Hokowhitu School

What ERO wrote in its latest report

This is ERO’s report of 11 April 2025 — “School Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.

School 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.

About the School

Hokowhitu School is located in central Palmerston North and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The school community is ethnically diverse. Of the 363 students enrolled, 38% are New Zealand European, 19% are Māori students, 6% are of Pacific heritage, 31% are Asian and 6% are other ethnicities. Rangitāne is acknowledged as mana whenua.

The school’s vision for learners Torongia ki te tihi o te maunga – striving to get to the top of the mountain is underpinned by six core values. STRIVE encourage learners to: step up/ Manawanui , try new things - Kia Kaha , Respect - Ngākau Whakaute , Investigate – Whakataki , Value others – Atawhai , Enthusiasm for learning - Ngākau Whakapuke.

Progress since July, 2022 ERO report

ERO and the school worked together to evaluate how well leaders and teachers implement professional learning and effectively use current organisational systems and processes to achieve positive outcomes for learners in literacy and mathematics.

During the course of the evaluation, it was found that nearly all priority learners made positive progress in reading and mathematics with some showing significant improvement to achieve curriculum expectations by the end of the year. Students in mathematics showed increased confidence in their perception of themselves as successful learners.

Comprehensive systems and practices were used well to identify and track the progress of learners during the year. Regular monitoring of learner progress by leaders and the learning support co-ordinator ensured resourcing of specialist intervention programmes or provision of additional staffing contributed positively to learner outcomes. Teachers collaborated regularly to discuss the needs of learners which informed shared planning and determined explicit teaching strategies to meet the specific needs of learners.

How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?

How well are learners succeeding? Success and progress for all learners is increasing.

What is the quality of teaching and learning? Learners benefit from high quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.

How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs? Learners have rich opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum. There is a consistent focus on supporting learners to gain skills in literacy and mathematics. Learners with complex needs are well supported to achieve their education goals.

How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement? School planning and conditions to support high quality education for learners are driving excellent school performance.

How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing? The school successfully promotes learners’ engagement, wellbeing and inclusion.

How well does the school partner with parents, whānau and its community for the benefit of learners? The school reports usefully and accurately to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress. The school responds well to a wide range of information gathered through community consultation, to inform strategic planning and curriculum decisions.

Student Health and Safety The school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.

Achievement in Years 0 to 8

This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Foundation Skills

Reading A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Attendance

The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.

The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.

Regular attendance is improving towards or beyond the target.

Chronic absence is reducing over time.

Assessment

The school uses an appropriate approach and reliable practices to find out about achievement against the curriculum.

Assessment information is used well to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.

Progress

The school has well established processes to meet the needs of high numbers of English Speakers of Other languages (ESOL).

The school has good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.

The school has to some extent improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.

The school has to some extent extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review.

The school is making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets set for 2030.

Part B: Findings for the school

This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.

Learner success and wellbeing

Learners progress and achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics; nearly half of all learners achieved above curriculum expectations in reading and mathematics at the end of year 6 in 2024.

Learners demonstrate well embedded school values, encouraging their positive wellbeing, in a highly inclusive environment.

Leadership is highly collaborative; utilising sound organisational processes and practices to achieve their strategic goals and targets.

Design and delivery of the school curriculum is well planned and contextual, encouraging students to participate in a wide range of meaningful learning experiences; d elivery of reading, writing and mathematics is meeting the one hour per day expectation.

Leaders and teachers have embedded sound practices to effectively deliver structured literacy and are taking well considered steps to systematically implement structured mathematics in 2025; a consistent focus on supporting all learners to gain sound foundational skills in literacy and mathematics is evident.

Staff demonstrate highly collaborative practice with regular opportunities to plan together, share and apply strategies acquired through their participation in professional learning, matched to their curriculum priorities and reflective to the needs of learners.

Trustees undertake their roles and responsibilities effectively; comprehensive reporting of information ensures resourcing decisions are aligned to their strategic priorities, is matched to their community aspirations, and promotes positive outcomes for learners.

Key priorities and actions for improvement

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

develop an attendance plan to ensure the trajectory of improvement, aligned to the Government target continues, and is sustained overtime

implement identified achievement targets for cohorts and groups of learners working toward curriculum expectations in writing to support acceleration of their progress and continue to raise overall achievement

leaders and teachers will explore and consider current research in the provision of writing and inform relevant changes to writing programmes to benefit outcomes for learners.

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within six months:

leaders will gather and analyse attendance information termly to evaluate the impact of their actions aligned to their attendance target

teachers will identify priority learners in writing and align their collaborative inquiry process to support evaluation into the impact of their teaching and learning strategies on outcomes for learners

leaders will gather evidence and review ESOL timetabling to establish any impact for learners in withdrawal from the classroom programme and inform relevant changes to support the continuity of curriculum provision for learners

Annually:

teachers will collate the evidence of their inquiry and report the impact of their actions and strategies on outcomes for learners in writing

leader’s statement of variance will report the evaluative outcomes of their actions aligned to their identified priority in writing and target for attendance.

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:

learner attendance is matched or exceeds the Government target

targeted actions by leaders and teachers impact positively on learner progress and achievement in writing

teachers implement shared expectations for delivery of the writing curriculum and implement effective strategies which benefit outcomes for learners.

Background

The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

Findings

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

At the time of this review there were one international student attending the school.

Induction and orientation for international learners suitably supports their integration into the school environment. Well established processes for identifying and responding to the academic and pastoral needs of individuals are effective. Learners are encouraged to participate in a broad range of school and community activities.

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Report and is due within three 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

Sharon Kelly Director of Schools (Acting)

11 April 2025

Education Counts

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →