Ellesmere College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · State
- Year levels
- 7–13
- Total roll
- 572
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- Leeston Dunsandel Road, Leeston
- Territorial authority
- Selwyn District
- Phone
- 03-3243369
- poorterd@ellesmere.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Canterbury
Can my child go here?
This school has an enrolment scheme, so a place is not open to every address. How enrolment zones work
Loading zone map…
Zone boundaries shown here are approximate. Ministry of Education data warns these boundaries do not have high spatial precision and can place neighbouring addresses on different sides of a line. This is not a confirmation of enrolment eligibility — always confirm directly with the school. Zone geometry also does not reflect enrolment priority rules (siblings, special character categories, ballots) — it shows the mapped boundary only.
Check if your address is in zone →
Source: Ministry of Education, CC BY 3.0 NZ
What would the day look like?
The practical things this school states on its own website — the hours, the uniform, the term dates, and how children get there. These are the school’s own words, not the Ministry’s record and not ERO’s.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- Uniform
Not stated on the school’s website.
What does the school say about itself?
Quoted, not summarised. Every school describes itself well, so this is here to be read as the school’s own case rather than as a finding — and a school that states nothing simply has no row.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- International students
- Accepted, as stated
For more information on enrolling at Ellesmere as an international student, please head over to our international page.
- Accepted, as stated
What is on offer beyond the classroom?
The sports, arts, clubs and groups this school names on its own website. Not a complete list of what any school offers, and not a count — a school that names more here has written more down, which is not the same as doing more.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- On offer
- rugby
We offer a wide range of sports at Ellesmere, including rugby, swimming, basketball, tennis, equestrian and netball.
- swimming
We offer a wide range of sports at Ellesmere, including rugby, swimming, basketball, tennis, equestrian and netball.
- basketball
We offer a wide range of sports at Ellesmere, including rugby, swimming, basketball, tennis, equestrian and netball.
- tennis
We offer a wide range of sports at Ellesmere, including rugby, swimming, basketball, tennis, equestrian and netball.
- equestrian
We offer a wide range of sports at Ellesmere, including rugby, swimming, basketball, tennis, equestrian and netball.
- netball
We offer a wide range of sports at Ellesmere, including rugby, swimming, basketball, tennis, equestrian and netball.
- yearly school productions
As well as national music competitions, yearly school productions and Stage Challenge, students can take part in a variety of clubs. From chess to Kapa Haka, debating to coding, there’s something for every student!
- Stage Challenge
As well as national music competitions, yearly school productions and Stage Challenge, students can take part in a variety of clubs. From chess to Kapa Haka, debating to coding, there’s something for every student!
- chess
As well as national music competitions, yearly school productions and Stage Challenge, students can take part in a variety of clubs. From chess to Kapa Haka, debating to coding, there’s something for every student!
- Kapa Haka
As well as national music competitions, yearly school productions and Stage Challenge, students can take part in a variety of clubs. From chess to Kapa Haka, debating to coding, there’s something for every student!
- debating
As well as national music competitions, yearly school productions and Stage Challenge, students can take part in a variety of clubs. From chess to Kapa Haka, debating to coding, there’s something for every student!
- coding
As well as national music competitions, yearly school productions and Stage Challenge, students can take part in a variety of clubs. From chess to Kapa Haka, debating to coding, there’s something for every student!
- rugby
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 470
- Māori
- 107
- Pacific
- 19
- Asian
- 83
- MELAA
- 18
- Other
- 10
- International
- 10
Roll by year level and age
Shown as context, not ranked, not compared to any average. As at 30 June 2026, from the same annual return as the roll count above.
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 07 | 21 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 77 | 0 | 88 |
| Year 08 | 24 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 81 | 0 | 91 |
| Year 09 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 74 | 0 | 85 |
| Year 10 | 18 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 72 | 0 | 83 |
| Year 11 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 65 | 8 | 82 |
| Year 12 | 14 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 52 | 2 | 67 |
| Year 13+ | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 32 |
| Total | 101 | 15 | 62 | 19 | 8 | 447 | 11 | 528 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 11 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 0 | 69 |
| Age 12 | 25 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 86 | 0 | 96 |
| Age 13 | 17 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 69 | 0 | 80 |
| Age 14 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 81 | 0 | 91 |
| Age 15 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 62 | 3 | 71 |
| Age 16 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 49 | 5 | 69 |
| Age 17 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 2 | 44 |
| Age 18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| Total | 101 | 15 | 62 | 19 | 8 | 447 | 11 | 528 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Academic results
Percentage with NCEA level 1 or above — 2025
90.2%
| Ellesmere College | 90.2% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 87.1% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 89.6% |
| State: Not integrated | 83.6% |
| New Zealand | 85.2% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 95.7% |
|---|---|
| Male | 85.7% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 80% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 91.1% |
| Total | 90.2% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 1 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with NCEA level 2 or above — 2025
90.2%
| Ellesmere College | 90.2% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 79.6% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.3% |
| State: Not integrated | 75.4% |
| New Zealand | 77.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 95.7% |
|---|---|
| Male | 85.7% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 80% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 91.1% |
| Total | 90.2% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 2 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with NCEA level 3 or above — 2025
47.1%
| Ellesmere College | 47.1% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 59% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 64.5% |
| State: Not integrated | 55.2% |
| New Zealand | 59% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 56.5% |
|---|---|
| Male | 39.3% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 60% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 44.4% |
| Total | 47.1% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 3 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with VP Award — 2025
5.9%
| Ellesmere College | 5.9% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 13.7% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 14.7% |
| State: Not integrated | 14.4% |
| New Zealand | 14.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 13% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 0% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 4.4% |
| Total | 5.9% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison Vocational Pathway data (2023-2025)
Retention
Percentage staying until at least 17th birthday — 2025
84.3%
| Ellesmere College | 84.3% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 83.6% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.1% |
| State: Not integrated | 81.4% |
| New Zealand | 83% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 91.3% |
|---|---|
| Male | 78.6% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 100% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 84.4% |
| Total | 84.3% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison trend data (2023-2025)
— 2024
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)
— 2023
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)
— 2024
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)
— 2023
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
64.2%
| Ellesmere College | 64.2% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 38.3% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 43.4% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 40.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 87.1% |
| Māori | 194.5% |
| Pacific | 32.1% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 71.4% |
| Total | 64.2% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison stand-down rates data (2024)
Age-standardised suspension rate per 1,000 students — 2024
2.3%
| Ellesmere College | 2.3% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 3.7% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 4.6% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 4.5% |
| Māori | 7% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 2.7% |
| Total | 2.3% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison suspension rates data (2024)
Age-standardised exclusion rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Ellesmere College | 0% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 1.7% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 2% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 462
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Small urban area
- Date opened
- 16 November 1858
The Equity Index is used by the Ministry to allocate equity funding. It describes the socio-economic barriers a school’s students face, not how good the school is. How the Equity Index works
What did ERO find?
The Education Review Office reviews every school and publishes what it finds in full. We quote ERO’s report here, section by section, in ERO’s own words and order, and link to it. We do not summarise a report, pick a line out of one, or turn one into a score. How ERO reviews schools
- Reports ERO holds
- 6
- Last reviewed
- 17 July 2024
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (17 July 2024)
A board assurance statement is the board’s own account of whether it took all reasonable steps to meet its legal obligations, on the date shown. It is not ERO’s finding. ERO reports separately, in the same report, on any non-compliance it identified during that process.
The board assurance report of 17 July 2024 carries no actions-for-compliance section — the section ERO uses when it names non-compliance it identified. That is what this report contains; it is not ERO saying it found none. Other reports ERO holds for this school may say something different.
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 17 July 2024 — “School Evaluation Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.
School Evaluation Report
Tēnā koutou e mau manawa rahi ki te kaupapa e aro ake nei, ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa. Mā wai rā e kawe, mā tātau katoa.
We acknowledge the collective effort, responsibility and commitment by all to ensure that the child remains at the heart of the matter.
Context
Ellesmere College, Te Kāreti o Waihora , is located in Leeston in the Selwyn district and provides education for students in Years 7 to 13.
There are three parts to this report.
Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation.
Part B: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki /bilingual settings.
Part C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.
