Northland School

What ERO wrote in its latest report

This is ERO’s report of 8 December 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

Northland School provides education to students in Years 1 to 8. Of the 246 students, 85% identify as New Zealand European | Pākehā , with 9% of students identifying as Māori.

The school’s vision A community of learners living our values and confident to reach great heights, is underpinned by the CHAMPS values: Confident | Whakamanawa, Hikohiko | Active, Auahatanga Creative, Manaaki | Kind, Pātaitai | Curious.

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 August 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

The school expected to see teachers effectively implementing the Northland Learner Pathway (the school’s local curriculum), engaging students and supporting their progress and achievement.

Findings

Students’ progress and achievement have been supported by the shared understanding of the values and dispositions of learners at Northland School. The Learner Pathway ensures that the CHAMPs values are visibly integrated into every aspect of school life and students are able to show progress against these.

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 foundational skills in l iteracy 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 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 equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics Most 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 students 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.

Chronic absence is 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 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 meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets set for 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

School leaders work collaboratively; are improvement focused and relentlessly pursue the strategic priorities for the school.

Leadership ensure that well-known systems, practices, and processes are in place promoting common expectations across the school that guide behaviour expectations and teaching and learning.

Structured approaches to teaching literacy and mathematics are prioritised across all classes. Warm, respectful relationships are highly evident between teachers and students with well understood classroom routines promoting a good pace of learning and student confidence.

The school’s CHAMP values are well-known and promote positive behaviour, wellbeing and engagement for learning.

Students requiring additional support with their learning are identified and provided with effective assistance to access the school curriculum and experience success.

An appropriate range of professional learning and development is in place to support and grow teacher capability in key teaching and learning areas aligned to the school’s planning, the new curriculum and Government priorities.

A range of initiatives are in place to promote positive relationships with parents and whānau which enable them to work together in partnership with the school to promote positive learning outcomes for students.

School leaders promote a reflective culture that supports staff to review their teaching practice to positively impact learner outcomes.

Key priorities

Increase regular attendance, working towards the Government’s target.

Accelerate the progress and achievement of groups of learners not yet achieving at expected levels.

Actions to bring about improvement

Every six months:

leaders use the school’s attendance strategy, regularly review to identify effective initiatives and plan actions for improvement for the next six months

leaders and teachers analyse achievement information to know the impact of teaching and learning to inform next steps for learners

Annually:

leaders and the Board review schoolwide achievement in structured literacy and mathematics, including that of identified groups of learners, to guide ongoing planning to improve the achievement and learning outcomes of all learners

leaders and the Board evaluate the effectiveness of the attendance plan initiatives and develop a plan for the following year.

Expected outcomes

Improved achievement outcomes for identified groups of learners including accelerated progress in literacy and mathematics.

Improved regular attendance.

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

8 December 2025

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →