Westland High School
Secondary (Year 7-15) · State
- Year levels
- 7–13
- Total roll
- 404
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 140 Hampden Street, Hokitika
- Territorial authority
- Westland District
- Phone
- 03-7556169
- office@westlandhigh.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in West Coast
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
- Required
As a uniform school all students are required to wear correct uniform at all times and have the option of choosing which gender uniform to wear.
- Required
- Term dates
- Term 1, 2026: begins Thursday 29 January (new students and Years 7 to 9), Friday 31 January (Years 11, 12 and 13), Monday 2 February (Year 10); ends Friday 3 April
Thursday 29 January – Term 1 begins for all new students and Years 7 to 9 only. Friday 31 January – Term 1 begins for all Years 11, 12 and 13 only. Monday 2 February – Term 1 begins for all Year 10’s only. Friday 6 February – Waitangi day, School closed. Friday 3 April – Good Friday, School closed. Friday 3 April – Term 1 ends.
Year stated as2026 Term 1 dates
- Term 2, 2026: Monday 20 April – Friday 3 June
Monday 20 April – Term 2 begins. Monday 27 April – ANZAC Day observed, School closed. Monday 1 June – Kings Birthday, School closed. Friday 3 June – Term 2 ends.
Year stated as2026 Term 1 dates
- Term 3, 2026: Monday 20 July – Friday 25 September
Monday 20 July – Term 3 begins. Friday 25 September – Term 3 ends.
Year stated as2026 Term 1 dates
- Term 4, 2026: Monday 12 October – Friday 11 December
Monday 12 October – Term 4 begins. Monday 26 October – Labour Day, School closed. Tuesday 120 November – NZQA Exams begin. Monday 30 November – Westland Anniversary Day, School closed. Friday 11 December – Term 4 ends.
Year stated as2026 Term 1 dates
- Term 1, 2026: begins Thursday 29 January (new students and Years 7 to 9), Friday 31 January (Years 11, 12 and 13), Monday 2 February (Year 10); ends Friday 3 April
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 vision is to “experience success together” or in Māori, “piki kotahi ki te taumata” which refers to climbing the mountains to reach the summit, with everyone experiencing success in unison (as one).
- International students
- Accepted, as stated
The International Department at Westland High School is experiencing a strong period of growth, with 14 international students enrolled this term.
- Accepted, as stated
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 344
- Māori
- 107
- Pacific
- 14
- Asian
- 25
- MELAA
- 7
- Other
- 0
- International
- 8
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 07 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 0 | 58 |
| Year 08 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 56 |
| Year 09 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 0 | 64 |
| Year 10 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 0 | 69 |
| Year 11 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 0 | 57 |
| Year 12 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 43 | 3 | 51 |
| Year 13+ | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 33 |
| Total | 104 | 15 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 315 | 10 | 388 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 11 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 51 |
| Age 12 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 52 |
| Age 13 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 65 |
| Age 14 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 61 |
| Age 15 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 60 |
| Age 16 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 4 | 53 |
| Age 17 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 2 | 38 |
| Age 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| Age 19+ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 104 | 15 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 315 | 10 | 388 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Academic results
Percentage with NCEA level 1 or above — 2025
97.6%
| Westland High School | 97.6% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 84% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 89.6% |
| State: Not integrated | 83.6% |
| New Zealand | 85.2% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 93.8% |
|---|---|
| Male | 100% |
| Māori | 100% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 100% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 96.9% |
| Total | 97.6% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 1 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with NCEA level 2 or above — 2025
75.6%
| Westland High School | 75.6% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 70.6% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.3% |
| State: Not integrated | 75.4% |
| New Zealand | 77.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 81.3% |
|---|---|
| Male | 72% |
| Māori | 66.7% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 80% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 71.9% |
| Total | 75.6% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 2 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with NCEA level 3 or above — 2025
53.7%
| Westland High School | 53.7% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 42.3% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 64.5% |
| State: Not integrated | 55.2% |
| New Zealand | 59% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 62.5% |
|---|---|
| Male | 48% |
| Māori | 66.7% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 60% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 46.9% |
| Total | 53.7% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 3 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with VP Award — 2025
14.6%
| Westland High School | 14.6% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 14% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 14.7% |
| State: Not integrated | 14.4% |
| New Zealand | 14.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 12.5% |
|---|---|
| Male | 16% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 20% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 15.6% |
| Total | 14.6% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison Vocational Pathway data (2023-2025)
Retention
Percentage staying until at least 17th birthday — 2025
78%
| Westland High School | 78% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 67.5% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.1% |
| State: Not integrated | 81.4% |
| New Zealand | 83% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 87.5% |
|---|---|
| Male | 72% |
| Māori | 88.9% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | 80% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 75% |
| Total | 78% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison trend data (2023-2025)
— 2024
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)
— 2023
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)
— 2024
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)
— 2023
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
111.2%
| Westland High School | 111.2% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 76.2% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 43.4% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 68.2% |
|---|---|
| Male | 149.7% |
| Māori | 230.6% |
| Pacific | 287.7% |
| Asian | 37.2% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 70.6% |
| Total | 111.2% |
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
4.3%
| Westland High School | 4.3% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 4.5% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 4.6% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 8.1% |
| Māori | 11.3% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 1.7% |
| Total | 4.3% |
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
3.4%
| Westland High School | 3.4% |
|---|---|
| West Coast Region | 2% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 2% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 6.2% |
| Māori | 6.5% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 2% |
| Total | 3.4% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 475
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Small urban area
- Date opened
- 25 January 1876
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
- 5
- Last reviewed
- 5 December 2024
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (5 December 2024)
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 5 December 2024 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.
