St Mary's School (Foxton)
Full Primary · State : Integrated
- Year levels
- 1–8
- Total roll
- 39
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- Johnston Street, Foxton
- Territorial authority
- Horowhenua District
- Phone
- 06-3638177
- info@stmarysfoxton.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Manawatū-Whanganui
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
Each year, all students are required to be in the full summer uniform by Labour Weekend and in the winter uniform by Queen’s Birthday Weekend.
- Required
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 were founded in 1911 by the Brigidine Sisters. Like these women of faith and kindness, we seek to live out the teachings of Jesus in the rich Catholic tradition while offering innovative and tailored education which meets the needs of children today.
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 22
- Māori
- 18
- Pacific
- 5
- Asian
- 6
- MELAA
- 2
- Other
- 0
- 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 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| Year 02 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Year 03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Year 04 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Year 05 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Year 06 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Year 07 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Year 08 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 15 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 31 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Age 06 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Age 07 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Age 08 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Age 09 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Age 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Age 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Age 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Total | 15 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 31 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
194.6%
| St Mary's School (Foxton) | 194.6% |
|---|---|
| Manawatū-Whanganui Region | 45.5% |
| Full Primary | 35.6% |
| State : Integrated | 16.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 200% |
|---|---|
| Male | 189.4% |
| Māori | 415.3% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| European/Pākehā | 322.3% |
| Total | 194.6% |
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
156.4%
| St Mary's School (Foxton) | 156.4% |
|---|---|
| Manawatū-Whanganui Region | 6.2% |
| Full Primary | 3.9% |
| State : Integrated | 1.6% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 298.6% |
| Māori | 337.1% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| European/Pākehā | 276.5% |
| Total | 156.4% |
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 (Foxton) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Manawatū-Whanganui Region | 2.8% |
| Full Primary | 1.7% |
| State : Integrated | 0.5% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| 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)
- 509
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Small urban area
- Date opened
- 1 February 1911
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
- 11 December 2024
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (11 December 2024)
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 same report — the board assurance report of 11 December 2024 — also sets out actions for compliance: the non-compliance ERO identified during that process. This is that section of the report in full, in ERO’s words.
ERO and the board have identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
ensured the board is properly elected and constituted [Section 119 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
has a board appointed member (not being the principal/staff or student representative) to preside at meetings [Clauses 11, 12-19 of the Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020]
an average of five hours of mathematics, reading and writing teaching and learning is not provided per week [Section 90 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (2023 Amendment)]
provided career education and guidance for all students in Year 7 and above [Section 103 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
worked towards offering students opportunities for learning second or subsequent languages (Years 7-10) [The New Zealand Curriculum (Learning languages) MOE]
ensured that from 7 February 2024, teachers and authorised staff members have completed the online module on the content of the guidelines on the use of physical restraint and behaviour management [section 101 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
has a child protection policy that is written and contains provisions on the identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect [Section 15 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 and section 18 and 19 of the Children’s Act 2014]
obtained a police vet for every person the board appoints or intends to appoint to a position at the school and who is to work at the school during normal school hours [Section 104 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
has documents showing that suitable human resource management practices are implemented. [Section 599 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
The board has addressed the following areas of non-compliance identified:
ensured the board is properly elected and constituted [Section 119 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
has a board appointed member (not being the principal/staff or student representative) to preside at meetings [Clauses 11, 12-19 of the Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020]
an average of five hours of mathematics, reading and writing teaching and learning is not provided per week [Section 90 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (2023 Amendment)]
provided career education and guidance for all students in Year 7 and above [Section 103 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
ensured that from 7 February 2024, teachers and authorised staff members have completed the online module on the content of the guidelines on the use of physical restraint and behaviour management [section 101 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
obtained a police vet for every person the board appoints or intends to appoint to a position at the school and who is to work at the school during normal school hours. [Section 104 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
The board has taken steps to address the following areas of non-compliance identified:
worked towards offering students opportunities for learning second or subsequent languages (Years 7-10) [The New Zealand Curriculum (Learning languages) MOE]
has a child protection policy that is written and contains provisions on the identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect [Section 15 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 and section 18 and 19 of the Children’s Act 2014]
has documents showing that suitable human resource management practices are implemented. [Section 599 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
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 39 — 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.
October 2017
38
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 15 January 2018
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 11 December 2024 — “School Evaluation Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.
