100 Ideas

We have launched the 100 ideas 4 Freeville wiki and poster board today.

We know that Freeville is a great school. Our latest ERO report is now published on their website.

We also know that we will only get better when we have the collective energy and ideas from a whole lot of people who care about Freeville being an even better school.

Visit

https://100ideas4freeville.wikispaces.com/

Or email

Paul@freeville.school.nz

Or pin your ideas to the 100 Ideas board in the office.

We are looking to generate at least 100 great ideas for making Freeville School an even better place. The ideas can be small or huge. They can be things that are easy to achieve or things that might take lots of planning. They can be things that cost only time or things that are really expensive. They don't have to be things at all. The ideas might be about a system change or a curriculum area or an inquiry idea or... whatever you can imagine that will make Freeville even better.

This isn't a project to do list for the teachers or principal to solve. This is a chance for the community to share what they would like to see happening and to be involved.

Professional Capital

I have just started reading a book titled "Professional Capital" by Andy Hargreaves and Michael Fullan. I'm only up to page 10 but I had to stop and quote this paragraph because it seems to me that it strikes at the heart of the biggest challenge we face in NZ education today.

Achievement matters and so does evidence, but the relentlessly serious pursuit of increases in the basic comprehension skills that can be demonstrated on standardised tests should never overshadow what gives teaching it's mystery and majesty - what brings children joyfully into classrooms, what introduces them to interests that will absorb them for the rest of their lives, and what lifts them back up when their lives have taken a tumble.

As I was reading this I couldn't help thinking about how proud I am to be part of Freeville School. I think we get this balance pretty right. Not always right of course, but we do strive to get it right. We care about achievement and we spend time as teachers, learning teams, leadership team and as a whole staff discussing where our children are at and what we can do to help their learning progress. But even more importantly we spend time planning exciting programmes, finding interesting activities, thinking of challenging questions and seeking ways to motivate and engage children in learning. 

I know how committed our staff are to their own professional improvement and to seeing progress for all our learners. This week I want to dedicate this blog post to the teachers and support staff at Freeville who really do care. Thank you.

ERO Report

Our Education Review Office report is now confirmed. It will be posted on their website in 10 days but in the meantime  here are a few snippets to give you some of the flavour of it.

This school provides students and their families with high quality care and education. The board, principal, teachers and students have high expectations for learning and behaviour. They want all students to achieve to their potential and be the best that they can be. The key factors that promote success in this school are:

•the strong relationships between teachers and students and amongst students

•Maori enjoying opportunities to succeed as Maori

•students actively engaging in learning.

…

Students are highly engaged in their learning. ERO noticed students:

•confidently talking about their learning with their teachers and peers

•directing and leading their learning

•reflecting on their learning and identifying their next steps.

 

How effectively does this school's curriculum promote and support student learning?

The school's curriculum is effectively promoting and supporting students' learning. The learning environment has been purposely designed to reflect the school's culture of togetherness through family grouping and team teaching where activities permit. Students told ERO that they enjoyed working with different teachers and younger students.

The school's vision, values and 'Freeville Flyer' characteristics guide teaching and learning practices. Students speak confidently about the place of the key characteristics for learning and how these impact on their learning and behaviour. These key characteristics are well incorporated into the school's curriculum design. Students participate in a wide range of experiences in and beyond the school. Programmes incorporate the local environment and resources. Students receive well planned literacy and mathematics programmes. Maori perspectives are purposefully planned for and included in classroom programmes.

There is more to the report than this and we are very proud of all the staff,  children and families who contribute to making Freeville a great place to learn. I will post a link to the whole report once it has been loaded onto the ERO website