St Francis Catholic School (Pt Chevalier)

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 269 — 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. March 2016

   277

   Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 18 May 2016

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 9 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

St Francis Catholic School (Pt Chevalier) is a state-integrated Catholic primary school providing education for students in Years 1 to 6. The current roll is 252, 3% of learners identify as Māori , 17% identify as Asian, 16% are of Pacific heritage. The majority of students are NZ European / Pākehā . The school is guided by the teachings of St Francis of Assisi, the school’s vision is to be a vibrant and empowering Catholic school, creating pathways of excellence for tamariki . The school values are Faith ( Whakapono ), Service ( Ratonga ), Resilience ( Manawaroa ), Respect ( Whakaute ), and Excellence ( Hiranga ).

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

St Francis Catholic School (Pt Chevalier) has made progress across its strategic priorities.

Learners have increased opportunities to lead their own learning. Wellbeing programmes are being implemented with a focus on promoting equitable outcomes. Literacy and numeracy remain central to teaching practice across the school.

The school is developing a graduate profile to embed expectations for learner ownership and excellence.

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 6

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 Almost all 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 becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics Almost all learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are 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 small 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.

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 values are enacted across the school, contributing to a culture that affirms students’ language, identity, and culture, and promotes a strong sense of belonging.

Strong relationships are evident among leaders, teachers, students, and whānau , supporting collaborative practices that contribute to a positive school culture.

Leadership is strategic and coherent, with systems in place to promote professional accountability, build teacher capability, and support ongoing school improvement.

High and clear expectations for behaviour and achievement are communicated and implemented throughout the school.

Learning environments are inclusive, well managed and support student engagement and wellbeing Students positively engage in learning tasks and demonstrate confidence in their contributions to class discussion and activities.

Literacy and numeracy programmes are well established and integrated school wide to support teaching and learning for improved learner achievement outcomes.

Whānau , student, and community feedback is gathered and used to inform curriculum planning and school priorities.

Key priorities

Enhance writing programmes to promote equitable and accelerated achievement across all learner groups.

Refine internal assessment systems, including moderation, analysis and purposeful reporting that informs teaching and learning, in line with the refreshed curriculum.

Strengthen the integration of te reo Māori, tikanga , and mātauranga Māori across the school to support responsive practice and promote equitable outcomes .

Actions to bring about improvement

Every six months:

curriculum leaders review and refine writing programmes to support equitable and accelerated achievement for all learners

leadership strengthens assessment analysis and reporting practices to align with the refreshed curriculum and inform teaching and learning

leadership reviews professional learning opportunities to ensure all staff can engage meaningfully with te reo Māori, tikanga , and mātauranga Māori

Annually:

leaders and the Board review progress towards government education priorities and the equitable progress for all learners, identify areas for improvement and use to guide annual planning

leaders and teachers review the impact of the integration te reo Māori, tikanga , and mātauranga Māori across teaching and learning.

Expected outcomes

Sustained high levels of writing achievement are evident across all learner groups.

Assessment tools are consistently embedded and confidently used schoolwide to inform teaching and learning.

Te reo Māori, tikanga , and mātauranga Māori are embedded across teaching and learning ensuring culturally responsive practices school wide promote equitable outcomes .

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 Evaluation 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

9 October 2025

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →