Te Totara Primary School

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 716 — 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.

1. November 2017

   812

   Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 31 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 21 May 2025 — “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.

About the School

Te Totara Primary School is located in Rototuna North, Hamilton and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school’s multi-cultural roll of 705 students includes 106 Māori students, 192 Indian students, 126 NZ Pākeha /European students and a large number of students from other diverse cultures.

The school’s vision of ‘growing and learning together’ supports students to be ‘ Te Totara STARS’ and promotes learners to make smart decisions, try their best, always learn, be respectful and self-manage.

A satellite unit of Hamilton North School operates onsite and caters for students with additional needs. The school is an active member of Te Pae Here Kāhui Ako .

How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?

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 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 high quality education for learners are driving excellent school performance.

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 0 to 8

This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Foundation Skills

Reading Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics Almost all learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Attendance

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.

Chronic absence is not yet reducing over time.

Assessment

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

The school has good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.

The school has significantly 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 meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets set for 2030.

Part B: Findings for the school

This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.

Areas of Strength

Students experience high levels of academic success and make excellent progress; outcomes are similarly high for most groups of learners. Most Māori learners are achieving at or above expected levels in reading writing and mathematics. Priority learners are clearly identified; targeted support and interventions are effectively implemented and enable the large majority of students to accelerate their learning.

Wellbeing data shows almost all students have a strong sense of belonging, experience positive and respectful relationships with others and report feeling safe at school.

Leadership fosters and sustains a culture committed to high quality teaching and equity and excellence in learner outcomes; high expectations and effective collaboration at all levels of the school community support the achievement of the strategic vision and improvement goals.

A consistent focus on supporting learners to gain strong foundation skills through the implementation of structured literacy and mathematics contributes to very high levels of overall achievement.

Learners have rich opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum. Te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori are woven through aspects of the school’s curriculum; leaders and teachers value and increasingly cater for the diverse identities, languages and cultures of all learners and their families.

Professional learning opportunities are strategically aligned to the school’s improvement goals; comprehensive guidelines for planning, teaching and assessment strengthen teacher capability and consistency of high-quality practice across the school.

Leaders and teachers regularly monitor the progress and impact of actions to improve learner outcomes; the board makes well informed decisions to support equitable opportunities for students to learn and succeed.

Key priorities and actions for improvement

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

further implement effective strategies to accelerate learning and increase equitable outcomes for identified groups of learners

sustain high levels of overall achievement and challenge students to achieve excellence

engage with parents and whānau to develop effective strategies to increase rates of regular attendance.

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Every six months:

extend the analysis of school wide data to inquire into rates of progress for students at or above expected levels and further inform targeted action for continuous improvement

review and monitor school targets to focus on accelerating the progress of students making sufficient and insufficient progress

Annually:

enhance established practices to evaluate and report on the effectiveness of actions to enrich student learning, progress, achievement and attendance.

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:

increased and sustained levels of equity and excellence for all learners

sustained high-quality internal evaluation for continuous improvement

increased rates of regular attendance to meet the target of 80% of students attending regularly.

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

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 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

Sharon Kelly Director of Schools (Acting)

21 May 2025

Education Counts

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →