was limited exposure achievement profile. Lack of understanding strong indicators of student success. Having
A student from Gateway won the Prime of the potential use of future opportunities this for all senior students is essential as is
and limited uptake.
Ministers Vocational Excellence Award. ready’ experiences created an under valuing reporting the achievement and celebrating the
Unrealised potential with this strategy. of the opportunity. success.
Planning for 2020 school year: The school needs to build the concept that being ‘Future Opportunity Ready’ is a powerful tool to measure student success and achievement with
students, staff, parents and community. What is actually being reflected is a student’s ability to express, demonstrate and grow their dispositions and competencies in new, real life
situations often with an experienced person(s) who could mentor them. The intention should be to connect young people in Yrs 11 – 13 with opportunities such as apprenticeships, job
opportunities, volunteering, education, research, short courses, foundation learning, traineeships and work experience. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect strongly with the
community to enable them to share their expertise and experience. Every student in the senior school could have a ‘hands-on’, ‘one-on-one’ mentor if the school created and
established ‘community mentorships’. Already the school has students that are being mentored from the wider community. A framework needs to be put in place in consultation with
staff and community to make this a reality. If the school can get this right, the impact would be significant for student achievement, community relations, and attracting students
nationally to the school. It would also support and align with the role of student leadership as a critical factor for student success.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 16SECTION 3: ANNUAL PLAN 2020 – AKAROA AREA SCHOOL
A. INTRODUCTION
The annual plan for 2020 at Akaroa Area School is centred around a significant professional learning development
initiative based on the findings from the analysis of variance and the realignment of the school’s strategic plan. This
has involved consultation and feedback from the community and professional conversations within the staff.
The strategic professional learning development goal is to increase learner agency within collaborative learning
environments through project based learning using digital tools and implemented within a connected, relevant local
curriculum. A diagram highlighting the relationship between the PLD and the schools vision is presented below.
The professional learning development (PLD) PLD - Next Practice
represents the school’s next practice as it grows
Learner Agency Project Based Learning
teachers understandings and capabilities in making a To increase learner agency To develop an authentic,
difference to student learning and achievement. There within collaborative learning engaged, connected
are four key components to the PLD for 2020: Learner environments for all students curriculum through PBL
Agency; Project-Based Learning; Digital Fluency; and
Digital Fluency Local Curriculum
Local Curriculum. To establish and develop To strengthen the local
digital fluency across all curriculum for all students
learners at Akaroa AS based on sustainability.
It is intended that these four PLD components will
significantly influence the three strategic goals of the
schools strategic plan and re-establish a new
benchmark in our understanding and implementation Strategic Goals - Best Practice
of ‘best practice’.
1. Learner Agency 2. Culture - Wellbeing
To develop in students the To grow learner dispositions
The evidence that these practices are making a skills and attributes to have and competencies to enable
difference to student learning and success will be seen the ‘power to act’. C21st learning
in the achievement outcomes. We want to see
3. Innovative Learning Environments
students profoundly engaged in learning and through To provide a dynamic and sustainable learning environment
this engagement to have them experience personal that engages all learners through project-based learning to
success through leadership, the acquisition of skills and achieve their full potential.
dispositions, becoming kaitiaki, gaining appropriate
qualifications and being future opportunity ready. We
want to enable and empower learners to develop and Achievement Outcomes
grow as people to maximise their human capacity by
Leadership Kaitiakitanga
contributing to a sustainable future for all.
To build student leadership To develop our learners as
capacity throughout the Kaitiaki (guardians and
The achievement outcomes will be reported through school. protectors of our ‘place’)
the analysis of variance in 2021.
Qualifications Future Opportunity Ready
To have all students leaving To provide future focused
Finally, the achievement outcomes impact upon the school with high qualification experiences through
school’s vision and provide a measure of how well our achievement. community mentorships .
practice is matching our purpose.
B. ANNUAL PLAN PLD FOCUS AREAS Vision
The strategic professional learning development goal is Our vision is to empower and inspire the development of 21st
to increase learner agency within collaborative learning century learners to enable students to embrace the future and to
make a difference to this world we live in. Kotahitanga - Awhinatia a
environments through project based learning using nga ra (Our oneness empowers us to embrace the future).
digital tools and implemented within a connected,
relevant local curriculum.
The four focus areas are:
• Learner Agency: To increase learner agency within collaborative learning environments for all students.
• Project-Based Learning: To develop an authentic, engaged, connected curriculum through PBL.
• Digital Fluency: To establish and develop digital fluence across all learners at Akaroa Area School.
• Local Curriculum: To strengthen the local curriculum for all students based on sustainability.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 171. LEARNER AGENCY ANNUAL PLAN
Strategic PLD Goal: To increase learner agency within collaborative learning environments through project based
learning using digital tools and implemented through a connected, relevant local curriculum.
1. Learner Agency
Focus: Akaroa AS wants to increase learner agency within collaborative learning environments for all students.
There are three things that are core features of our understanding of learner agency. The first is that agency
involves the initiative or self-regulation of the learner. Before a learner can exercise agency in their particular
learning context they must have a belief that their behaviour and their approach to learning is actually going to
make a difference for them in the learning in that setting - in other words, a personal sense of agency.
Second, agency is interdependent. It mediates and is mediated by the sociocultural context of the classroom. It’s
not just about a learner in isolation doing their own thing and what suits them. Learners must develop an
awareness that there are consequences for the decisions they make and actions they take, and will take account of
that in the way(s) they exercise their agency in learning.
And thirdly, agency includes an awareness of the responsibility of one’s own actions on the environment and on
others. So there’s a social connectedness kind of dimension to that. Every decision a learner makes, and action she
or he takes, will impact on the thinking, behaviour or decisions of others - and vice versa. You can’t just act selfishly
and call that acting with agency. Therefore, for learner agency to be effective it needs to be enacted within
collaborative learning environments.
Critical Success Factor: To increase learner agency within collaborative learning environments for all students.
Annual Priority: To identify and understand learner agency and how to develop it in collaborative learning
environments
Baseline data: Teaching staff have a diverse range of knowledge, understanding and practice on student agency.
Target(s): Increase staff understanding and application of learner agency. Learner agency evidenced in classrooms.
Action Steps Timeline Responsibility Indicators of Progress
Explore what is meant by student agency Term 2 Principal with Staff meeting / workshop undertaken
through the NZ Curriculum Online, 2020 teaching staff through NZ Curriculum Online. Short
Spotlight 3 – Learner Agency videos, group activities and
https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum- opportunities for personal reflection.
resources/Spotlights/Learner-agency
Collaboratively reflect on teachers own Term 2 SLT with A second staff meeting / workshop
practice on what opportunities they 2020 teaching staff undertaken through tki curriculum
provide for learner agency by using the resources using the guiding questions
MoE Guiding Questions relating to what opportunities teachers
https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum- provide for learner opportunities. A
resources/NZC-Online-blog/Learner- collaborative activity for shared
agency personal reflection.
Canadian teacher Shelley Wright Term 2 Principal with A third staff meeting / workshop
outlines the power of student-driven 2020 teaching staff undertaken through tki curriculum
learning in this TED Talk. resources exploring the power of
https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum- student-driven learning. A discussion
resources/NZC-Online-blog/Learner- and reflection for teaching staff.
agency
Application of what teachers have Term 3 Teaching staff A smorgasbord of activities and
identified on student agency into a project 2020 strategies presented and shared by
or learning activity. Staff collaboratively staff on their applications of student
share what they are proposing to do. agency. Visual recording and collation.
Collaborative activity on sharing what Term 3 Teaching staff Staff have shared their learning
teachers found out from their learning 2020 experiments and evaluated the learning
experiments in relation to student agency. that have been gained.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 182. PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) ANNUAL PLAN
Strategic PLD Goal: To increase learner agency within collaborative learning environments through project based
learning using digital tools and implemented through a connected, relevant local curriculum.
2. Project Based Learning (PBL)
Focus: If we are going to make a difference to the lives of young people and we aspire to empowering their learning
we need to provide learning opportunities that meet their interests, passion and curiosity and to create new
opportunities that they themselves have yet to imagine. Students also need opportunities to develop higher- order
cognitive skills. Across the school there is a commitment to use Project Based Learning (PBL) as the key learning
strategy by using a range of learning approaches in complex, meaningful projects that require sustained
engagement, collaboration, research, management of resources, and development of an ambitious performance or
product. Relevant learning approaches within PBL include: Co-operative learning; Learning with Technology; Home-
School Partnerships; Inquiry based Approaches; and Service Learning.
Critical Success Factor: Develop an authentic, engaged, connected curriculum through project based learning.
Annual Priority: To establish project based learning as an important learning strategy for all teachers/learners
throughout the school.
Baseline data: Most teaching staff are on a continuum of experience and expertise in using PBL.
Target(s): 100% students will experience project based learning in 2020. 100% teachers will use project based
learning as a regular learning strategy. All staff will build their skill capability of using PBL as a learning strategy.
Action Steps Timeline Responsibility Indicators of Progress
Develop an understanding and knowledge Term 2, Principal & Staff presentations and workshops on
of what is meant by project-based learning 2020 SLT and or project-based learning have been
and its’ application to engaging learners. visiting implemented. Staff understand the
presenters important keys to successful projects.
Research what others have done with Term 2, All Staff Feedback to staff on project based case
project based learning and share the ideas 2020 histories have taken place. This could
to enable others to be inspired by what is involve: readings, speakers,
possible. presentations.
Involve parents and students in the Beginning Principal & Parent / student / teacher workshops
planning. Term 2 SLT have taken place.
Establish project ideas and how to build Term 2, All teaching A range of projects have been identified
into students personal plans. 2020 staff and including the use of community
students resources and the environment.
Identify how a project is designed Term 2, Principal, SLT Teachers are taking an initial idea and
2020 and staff turning it into a project design, have
made a project plan, tried the project
themselves, and worked out how they
will assess the project.
Support students with a project design Term 2 All teaching A range of template designs that are
framework so that they can build their 2020 staff and age and stage appropriate should be
own project plan students seen throughout the school
Provide significant opportunities for Term 3 All teaching Projects completed. Work displayed.
students to implement their projects 2020 staff and Projects assessed and celebrated.
students
Build a culture of project based learning in Term 3 All teaching Teachers are using project based
your classroom. onwards staff learning as a regular teaching/learning
strategy in their classrooms.
Akaroa Area School Charter Page 19You can also read
