St James' Catholic School Te Kura Katorika o Hato Heemi

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 141 — 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. August 2018

   192

   Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 20 November 2018

2. November 2013

   242

   Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 5 February 2014

We draw no line between these. Each was counted for its own report, years apart, by a different review team, and a roll moves between reviews for reasons none of these figures record — so the difference between any two of them measures nothing.

What ERO wrote in its latest report

This is ERO’s report of 15 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 James’ Catholic School Te Kura Katorika o Hato Heemi provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school’s roll is 164 with 48% who identify as New Zealand European/ Pākehā ; 39% as Asian, 22% as Māori and 9% of Pacific heritage. The school’s vision is to ‘grow Catholic, Christian young people who are confident, connected and lifelong learners and make a positive difference in their community’. This is supported by the school’s gospel values: Strive, Acceptance, Integrity, Nurture, Talents and Service (SAINTS) .

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

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? The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners.

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 A large 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 becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more 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.

Chronic absence is not yet 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.

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 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 and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets and is likely to meet them by 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

The school fosters its Catholic character, weaving values of faith, inclusivity, and wellbeing throughout the entire culture. Students thrive in a caring environment where they feel safe and supported, with plenty of opportunities to step up and show leadership in a variety of ways.

Teachers deliver a rich curriculum, purposefully integrating te reo Māori and te ao Māori concepts into all learning areas. The Māori enrichment class reflects the school’s strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to empowering Māori learners to succeed.

Staff systematically collect and analyse assessment data to track progress for priority learners, strengthen teaching strategies, and enhance pastoral care for better student outcomes.

The school maintains learning-focused relationships with whānau and the wider community, using open communication and ongoing consultation to guide improvement.

Teachers and leaders, through responsive and collaborative programmes, set and uphold high expectations for student progress, achievement, and overall success.

Structured literacy practices are in place, supporting ongoing learner progress and achievement. Leaders continue to enhance staff capability through targeted professional learning, building a culture of consistent, and effective teaching practice.

The School Board works closely with school leaders, ensuring that strategic direction and decisions align with the school’s vision and goals, resulting in positive outcomes for all learners.

Key priorities

Increase regular student attendance in line with Government targets.

Strengthen data collection and analysis to drive continuous improvements to teaching and learning practices and equity of outcomes for all learners.

Refine current schoolwide processes and embed coherent teaching, learning and assessment practices aligned with the revised mathematics and statistics curriculum.

Strengthen evaluation processes to enhance schoolwide decision making and improved learner outcomes.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within six months:

leaders and teachers review and engage with the school community to develop the school’s attendance plan

leaders and teachers develop a shared understanding of the phases of learning and review assessment practices to align with the revised curriculum expectations

Every six months:

leaders and the School Board review and evaluate the impact of initiatives to improve students’ regular attendance and identify next steps to sustain improvement

leaders provide further professional learning opportunities to strengthen teachers use of student achievement information and inform teaching and learning practices

leaders and teachers review and refine classroom practices and processes to align with the revised mathematics and statistics curriculum

Annually:

leaders review and evaluate the schoolwide consistency of classroom practice to determine further professional development opportunities for staff

the School Board and leaders review attendance, achievement and wellbeing outcomes, use this information to inform next strategic and share with the community

leaders and the School Board work together to evaluate progress towards strategic goals and determine next steps.

Expected outcomes

Improved and sustained levels of regular attendance and achievement for all learners.

Well-aligned mathematics and statistics curriculum and cohesive teaching, learning and assessment practices throughout the school.

Enhanced self-review practices that effectively assess the impact of actions and informs deliberate decision making for improved outcomes.

Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements. This includes the provision of education for international students.

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

Provision for International Students

This section of the report is about the quality of the provision of education for international student enrolled at the school.

Findings

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

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

15 October 2025

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →