Holy Cross School (Papatoetoe)
Full Primary · State : Integrated
- Year levels
- 1–8
- Total roll
- 550
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Primary Co-Ed/Secondary Girls
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- Carruth Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland
- Territorial authority
- Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board Area
- Phone
- 09-2788224
- office@hcsp.nz
- Website
- http://www.hcsp.school.nz/
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Auckland
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.
- How to enrol
- https://hcsp.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/98/2023/05/2023-Enrolment-Form-5May23.pdf
A completed [Enrolment Form](https://hcsp.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/98/2023/05/2023-Enrolment-Form-5May23.pdf) signed by both parents
- https://hcsp.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/98/2023/05/2023-Enrolment-Form-5May23.pdf
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 41
- Māori
- 56
- Pacific
- 390
- Asian
- 126
- MELAA
- 16
- Other
- 0
- International
- 0
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 01 | 3 | 41 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 77 |
| Year 02 | 9 | 54 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 76 |
| Year 03 | 6 | 63 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 85 |
| Year 04 | 8 | 52 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 71 |
| Year 05 | 9 | 64 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 87 |
| Year 06 | 9 | 52 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 72 |
| Year 07 | 3 | 42 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 52 |
| Year 08 | 3 | 31 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 |
| Total | 50 | 399 | 128 | 19 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 561 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 3 | 41 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 75 |
| Age 06 | 9 | 52 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 74 |
| Age 07 | 6 | 59 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 76 |
| Age 08 | 8 | 57 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 80 |
| Age 09 | 8 | 64 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 89 |
| Age 10 | 10 | 54 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 74 |
| Age 11 | 2 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43 |
| Age 12 | 3 | 26 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 |
| Age 13 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Total | 50 | 399 | 128 | 19 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 561 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Holy Cross School (Papatoetoe) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 29.7% |
| Full Primary | 35.6% |
| State : Integrated | 16.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
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 stand-down rates data (2024)
Age-standardised suspension rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Holy Cross School (Papatoetoe) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 3% |
| Full Primary | 3.9% |
| State : Integrated | 1.6% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
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 suspension rates data (2024)
Age-standardised exclusion rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Holy Cross School (Papatoetoe) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 1.4% |
| Full Primary | 1.7% |
| State : Integrated | 0.5% |
| 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)
- 445
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Major urban area
- Date opened
- 1 February 1953
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
- 3
- Last reviewed
- 23 September 2025
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- not reported
What this report states about the school
As stated in ERO’s report of 23 September 2025 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Girls in Years 1 to 8 and boys in Years 1 to 6
provides education for girls in Years 1 to 8 and boys in Years 1 to 6
- Girls in Years 1 to 8 and boys in Years 1 to 6
The roll ERO recorded, and when
ERO writes a roll into each report it publishes: a count taken for that report, on the day shown, by the review team that was there. The Ministry of Education’s current roll for this school is 550 — the figure at the top of this page, and the one to use for how big the school is now. These are a different measurement by a different body, so they will rarely agree, and a difference between them is not a change in the school.
April 2019
554
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 25 June 2019
August 2014
605
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 7 November 2014
We draw no line between these. Each was counted for its own report, years apart, by a different review team, and a roll moves between reviews for reasons none of these figures record — so the difference between any two of them measures nothing.
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 23 September 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.
Every New Zealand state and state integrated school has an ERO review at least once every four years to evaluate what is working well for learners and what needs to be improved.
About the School
Holy Cross School ( Papatoetoe ) provides education for girls in Years 1 to 8 and boys in Years 1 to 6. Of the 559 students currently enrolled, most learners are Pacific or Māori. The school’s Mercy charism underpins its mission to learn and grow in Christ . A new leadership team has been established since 2022.
Education Counts provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement, school enrolments and school zones. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
An explanation of the terms and judgements used in this report can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office
What we know about learner success
This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and the evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.
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 an increasingly consistent focus on supporting learners to gain foundational 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 ongoing improvement to the quality of education for learners are well established.
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 section is about learner achievement. It outlines how well learners across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level of The New Zealand Curriculum in foundational skills.
Less than a third Less than half Small majority Large majority Most Almost all
0 to 33% 34 to 49% 50 to 65% 65 to 79% 80 to 90% Over 90%
Reading Most 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 A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.
Attendance
This section is about school attendance and the progress the school is making towards meeting the Government target of 80% regular attendance.
The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
The school has a suitable plan in place to improve attendance.
Regular attendance is improving towards or beyond the target.
Chronic absence is not yet reducing over time.
Assessment
This section is about how the school assesses learner progress and achievement.
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
This section is about how well the school supports all learners to make sufficient progress.
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.
The school has to some extent extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels.
The school is making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets and is likely to meet them by 2030.
Next steps for improvement
This section provides more detail for the school to include in its strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school. It outlines what the school is doing well and identifies actions for improvement.
Areas of Strength
A culture of inclusion and care based on the school’s values supports students’ sense of belonging, language, identity and culture.
Teachers plan and implement a rich and meaningful curriculum that reflects the school’s culturally diverse context, faith-based values and whānau aspirations.
Responsive learning programmes engage students in purposeful and relevant learning experiences that extend their interests, strengths and knowledge.
Structured literacy is embedded across the school; a structured mathematics approach is being implemented to align with the new curriculum requirements.
Well-considered professional learning opportunities are targeted, planned and purposefully implemented for ongoing improvement of teaching and learning.
Leaders foster strong connections with parents and whānau to support their children’s success; achievement information is shared, and parents have regular opportunities to discuss their child’s learning goals and next steps.
Key priorities
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
Embed structured literacy and mathematics approaches aligned with the new curriculum schoolwide through enhancing teaching, learning and assessment practices.
Refine and strengthen systematic internal evaluation processes to clearly understand the impact of strategic actions that contribute to increasing achievement outcomes.
Maintain a focus on raising regular attendance rates for all learners to meet the Government’s target.
Actions to bring about improvement
Within six months:
provide professional learning opportunities for teachers to strengthen the shared understanding and use of effective internal evaluation processes
Every six months:
systematically collect and analyse learner progress and achievement information to inform next steps in teaching and learning, and report to the board, parents and whānau
provide ongoing staff professional learning in structured literacy and mathematics to enhance schoolwide teaching, learning and assessment practices
review the outcomes of attendance initiatives to identify ongoing planning and actions
Annually:
evaluate the impact of teaching, learning and assessment practices on learners’ progress and achievement; identify initiatives that have been most successful and report the outcomes to the board to inform strategic planning and resourcing
monitor the integration of the new curriculum requirements for reading, writing and mathematics, and identify future priorities for professional learning opportunities
evaluate the impact of strategies on raising regular attendance.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
increased and sustained high levels of learner progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
enhanced evaluative practices that effectively assess the impact of strategic actions and identify ongoing improvements for learner achievement
improved levels of regular attendance that meet or exceed the Government’s target.
Regulatory and Legislative Requirements
This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements.
Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements
This section of the report reviews the school's policies, procedures, documentation, and checks that it meets all regulations, maintains a safe environment, and supports students' wellbeing.
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
Actions for Compliance
ERO has identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
ensure approval processes for high-risk education outside the classroom (EOTC) activities align with school policy and procedures [Health and Safety at Work Act 2015]
ensure that the staff appointments process includes records of a risk assessment [s104 Education and Training Act 2020].
The board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.
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 four years.
Me mahi tahi tonu tātau, kia whai oranga a tātau tamariki L et’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children
Sharon Kelly Director of Schools
23 September 2025
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 3 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).