Part A: Previous Improvement Goals
Since the ERO report of June 2022, the school has evaluated the extent to which the reorganisation of the curriculum delivery model (AKO) led to positive outcomes for students in terms of well-being, engagement, and achievement.
Expected Improvements and Findings
The school expected to see:
Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of achievement, valued outcomes, and other indicator data to show improved student outcomes in terms of excellence and equity for all students.
The school continues to regularly monitor and track the achievement of students to identify and address barriers to learning.
Improving student achievement in literacy and numeracy for students in Years 7 to 10 remains a priority.
A local curriculum that provides a coordinated approach to teaching and learning, incorporates the changes in the national curriculum and reflects the local context.
The curriculum increasingly reflects local contexts in ways that students can see themselves, their identity and culture.
The development of the school’s effective teaching framework continues to focus on improving the consistency and effectiveness of teaching practice.
Part B: Current State
The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.
Learner Success and Wellbeing
Improvements are required across Years 7 to 11 to ensure all learners are engaged, make sufficient progress, achieve well and reduce disparity.
Most students achieve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Level 2 and 3; girls achieve NCEA at a higher rate than boys in Levels 2 and 3.
The majority of Year 7 and 8 students are achieving at or above the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics; less than half of Year 9 and 10 students are working within the expected curriculum level for reading, writing and mathematics.
Improvements are needed to address the recognised disparity for boys and Māori students across Years 7 to 11.
The majority of students attend school regularly; effective strategies are in place to support students and their families with regular attendance.
Conditions to support learner success
Leaders are beginning to use a range of data and information to review and know the effectiveness of teaching and learning to improve outcomes for all students.
A restructure to leadership and revised roles, provides a distributed approach to leadership that supports building teaching capability.
Leaders are beginning to drive improvement to systems, processes, teaching and learning to promote improvement in engagement and improved achievement outcomes for learners.
Key conditions are being strengthened to promote positive outcomes for learners.
Improvement is required to the structure of learning programmes across Years 7 to 11 to better prepare students for NCEA, particularly the numeracy and literacy co- requisite requirements.
Students are provided with a local curriculum that is responsive to their interests and provides opportunities for choice.
The school is putting in place systems, structures, and practices to bring about success and improvement over time.
The school has carried out surveys of Year 7 to 10 students about their learning and has analysed the data to identify and develop areas for improvement in teaching literacy and numeracy.
The strategic plan is well developed and contains clearly defined actions aimed at improving outcomes for all students.
Part C: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
monitor assessment information and interventions for Year 7 to 11 to ensure that systems are robust and coherent, and responses are appropriate so that all learners make sufficient progress
continue to build teacher capability and practice to strengthen consistency of teaching practice and outcomes for learners
strengthen partnerships with whānau and the wider school community to develop and deliver a localised curriculum that is responsive to the needs of students.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months:
track assessment information for Year 7 to 11 students and target teaching responses to ensure students make sufficient progress
undertake a review of the Years 7 to 11 curriculum to provide a greater focus on the consistency of teaching literacy and numeracy
consult with whānau and the wider school community to strengthen their participation in the life of the school and contribute to the development of the localised curriculum
Annually:
continue to monitor and report student progress and achievement, attendance, and wellbeing information to inform next steps for learners, and groups of learners, and to respond to any disparity identified
evaluate the expectations for high quality teaching against the teacher framework and to know the impact of initiatives and professional development
develop a long-term professional development plan that is responsive to teaching and learning needs and aligns with the strategic direction.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
student achievement and engagement data that consistently informs next steps for teaching and learning and leads to improved student achievement in literacy and numeracy
a strengthened focus on teaching, and practices that ensure high expectations for learner outcomes are met
positive, proactive partnerships that support developing and delivering a localised curriculum that is responsive to the needs of students and reflects the school’s connection to its community.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all three learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within 3 years.
Me mahi tahi tonu tātau, kia whai oranga a tātau tamariki Let’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children Shelley Booysen Director of Schools
17 July 2024
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 6 reports ERO holds for this school
ERO reviews a school every few years — around four years between reviews is the usual cycle — so an older date here reflects where a school sits in that cycle, not how it is doing.
Source: Education Review Office, CC BY 4.0.
Roll date: 30 June 2026 (2026).