Waipahihi School
Contributing · State
- Year levels
- 1–6
- Total roll
- 349
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 20 Parata Street, Waipahihi, Taupo
- Territorial authority
- Taupo District
- Phone
- 07-3786455
- admin@waipahihi.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Waikato
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.
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 MISSION:
- Encouraging collaborative, energised learners with a unique sense of self and belonging.
- International students
- Accepted, as stated
This means we are able to provide a New Zealand schooling experience to international children aged 5 years old through to 11 years old.
- Accepted, as stated
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 253
- Māori
- 120
- Pacific
- 10
- Asian
- 36
- MELAA
- 7
- Other
- 3
- 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 | 25 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 0 | 71 |
| Year 02 | 27 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 66 |
| Year 03 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 45 |
| Year 04 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 58 |
| Year 05 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 0 | 66 |
| Year 06 | 22 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 76 |
| Year 07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Total | 131 | 13 | 42 | 5 | 2 | 280 | 0 | 389 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 24 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 66 |
| Age 06 | 28 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 67 |
| Age 07 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 38 |
| Age 08 | 21 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 62 |
| Age 09 | 21 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 0 | 61 |
| Age 10 | 24 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 79 |
| Age 11 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 16 |
| Total | 131 | 13 | 42 | 5 | 2 | 280 | 0 | 389 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
21.4%
| Waipahihi School | 21.4% |
|---|---|
| Waikato Region | 53.9% |
| Contributing | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 42.1% |
| Māori | 54.3% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 77.3% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 29.2% |
| Total | 21.4% |
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%
| Waipahihi School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Waikato Region | 6.6% |
| 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%
| Waipahihi School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Waikato Region | 2.4% |
| 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)
- 451
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Medium urban area
- Date opened
- 7 June 1961
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
- 21 August 2025
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- not reported
What this report states about the school
As stated in ERO’s report of 21 August 2025 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 6
provides education for students in Years 1 to 6
- Years 1 to 6
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 349 — 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.
May 2019
432
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 12 July 2019
March 2015
475
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 8 May 2015
We draw no line between these. Each was counted for its own report, years apart, by a different review team, and a roll moves between reviews for reasons none of these figures record — so the difference between any two of them measures nothing.
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 21 August 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
Waipahihi School provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. In 2024 the school had 366 learners, with 30 % identifying as Māori . The School Board appointed a new principal in Term 2 of 2025. The school’s vision is for students to be Immersed in Learning and its CORE values are Courage | Kaha , Ownership | Mana , Respect | Whakaute and Empathy | Aroha .
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
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 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 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 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 small 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 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.
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 reducing over time.
Assessment
This section is about how the school assesses learner progress and achievement.
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
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
Students develop a strong sense of belonging and pride in their school. They engage actively in a positive, inclusive environment that fosters their participation in learning.
Leaders drive the improvement of student learning outcomes through strategic planning and targeted initiatives and fostering collaborative culture that supports teachers to adapt their practices and raise learner achievement.
Leaders and teachers are rolling out structured literacy schoolwide to meet new curriculum requirements and will focus on implementing structured mathematics in 2025.
Professional development enables ongoing improvement of teaching and learning.
Teachers prioritise foundation skills to ensure the school meets the Government’s expectation of one hour each day of reading, writing, and mathematics.
Key priorities
Refine learning progressions to align with the revised mathematics curriculum to ensure consistency and continuity of teaching and learning.
Strengthen parent, whānau and community partnerships to support progress for all learners, particularly those at risk of not achieving.
Monitor and improve regular attendance for all groups of learners.
Actions to bring about improvement
Every six months :
the School Board and leaders monitor integration of the revised curriculum
leaders analyse information relating to parent, whānau and community partnerships to identify their influence on learner outcomes and determine next steps
leaders review attendance initiatives and communicate to parents and whānau about their impact on learner engagement
Annually:
the Board and leaders review learner attendance, progress and achievement information and use this for planning
the School Board and leaders review the impact of parent, whānau and community partnerships on student progress and achievement and attendance to sustain improvements.
Expected outcomes
High quality teaching and learning embedded in literacy and mathematics.
Strong parent, whānau and community partnerships positively impact student progress and achievement.
Improved regular attendance for all groups of learners.
Regulatory and Legislative Requirements
This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements. This includes the provision of education for international students.
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 some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:
Board Administration
Yes
Curriculum
Yes
Management of Health, Safety and Welfare
Yes
Personnel Management
Yes
Provision for International Students
This section of the report is about the quality of the provision of education for international student enrolled at the school.
Findings
The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.
At the time of this review there were three international students attending the school.
The school provides effective education and pastoral support for international students. Student progress and achievement is closely monitored and regularly reported to parents. International students and their families have access to ongoing support through the director of the school’s international students’ programme. The school has clear systems in place for reviewing its ongoing compliance with the Code.
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 (Acting)
21 August 2025
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).