Sumner School
Full Primary · State
- Year levels
- 1–8
- Total roll
- 321
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- Colenso Street, Sumner, Christchurch
- Territorial authority
- Christchurch City
- Phone
- 03-3266546
- admin@sumner.school.nz
- Website
- http://www.sumner.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Christchurch · schools in Canterbury
Can my child go here?
This school has an enrolment scheme, so a place is not open to every address. How enrolment zones work
Loading zone map…
Zone boundaries shown here are approximate. Ministry of Education data warns these boundaries do not have high spatial precision and can place neighbouring addresses on different sides of a line. This is not a confirmation of enrolment eligibility — always confirm directly with the school. Zone geometry also does not reflect enrolment priority rules (siblings, special character categories, ballots) — it shows the mapped boundary only.
Check if your address is in zone →
Source: Ministry of Education, CC BY 3.0 NZ
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.
- Term dates
- Term 1, 2026: classes begin 4 February, last day of term 1 April
4 February classes begin Last day of term – 1 April
Year stated as2026 Term Dates
- Term 2, 2026: 20 April – 3 July
Term 2 20 April – 3 July
Year stated as2026 Term Dates
- Term 3, 2026: 20 July – 25 September
Term 3 20 July – 25 September
Year stated as2026 Term Dates
- Term 4, 2026: 12 October – 16 Dec 12pm
Term 4 12 October – 16 Dec 12pm
Year stated as2026 Term Dates
- Term 1, 2026: classes begin 4 February, last day of term 1 April
- How to enrol
- https://sumner.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/120/2026/03/2026-OOZE-Application-Form-.pdf
To be included in a ballot, please complete the [Out of Zone Enrolment Application Form](https://sumner.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/120/2026/03/2026-OOZE-Application-Form-.pdf)
- https://sumner.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/120/2026/03/2026-OOZE-Application-Form-.pdf
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
- Our Vision
- Our Vision for our ākonga (learners)
- Connecting with our people, our learning and our place
- Our Mission
- Our Mission Statement, Vision and Values
- Mission Statement embraced by our staff and our Board of Trustees
- Nurturing character and empowering learners to navigate their world.
- International students
- Accepted, as stated
We are a signatory to the Education Code of Practice and are accepting International Students throughout our school.
- Accepted, as stated
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 300
- Māori
- 24
- Pacific
- 5
- Asian
- 8
- MELAA
- 6
- Other
- 4
- International
- 1
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 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| Year 02 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 0 | 43 |
| Year 03 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 0 | 44 |
| Year 04 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 43 |
| Year 05 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 45 |
| Year 06 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 46 | 0 | 51 |
| Year 07 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 37 | 0 | 41 |
| Year 08 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 0 | 46 |
| Total | 21 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 319 | 0 | 342 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| Age 06 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 42 | 0 | 46 |
| Age 07 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 39 |
| Age 08 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 0 | 41 |
| Age 09 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 52 |
| Age 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 42 | 0 | 46 |
| Age 11 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 0 | 41 |
| Age 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 39 |
| Age 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 13 |
| Total | 21 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 319 | 0 | 342 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Sumner School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 38.3% |
| Full Primary | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| 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%
| Sumner School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 3.7% |
| Full Primary | 3.9% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| 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%
| Sumner School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 1.7% |
| Full Primary | 1.7% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| 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)
- 382
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Major urban area
- Date opened
- 30 April 1876
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
- 5
- Last reviewed
- 6 December 2024
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (6 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 board assurance report of 6 December 2024 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.
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 321 — 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.
February 2015
438
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 5 May 2015
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 6 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
Sumner School, located in Christchurch, provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The vision is ‘ Connecting with our people, our learning and our place’. This is supported through the core values of Whanaungatanga, Mōhiotanga and Kaitiakitanga .
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
Learner progress, achievement and wellbeing are increasingly equitable and excellent.
Most students achieve at the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics.
Students achieve equitably; leaders and teacher prioritise practices that successfully identify and address disparity within and between groups of students.
Student feedback and wellbeing data is carefully analysed and responded to by leaders with staff; this supports positive outcomes for students.
A large majority of learners attend school regularly, attendance is not yet meeting the Ministry of Education targets and this is a school priority.
Conditions to support learner success
Collaborative, distributed leadership is strongly committed to and focused on pursuit of the school’s strategic goals to sustain outcomes for learners.
Leaders purposefully build transparent, trusting relationships with staff and the wider community to enhance learning opportunities.
A strong culture of evidence-based, quality teaching and reflective practice is encouraged, actively supported by leaders, and used by teachers to improve and sustain learning outcomes.
Professional learning for staff is strategic, thoughtfully implemented, effectively monitored and embedded to ensure cohesive, consistent practices.
Teachers create collaborative, flexible learning spaces, centred on the needs and aspirations of learners, that effectively support learning, progress and achievement.
A variety of high-quality assessment practices are used to gain detailed understanding of each learner; effective targeted interventions for individual and groups are consistently implemented.
Transition in, within, across and on from the school is carefully considered, purposefully planned and ensures learner’s needs are met.
Curriculum opportunities are rich and varied with priority given to understanding the cultural narrative of the school and use of the local environment to benefit learners and their families.
Highly effective governance, external partnerships and continuous reflection on resourcing and programmes enable an ongoing cycle of review and improvement.
Board stewardship of resources and support of learner priorities is carefully considered; the focus remains on learner and staff well being, learning and engagement.
Purposeful collaboration with other schools in curriculum development strengthens professional development opportunities for staff and learning opportunities for learners.
Extensive community partnerships are fostered; a range of opportunities for the school community are evident.
Learners understand and demonstrate the school values; a positive, cohesive school culture is strongly promoted.
Part B: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
incorporate national curriculum and assessment changes into the well-established school curriculum, continuing to connect people, learning and place to the curriculum
further develop understanding and application of kaitiakitanga for learners in the local community to strengthen partnerships and assist in caring for their environment
further develop understanding of te Ao Māori for staff and learners to build bi-cultural understanding
continue to work towards the Ministry of Education’s regular attendance targets.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months:
implement an adjusted curriculum aligned with national changes
establish a more formalised framework for board self review
Every six months:
review strategic goals and progress being made towards them to refine and strengthen next steps
continue to review learner wellbeing, progress and achievement data to sustain a positive school culture and know the progress of learners
plan for next steps for staff learning and development in response to learner needs
Annually:
review strategic and annual plan progress to know the impact of initiatives on learning outcomes and inform planning
intentionally respond to learner data through further targeted programmes and resourcing
plan for future staff professional development to assist learners in their learning, progress and achievement.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
sustained progress and achievement of all leaners at and beyond expected levels
increased regular attendance
continued positive engagement and relationships with families and the community that benefits learners and their learning.
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
6 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 5 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).