Waiotira School

The same report — the board assurance report of 13 December 2022 — also sets out actions for compliance: the non-compliance ERO identified during that process. This is that section of the report in full, in ERO’s words.

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

ensure that the swimming pool fence meets the requirements set out in the MOE’s safety at the pool building Code (including the new clause F9 for pool fencing).

The board has since taken steps to address the areas of non-compliance identified.

Read this board assurance report on ero.govt.nz →

What ERO wrote in its latest report

This is ERO’s report of 28 April 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

Waiotira School is in Northland and caters for students in Years 1 to 6. A new principal and teaching team were appointed at the beginning of 2022. The school’s values of participation, respect, innovation, diligence and empathy underpin the aspiration to have students self-aware and with the skills to thrive and contribute positively to the wider community.

Progress since December 2022 ERO report

ERO and the school worked together to evaluate how well a culturally responsive, authentic, and inclusive localised curriculum engages and inspires students. The school expected to see confident, independent, and engaged learners who have a strong connection to their culture and community.

During the course of the evaluation, it was found that learners have a strong sense of their identity; this is supported by a range of context-based learning where teachers use real-life examples that promote learning through practical experience. Relationships with Māori whānau and the community continue to strengthen with regular opportunities for engagement in and with their children’s learning.

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 good 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 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 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 A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet 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 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 and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets for 2030 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.

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

Learners’ strong sense of belonging, wellbeing and pride in their school is evident; they experience a positive, inclusive and supportive learning environment that celebrates their cultures, languages and identities.

Leadership continually prioritises the improvement of student learning and outcomes through strategic planning; targeted initiatives extend positive outcomes for learners.

Leaders and teachers have established structured literacy in teaching and learning programmes and implemented structured mathematics; a consistent focus on supporting all learners to gain sound foundation skills in reading, writing and mathematics is evident.

Learners experience a broad range of meaningful learning opportunities linked to local contexts; leaders and teachers continue to strengthen the integration of curriculum initiatives and programmes that draw on te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and te ao Māori .

Well-considered staff professional development is targeted, planned and purposefully implemented for ongoing improvement of teaching and learning.

A strong schoolwide culture of collaboration supports leadership and teachers to systematically reflect on and adapt their practice to improve teaching and learning and positively impact learner outcomes.

Key priorities and actions for improvement

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

respond to review of initiatives to increase the regular attendance of all students

embed te ao Māori to align school values with community expectations

strengthen effective teaching, learning and assessment practices to ensure all students continue to improve, with a specific focus on mathematics

refine the curriculum, integrating the new reading, writing and mathematics requirements to enhance student progress and achievement.

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

Within six months:

consult with the community to gain a clear understanding of their expectations to guide the school values development process

Every six months:

communicate with parents and whānau about the need for students to be in school and the impact this has on learner outcomes

provide professional learning opportunities that strengthen teachers’ understanding and use of effective teaching, learning and assessment practices

Annually:

evaluate the impact of strategies to improve regular attendance and report to the board

evaluate the effectiveness of the literacy and mathematics integration and refine practice if required

review and refine the structured mathematics teaching and learning programme to inform next steps

report to the board on the annual and overtime progress and achievement of Māori learners and other targeted groups of students in literacy and mathematics to continue to improve outcomes.

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

regular attendance for all groups of learners

effective teaching, learning and assessment practices that support improved achievement for students in mathematics

school values that all students can relate to, enhancing their sense of belonging

student achievement that is sustained by the delivery of a curriculum that effectively incorporates literacy and mathematics.

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)

28 April 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 →