Tahuna Normal Intermediate
Intermediate · State
- Year levels
- 7–8
- Total roll
- 494
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 31 Auld Street, Musselburgh, Dunedin
- Territorial authority
- Dunedin City
- Phone
- 03-455 3994
- office@tahuna.school.nz
- Website
- http://www.tahuna.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Dunedin · schools in Otago
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.
- Uniform
- Required
Full school uniform is to be worn to and from school every day.
- Required
- Term dates
- Term 1, 2026: first day 2nd February, last day Thursday 2nd April
First Day of Term One - 2nd February Meet the Teacher - 30th January 1:30-2:30pm Thursday 2nd April last day of Term One
Year stated as2026
- Term 2, 2026: 20th April - 3rd July
Term Two 20th April - 3rd July
Year stated as2026
- Term 3, 2026: 20th July - 25th September
Term Three 20th July- 25th September
Year stated as2026
- Term 4, 2026: 12th October - 11th December
Term Four 12th October - 11th December
Year stated as2026
- Term 1, 2026: first day 2nd February, last day Thursday 2nd April
- How to enrol
- https://ole.edgelearning.co.nz/Default?schoolId=09fcefe1-dc5b-4a2b-87ce-472ca7eeb7a5
ONLINE ENROLMENTS [LINK HERE](https://ole.edgelearning.co.nz/Default?schoolId=09fcefe1-dc5b-4a2b-87ce-472ca7eeb7a5)
- https://ole.edgelearning.co.nz/Default?schoolId=09fcefe1-dc5b-4a2b-87ce-472ca7eeb7a5
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
- Accepted, as stated
Tahuna welcomes international students to friendly, supportive enjoyable learning
- Accepted, as stated
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
- Basketball
Basketball 2026
- netball
It was a fantastic day of competition across basketball, netball, football, hockey and rugby
- football
It was a fantastic day of competition across basketball, netball, football, hockey and rugby
- hockey
It was a fantastic day of competition across basketball, netball, football, hockey and rugby
- rugby
It was a fantastic day of competition across basketball, netball, football, hockey and rugby
- choir
Tahuna’s choir receives consistently high praise from audiences, and is a great opportunity to discover the pleasure of singing with others
- multicultural group
The multicultural group is a popular choice for students of all ethnic backgrounds with its stirring performances and exploration of Maori and Pacific Island culture through song and dance.
- orchestra
an orchestra of talented young musicians bringing their music together
- dance group
Tahuna’s special dance group regularly comes up with outstanding performances, especially at Dance Festivals and the Stars of Stage event
- Basketball
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 411
- Māori
- 104
- Pacific
- 36
- Asian
- 43
- MELAA
- 15
- Other
- 7
- 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 07 | 58 | 21 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 206 | 0 | 246 |
| Year 08 | 42 | 15 | 21 | 8 | 10 | 226 | 0 | 271 |
| Total | 100 | 36 | 40 | 17 | 13 | 432 | 0 | 517 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 11 | 44 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 148 | 0 | 178 |
| Age 12 | 53 | 16 | 23 | 8 | 10 | 237 | 0 | 283 |
| Age 13 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 47 | 0 | 56 |
| Total | 100 | 36 | 40 | 17 | 13 | 432 | 0 | 517 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
16.3%
| Tahuna Normal Intermediate | 16.3% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 36.8% |
| Intermediate | 43.3% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 5.3% |
|---|---|
| Male | 26.1% |
| Māori | 22.1% |
| Pacific | 29.8% |
| Asian | 45.9% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 16.4% |
| Total | 16.3% |
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
3%
| Tahuna Normal Intermediate | 3% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 4.6% |
| Intermediate | 4.9% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 5.7% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 3.6% |
| Total | 3% |
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
1.6%
| Tahuna Normal Intermediate | 1.6% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 2% |
| Intermediate | 1.9% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 3% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 1.9% |
| Total | 1.6% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 442
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Major urban area
- Date opened
- 25 January 1961
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
- 8 November 2024
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (8 November 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 8 November 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.
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 8 November 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
Tahuna Normal Intermediate is a co-educational school for students in Years 7 and 8 located in St Kilda, Dunedin. The school has a history of working closely with the University of Otago College of Education to provide placements for teacher trainees. The school’s vision is to develop independent learners through the provision of high-quality learning programmes and by fostering the values of respect, creativity, success and responsibility.
There are three parts to this report.
Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation.
Part B: 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 C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.
Part A: Previous Improvement Goals
ERO and the school worked together to evaluate the extent to which the school is culturally responsive, and Pacific learners, in particular, are secure and confident in their identities, languages, and cultures, across all curriculum areas.
Expected Improvements and Findings
The school expected to see:
Equity and excellence for all learners in terms of their academic progress, wellbeing and belonging.
Positive progress is evident in addressing identified areas of inequity in achievement and engagement for girls, Māori and Pacific learners.
Targeted actions to foster belonging have contributed to improved engagement of Pacific students seen through improved attendance, representation in school leadership roles and confidence to express and celebrate their cultures.
The school has made significant progress in improving the equity of access to digital devices to support learning.
The school has taken steps to engage with the families of Pacific learners to better understand their aspirations for their children’s learning and has strengthened representation of Pacific communities on the school’s board.
Teachers have participated in professional learning to build their knowledge of, and responsiveness to, Pacific cultures and learners.
Other Findings
During the course of the evaluation, the school trialled and implemented a new mathematics curriculum and teaching programme. School information shows that this has contributed to improved mathematics learning outcomes for groups of learners. Leaders and teachers have strengthened processes for collaboratively inquiring into effective teaching practice and this has fostered more consistent and coherent teaching practices across the school.
The most significant shift that has occurred as a result of the school’s evaluation focus is a greater awareness of the values and aspirations of Pacific parents for their children’s learning and development.
Part B: Current State
The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.
Learner Success and Wellbeing
Learning outcomes are increasingly equitable and excellent.
Most learners make sustained progress and achieve at the appropriate curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics throughout their two years at the school; improved equity for Māori learners is evident.
There is disparity in learning outcomes for Pacific learners and addressing this continues to be a focus of the school.
The majority of learners attend school regularly; the school is yet to consistently meet Ministry of Education targets for regular attendance and continues to work with families and learners to achieve this.
Conditions to support learner success
Effective leadership fosters a culture committed to quality teaching and equity and excellence in learner outcomes.
Leadership uses evidence well to plan and monitor the school’s improvement goals and to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies on improving student’s learning and wellbeing.
Leaders and teachers are embedding processes for the planning, coordination and evaluation of the school’s curriculum and teaching; clear and shared expectations for quality teaching are being established.
School leadership makes sure that comprehensive policies, partnerships, programmes and practices are in place and used to promote learners’ wellbeing, inclusion and engagement in learning.
Learners benefit from a broad and responsive curriculum and are well supported to build their skills in literacy and mathematics.
Learners experience a curriculum that increasingly includes local contexts and authentic purposes for learning; incorporating te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori through all aspects of the school’s curriculum is strengthening.
Teachers create an orderly and collaborative classroom environment where learners engage in purposeful learning; teachers are embedding practices for fostering students’ learning strategies, resilience and independence in learning.
Learners needing additional support are identified promptly and provided with relevant, individual support to learn and progress.
Professional learning, partnerships, evaluation and governance contribute positively to ongoing school improvement.
Leaders and teachers regularly work together to discuss, plan and reflect on effective teaching practices.
Data from a range of sources is regularly collected, analysed and interpreted at class, team and school levels by leaders and teachers, to guide and support school improvement.
Leaders and teachers identify, draw on and work with other education providers, community resources, specialists and agencies to support and improve transitions, learning and wellbeing.
The board scrutinises a range of learner data and evaluative information and consults with the school community to identify strategic improvement priorities, plan and make appropriate resourcing decisions.
Part C: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
embed the school’s project-based curriculum design and evaluate its effectiveness in fostering students’ independent learning skills
embed new writing and mathematics programmes and teaching practices and evaluate their effectiveness in supporting improved student achievement
extend culturally responsive curriculum and teaching practices to support all learners’ sense of belonging, engagement and understanding of New Zealand’s bicultural heritage
continue to work with the school’s community to improve levels of regular attendance as the foundation of success in learning.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months
develop and trial assessment frameworks and practices for knowing about students’ independent learning skills
continue to build teacher confidence and capability for implementing the school’s expectations for effective teaching of mathematics and literacy
develop action planning for the implementation of the school’s culturally responsive curriculum and practices
Annually
use assessment information to evaluate the effectiveness of curriculum and teaching for fostering student independent learning skills
use school systems for knowing about the consistency and quality of teaching to evaluate how well the school’s expectations for teaching of mathematics and literacy are being implemented
continue to regularly analyse how well learners are progressing and achieving in mathematics and literacy and use this to inform decision-making to improve outcomes
monitor and report on the school’s implementation of its culturally responsive curriculum and teaching practice, including a focus on progress in teacher confidence and capability
continue to monitor attendance data and review the success of strategies to encourage regular attendance.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
learners developing and demonstrating independent learning skills
learners highly engaged in learning and applying their learning in a range of community settings
learners progressing and achieving at expected levels in literacy and mathematics
learners having a sense of belonging and feeling confident in their identity, language and culture
improved levels of regular attendance.
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
8 November 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).