Karamea Area School
Composite · State
- Year levels
- not reported
- Total roll
- 96
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- Waverley Street, Karamea, Westport
- Territorial authority
- Buller District
- Phone
- 03-7826717
- kgrey@karamea.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in West Coast
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: Tuesday, 27 January - Thursday, 2 April
Term Start and End Dates | Tuesday, 27 January - Thursday, 2 April
Year stated as2026 Term Dates
- Term 2, 2026: Monday, 20 April - Friday, 3 July
Term Start and End Dates | Monday, 20 April - Friday, 3 July
Year stated as2026 Term Dates
- Term 3, 2026: Monday, 20 July - Friday, 25 September
Term Start and End Dates | Monday, 20 July - Friday, 25 September
Year stated as2026 Term Dates
- Term 4, 2026: Monday, 12 October - Wednesday, 9 December
Term Start and End Dates | Monday, 12 October - Wednesday, 9 December
Year stated as2026 Term Dates
- Term 1, 2026: Tuesday, 27 January - Thursday, 2 April
- Getting there
- Two school bus routes, overseen by a nominated Bus Controller; the bus contractors are Karamea Motors and Harkerss
Karamea Area School has a nominated Bus Controller to oversee the safe and efficient operation of the buses, along with student bus monitors. There are two bus routes as follows: Children are expected to act responsibly on the bus for their own safety and sign a Bus Code of Conduct. If your child is not travelling on the bus, please contact the bus contractor for morning pickups and the school for the afternoon bus service. If your child needs to change the bus routes you must get approval from Karamea Motors or Harkerss and inform the school.
- Two school bus routes, overseen by a nominated Bus Controller; the bus contractors are Karamea Motors and Harkerss
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.
- In their words
- To provide student-centred holistic education by developing the highest levels of literacy, numeracy and social skills to prepare students for the future they choose.
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 85
- Māori
- 16
- Pacific
- 8
- Asian
- 3
- 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 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Year 02 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Year 03 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Year 04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Year 05 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Year 06 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Year 07 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Year 08 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Year 09 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Year 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Year 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Year 13+ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 13 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 85 | 0 | 88 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Age 06 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Age 07 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Age 08 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Age 09 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Age 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Age 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Age 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Age 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Age 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Age 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Age 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Age 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 13 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 85 | 0 | 88 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Academic results
Percentage with NCEA level 1 or above — 2025
83.3%
| Karamea Area School | 83.3% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 84% |
| Composite (Year 1-15) | 91.4% |
| State: Not integrated | 83.6% |
| New Zealand | 85.2% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | Too few to report |
|---|---|
| Male | Too few to report |
| Māori | Not applicable |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Not applicable |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 83.3% |
| Total | 83.3% |
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
66.7%
| Karamea Area School | 66.7% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 70.6% |
| Composite (Year 1-15) | 86% |
| State: Not integrated | 75.4% |
| New Zealand | 77.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | Too few to report |
|---|---|
| Male | Too few to report |
| Māori | Not applicable |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Not applicable |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 66.7% |
| Total | 66.7% |
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
66.7%
| Karamea Area School | 66.7% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 42.3% |
| Composite (Year 1-15) | 71.7% |
| State: Not integrated | 55.2% |
| New Zealand | 59% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | Too few to report |
|---|---|
| Male | Too few to report |
| Māori | Not applicable |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Not applicable |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 66.7% |
| Total | 66.7% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 3 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with VP Award — 2025
0%
| Karamea Area School | 0% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 14% |
| Composite (Year 1-15) | 16% |
| State: Not integrated | 14.4% |
| New Zealand | 14.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | Too few to report |
|---|---|
| Male | Too few to report |
| Māori | Not applicable |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Not applicable |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
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
66.7%
| Karamea Area School | 66.7% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 67.5% |
| Composite (Year 1-15) | 86.6% |
| State: Not integrated | 81.4% |
| New Zealand | 83% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | Too few to report |
|---|---|
| Male | Too few to report |
| Māori | Not applicable |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Not applicable |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 66.7% |
| Total | 66.7% |
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
0%
| Karamea Area School | 0% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 76.2% |
| Composite (Year 1-15) | 26.5% |
| State | 40.2% |
| 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%
| Karamea Area School | 0% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 4.5% |
| Composite (Year 1-15) | 3.2% |
| State | 4.5% |
| 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%
| Karamea Area School | 0% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 2% |
| Composite (Year 1-15) | 1.2% |
| 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)
- 464
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Rural settlement
- Date opened
- 25 January 1875
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
- 19 July 2023
- Latest report
- Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
- Report type
- Profile report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (19 July 2023)
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 19 July 2023 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.
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 96 — 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.
November 2018
70
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 7 February 2019
This is one count taken for one report. It says what the roll was on that day, and nothing about how the roll has moved.
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 19 July 2023 — “Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.
Background
This Profile Report was written within 13 months of the Education Review Office and Karamea Area School working in Te Ara Huarau , an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website www.ero.govt.nz
Context
Karamea Area School provides education for students in Years 1 to 15. It is situated in Karamea , in the far north of the Buller region on the West Coast of the South Island. A new principal has recently been appointed.
Karamea Area School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are to:
include education outside the classroom in the curriculum and use the local environment in teaching and learning programmes
integrate digital technology and increase student motivation, agency and understanding across the curriculum areas
develop and implement strategies which raise the emotional, social, psychological and spiritual well-being of the school community.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Karamea Area School’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the extent to which culturally responsive teaching practice and the local curriculum contribute to excellence and equity in achievement and wellbeing for all students.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
for every student to achieve to their potential and for every teacher to differentiate their teaching to make this possible
strengthen and embed culturally responsive practice in teaching and learning
collaborate with the school community by consulting with parents and whānau
embed internal evaluation and inquiry in a systematic and coherent way.
The school expects to see teaching practice and a collaboratively developed local curriculum supporting the identification and monitoring of target students at each year level to ensure they achieve at expected levels and have their individual learning and wellbeing needs met.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal of reviewing and evaluating teaching practice and the local curriculum to contribute to excellence and equity in achievement and well-being for all students.
The board of trustees focuses on resourcing the school to support student achievement and wellbeing and supporting the school journey of continuous improvement.
There is a positive school culture where teachers prioritise the best possible outcomes for all students.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
consulting with whanāu and the school community to develop the school’s strategic direction
developing a local curriculum to make the best use of the local environment and resources
strengthening internal evaluation practices.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years
Shelley Booysen Director of Schools
19 July 2023
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 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).