What was your motivation to move away from streaming?

In 2020 I was involved with an online blended learning programme with Poutama Pounamu. This challenged my thinking about streaming, and I found myself thinking that what I was hearing doesn’t sound right. I looked at what the literature was saying about this thing called streaming. I started looking at data in a different way – Year 11, 12, 13 classes and what ethnicities make up each of the Maths, English and Science classes at the different streamed levels.

60 percent of our Year 11 students at Fairfield College in 2020 were Māori, but this was not represented in our top band classes.

Tokona Te Raki put out some information about streaming and challenged it which also caused me to think more deeply about the possible inequity the process was promoting. These all contributed to my thinking, but the real leverage experience for me was when I read what Waikato Tainui were saying about equity and about streaming. They were clearly saying that Waikato Tainui do not want schools to stream their students.

For me, it was that moral imperative or sense of urgency had come to a point within my own being of who I was as a principal, to say what are you going to do about this?

What was the approach you took to making the shift?

Once I decided, the first thing I did was to meet with my SLT. I shared my thoughts with them and asked them for their thoughts. The next meeting was the pivotal meeting – the Heads of Faculty.  It was crucial that they be given the opportunity to consider the data that was presented so that they could discuss and make sense of the data for themselves.  At the Head of Faculty (HoF) meeting I made some recommendations which over time were accepted. These included de-streaming specifically selected courses the following year – Year 11 English, Maths and Science. Other recommendations included what would be de-streamed in the years following this. It was important for me to have the HoFs hear these recommendations, and to have their support before taking the recommendations to the Board. 

A significant question the HoFs asked was “If we’re going to do away with streaming, what are we going to replace it with?” I did not have all the answers at the time but said that collectively we could follow a more inclusive pathway that was culturally sustainable and responsive pedagogy. Once I had the support of the HoFs I went to the Board.  I gave a presentation which was similar to what I had shown the HoFs. A significant question the Board asked was “Do you think our teachers are ready for this because the change is significant?” I responded that they can become ready through support but knowing what we know now, are we prepared to let another cohort of students go through a system that is deliberately structured to deliver inequitable outcomes. Thankfully we were not.  

The next important meeting was with the whānau – we went through a process with whānau at two different meetings. Then we had assemblies with the students to talk about our intentions, then we made the move. We are still navigating the space. I see the transition away from streaming taking a minimum of five years. I also discussed our thinking and the direction that the school was taking with the educational team of Waikato Tainui.

If it’s not happening with the principal, the leader, it’s not going to happen any other way. The Board may want de-streaming to take place, but the principal is pivotal in making it happen. The principal has to have some moral imperative.

I am continuously seeking to develop a genuine partnership with iwi, with mana whenua. When I read what Waikato Tainui was saying about wanting schools to de-stream, my moral leadership was challenged and my response to this was critical – if I don’t make this change, streaming will keep on perpetuating.  I set up a leadership group to help navigate us through the streaming process.

What challenges did you face?

Firstly, I had to face the challenges in my own mind about what I had to go through as a leader to get to this point. There were also challenges in how to communicate this and how to progress in such a way that brings everyone on-board.

I decided that I would initially work with those who were on-board this waka and show them the evidence of what it would mean for them. Communicating with the Board was important because if they decided not to support de-streaming it would be difficult for me to progress. I knew that iwi supported removing streaming but continuing to work with mana whenua in this process is important to ensure they are really on board with this waka. This needs to be done face-to-face.

In our community there were some who doubted, but I have also had letters of support from members of our community. The students have in general adapted to the changes. There haven’t been major challenges from our staff because of the strength of the evidence that was presented and their commitment and readiness to do all that they can to facilitate greater equity. These challenges are ongoing, and it is important that we stay focussed on the task which is to continuously improve our pedagogy and our relationships with students and their whānau.

What does success look like?

We have seen a greater inclusiveness, a greater belief, acceptance and understanding in the de-streaming process.

Most of my evidence so far is anecdotal. I have noticed in the classrooms there are students doing courses, where if we were streaming, those students would not be sitting there. They wouldn’t be having pathways open and available to them. Also, it’s too soon to see academic changes because we will need to look at things over a period of time. I hope we will see better academic achievement, but I think it’s more about effective pedagogy – teachers being effective in their classrooms. What I believe we will see is more Māori students studying the STEM subjects to the senior levels.

What advice would you give to others considering embarking on the journey?

Be really clear about your ‘why’. To do that you have to look at literature. You’ve got to look at where iwi and hapu genuinely sit with you. Is that important to you? If it is, find out what their thoughts are, what their views are about streaming.

Ensure that you seek advice and involve other leaders in the inquiry process that you undertake. Ensure that the Board and the community are aware of the equity issues that streaming perpetuates. This could be done by collecting and analysing data of your highest and lowest streamed classes to see if the percentages reflect the percentages of Māori and Pasifika in the school for that year level. You will more than likely find an over-representation in the lower band classes and an under-representation in the highest band classes. Why is this? I suggest that as a principal you co-construct a response to the data that is triangulated with iwi and whānau voice, as well as the streaming equity themes of literature.