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 404 — 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.
August 2019
300
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 4 November 2019
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 5 December 2024 — “School Evaluation Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.
School Evaluation 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.
Context
Westland High School is located in Hokitika , on the South Island’s West Coast, and provides education for learners in Years 7 to 13. The school offers delivery in te reo Māori in its bilingual education unit. The school’s values are whanangatanga, manaakitianga, kaitiakitanga and rangatiratanga .
There are two parts to this report.
Part A: An evaluative summary of learner outcomes and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including education in Rumaki /bilingual settings.
Part B: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.
Part A: Current state
The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.
Learner Success and Wellbeing
Outcomes for learners are becoming more equitable, supported by learning and wellbeing initiatives focused on students reaching their potential.
The school is initiating additional support in literacy and mathematics for Year 7 to 10 learners; information over time indicates that the majority of learners who join the school with below expected achievement levels in literacy and mathematics make significant progress to successfully gain national qualifications in the senior school.
The majority of learners achieve at each level of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA); the school is beginning to address disparity in Māori learner achievement.
Learners have personalised pathways that suit their aspirations, interests and next steps in further study, training or employment beyond school.
The school has improving levels of regular attendance that are approaching, but not yet at, the Ministry of Education’s national target; just over a third of learners attend regularly.
Conditions to support learner success
Leadership approaches are establishing improvements to school conditions that promote learner success.
Leaders have improved academic tracking processes so that learners at risk of not achieving to their potential are identified more effectively and timely interventions are made that improve outcomes.
Heads of learning areas are initiating steps to develop teachers’ capacities to hold increasingly clear and high expectations about learners’ progress and achievement.
The school provides leadership opportunities for students in range of roles that increasingly contribute to achieving the school’s vision and implementing its values.
Teaching practices and learning programmes are developing and beginning to enhance students’ learning progress and achievement.
Leaders and teachers are initiating steps to improve the coherence, planning and delivery of teaching and learning programmes in order to improve student engagement and success.
Teachers are increasingly adapting their practice to make learning accessible for students and more responsive to their needs.
Teachers are expanding the school’s localised curriculum to include local histories, outdoor education, conservation and agriculture, to better address students’ learning interests and vocational aspirations.
The school is initiating steps to increase its engagement with its community, increase learner wellbeing and strengthen governance practices.
In consultation with local iwi and the school community, leadership is developing a bilingual policy and procedure to guide school operation, build bilingual capability and develop a learner-focused, bicultural curriculum to improve engagement.
Leaders have introduced a whānau group structure that is strengthening the development of learners’ resilience, competencies and connections to each other; restorative practices are increasing learner responsibility to uphold the school’s values.
Leaders and teachers continue to establish productive partnerships with tertiary and training providers, businesses and employers, providing vocational pathways for senior learners.
The board examines learner performance, including monitoring attendance, engagement, achievement to evaluate improvement and plan next steps.
Part B: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
use learner data to inform teaching and wellbeing practices that support students to attain their highest possible standards in educational achievement and qualifications
use research-based evidence to develop practices that increase engagement of Māori learners and their whānau , to reduce barriers and promote excellent and equitable outcomes for all students and particularly Māori learners
strengthen teaching and leadership across the school to empower and support learners’ competency development so that they build positive, respectful relationships
implement strategies that improve and sustain levels of regular attendance.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows:
Within six months
leaders and teachers continue to analyse achievement information to determine which teaching and curriculum interventions are raising Māori achievement and lifting outcomes for all learners to achieve a minimum school leaver achievement rate of Level 2 National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)
teachers continue to support achievement in the Common Assessment Activities (CAAs) in literacy and numeracy to increase learner achievement pathways.
Every six months
leaders and teachers strengthen engagement with iwi, hapū and whānau to meaningfully incorporate te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into the everyday life of the school and to build a learner-focused, bicultural curriculum
leaders and teachers continue to gather and respond to learner wellbeing data to evaluate the implementation of restorative practices within the school.
Annually
leaders analyse and report attendance, retention, engagement and achievement data to the board and use it to inform teaching practices and curriculum development that improve learner outcomes
leaders continue to engage with learner wellbeing information to inform and improve school-wide wellbeing initiatives
leaders and teachers implement strategic actions across learning areas to align and respond to outcomes information and the implementation plan to improve learner outcomes
leaders and teachers develop practices to connect with the cultures, identities and languages of Māori learners to raise outcomes.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
improved engagement and equitable progress and achievement across curriculum areas for all learners, including Māori learners
giving increasing effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi through a greater partnership with Māori learners and whānau and the development and implementation of a learner-focused, bicultural curriculum
increased indicators of learner wellbeing and competency development
improved and sustained regular attendance.
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 Evaluation 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.
Shelley Booysen Director of Schools
5 December 2024
About the School
The Education Counts 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 5 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).