Te Kura o Ōpāwaho – Opawa School
Full Primary · State
- Year levels
- 1–8
- Total roll
- 367
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- Ford Road, Opawa, Christchurch
- Territorial authority
- Christchurch City
- Phone
- 03-3326374
- admin@opawa.school.nz
- Website
- http://www.opawa.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.
- Uniform
- Required
Our kura/school has a compulsory uniform. All tamariki/children are expected to maintain a high standard of pride in their appearance and are required to wear correct uniform at all times.
- Required
- Term dates
- Term 1, 2026: Wednesday 4th of February - Thursday 2nd of April
Term 1: Wednesday 4th of February - Thursday 2nd of April
Year stated as2026 Dates
- Term 2, 2026: Monday 20th of April - Friday 3rd of July
Term 2: Monday 20th of April - Friday 3rd of July
Year stated as2026 Dates
- Term 3, 2026: Monday 20th of July - Friday 25th of September
Term 3: Monday 20th of July - Friday 25th of September
Year stated as2026 Dates
- Term 4, 2026: Monday 12th of October - Thursday 17th of December
Term 4: Monday 12th of October - Thursday 17th of December
Year stated as2026 Dates
- Term 1, 2026: Wednesday 4th of February - Thursday 2nd of April
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
- Nurturing Lifelong Learning
- Ōpāwaho learners will have the willingness to wonder, the determination to succeed, the courage to be innovative, take risks, and be inclusive, in order to be lifelong learners.
- Voluntary donation
- $60 per child per year, or $100 per family (2 or more children)
The amount is $60 per child per year or $100 per family (2 or more children).
- $60 per child per year, or $100 per family (2 or more children)
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 292
- Māori
- 69
- Pacific
- 34
- Asian
- 32
- MELAA
- 10
- 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 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 57 |
| Year 02 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 54 |
| Year 03 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 48 |
| Year 04 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 40 |
| Year 05 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 41 |
| Year 06 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 39 |
| Year 07 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 46 |
| Year 08 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 31 |
| Total | 75 | 29 | 28 | 10 | 0 | 292 | 0 | 356 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 50 |
| Age 06 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 56 |
| Age 07 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 48 |
| Age 08 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 41 |
| Age 09 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 42 |
| Age 10 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 43 |
| Age 11 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 41 |
| Age 12 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 32 |
| Age 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 75 | 29 | 28 | 10 | 0 | 292 | 0 | 356 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
71.7%
| Te Kura o Ōpāwaho – Opawa School | 71.7% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 38.3% |
| Full Primary | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 10.3% |
|---|---|
| Male | 142.3% |
| Māori | 124.5% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 361.2% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 38.9% |
| Total | 71.7% |
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%
| Te Kura o Ōpāwaho – Opawa 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%
| Te Kura o Ōpāwaho – Opawa 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)
- 463
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Major urban area
- Date opened
- 21 July 1872
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
- 18 October 2024
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (18 October 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 18 October 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 367 — 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.
September 2017
342
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 21 November 2017
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 18 October 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
Te Kura o Ōpāwaho - Opawa School is located in Christchurch and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The school’s RIVER values are: Manaakitaka |Respect, Kakau Tapatahi|Integrity , Voyager (the child is at the centre), Hiraka |Excellence, Kaweka |Responsibility and the school’s vision is nurturing lifelong learning within the school’s inclusive context.
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
Outcomes are increasingly improving for learners.
A large majority of learners, including Māori learners, are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading; a small majority of learners in writing and mathematics.
The school has identified disparity in Pacific learners’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics; leaders actively work with Pacific fanau to address this.
Learners have a strong sense of belonging and are well supported through inclusive practices that effectively address wellbeing needs.
The majority of learners attend school regularly ; leadership is actively working towards meeting the Ministry of Education’s national target and strategies are in place to improve learners’ regular attendance.
Conditions to support learner success
Leaders work collaboratively with teachers and the community to strengthen quality teaching and equity and excellence in learner outcomes.
Leaders and teachers involve and value input from whānau, mana whenua and the broader community in decision making; this is reflected in the school’s vision, goals and improvement priorities.
Leaders provide effective and targeted professional learning to build teachers’ capacity to improve and sustain outcomes for learners.
Leaders and teachers prioritise wellbeing, progress and achievement for learners; goals are set and monitored which strengthen learning focused environments and continuous improvement for learners.
Teachers engage learners with purposeful and relevant learning through an inclusive curriculum that increasingly reflects the local context.
Teachers use evidence-based reading, writing and mathematics teaching strategies to intentionally and increasingly meet the needs of all learners.
Learners with additional needs are identified; effective needs-based programmes improve learner outcomes and wellbeing.
Teachers gather and analyse a range of useful assessment information to plan for and respond to learners’ strengths and needs.
Key conditions are increasingly strengthened to enable improvement for learner outcomes
Leaders and teachers recognise, value and cater for the identities, languages and cultures of all learners.
Leaders and teachers plan and implement a range of effective strategies which specifically reduce barriers, and support access to learning, for all learners.
Leaders and teachers build and sustain strong relationships with learners, whānau , and the community including partnerships with external providers to support inclusion and wellbeing.
The board works collaboratively with leaders, teachers and the community to effectively plan for the school’s strategic direction, improvement priorities and resourcing.
Part B: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
increase progress and achievement outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics for all learners; reduce disparity in Pacific learners’ achievement
sustain partnerships between school and home to improve regular attendance, learner engagement, and learning outcomes
continue to provide opportunities for all learners to further develop key competencies and a growth mindset through managing risk, accepting new challenges, building resilience and being solution focused
teachers continue to strengthen the use of assessment information to identify learner needs, inform planning and accelerate the progress and achievement for all learners.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within three months:
leaders and teachers continue to engage in targeted professional learning in reading, writing and mathematics to build capability and improve progress and achievement outcomes for all learners.
Every six months:
leaders consult learners, teachers and whānau to gather feedback and ideas and review the usefulness of the reporting process
use analysis of assessment data to refine teaching for reading, writing and mathematics
closely monitor and report to the board on regular attendance.
Annually:
leaders and teachers evaluate the effectiveness of school-wide teaching practices, assessment and reporting processes on increasing progress and achievement outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics
evaluate the impact of strategies in place to increase regular attendance.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
improved progress, achievement and reduced disparity, particularly for Pacific learners
increased regular attendance to meet the Ministry of Education’s national target
sustained partnerships with whānau , the community and external providers that positively impact on learner outcomes
confident, capable, connected and engaged learners who progress, achieve and maintain a strong sense of wellbeing.
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
18 October 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).