Te Wharau School (Gisborne)
Contributing · State
- Year levels
- 1–6
- Total roll
- 332
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 28 Graham Road, Kaiti, Gisborne
- Territorial authority
- Gisborne District
- Phone
- 06-8689819
- not reported
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Gisborne
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
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 123
- Māori
- 261
- Pacific
- 34
- Asian
- 9
- 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 | 36 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 49 |
| Year 02 | 36 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 45 |
| Year 03 | 35 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 47 |
| Year 04 | 46 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 61 |
| Year 05 | 51 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 59 |
| Year 06 | 44 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 56 |
| Year 07 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| Total | 259 | 35 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 101 | 0 | 329 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 39 |
| Age 06 | 37 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 44 |
| Age 07 | 40 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 56 |
| Age 08 | 51 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 66 |
| Age 09 | 47 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 55 |
| Age 10 | 46 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 58 |
| Age 11 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Total | 259 | 35 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 101 | 0 | 329 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
35.1%
| Te Wharau School (Gisborne) | 35.1% |
|---|---|
| Gisborne Region | 31.7% |
| Contributing | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 63.9% |
| Māori | 45% |
| Pacific | 266.9% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 35.1% |
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 Wharau School (Gisborne) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Gisborne Region | 3.3% |
| Contributing | 3.5% |
| 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 Wharau School (Gisborne) | 0% |
|---|---|
| Gisborne Region | 0.8% |
| Contributing | 1.5% |
| 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)
- 514
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Large urban area
- Date opened
- 25 January 1954
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
- 4
- Last reviewed
- 3 February 2026
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (8 February 2023)
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 February 2023 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 this report states about the school
As stated in ERO’s report of 3 February 2026 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 6
providing education for learners in Years 1 to 6
- Years 1 to 6
- Bilingual or immersion provision
- Four bilingual classrooms
The school has recently introduced four bilingual classrooms
- Four bilingual classrooms
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 332 — 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.
March 2016
503
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 30 May 2016
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 3 February 2026 — “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.
Every New Zealand state and state integrated school has an ERO review at least once every four years to evaluate what is working well for learners and what needs to be improved.
About the School
Te Wharau School is a primary school providing education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The school has 341 students and 78% are Māori , 15% New Zealand European| Pākehā, 5% of Pacific heritage and 2% Asian. The school’s vision “ For Learning, For Excellence, For Life- Hei Akoranga, Hei Hiranga, Hei Oranga” is supported by the principles of Whanaungatanga, Mana Motuhake and Kotahitanga. The school has recently introduced four bilingual classrooms.
Education Counts provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement, school enrolments and school zones. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
An explanation of the terms and judgements used in this report can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office
Improvement and progress
This section is about the progress the school has made since the February 2023 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.
Expected improvements
The school aimed to, through a cohesive schoolwide approach, improve learner wellbeing, engagement and achievement underpinned by restorative and relational practices. Key goals included deepening partnerships with whānau and the wider community, building teacher capability in wellbeing and restorative teaching. Capability and capacity have been developed through professional learning and systems for gathering and analysing wellbeing data that guide responsive, evidence-based actions.
Findings
The school embedded culturally responsive and relational practices. Significant changes include resourcing to strengthen community liaison and introducing bilingual classrooms to support whānau aspirations for their children. Teaching practices shifted, informed by neuroscience and trauma-aware approaches. The principles of restorative practice guide interactions across the school.
Professional learning for staff is ongoing, combining external expertise with internal review and reflection. Wellbeing data is used to guide initiatives and measure effectiveness. Since the previous report, regular attendance has improved, student wellbeing is better supported, and learner achievement has increased in reading and writing.
What we know about learner success
This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and the evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.
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 an increasingly consistent focus on supporting learners to gain skills in foundational 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 ongoing improvement to the quality of education for learners are well established.
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 is improving its collection and use 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 1 to 6
This section is about learner achievement. It outlines how well learners across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level of The New Zealand Curriculum in foundational skills.
Less than a third Less than half Small majority Large majority Most Almost all
0 to 33% 34 to 49% 50 to 64% 65 to 79% 80 to 90% Over 90%
Reading A large majority of 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 equitable for all groups of learners.
Mathematics A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.
Attendance
This section is about school attendance and the progress the school is making towards meeting the Government target of 80% regular attendance.
A small majority of learners attend school regularly.
The school is behind 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 reducing over time.
Assessment
This section is about how the school assesses learner progress and achievement.
The school is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately 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
This section is about how well the school supports all learners to make sufficient progress.
The school has good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.
The school has to some extent 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 making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets for 2030.
Next steps for improvement
This section provides more detail for the school to include in its strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school. It outlines what the school is doing well and identifies actions for improvement.
Areas of strength
Learners demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and maintain positive, respectful relationships with their teachers and classmates. The school values are strongly embedded and exhibited. Learners express pride in their school and learning achievements. They participate in a wide range of school activities.
Student wellbeing is a clear priority and is actively promoted across the school.
Teachers know learners well. Structured teaching practices in reading, writing and mathematics occurs in orderly, inclusive learning environments. Learners are well supported to engage and apply new learning.
The curriculum is strongly connected to the local context, fostering cultural links and valuing tikanga , local history and te reo Māori . This supports learners to see themselves and their culture reflected in their learning.
Leadership is highly collaborative, seeking and valuing the views of staff and the school community. Feedback is systematically used to inform and develop innovative approaches that enhance teaching and learning.
High levels of relational trust and effective communication are evident across the school community. Whānau are recognised as partners in education, kept well informed about student progress and meaningfully involved in decisions about learning.
School leaders set clear expectations and actively monitor these so that teaching quality improves across the school. The use of a robust self-review system evaluates the impact of these actions on student outcomes.
Te Wharau School Board actively engages with the community to gather feedback that informs strategic priorities. It works in close partnership with the principal to support the effective delivery of school goals.
Key priorities
Sustain and further improve current gains in regular attendance by monitoring and analysing patterns of attendance.
Work with the community to understand the impact of absences on progress and achievement.
Align and embed the English and mathematics curriculum, integrating updated assessment practice across teaching and learning programmes.
The school Board undertakes regular self-review to support continuous school improvement and to measure their effectiveness as stewards.
Actions to bring about improvement
Every six months:
leaders and the school Board analyse learners’ attendance, progress and achievement information to inform next steps and respond to any disparity in outcome for groups of learners
leaders and teachers monitor the consistency of teaching and learning approaches in reading, writing and mathematics for alignment with curriculum and assessment requirements
Annually:
the school Board reviews the impact of strategies to improve regular attendance and uses the findings to guide strategic decisions
the school Board, leaders and teachers evaluate the impact of changes made to the school curriculum and use of data on achievement in literacy and mathematics
the school Board undertakes comprehensive self-review to evaluate its impact on school performance and determine next steps for governance improvement.
Expected outcomes
Regular attendance meets or exceeds the Government target of 80%.
Student progress and achievement is sustained, improved and equitable.
The school curriculum fully aligns with The New Zealand Curriculum and assessment requirements.
Outcomes of Te Wharau School Board’s self-review informs strategic decision making.
Regulatory and legislative requirements
This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements.
Board assurance with regulatory and legislative requirements
This section of the report reviews the school's policies, procedures, documentation, and checks that it meets all regulations, maintains a safe environment, and supports students' wellbeing.
During this review the Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:
Board administration
Yes
Curriculum
Yes
Management of health, safety and welfare
Yes
Personnel management
Yes
The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Report and is due within four 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
3 February 2026
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 4 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).