Education Review Office
The Education Review Office reviews schools and early childhood education services every three years, and publishes national reports on current education practice. Below are extracts from the excellent report St Brigid's received following our last review. You can read the full report on or ask for a copy from your local ERO office.
Our recent ERO report confirmed what we already know...
"The school’s achievement information shows that a high proportion of children (more than 85%) have achieved the National Standards in reading and mathematics over the last three years. The proportion achieving the National Standards in writing is lower (by about 10%)."
"Programmes address a wide range of needs including spelling, reading, writing, mathematics, fine-motor skill development and perceptual-motor development. They are generally delivered by experienced, skilled teacher aides. Teachers and teacher aides plan collaboratively how to provide support for those children needing to accelerate their progress. The school's information shows that children participating in these programmes demonstrate:
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increased confidence in their ability to learn
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improved levels of engagement with learning tasks
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improved levels of achievement."
"Teachers regularly review children's progress and evaluate whether programmes are working or if they need to change. They make good use of their knowledge of individual children's interests and strengths to engage and motivate children for learning. They have regular communication with parents and whanau about children's progress and achievement, and children's next learning steps."
"Teachers also use learning information to identify groups of children not achieving as well as expected. In response, they set school-wide targets that focus on these children and work together to identify effective strategies to better support children's learning. For example, the recent focus has been boys' achievement in writing. Teachers have:
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provided engaging topics and authentic contexts to build boys' motivation to write
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addressed barriers to learning such as poor handwriting skills
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used digital solutions to help children develop and share their ideas when writing.
Teachers research and trial new approaches they believe will improve outcomes for children. They work collaboratively to make children's experiences in writing engaging and more successful."
"The school's special character and Catholic values are highly evident in relationships, practices and the school environment. Children told ERO that they experience positive and respectful relationships with other children and adults. Junior children appreciate the support and guidance of their senior 'buddies'. Older children interact positively with younger children in a range of ways in both their learning and their play. The school's values are actively modelled, taught and celebrated. Trustees, teachers and parents report a strong sense of community support, with a focus on the wellbeing of children, families and staff."
"Teachers and children are using digital devices effectively to share their learning with each other and with their parents. This has led to increased levels of engagement with parents in children's day-to-day learning."
"Leadership is making good use of teachers' strengths, building a culture of collaboration, and developing leadership for staff. Together, staff members are building learning-centred relationships with families for the benefit of each child. Teachers collaborate effectively to plan and deliver learning programmes and share good practices."
"Trustees have taken well-considered actions to plan for improvement and to scrutinise progress towards expected learning and wellbeing outcomes. They:
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expect reports about school-wide progress of all children, with clear information about children needing acceleration
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are well connected to the school's wider community."
"Leaders and teachers:
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know the children whose learning and achievement need to be accelerated
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respond effectively to the strengths, needs and interests of each child
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regularly evaluate how well teaching is working for these children
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act on what they know works well for each child
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build teacher capability effectively to achieve equitable outcomes for all children
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are well placed to achieve and sustain equitable and excellent outcomes for all children."
(March 2017)
Education Outside the Classroom
Sports
The school aims to introduce children to a wide variety of sports, and provides opportunities for children to play a range of team sports including netball, flippa ball, futsal, swimming, t-ball, miniball and touch rugby. We have an innovative physical education programme, and children enjoy using a variety of fun equipment during fitness time, and at lunch and morning tea times. St Brigid's has a proud history in a variety of sports competitions.