Waitaki Valley School
Full Primary · State
- Year levels
- 1–8
- Total roll
- 102
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- Settlement Road, Kurow
- Territorial authority
- Waitaki District
- Phone
- 03-4360660
- office@waitakivalley.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Canterbury
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.
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.
- Uniform
Not stated on the school’s website.
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
- Tōu Mātou Tūrangawaewae, Ki te ako, Ki te tutuki
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 89
- Māori
- 11
- Pacific
- 0
- Asian
- 9
- MELAA
- 1
- 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 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 10 |
| Year 02 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 14 |
| Year 03 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
| Year 04 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Year 05 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 22 |
| Year 06 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 13 |
| Year 07 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Year 08 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 15 |
| Total | 16 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 91 | 0 | 106 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 10 |
| Age 06 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 14 |
| Age 07 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
| Age 08 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Age 09 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 21 |
| Age 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 14 |
| Age 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Age 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 12 |
| Age 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 16 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 91 | 0 | 106 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Waitaki Valley School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 38.3% |
| Full Primary | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
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%
| Waitaki Valley School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 3.7% |
| Full Primary | 3.9% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| 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%
| Waitaki Valley School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Region | 1.7% |
| Full Primary | 1.7% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| 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)
- 440
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Rural settlement
- Date opened
- 31 January 1882
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
- 6 May 2025
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (25 July 2022)
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 25 July 2022 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 6 May 2025 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 8
provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8
- Years 1 to 8
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 102 — 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.
November 2016
108
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 17 February 2017
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 6 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
Waitaki Valley School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. It is located in the rural town of Kurow in North Otago . The school’s roll is 106. The majority of learners are Pākehā, Māori learners comprise 16% of the roll. The school’s Mission is: Our Place – To Belong, To Learn, To Achieve; Tōu Mātou Tūrangawaewae – Ki te ako, Ki te tutuki.
Progress since July 2022 ERO report
ERO and the school evaluated the extent that changes in the approaches to teaching reading, writing and mathematics lead to:
accelerated achievement for target learners
equity and excellence for all learners
During the course of the evaluation, it was found that a small majority of target learners experienced accelerated achievement and that achievement outcomes had improved for most learners across the school.
How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?
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 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 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 Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.
Writing Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet 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
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
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
Most learners progress well to achieve academic success across the curriculum. Learners with particular needs are identified and well supported.
Teachers and leaders create an affirming learning environment and learners state that they enjoy being at school.
School leadership successfully focuses on creating a positive learning environment for all with an emphasis on partnering with the community to support learner wellbeing, progress and achievement.
Teachers prioritise learner achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. Learners experience a broad curriculum and extensive use of local resources and the community to create rich local learning opportunities.
Well-considered staff professional development is focused on the school’s strategic goals to enhance all learners’ wellbeing, progress and achievement. There is a specific emphasis on growing staff capacity in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.
Staff collaborate well and use clear processes for self-reflection and professional growth to improve their teaching to lift learner outcomes.
Key priorities and actions for improvement
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
sustain the effectiveness of reading, writing and mathematics programmes when updating the school’s curriculum in line with national curriculum developments
further develop the use of local resources in the curriculum so learners and their families see their own and the community’s identities reflected
partner with the community to review the school’s present strategies to improve and sustain regular attendance
advance effective teaching, learning and assessment practices, particularly for target learners, to ensure learners’ active engagement and progress in their learning.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months:
partner with the community to refine the school’s attendance plan and strategies
Every six months:
report to the board and community on learner progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics and respond to identified learning needs and trends
review the impact of local learning opportunities on learner achievement and report on this to the board and community
review the effectiveness of the school-community attendance plan and report on this to the board and the community
review the home-school partnership to know the extent to which whānau -family are active participants in school life and their children’s learning
Annually:
evaluate the impact of teaching, learning and assessment practices on students’ wellbeing, progress and achievement and use this to inform next steps
develop the school’s use of local resources in the curriculum, aligning with national curriculum changes and maintaining relevant local learning opportunities
analyse and report on attendance, engagement, progress and achievement data to inform strategic and annual planning and set improvement targets
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
consistent use of high-quality assessment information to identify the next learning steps for each learner to improve achievement
a strongly engaging curriculum using local learning opportunities extending learner engagement and achievement
improved learner engagement and equity in achievement
increased regular attendance for learners identified as being at risk of not meeting the Government’s attendance targets.
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
Actions for Compliance
ERO has identified the following area of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
The school needs to check an original primary identity document and a secondary identity document, required for safety checking of workforce [Sections 25 to 27 Children’s Act 2024: Safety checks of children’s workers; Regulations 5 to 8 Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015] .
The board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.
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)
6 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 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).