ERO Reports
AORERE COLLEGE December 2009
18 December 2009
To the Parents and Community of Aorere College
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Aorere College.
Aorere College is a multi-ethnic coeducational secondary school located in the Manukau City suburb of Mangere. Pacific students form the largest ethnic group and the school has significant numbers of Māori and Indian students. The roll has currently grown to 1461 students and the Ministry of Education has implemented an enrolment scheme to help manage roll growth.
A culture of achievement and cultural inclusiveness characterises the school. Student achievement in National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Levels 1, 2, and 3 has steadily improved since 2002 and students now achieve at levels that are at or above those of students in similar schools across the country. The upward trend in Pacific student achievement is noteworthy. Year 9 and 10 students make significant progress in literacy and numeracy but are still achieving below national averages on entry to Year 11. However, increasingly high percentages of students are gaining NCEA Level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements.
Many students achieve outstanding success through their involvement in academic competitions, cultural festivals, school choirs, dance, drama and instrumental music performances. These achievements foster students’ sense of pride in belonging to Aorere College.
The steady upward trend in student achievement has coincided with a stable period of effective school leadership and a high level of teacher commitment to enabling students to learn and achieve. Expectations of students and staff continue to be raised and teachers implement strategies that support students to engage in learning and achieve well.
In support of the school’s ongoing development, ERO recommends that the board improve its strategic planning and self review, especially in relation to achieving success for Māori students. ERO further recommends that the senior leadership team and curriculum leaders continue to work to achieve classroom teaching of a more consistently high quality.
Future Action
ERO is confident that the board of trustees can govern the school in the interest of the students and the Crown and bring about the improvements outlined in this report. ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Review Coverage
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of school performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to student achievement and useful to this school.