ERO Report 2016

PRIVATE SCHOOL REVIEW REPORT: WENTWORTH COLLEGE

1. BACKGROUND

The Chief Review Officer has a statutory duty to report on the performance of private schools throughout New Zealand.

Section 35I of the Education Act 1989, requires the Education Review Office (ERO) to review fully registered private schools, and to report to the Ministry of Education on whether each school continues to meet the criteria for full registration.

This review report was prepared in accordance with standard procedures approved by the Chief Review Officer.

The school is a fully registered private school. It caters for students from Year 7 to 15. It has a roll of 172 students, plus 32 international students.

About the School

Location	Gulf Harbour, Whangaparaoa
Ministry of Education Profile number	484
School type	Secondary (Years 7 to 15)
School roll	204
Number of International Students	32
Gender composition	Girls 53%, Boys 47%
Ethnic composition	NZ European/Pakeha 66% Maori 7% British/Irish 8% Asian 3% South African 3% other European 11% other 2%
Review team on site	August 2016
Date of this report	21 October 2016
Most Recent ERO report(s)	Private School Review, September 2012 Private School Review, October 2009 Private School Review, December 2006

2. CRITERIA FOR REGISTRATION

Wentworth College at Gulf Harbour on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula is a private, co-educational school for Year 7 to 15 students. The school continues to provide students with suitable premises, staffing, equipment and curriculum. Standards of tuition remain high. A sound framework of policies and procedures guides the school’s operations.

The school was founded in 2003 and is governed by the Wentworth College Trust Board. It has close links with the adjacent Wentworth Primary School, which operates under the same principal and management board. The school has three guiding principles that underpin all aspects of teaching and learning. They are the provision of high quality education for all, participation in co-curricular activities, and the importance of shared values and high standards.

The curriculum is broad and inclusive, reflecting the intentions of the school’s founders. In Years 7 to 10 the curriculum is based on The New Zealand Curriculum aligned to the Cambridge International Examination (CIE) syllabus. From Year 11 to 13 the primary focus is on the CIE. Programmes aligned to the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) are also available to students. Students make good progress across the school and achieve well at all levels. Senior students’ achievement in the CIE is high, and over 90 percent of Wentworth students leave school with University Entrance.

Since the 2012 ERO review, the curriculum has become increasingly future-focused with the introduction of programmes in critical thinking, marine studies, psychology and computer science. Students are able to personalise their course of study to meet their aspirations regarding future study and career choices. The school’s curriculum is well documented and shared with parents. Regular communication and reporting ensures that parents are well informed about learning programmes.

Teaching methods reflect the school’s guiding principles and support the academic focus of the school. Teachers encourage positive interactions with students and between students. Students participate with confidence in an extensive range of co-curricular activities and those that extend beyond the classroom.

The social and emotional wellbeing of students is very well supported by a pastoral care system that reflects the school’s commitment to the value of respect for self and for others. By working together as a community, students develop a sense of empathy, personal responsibility and resilience that continues to benefit them throughout their time at school.

Staffing levels are generous, with small classes ensuring that students receive individual teaching. Teachers are suitably qualified and bring a wide range of curriculum strengths and interests to their teaching. The breadth of the curriculum is supported by specialist teaching and additional learning support. A robust performance appraisal system supports teachers to reflect on and continue to improve their teaching practice.

The buildings and grounds continue to be well presented and maintained. Teaching facilities are spacious and well resourced. Good use is made of facilities and resources in the local community to support both academic and co-curricular programmes.

The school’s managers have attested that they comply with the provisions of section 35G in respect to their being fit and proper persons to manage the school.

3. OTHER STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS

There are good systems in place for the school’s managing body to be assured that its other statutory obligations are met.

4. OTHER MATTERS

Provision for international students

The Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) was introduced on July 1st 2016. The school is aware of the need to update its policies and procedures to meet the new code requirements by 1 December 2016.

At the time of this review there were 32 international students attending the school, including 0 exchange students.

The school is making good progress in aligning its policies and procedures to meet requirements for the 2016 Code.

5. CONCLUSION

On the basis of the information obtained during the review, ERO considers that Wentworth College meets the criteria for registration as a private school set out in the Education Act 1989.

Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
21 October 2016