Mararoa School
Full Primary · State
- Year levels
- 1–8
- Total roll
- 28
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- State Highway 94, Te Anau
- Territorial authority
- Southland District
- Phone
- 03-2495816
- office@mararoa.school.nz
- Website
- http://www.mararoa.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Southland
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.
- School day starts
- 08.40am
08.40am School starts
- 08.40am
- School day ends
- 2.45pm
2.45pm School finishes
- 2.45pm
- Uniform
- Required
Since the beginning of 2011 we have had a compulsory school uniform.
- Required
- Where to buy the uniform
- Getting there
- Serviced by a fleet of three buses — Takitimu (run begins 7.30am, arrives at school about 8.10am), Mavora (starts 7.50am, at school by 8.10am) and the Lagoon Creek/Wilderness Road 'Loop' bus, which meet at the school at 8.10am
The school is serviced by a fleet of three buses: Takitimu Covers Blackmount Road, as far as Duncraigen Farm. The run begins at 7.30am and arrives at school about 8.10am. The bus also carries secondary children and it is essential that the bus meets up with the other buses at the appropriate time. In the afternoon, primary children only are delivered home in the reverse order straight after school. Mavora Starts at 7.50am on the Mavora Lakes Road and travels out to the main road and down to school by 8.10am, carrying both primary and secondary pupils. In the afternoon the bus leaves school at about 3.45pm and reaches the top of its run at 4.25pm. Lagoon Creek/Wilderness Road The 'Loop' bus carries both primary and secondary children. It travels around Wilderness and Lagoon Creek Roads, and meets with the Mavora and Takitimu buses at our school at 8.10am.
- Serviced by a fleet of three buses — Takitimu (run begins 7.30am, arrives at school about 8.10am), Mavora (starts 7.50am, at school by 8.10am) and the Lagoon Creek/Wilderness Road 'Loop' bus, which meet at the school at 8.10am
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 26
- Māori
- 6
- Pacific
- 1
- Asian
- 2
- MELAA
- 0
- 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 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Year 02 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Year 03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Year 04 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
| Year 05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Year 06 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Year 07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Year 08 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| Total | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 32 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Age 06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Age 07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Age 08 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
| Age 09 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Age 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Age 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Age 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
| Age 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Age 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 32 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Mararoa School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Southland Region | 61.8% |
| Full Primary | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| 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%
| Mararoa School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Southland Region | 6.3% |
| Full Primary | 3.9% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| 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%
| Mararoa School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Southland Region | 2.8% |
| Full Primary | 1.7% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| 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)
- 425
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Rural other
- 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
- 3
- Last reviewed
- 13 October 2025
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (11 November 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 11 November 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 13 October 2025 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 8
provides education for students in Years 1 to 8
- Years 1 to 8
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 13 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
Mararoa School is located at The Key, within the Te Anau Basin and is a small rural school that provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. At the time of the review, the school roll was 32. The school values are Caring for Myself, Caring for Others and Caring for the Environment . A new principal was appointed to the school in April 2023.
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 the November 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.
Expected improvements
The school has focused on reviewing how well the schoolwide structured literacy approach is lifting and sustaining literacy achievement for all students.
Findings
Student achievement data indicates a significant improvement in student literacy outcomes, driven by the implementation of structured literacy programmes. The principal and teaching staff have upskilled to ensure consistent and effective support for literacy achievement.
Ongoing improvements in teaching practice and student progress are being driven by regular data reviews, targeted professional learning and development (PLD) and clearly defined structured literacy teaching goals.
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 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 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 64% 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 not yet equitable for all groups of learners.
Mathematics A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet 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 large majority of learners attend school regularly.
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.
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 has good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.
The school has significantly improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.
The school has significantly 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
The principal and teachers design and implement a cohesive curriculum that reflects the local context and responds to learners’ needs, interests and cultures.
The principal effectively builds trust among staff, resulting in a collaborative approach to professional development and improved teaching and learning.
Students with diverse learning needs are identified and provided with targeted support for their learning and achievement.
Highly reflective practices and ongoing review are effectively used by the Board, the principal, and teachers to inform further improvement and direction.
Targeted professional learning builds the capability of teachers to implement evidence-based and responsive strategies that improves outcomes for learners.
The principal and teachers continue to embed structured literacy and mathematics across the school to align with curriculum requirements.
The principal and Board regularly consult with the community to inform the strategic direction of the school and seeks deliberate feedback on curriculum developments and initiatives.
Key priorities
Refine and embed shared teaching and learning practices that promote equity and are aligned with updated curriculum and assessment expectations.
Refine reporting requirements for parents in line with assessment and curriculum requirements.
Improve regular attendance.
Actions to bring about improvement
Within six months:
leaders and teachers develop consistent teaching and learning practice aligned with curriculum developments
Every six months:
leaders and teachers analyse student progress and achievement information and respond to identified learning needs and trends
leaders and teachers monitor current attendance strategies and initiatives to inform next steps
Annually:
the school Board use progress and attendance data to inform strategic decisions and set appropriate, relevant targets for ongoing improvement
leaders and teachers review the effectiveness of teaching and learning practices and the implementation of updated curriculum and assessment requirements.
Expected outcomes
Teaching and learning practices across the school are consistent and support equitable outcomes for all learners.
Clear learning pathways enable all learners to progress in line with curriculum and assessment expectations.
Resources are effectively allocated to support learner wellbeing and achievement.
Improved regular attendance of learners.
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
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
13 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).