Ohinewai School

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 130 — 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.

1. November 2018

   148

   Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 23 January 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 20 May 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.

About the School

Ohinewai School is located in a small rural community near Huntly and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The school’s roll is currently 115 with half of the students identifying as Māori . The school’s vision and motto underpin expectations for future focused learning, with clear links to the cultural history of the area. A new principal and deputy principal started in January 2025.

How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?

How well are learners succeeding? Improvements are required to ensure all learners are engaged, making sufficient progress and achieving well.

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 sufficient opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum. There is an increasingly 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? 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 is taking steps to improve 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 table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Foundation Skills

Reading A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

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

Mathematics A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

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 reducing over time.

Assessment

The school is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately find out about achievement against the curriculum.

Teachers are developing assessment information to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.

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.

Part B: Findings for the school

This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.

Areas of Strength

Learners have positive and respectful relationships with their peers and teachers, developing confidence and skills within a caring, inclusive school culture.

Rates of regular student attendance are increasing.

The new leadership team works alongside the board of trustees to ensure there is a strong focus on improving outcomes for all learners.

Structured approaches to the teaching of literacy and mathematics have been implemented school-wide, supported by strategically planned professional learning opportunities.

The school’s rich curriculum acknowledges meaningful contexts and addresses student needs and interests; the school meets the one hour a day requirement which supports foundational skills for learning.

Collective capability for improvement is increasingly developing, including planned opportunities for teachers to regularly reflect on teaching practice.

Positive collaboration strengthens practices and processes through regular inquiry and review for continuous improvement.

Key priorities and actions for improvement

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

increase rates of progress in literacy and mathematics, especially for students who are at risk of not achieving

explore assessment tools and processes aligned with curriculum requirements to build school-wide consistency, capability and teacher confidence

strengthen data literacy skills to develop collective understandings, including for accelerated progress, that inform reporting and ongoing improvement

improve rates of regular student attendance.

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within six months:

build shared understandings of rates of progress and accelerated learning

strengthen teachers’ data literacy skills to collaboratively analyse school-wide achievement information to inform targeted action

Every six months:

monitor the effectiveness of targeted action for groups of students

track rates of school-wide and class data to show progress and achievement for further planning

review assessment tools and practices for effective, accurate data collection

Annually:

evaluate and report on the rates of student progress, achievement and attendance to inform next steps for improvement

review and report on the effectiveness of accelerated progress for identified groups of students

formally evaluate the school’s assessment schedule and guidelines to support robust practices.

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:

increased rates of student attendance, progress and achievement

annual reporting implemented on rates of accelerated learning progress

improved data literacy skills that inform direction for continuous improvement.

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

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

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 three 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 (Acting)

20 May 2025

Education Counts

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →