Ngataki School

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 

Ngataki School is situated in the Far North, within a unique taiao environment, and provides education for learners from Years 1 to 13. The school is in its second year of introducing National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualifications. 

Most tamariki are Māori and have connections to the local iwi of Ngāti Kuri, Ngāpuhi and Te Aupōuri. The school’s vision is to create a learning community where children are at the centre. The school’s guiding pou include manaakitanga, mātauranga and kaha.

Ngataki School and Te Hapua School are co-led by the same principal and co-governed by a commissioner from Ngāti Kuri.

There are three parts to this report.

Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation.

Part B: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings. 

Part C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle. 

Part A: Previous Improvement Goals

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively the school’s place-based curriculum emphasises the unique values and mātauranga Māori of Ngāti Kuri. 

Expected Improvements and Findings

The school expected to see students learning the local histories of Ngāti Kuri and becoming successful speakers of te reo Māori and English. Also expected; was students making accelerated academic progress through effective teaching and learning and confidently using their knowledge to navigate a digital world.

• The histories, stories and language of Ngāti Kuri are embedded in the curriculum through a place-based learning programme; students retell the stories of Ngāti Kuri and their rangatira. Secondary students share local purakau with other learners in nearby schools.
• Students learn and practice te reo Māori and sing local waiata. They speak with confidence during formal and informal occasions.
• Whānau report tamariki speak te reo Māori with confidence at whānau events and celebrations.
• Some students have made accelerated progress in reading.
• Secondary students confidently use and access digital technology to support them with their learning. 

Other Findings 

During the course of the evaluation, it was found that regular hui with whānau and hapū strengthened the schools place-based curriculum, emphasising local mātauranga Māori and improving student engagement.

The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s action, is that students now have increased their knowledge and understanding of a Ngāti Kuri world view.

Part B: Current State

The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

School leaders and staff are working towards improved and excellent outcomes for all learners that are sustained over time.

• Most students in Years 1 to 10 achieve at or above curriculum expectations in mathematics, and a large majority achieve at or above expectations in reading; less than half achieve the expected curriculum levels in writing.
• A small number of Year 11 learners achieved Level 1 National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in 2024, the first year this has been offered; school leadership has established individual learning pathways to support more consistent learner achievement of qualifications.
• An inclusive learning environment is promoted throughout the school; students have a strong sense of belonging and are confident in their language, culture and identity.
• The school is significantly behind the government target for attendance; leaders are developing suitable plans to lift attendance.

Conditions to support learner success

Leadership is strategic and highly collaborative with a deliberate focus on improving outcomes for learners.

• Leaders and staff successfully consult with and align local iwi vision with the school’s strategic direction and school curriculum; these priorities enhance the school curriculum, local contexts that support student learning.
• Effective leadership, across both schools, is well supported by sound systems and processes to support teaching and learning and improve outcomes for learners.
• Leadership ensures whānau, hapū and iwi participate in setting school priorities to support and improve student engagement, progress and achievement.

A rich curriculum and well considered teaching strategies provide engaging opportunities for learning.

• Teachers create an orderly and collaborative learning environment in which learning time is made the most of.
• Teachers use a range of strategies that support and promote all students to engage in their learning.
• Students experience a curriculum that provides a range of relevant learning opportunities that support their learning progress and achievement.

Key conditions including learner wellbeing, staff collaboration and partnerships are embedded and well aligned to successful schooling.

• The commissioner, leaders and teachers work collaboratively to enact the school vision of Ngāti Kuri to support learners' language, culture and identity.
• Regular opportunities for staff to collaborate, across both schools, and share practice promotes consistent delivery of agreed expectations for effective teaching and learning.
• Staff have high expectations of all learners; senior students receive specific support and guidance to achieve university entrance and enable them to make choices for successful career pathways.
• Well established systems and processes, across both schools, support student wellbeing that promotes engagement in learning.

Part C: Where to next?

The agreed next steps for the school are to: 

• use the plan to focus on raising regular attendance rates for all students to meet Ministry of Education targets
• implement a structured mathematics approach and structured literacy programme to improve achievement outcomes, particularly in writing
• develop pathways to enable all senior students achieve NCEA qualifications
• build in students the skills required to be resilient and successful learners.

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

Within three months:

• put into action the recently developed plan to improve attendance

Every six months:

• regularly communicate with parents and students the importance of attendance and achievement and promote the skills required for learners to become resilient and successful
• analyse and monitor student progress and achievement information to inform next steps in teaching and learning
• communicate with whānau to strengthen learning partnerships that will enable students’ to successfully meet the requirements of New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)

Annually:

• review and report student attendance rates and progress and achievement to the commissioner and school community and use findings to inform ongoing improvement
• review and evaluate the impact of professional development on teacher practice and student progress and achievement especially in mathematics and literacy and adjust accordingly
• review, evaluate and report to the school community NCEA data to inform future decision making and career opportunities.

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

• higher attendance rates
• students demonstrating resilience and achieving greater success as learners
• improved academic outcomes for all students including achieving NCEA qualifications.

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

Sharon Kelly
Director of Schools (Acting)

15 May 2025

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