Ruawai College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · State
- Year levels
- 7–13
- Total roll
- 145
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 4375 State Highway 12, Ruawai
- Territorial authority
- Kaipara District
- Phone
- 09-439 2216
- admin@ruawaicollege.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Northland
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.
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.
- International students
- Accepted, as stated
Ruawai College enrols students from Year 8 to Year 13. International enrolments are generally focused on secondary students in Years 10 to 13.
- Accepted, as stated
What is on offer beyond the classroom?
The sports, arts, clubs and groups this school names on its own website. Not a complete list of what any school offers, and not a count — a school that names more here has written more down, which is not the same as doing more.
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.
- On offer
- Rippa Rugby
We are involved in the following sports: Rippa Rugby
- Rippa Rugby
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 96
- Māori
- 70
- Pacific
- 14
- Asian
- 3
- 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 07 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 15 |
| Year 08 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 28 |
| Year 09 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 29 |
| Year 10 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 32 |
| Year 11 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 24 |
| Year 12 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 24 |
| Year 13+ | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 18 |
| Total | 92 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 0 | 170 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 11 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 15 |
| Age 12 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 22 |
| Age 13 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 29 |
| Age 14 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 34 |
| Age 15 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 24 |
| Age 16 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 24 |
| Age 17 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 16 |
| Age 18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| Total | 92 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 0 | 170 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Academic results
Percentage with NCEA level 1 or above — 2025
71%
| Ruawai College | 71% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 82.3% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 89.6% |
| State: Not integrated | 83.6% |
| New Zealand | 85.2% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 53.8% |
|---|---|
| Male | 83.3% |
| Māori | 63.2% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 68.4% |
| Total | 71% |
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
61.3%
| Ruawai College | 61.3% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 72.1% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.3% |
| State: Not integrated | 75.4% |
| New Zealand | 77.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 46.2% |
|---|---|
| Male | 72.2% |
| Māori | 57.9% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 57.9% |
| Total | 61.3% |
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
48.4%
| Ruawai College | 48.4% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 48.3% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 64.5% |
| State: Not integrated | 55.2% |
| New Zealand | 59% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 30.8% |
|---|---|
| Male | 61.1% |
| Māori | 47.4% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 42.1% |
| Total | 48.4% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 3 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with VP Award — 2025
6.5%
| Ruawai College | 6.5% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 16.8% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 14.7% |
| State: Not integrated | 14.4% |
| New Zealand | 14.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 15.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 5.3% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 5.3% |
| Total | 6.5% |
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
61.3%
| Ruawai College | 61.3% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 72.9% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.1% |
| State: Not integrated | 81.4% |
| New Zealand | 83% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 53.8% |
|---|---|
| Male | 66.7% |
| Māori | 52.6% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 68.4% |
| Total | 61.3% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison trend data (2023-2025)
— 2024
not reported
| Asian | not reported |
|---|---|
| Female | not reported |
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | 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
175.9%
| Ruawai College | 175.9% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 52% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 43.4% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 223% |
|---|---|
| Male | 138.4% |
| Māori | 254.6% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| European/Pākehā | 103.1% |
| Total | 175.9% |
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
13.3%
| Ruawai College | 13.3% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 6.5% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 4.6% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 15.3% |
|---|---|
| Male | 11.7% |
| Māori | 22.5% |
| Pacific | 45.7% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 13.3% |
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
7.4%
| Ruawai College | 7.4% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 2.7% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 2% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 8.6% |
|---|---|
| Male | 6.5% |
| Māori | 12.6% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 7.4% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 526
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Rural other
- Date opened
- 25 January 1964
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
- 4
- Last reviewed
- 1 May 2026
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (1 May 2026)
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 1 May 2026 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 1 May 2026 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 7 to 13
provides education for students in Years 7 to 13
- Years 7 to 13
- Also provides
- Onsite alternative education programme
The school operates an onsite alternative education programme
- Service academy
and a service academy
- Onsite alternative education programme
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 1 May 2026 — “School Evaluation Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.
School Evaluation 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
Ruawai College is a small rural college located in the Kaipara District that provides education for students in Years 7 to 13. The school has a roll of 152, 49% of whom identify as Māori . The school’s vision for learners is Kimihia ngā maunga teitei | To seek the highest peak through fostering the values of respect, resilience and responsibility.
Since the 2023 ERO report, significant changes in school leadership and teaching staff have occurred. A new principal began in 2024, with two new members of the senior leadership team appointed in 2025 and 2026.
The school operates an onsite alternative education programme for learners needing an adapted programme to support their engagement in learning, and a service academy.
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 January 2023 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.
