PRIVATE SCHOOL REVIEW REPORT:
WENTWORTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
1. BACKGROUND
ERO reviews of private schools are significantly different in process and more limited in scope and reporting than those for state and state-integrated schools, focusing as they do on the Criteria for Registration set out in section 35C of the Education Act.
Section 35I of the Education Act 1989 requires the Education Review Office (ERO) to review private schools and to report to the Ministry of Education on whether each school continues to meet the criteria for registration. The schools are privately owned and the legislative requirements are significantly different to those for state and state-integrated schools. Private schools are not required to follow the National Education Goals or National Administration Guidelines.
What does apply in place of the legislation imposed upon state schools by the Education Act is the contract between the persons paying for the tuition of the child at the school – the parents – and the school authority. Those are matters between the parent and the school’s governing body. More information about ERO reviews of private schools can be found on ERO’s website www.ero.govt.nz.
| Location | Gulf Harbour, Whangaparaoa |
| Ministry of Education Profile number | 605 |
| School type | Private School (Years 1 to 6) |
| School roll | 40 |
| Number of International Students | 2 |
| Gender composition | Girls 19, Boys 21 |
| Ethnic composition | New Zealand Pākehā 35 British 4 Dutch 1 |
| Review team on site | March 20 |
| Date of this report | 23 May 2014 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Private School Review June 2011 Private School Review August 2008 |
2. Criteria for Registration
Wentworth Primary School is a fully registered, private, co-educational school in Gulf Harbour, Whangaparaoa. It caters for students from Year 1 to 6. The school opened in 2008 and the student roll continues to increase. In response, the school has employed an additional classroom teacher. The school is managed by the Wentworth College Education Trust Board. The executive principal has overall leadership responsibility for both Wentworth Primary School and Wentworth College.
Strong links between the primary school and the college include an emphasis on school-wide principles and values. The school’s curriculum is based on the recently adopted International Cambridge Primary curriculum for mathematics, English and science, and The New Zealand Curriculum.
A sense of family, identified in earlier ERO reports on the school, continues to underpin the school tone.
The school meets requirements relating to the provision of a suitable curriculum. Since ERO’s 2011 review, the school has expanded its curriculum focus, using specialist teachers to provide an emphasis on science learning. The curriculum is very well communicated to parents in school publications and during parent evenings. The school partners with parents to meet the unique needs of each child. Students, teachers and parents collaboratively develop students’ academic and personal goals. Written reports to parents about their children’s learning and achievement in all curriculum areas are useful and informative.
Parents, students and teachers have high expectations for every student to achieve. Students achieve well in nationally normed assessments and there is good evidence of their progress throughout the year. Students benefit from very favourable student to teacher ratios and small class sizes. Wentworth school values are clearly demonstrated in relationships and caring for others. Students are encouraged to contribute to community wellbeing.
Students with special needs and abilities are very well catered for. Leaders have continued to investigate ways to enhance the already high levels of reciprocal collaboration with Wentworth College. This collaboration enables primary school students to experience a seamless transition to the college, as well as experiencing a variety of additional learning opportunities and interactions. There are many opportunities for students to develop and display their leadership capabilities. Teachers are continuing to consider ways of supporting students to further develop as self-managing and independent learners.
The school has suitable standards of tuition. Students are happy, confident and articulate. They enjoy warm, affirming relationships with teachers and their peers. Teachers provide well planned learning programmes with a focus on New Zealand’s context. Leaders continue to develop an emphasis on New Zealand’s bicultural heritage within the curriculum.
All teachers are registered. The executive principal mentors teachers towards full registration. Both teaching and non-teaching staff demonstrate a high level of commitment to supporting each child’s personal growth and development, learning and achievement. Specialist teachers from the college enhance the Wentworth Primary School curriculum in science, art, music and second language learning.
ERO’s 2011 report noted that the school’s performance management system was under review. The school and the college continue to work together to implement an effective, school-wide, annual performance appraisal system for all staff.
The school is well equipped for teaching and learning. Students learn in an attractive environment that is well suited to the size of the school and the delivery of its curriculum. Classrooms are well presented, bright, and reflect students’ work. An additional feature is the school’s access to high quality sporting resources through the use of college facilities and allweather Astroturf. Students are successful in their sporting ventures.
School managers have attested that they comply with the provisions of section 35G of the Education Act 1989 in respect to their being fit and proper persons to manage the school.
3. Other Statutory Obligations
Good systems are in place to assure the Wentworth Education Trust Board that its other statutory obligations are met. Many health and safety policies and procedures are shared with the college. The principal agrees that it would be useful to ensure that there is a clear distinction between college and school documentation.
4. Other Matters
Provision for international students.
The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.
Since ERO’s 2011 review, the school has amended its prospectus information for international students attending the primary school. It now includes information about its provision for classroom-based second language learning.
5. Conclusion
On the basis of the information obtained during the review, ERO considers that Wentworth Primary meets the criteria for registration as a private school set out in the Education Act 1989.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
23 May 2014
Discover More
Wentworth Primary
Wentworth College
School Events
International Programme
09 424 3273
Location
Linked In
