St Mary's Catholic School (Papakura)

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 389 — 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. May 2016

   289

   Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 29 June 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 12 March 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 Mary’s Catholic School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. Since the previous ERO review two school leaders have been appointed to the senior leadership team.

The school’s vision is to develop confident, connected, actively involved learners living in relationship with Christ and values of respect, care and responsibility .

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 focused on evaluating how effectively the professional capability and collective capacity of kaiako /staff are developed and supported to provide an unrelenting focus on providing excellence and equitable outcomes for all learners/ ākonga .

Findings

School data indicates that students’ progress and achieve well, with outcomes equitable or becoming so in reading, writing and mathematics. Since the previous ERO report, collaborative staff professional learning focused on building cultural competence and structured literacy. Staff continue to embed this practice across the school. Teachers spend more time with learners to ensure that they know why, how and what success will look like in their learning.

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 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 rich 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 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 1 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 not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics Most 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 students attend school regularly.

The school is behind the target of 80% regular attendance.

The school is developing a suitable plan 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 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 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 the Government reading, writing and mathematics 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

Students experience a strong sense of belonging, wellbeing and inclusion within a positive school culture.

The school’s special character and school values are integrated and embedded throughout the curriculum to support and enhance students learning.

Teachers increasingly use a range of effective teaching strategies to engage students in their learning.

Students with high needs receive targeted and effective support that promotes their wellbeing and learning.

Teachers collaborate and participate in professional learning in structured literacy to improve their teaching capability and students’ learning outcomes.

The school’s strategic priorities underpin and guide its direction and areas of focus for improvement.

Key priorities

Sustain and increase equitable and excellent learning outcomes for all students in reading, writing and mathematics.

Align assessment processes with The New Zealand Curriculum to inform and improve learner outcomes.

Embed strategies schoolwide that support students’ ownership of their learning as confident, independent learners.

Implement the attendance plan to improve students’ regular attendance.

Ensure regular reporting to the Board on the progress and outcomes of annual goals, with a specific emphasis on student achievement.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within six months:

school leaders and teachers participate in structured mathematics approaches and implement a programme schoolwide

school leaders and teachers align and implement assessment processes with The New Zealand Curriculum

leaders develop and implement the attendance plan, ensuring the school’s community is familiar with strategies and expectations

school leaders and teachers implement strategies that promote student ownership of their learning that develop confident and independent learners schoolwide

Every six months:

school leaders and teachers review the extent to which structured approaches in literacy and numeracy are embedded in practice and impact on learner outcomes

school leaders and teachers monitor, report and respond to students’ regular attendance data

Annually:

school leaders and teachers evaluate the impact of structured literacy approaches and teaching approaches in mathematics on learner outcomes in reading and writing and mathematics

school leaders evaluate and respond to students’ regular attendance data.

Expected outcomes

Increased excellent and equitable learning outcomes for all students in reading, writing and mathematics.

Assessment practices are well aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum .

Valid and reliable achievement data informs ongoing improvements in teaching and learning.

Students have ownership of their learning and are confident and independent learners.

The school regularly reports to the Board on the progress of annual goals, with a clear focus on learner outcomes.

Improved students’ regular attendance.

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 is about the quality of the provision of education for international students 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 attested that it complies with all aspects 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

12 March 2026

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →