James Street School
Contributing · State
- Year levels
- 1–6
- Total roll
- 240
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 96 James Street, Whakatane
- Territorial authority
- Whakatane District
- Phone
- 07-3086855
- reception@jamesstreet.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Bay of Plenty
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.
- Term dates
- Term 1, 2026: 3 February – 2 April
Term 1: 3 February – 2 April
Year stated as2026 Term Dates:
- Term 2, 2026: 21 April – 3 July
Term 2: 21 April – 3 July
Year stated as2026 Term Dates:
- Term 3, 2026: 20 July – 25 September
Term 3: 20 July – 25 September
Year stated as2026 Term Dates:
- Term 4, 2026: 12 October – 10 December
Term 4: 12 October – 10 December
Year stated as2026 Term Dates:
- Term 1, 2026: 3 February – 2 April
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 88
- Māori
- 157
- Pacific
- 5
- Asian
- 21
- MELAA
- 1
- 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 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 43 |
| Year 02 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 45 |
| Year 03 | 24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 35 |
| Year 04 | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 39 |
| Year 05 | 27 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 43 |
| Year 06 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 40 |
| Year 07 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Year 08 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 166 | 6 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 71 | 0 | 249 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 42 |
| Age 06 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 36 |
| Age 07 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 36 |
| Age 08 | 35 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 48 |
| Age 09 | 22 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 38 |
| Age 10 | 30 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 44 |
| Age 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Age 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 166 | 6 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 71 | 0 | 249 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
55.5%
| James Street School | 55.5% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 37.4% |
| Contributing | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 40.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 68.2% |
| Māori | 45.7% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 73.5% |
| Total | 55.5% |
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
33.9%
| James Street School | 33.9% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 3.8% |
| Contributing | 3.5% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 74.8% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 56.2% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 43.2% |
| Total | 33.9% |
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
32.4%
| James Street School | 32.4% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 1.4% |
| Contributing | 1.5% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 70.9% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 53% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 42.4% |
| Total | 32.4% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 507
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Medium urban area
- Date opened
- 31 January 1958
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
- 20 October 2025
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (9 September 2022)
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 9 September 2022 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 this report states about the school
As stated in ERO’s report of 20 October 2025 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 6
provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6
- Years 1 to 6
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 20 October 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
James Street School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. Currently there are 251 students, 67% identify as Māori , 23% as NZ European/ Pakeha and 10% from Pacific, Asia and Middle Eastern, African and Latin American backgrounds. A new principal was appointed at the beginning of 2025. The school values , we are respectful, we are safe, and we are proud underpin day to day school activities.
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
Improvement and progress
This section is about the progress the school has made since May 2023 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings .
Expected improvements
School leaders reviewed how well evaluation systems support responsive and adaptive teaching practices to meet the needs of all learners. The goal was to improve staff knowledge and consistency in collecting, analysing, and using valid assessment data to guide teaching and learning.
Findings
Teachers are beginning to use standardised tools to gather achievement data in reading, writing, and mathematics. This data is beginning to be used by teachers to inform the next steps in teaching programmes. For students who are not meeting expected curriculum levels, school leaders have started to carefully look at their achievement, create action plans and better provide specific support to help accelerate their learning progress.
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.
A large majority of learners enter James Street School significantly behind the expected curriculum level. The school’s efforts are well focused on accelerated progress.
How well are learners succeeding? The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners.
What is the quality of teaching and learning? Learners benefit from good 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 some opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum. There is an increasingly consistent focus on supporting learners to gain skills in 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? The school is establishing planning and conditions that support improvements in the quality of education for learners.
How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing? The school reasonably 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 is improving its reporting to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress. The school is improving its collection and use 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 64% 65 to 79% 80 to 90% Over 90%
Reading Less than half of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet 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 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.
Less than half of learners attend school regularly.
The school is behind 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 reducing over time.
Assessment
This section is about how the school assesses learner progress and achievement.
The school is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately find out about achievement against the curriculum.
Teachers are developing their use of assessment information 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 is developing 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 for 2030 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.
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
Leaders, staff and the school Board’s goal is for all learners to be successful. They focus on improving regular attendance and achievement particularly in reading and writing.
All staff promote a safe and inclusive learning environment that supports physical and emotional wellbeing, ensuring all learners feel valued and accepted by each other.
Staff are supportive and work together to ensure consistency of teaching practice in structured literacy and mathematics to accelerate progress and achievement for all learners.
Leaders use their knowledge and expertise to achieve the best outcomes for all learners including those learners with diverse needs.
Key priorities
Maintain a focus on increasing attendance to meet the government attendance target.
Review and align the school’s current teaching and learning practices with current curriculum and assessment requirements.
Accelerate progress and achievement in reading and reduce disparity for identified groups of learners in literacy.
Work with the school community and Ngāti Awa to co-design school priorities and monitor strategies that guide the school’s future direction.
Actions to bring about improvement
Within six months:
leaders review and improve school assessment processes and systems in literacy and mathematics to ensure student achievement data is accurate, reliable and can be confidently used to inform next steps
Every six months:
leaders review attendance strategies, identify areas for improvement and share with the school’s community to improve regular attendance rates
leaders report to the school Board on the achievement of all learners in literacy and mathematics and the acceleration of target learners in reading and for some groups of learners
Annually
leaders work with teachers, the school Board, parents and community members to monitor progress against strategic goals, ensuring actions stay aligned with shared aspirations
leaders and teachers review and evaluate the impact of teaching, learning and assessment practices in literacy and mathematics and use this information to support further improvement
the principal and the school Board evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies to improve regular attendance to inform future planning.
Expected outcomes
Improved rates of regular attendance.
Accelerated progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics for all learners including learners who require additional support.
Strengthened alignment of the strategic direction and community partnerships drives school improvement.
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 meeting 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 all staff employed have a current police vet [Children’s Act 2014, s104 Education and Training Act 2020].
The Board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.
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 Let’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children
Sharon Kelly Director of Schools
20 October 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).