School Evaluation 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.
Context
St Mary’s School (Foxton) is a small state integrated Catholic school in Foxton and provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. A new principal was appointed in 2023. The school’s vision Promoting excellence through learning and Catholic discipleship is supported by the values of love ( aroha ), courage ( kaha ), community ( whānau ) and service ( ratonga ).
There are two parts to this report.
Part A: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki /bilingual settings.
Part B: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.
Part A: Current State
The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.
Learner Success and Wellbeing
The majority of learners are not yet making sufficient progress.
Achievement information shows a small majority of learners in mathematics and less than half of the students in reading and writing, are meeting expected curriculum levels.
Improving equity for groups of learners, including Māori students, remains a priority for the school.
Attendance information shows a small majority of students attend regularly; the school is yet to meet the 2024 Ministry of Education target.
Conditions to support learner success
School leadership is establishing systems and processes to improve outcomes for learners.
Leaders and staff promote a positive school culture with a clear focus on improving learner engagement and wellbeing.
Leaders continue to work towards establishing expectations for high quality, evidence-based teaching, with a focus on raising teacher capability and learner outcomes.
Leaders and teachers are developing evaluative capabilities to better know and understand the impact of initiatives and strategies for improving learner outcomes.
Teachers are establishing ways to adapt their practice to respond to learners’ strengths and needs.
Teachers use inclusive practices to promote a collaborative learning environment that fosters increased student participation and engagement in learning.
Learners are supported to engage, inquire and apply new learning within an inclusive, positive learning environment.
Leaders and teachers are taking steps to improve the way they collect, analyse and interpret data to better inform responsive practices that support improved learner outcomes and address barriers to learning.
Improving school systems, processes, and internal evaluation focused on improving student achievement outcomes, are a priority.
The board, leaders and staff prioritise a relational and inclusive culture that fosters student wellbeing and active participation in learning through the school’s special character and values.
Leaders and staff build community and professional relationships to enhance the school’s special character and teaching and learning programmes.
Leaders and staff seek and engage in ongoing professional development to build teacher confidence and capability in te reo me ona tikanga Māori , mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori knowledge.
The board and leaders are developing self-review processes to ensure alignment of key schoolwide practices focused on learner wellbeing, achievement and engagement; strengthening the use of information from a range of sources to plan for ongoing improvement is an identified next step.
Part B: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
support teachers to further develop consistent, responsive teaching, learning and assessment practices with a focus on accelerating learning for students at risk of not achieving
strengthen the school’s evaluation processes to focus on the most significant initiatives for improving attendance and achievement outcomes for all students
continue to build teachers’ capability and confidence in the use and integration of quality te reo me ona tikanga Māori , mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori learning opportunities throughout the curriculum.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months:
review and use assessment information to adapt teaching programmes to purposefully address barriers to learner progress and success
review and develop a schoolwide evaluation approach to track and monitor the progress and impact of key improvement actions, including attendance, achievement outcomes and legislative requirements
use a framework, such as Poutama Reo , to evaluate current teacher practice and collect baseline data for improving te reo Māori and te ao Māori use within the classroom.
Every six months:
moderate, monitor and use assessment information to report on the attendance, progress and achievement of all students, with a particular focus on achieving equity for target groups of learners and those at risk of not achieving
review and report on the effectiveness of changes to teaching practice, through teacher observation, collection of student feedback and analysis of assessment information
leaders monitor how well teachers are increasingly integrating high quality te reo Māori and te ao Māori throughout the implementation of the curriculum.
Annually:
review, analyse and report schoolwide achievement and attendance data to the board, to strategically plan actions and identify initiatives and practices that have been most successful in accelerating progress and improving attendance
leaders evaluate the impact of identified initiatives that have been most successful in accelerating learner progress and achievement, with a focus on informing next steps, including the effective integration of te reo Māori and te ao Māori .
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
consistent, effective and responsive teaching, learning and assessment practices schoolwide, resulting in improved and sustained levels of attendance, progress and achievement for all learners
enhanced internal evaluative practices that effectively use multiple sources of evidence to inform deliberate decision making for improving student outcomes
successful and effective integration of te ao Māori through all aspects of teaching and learning, with students and staff regularly using te reo Māori with increased capability.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within three 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
Shelley Booysen Director of Schools
11 December 2024
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
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).