Productive partnerships

Lincoln High School investigates how, as part of a cluster arrangement, a school can foster the development of an effective professional learning community that is focused on teaching as inquiry and premised on three underpinning principles: ako (reciprocal learning), culture counts, and productive partnerships.

Responding to “demanding constituents” has been the catalyst for changes in teaching practice at Henderson Intermediate - changes achieved through a process of reflecting upon the evidence available and responding to student need.

Evidence of successful approaches motivated a change in practices across the whole school.

Providing opportunities for student voice informed and encouraged changes in teacher practice.

Henderson Intemediate responded to whānau requests for reporting in a form that met their needs.

An idea from whānau became the basis of a successful intervention to tackle attendance issues.

When Henderson Intermediate staff were open and honest about the issues of Māori student achievement with whānau, they received an immediate response of support.

Lincoln High School's NCEA's data illustrated that Māori students were grossly underachieving. As a result, the professional development model of Te Kauhua was established, based on research that showed what works well for Māori.

At Henderson Intermediate, we see the beginnings of a successful push by Te Kauhua facilitators to engage whānau, by organising whānau hui, where data on Māori students’ attendance and achievement was shared.

At Hillmorton High School, we see the beginnings of a successful push by Te Kauhua facilitators to engage whānau, by organising whānau hui, where data on Māori students’ attendance and achievement was shared.