St Mary's School (Dunedin)
Contributing · State : Integrated
- Year levels
- 1–6
- Total roll
- 58
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 6 A Cromwell Street, Wakari, Dunedin
- Territorial authority
- Dunedin City
- Phone
- 03-4764277
- secretary@st-marys.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.
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.
- Uniform
- Required
We expect our full uniform to be worn to and from school each day.
- Required
- Where to buy the uniform
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.
- In their words
- We incorporate the values of respect, honesty and helping; and these are displayed in our classrooms.
- The concept of dignity is something we also promote. We express the view that all people need to be treated with dignity regardless of their individualism.
- Special character
- We are Catholic and Christian in our beliefs and faith. The Word of the God is central to our decision making and teaching practices.
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
- Small School Sports Day
- Yr 6 Trinity College Sports Day
- Sports Activator Coaching
- Athletic Sports/Cross Country
- Sport Otago – Have a go day and Fundamental skills programme
- Bike School
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 10
- Māori
- 1
- Pacific
- 1
- Asian
- 48
- MELAA
- 1
- 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 01 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Year 02 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| Year 03 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| Year 04 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Year 05 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Year 06 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Year 07 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 47 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 58 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Age 06 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| Age 07 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| Age 08 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Age 09 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| Age 10 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Age 11 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 47 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 58 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| St Mary's School (Dunedin) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 36.8% |
| Contributing | 35.6% |
| State : Integrated | 16.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| 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 Mary's School (Dunedin) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 4.6% |
| Contributing | 3.5% |
| State : Integrated | 1.6% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| 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 Mary's School (Dunedin) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 2% |
| Contributing | 1.5% |
| State : Integrated | 0.5% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| 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)
- 403
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Major urban area
- Date opened
- 2 February 1913
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
- 10 April 2026
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (13 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 13 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 10 April 2026 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 6
provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6
- Years 1 to 6
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 10 April 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 School (Dunedin) is a special character Catholic School that provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. At the time of the review, 58 learners were enrolled at the school, with 62% identifying as Indian, 22% Filipino and 14% as other ethnicities.
The school’s values are Belong | Whanaungatanga , Believe | Whakapono and Achieve | Porotutuki .
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 well students with diverse needs are supported to access the curriculum, succeed academically, and grow in their Catholic faith.
The school expected to see English-language learners growing in language fluency and fully participate in the life of the school. The school also expected to see students with diverse needs better able to access the curriculum and achieve well.
Findings
The school has made good progress. Deliberate, well-coordinated connections with learners and their families, combined with responsive practices and targeted support, contribute to English-language learners’ ability to access the wider curriculum and make meaningful progress. Structured approaches to the teaching of literacy and mathematics are well established across the school and positively impact student learning outcomes.
Coherent systems for identifying and responding to diverse learning needs increase learners’ engagement with the curriculum and support their progress and achievement over time.
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 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 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 Most 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 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.
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 making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets and/or pānui , tuhituhi and pāngarau 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
Learners express a strong sense of belonging in a supportive, inclusive special character Catholic school community fostered by staff, leadership, and the school Board.
Leaders and staff build relational trust and a positive professional culture focused on high quality teaching.
Leaders and teachers gather, analyse, and use assessment information to identify priorities that strengthen teaching practice and improve outcomes for learners.
Teachers deliver well-designed programmes that provide meaningful learning experiences and build strong foundations in literacy and mathematics.
Learners requiring additional support are well identified, their progress carefully monitored, and teaching strategies adjusted to meet their needs.
Leaders, the Board and staff work collectively with high expectations for teaching and learning, supported by targeted professional learning.
Key priorities
Improve and sustain high achievement, while accelerating progress for learners not yet at similar levels, ensuring more equitable outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics.
Embed assessment requirements, complementing current assessment practices to further strengthen teaching and learning.
Increase regular attendance for all learners.
Actions to bring about improvement
Within six months:
leaders provide professional learning for staff on the effective use of assessment tools to enhance the quality and use of assessment information
leaders implement targeted strategies to support learners with irregular attendance and strengthen communication with parents and families
Every six months:
leaders and teachers review progress and achievement information to evaluate the effectiveness of targeted actions and adjust strategies to improve equity in reading, writing and mathematics
teachers use schoolwide moderation to strengthen a shared understanding of assessment expectations
leaders and the Board review the effectiveness of attendance strategies in improving learner attendance and adjust as needed
Annually:
leaders, teachers and the Board analyse schoolwide achievement patterns to determine progress toward equitable outcomes, and use this information to inform future planning and resourcing decisions
leaders and teachers review the impact of professional learning on assessment practices and update the school’s assessment schedule and guidelines as required
the Board and leaders evaluate the impact of initiatives to improve regular attendance and adapt practices as needed, updating attendance plans, targets, and strategies.
Expected outcomes
Improved progress, achievement, and equitable outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics for all learners.
Well-embedded schoolwide assessment practices aligned with curriculum requirements and expectations.
All learners attending school regularly.
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
10 April 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).