St Leonard's School (Dunedin)
Contributing · State
- Year levels
- 1–6
- Total roll
- 9
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 29 St Leonards Drive, Saint Leonards, Dunedin
- Territorial authority
- Dunedin City
- Phone
- 03-4710501
- office@stleonardsdn.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Dunedin · schools in Otago
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
- Not accepted, as stated
Schools who are a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice can accept fee-paying international students. St Leonards School is not a signatory, so can not accept fee-paying students.
- Not accepted, as stated
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 8
- Māori
- 0
- Pacific
- 0
- Asian
- 3
- MELAA
- 0
- Other
- 1
- 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 02 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Year 04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Year 05 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Year 06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Year 07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 9 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Age 08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Age 09 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Age 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Age 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 9 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| St Leonard's School (Dunedin) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 36.8% |
| Contributing | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
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
0%
| St Leonard's School (Dunedin) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 4.6% |
| Contributing | 3.5% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
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
0%
| St Leonard's School (Dunedin) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 2% |
| Contributing | 1.5% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 414
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Major urban area
- Date opened
- 25 January 1868
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
- 3
- Last reviewed
- 13 February 2026
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (9 December 2022)
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 9 December 2022 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 13 February 2026 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 6
provides education for students from Years 1 to 6
- Years 1 to 6
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 13 February 2026 — “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 Leonard’s School is located on Dunedin’s West Harbour and provides education for students from Years 1 to 6. The school has maintained a strong environmental focus and has been an Enviro School for over 15 years. With a roll of nine students, the school offers a small, supportive learning environment. Students are encouraged to follow the ASPIRE values: Active learners | Self-managers | Problem solvers | Involved | Respectful. These values are integrated into classroom learning and play, alongside a commitment to sustainability.
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.
Expected improvements
The school-wide goal was to strengthen student engagement and foster active, curious attitudes across the curriculum through targeted teaching strategies. The principal and staff have revised the ASPIRE values to underpin a student-led inquiry approach that will be evident in school wide planning. Moving forward, teachers will develop assessment practices that value creativity and curiosity alongside academic achievement, ensuring these qualities are embedded in learning outcomes.
Findings
Teachers are implementing engagement strategies such as collaborative learning routines, student self-reflection activities, and scaffolded questioning techniques. As a result, students are increasingly taking ownership of their learning, asking thoughtful questions and applying problem-solving strategies in authentic contexts. The principal and staff have embedded ASPIRE values into all learning and social interactions, fostering empathy, awareness of others’ needs, and a commitment to environmental care. Progress and achievement levels show that a large majority of learners continue to meet the expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.
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 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 foundational 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 reasonably 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 is improving its reporting to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress. The school is improving its collection and use 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 A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.
Writing A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.
Mathematics A large majority of 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 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.
Assessment
This section is about how the school assesses learner progress and achievement.
The school is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately 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 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.
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 principal has actively strengthened partnerships with the community; these collaborations provide valuable support for achieving the school’s strategic objectives.
Teachers incorporate the local environment and community into teaching and learning programmes.
Strong learner-teacher relationships foster a sense of belonging, building learners' confidence and increasing engagement in school activities.
Teachers support clear and connected learning in multilevel classrooms by building skills in sequence and making connections across learning areas.
By aligning the Graduate Profile programme with ASPIRE values, learners have become more reflective about their learning progress and more actively involved in school activities and leadership roles.
Key priorities
Accelerate achievement for learners at risk of not making sufficient progress in reading and writing
Further use the advantages of a small school to meet each learner’s diverse needs through personalised learning and flexible support.
Grow the school roll to ensure long-term sustainability by engaging the community and showcasing what makes the school unique.
Actively track attendance trends to support ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the attendance plan.
Actions to bring about improvement
Within three months:
the principal and School Board consult with families and the wider community to develop strategies for roll growth
Within six months:
the principal will strengthen connections with parents of preschoolers and early childhood centres and promote the uniqueness of the school to attract new students and their families
Every six months:
teachers regularly track the progress of students below expectations in reading and writing and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to guide future teaching and learning programmes
Annually:
the principal shares student achievement trends with the School Board to evaluate the success of initiatives and better inform resourcing for future planning
the principal and staff collaboratively plan a curriculum that integrates diversity-focused content across all learning areas
the principal and staff design school activities that continue to promote the school within the wider community.
Expected outcomes
High achievement levels for all learners.
All learners experience equitable and personalised opportunities to succeed by engaging in curriculum contexts that reflects their identities, cultures, and experiences.
Families in the wider area understand the school’s values, programmes and strengths, leading to increased community confidence and involvement in the school and roll growth.
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
13 February 2026
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 3 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).