Waikouaiti School

What ERO wrote in its latest report

This is ERO’s report of 18 September 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.

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

Waikouaiti School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The school is situated in a semi-rural beachside township approximately 40 kilometres north of Dunedin. The school roll is 93 with European | Pākehā making up 89% of learners, 28% identify as Māori , 8% Asian and 3% Other. Waikouaiti School’s mission is ‘Growing Together – Tipu Kotahi ’ which underpins the strategic goals of Excellence in Learning , Engaging Community and Maximizing the Environment to connect with the changing world.

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 October 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings .

Expected improvements

Waikouaiti School leaders have strengthened teachers’ collective capacity to support learners’ social and emotional behaviours. A clear focus on teaching practices that better respond to learners’ needs has shaped teacher practices alongside a schoolwide commitment to create an extended family-like context for learning. Classrooms are well managed, and teachers have high expectations for all learners. The principal and senior leaders have a transparent approach to data sharing, and this has strengthened reflective practices across the school. There is evidence of a collaborative learning culture which puts learners at the centre of teacher practices and school wide decision making.

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? The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners.

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 sufficient opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum. There is an increasingly 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 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 reasonably 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 is improving its reporting 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 0 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 65% 65 to 79% 80 to 90% Over 90%

Reading A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

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

Mathematics Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet 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.

The small majority of learners attend school regularly.

The school is behind the target of 80% regular attendance.

The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.

Regular attendance is not yet improving towards or beyond the target.

Chronic absence is not yet 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 is developing 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

Consistent, well considered teaching practices are evident across the school; teachers reflect effectively on learners’ progress and adapt contexts and practices to support all learners.

Quality teacher inquiry is reflective, data driven and collaborative, prioritising learner progress and achievement.

The school has a strong relationship-based teaching and learning culture that puts learners at the centre of all planning and processes.

Learners have a strong sense of belonging and a belief in their own capabilities to learn.

Structured literacy is specifically embedded in all reading and writing programmes.

All teachers are supported to take on extra responsibilities and professional learning that continues to inform school wide practice and better respond to the need of learners

Key priorities

Use data to more widely inform decision making around school improvement for all learners.

Strengthen with parents of understanding of expected progress in reading writing and mathematics through effective communication and reporting.

Implement the refreshed curriculum across all learning areas.

Improve regular attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within three months:

leaders and teachers communicate with parents regarding the impact of low attendance for those learners who are not attending school regularly

Within six months:

analyse reading writing and maths data to inform future planning and to respond to learners’ needs

leaders and the School Board review strategic planning to set specific goals for learners at risk of not achieving, students identified as gifted and talented and establish targets and plans for supporting the progress and achievement of Māori learners

Every six months:

teachers’ moderate learners’ reading, writing and mathematics samples to establish school wide expectations across learning areas

leaders and teachers work with parents to plan and shape relevant learning contexts for their children

teachers collect learner feedback around their experiences at school, in the classroom and the playground and act on these responses

Annually:

the School Board and leaders review progress, achievement and attendance information, including for learners at risk of not achieving, have special learning needs, those who are excelling and need extension and, on the progress, and achievement of Māori students and report to the school community

leaders and teachers identify and establish new opportunities for parents and whānau to support learners’ wellbeing and learning pathways

leaders and the Board review the impact of strategies to improve learner engagement and attendance and share the attendance plan with the community.

Expected outcomes

The school supports parents to be actively involved in planning and goal setting for their children’s learning.

Improved progress and achievement for those students at risk of not achieving.

An integrated and sequenced school wide curriculum with relevant contexts for each of the learning phases.

Improved learner attendance and reduced chronic absence.

Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meet 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

Actions for Compliance

ERO and the board have identified the following area of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

The board must report to the school community on the progress and achievement of Māori students and of identified students who are not progressing and/or achieving, or who are at risk of not progressing and/or achieving, or who have special needs including gifted and talented students. [Regulation 21, Education (School Boards) Amendment Regulations, 2022]

The Board has addressed the area of non-compliance identified.

The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation 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

18 September 2025

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →