Waitara Central School
Contributing · State
- Year levels
- 1–6
- Total roll
- 175
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 12 Cracroft Street, Waitara
- Territorial authority
- New Plymouth District
- Phone
- 06-7547716
- office@waitaracentral.school.nz
- Website
- not reported
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in New Plymouth · schools in Taranaki
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 98
- Māori
- 126
- Pacific
- 10
- Asian
- 3
- MELAA
- 1
- Other
- 2
- 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 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 23 |
| Year 02 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
| Year 03 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 27 |
| Year 04 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 12 |
| Year 05 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
| Year 06 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 25 |
| Year 07 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 103 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 0 | 135 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 20 |
| Age 06 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 22 |
| Age 07 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 23 |
| Age 08 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 14 |
| Age 09 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 27 |
| Age 10 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 26 |
| Age 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 103 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 0 | 135 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Waitara Central School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Taranaki Region | 41.7% |
| Contributing | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
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 stand-down rates data (2024)
Age-standardised suspension rate per 1,000 students — 2024
41.5%
| Waitara Central School | 41.5% |
|---|---|
| Taranaki Region | 4.1% |
| Contributing | 3.5% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 85.9% |
| Māori | 58% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 41.5% |
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
40.1%
| Waitara Central School | 40.1% |
|---|---|
| Taranaki Region | 1.6% |
| Contributing | 1.5% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 82.1% |
| Māori | 57% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 40.1% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 535
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Small urban area
- Date opened
- 16 November 1858
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
- 8 October 2025
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (27 October 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 27 October 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 8 October 2025 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 6
provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6
- Years 1 to 6
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 8 October 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
Waitara Central School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The roll is 141. Approximately 70% of students are Māori and 30% Pākeha /New Zealand European. The school’s vision is Connecting the hearts and minds of our r angatahi and mokopuna . The school values are Maia -Confidence, Kaha -Courageous, Manaaki -Compassionate, Pākiki -Curious
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 October 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.
Expected improvements
The school focused on developing and using a shared approach to teacher inquiry to make positive differences to learner outcomes. The school expected to see improved learning outcomes, the teaching team developing their teaching knowledge and whānau who were actively engaged in their child’s learning.
Findings
The school made good progress and now uses a schoolwide teacher inquiry approach. Teaching staff work together to identify and respond to the strengths and needs of their learners and use increasingly consistent schoolwide approaches to learning. Learners make progress and achievement, and attendance have improved. Whānau actively engage in school events and are provided with ongoing information about their child’s learning.
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 a 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 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 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 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 small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.
Writing Less than half of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.
Mathematics A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are 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 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 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.
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
Effective school leadership has built strong relational trust amongst the teaching team to create a collective responsibility to drive school improvement.
Strong school culture, immersed in tikanga and te ao Māori , and expressed through well-known values, is in place. Learners have a strong sense of belonging and enjoy learning within an inclusive community of care.
Teaching staff have high expectations of every learner. Teachers work together to use consistent ways of teaching, and they adapt learning to provide for a range of learning needs.
Regular attendance rates have recently improved due to strategic focus and the identification and removal of a range of barriers to school attendance.
Key priorities
Regularly and clearly analyse student progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics with a particular focus on boy’s writing.
Use schoolwide learning data to identify trends and track progress for groups of learners over time.
Investigate and implement ways of developing student ownership of learning (student agency) so that all learners know how to achieve their next steps.
Sustain structured literacy approaches and embed the schoolwide structured mathematics approach.
Engage in targeted professional learning to fully implement the mathematics and English curriculum requirements.
Take further action to improve attendance rates.
Actions to bring about improvement
Within six months:
the School Board implements its attendance plan to improve attendance
leaders and teachers engage in relevant professional development to fully implement the new mathematics and English curriculum requirements
Every six months:
leaders and the School Board consult with their community and use the information to inform decision making
leaders provide to the School Board achievement and progress information for groups of learners in reading, writing, and mathematics
leaders provide attendance information to the School Board detailing the strategies that are working to improve attendance
Annually:
leaders and teachers evaluate literacy and mathematics programmes, including professional learning and classroom resources to understand their impact on learners and decide next steps
leaders and teachers assess what is working to build student agency and identify areas to improve
the School Board shares progress and achievement information in reading, writing, and mathematics with the community
the School Board reports on attendance trends to their community and reviews the attendance plan.
Expected outcomes
Improvements in attendance, achievement, progress and wellbeing for all learners.
Improved outcomes for boys in writing.
Learners understand their next steps and can clearly explain how they take ownership of their learning.
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
8 October 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).