Expected improvements
The school focused on evaluating the cultural relevance and responsiveness of the curriculum and learning in the senior school (Years 11 to 13).
The school expected to see improved and equitable progress and achievement for senior students through access to meaningful learning pathways and effective adaptive teaching that responded well to students’ cultures, languages and identities.
Findings
Leaders and teachers have been working together to develop and implement consistent, relational and culturally responsive teaching practices, along with positive behaviour expectations across the school. These actions have contributed to improvements in student engagement, attendance and a positive learning environment. The school has also broadened curriculum choices and pathways in response to learner needs and interests.
What we know about learner success
This section provides a summary of learner success, wellbeing and foundation school conditions, including any education in Rumaki/Reo Rua settings. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.
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%
Learner success and wellbeing
This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.
Success, engagement and progress is increasing for all learners.
A large majority of Year 7 to 10 students achieve at curriculum expectations in reading and writing, and most achieve this in mathematics. Overall outcomes for Māori learners are equitable; some disparity for boys in literacy and girls in mathematics is evident. The school continues to refine assessment practices across these year levels to better know about students’ progress and achievement against the new curriculum progressions.
The large majority of Year 11 students achieve the literacy and numeracy requirements for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).
Most students achieve NCEA Levels 1 and 2, a large majority achieve Level 3 and about half achieve University Entrance.
Less than half of students attend school regularly; regular attendance is improving and chronic absences have decreased. The school use a range of strategies for working with families and whānau to support better attendance.
Conditions to support learner success
This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement.
Leadership is strategic and strongly focused on improving learner outcomes
Leadership provides clear direction for school improvement through strategic and annual planning and maintains a focus on these priorities through ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
Leadership ensures expectations for effective teaching and learning are clear, shared with staff, and closely monitored.
Leadership ensures staff professional learning aligns with school improvement goals, fostering the professional growth of teachers.
Leaders are strengthening the ways they and teachers gather, analyse and use data and evidence to inform strategic and teaching decisions that improve outcomes.
Curriculum and teaching are becoming more responsive to student needs, interests and aspirations.
The school works closely with its community to offer a balanced range of subjects that reflect students’ needs, interests and future goals.
Teachers know their students well and increasingly tailor learning programmes and teaching to individual needs. They are developing clear routines and positive relationships with students to create calm, inclusive classrooms.
Leaders and teachers are working together to strengthen curriculum planning and assessment practices, so students succeed in core literacy and numeracy skills and national qualifications.
Strengthened wellbeing systems, effective community partnerships and robust governance processes support positive learner outcomes.
The school is strengthening its systems and practices for supporting student wellbeing and inclusion, ensuring timely responses to a wide range of needs.
The school engages productively with the wider community to identify improvement priorities and address barriers to learning. Staff support smooth transitions and partner with families and whānau , promoting student engagement and progress.
The Board and leadership have sound processes to meet statutory obligations, review these regularly and ensure the school operates smoothly.
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 identifies key priorities and actions for improvement.
Key priorities
Raise literacy achievement in Years 7 to 11 through high quality teaching and effective intervention.
Embed consistent effective teaching practices that support all students’ engagement in learning.
Increase all students’ regular attendance so they have the best chance to succeed.
Actions to bring about improvement
Within six months:
curriculum leaders design a clear Year 7 to 11 literacy curriculum and assessment approach that lifts teaching quality, provides early, targeted support, and prepares students for the NCEA literacy and numeracy co-requisites
leaders develop and implement a professional learning plan to build consistent, high quality literacy teaching and assessment practices across Years 7 to 11 to accelerate progress
leaders and teachers develop a shared teaching profile and use this to promote consistent high-quality practice, supported by effective monitoring and evaluation
leaders and teachers work with families and whānau to put the school’s attendance plan into action and improve regular attendance
Every six months:
leaders and teachers review progress in implementing the literacy curriculum and teaching practices, identifying strengths and areas to improve
leaders and teachers review literacy assessment information to understand students’ progress and achievement and to plan actions to accelerate learning
leaders and teachers evaluate how well they implement the agreed teaching profile and use this information to set priorities for teacher development and professional learning
leaders evaluate the impact of attendance strategies, report progress to the Board and adjust planning as needed
Annually:
the Board and leaders evaluate how well teaching, learning and assessment practices are improving literacy progress and achievement and use this information to guide strategic planning and resourcing.
Expected outcomes
Students in Years 7 to 11 make accelerated progress in reading and writing and have success in the NCEA literacy co-requisites.
Consistent, high-quality teaching practice that supports students to be more engaged and active in their learning.
More students attending school regularly.
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
1 May 2026
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 4 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).