Coromandel Area 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.

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

Coromandel Area School, Te Kura a Rohe o Waiau, in Coromandel Township provides education for students in Years 1 to 13. The school roll is 219. The student roll includes 66% of learners who identify as Māori, 34% of learners who identify as NZ European/Pākehā and a small number of students from other ethnic groups. A new principal was appointed in August 2023.

Te Puritanga was established in 2023 and provides learning for students through a kaupapa Māori ethos. The school values empower, protect, identity and connect underpin school operations.

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 December 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected Improvements 

The school focused on evaluating how well they use internal evaluation processes and evidence to identify next steps that improve outcomes for learners. 

The school expected to see consistent and clear processes that support improved student outcomes through a positive, inclusive culture of learning and wellbeing. As well as the promotion of learning outcomes through meaningful educational partnerships between whānau, the community and iwi and a curriculum that reflects the school vision and values and gives effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Findings 

Systems and processes that promote student wellbeing and inclusion are becoming embedded, and outcomes are improving for learners. Developing the curriculum to increasingly reflect local contexts has been a priority and is beginning to address the aspirations of the community. Meaningful educational partnerships established with whānau, the community and iwi promote positive outcomes for most learners. 

Strengthening schoolwide systems and processes and having clear communication procedures at all levels is fundamental to further improving outcomes.

What we know about learner success

The judgments in this section are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and the evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.

Learner success and wellbeing

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.

• Most Year 1 to 8 students, including Māori and Pacific learners, achieve at or above the expected curriculum level in mathematics, and a large majority in reading and writing.
• A large majority of Year 9 and 10 students are at or above the expected level for reading and a small majority for mathematics.
• 2024 achievement data shows that less than a third of students achieved National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 1.
• Most students achieve NCEA Level 2, and a small majority achieve NCEA Level 3. No students achieved University Entrance in 2024.
• A large majority of students achieved Level 1 literacy and less than half achieved Level 1 numeracy requirements.
• Less than half the students attending regularly. Regular attendance is improving, and the school is behind the Government target of 80% regular attendance. 

Conditions to support learner success

This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement.

• Leadership encourages relational trust and collaboration at every level of the school community to progress the strategic vision and improvement goals.
• Leaders and teachers increasingly use effective systems to support teaching and learning and improve outcomes for students.
• Leaders establish educationally focused relationships with local iwi, other education providers and community groups to support increased opportunities for learning and success. 

• Teachers have positive and mutually respectful teacher-learner relationships and interactions in the classroom.
• Teachers increasingly use assessment information to plan for learning and inform next teaching steps.
• Students with additional learning needs are well supported to make progress with their learning and achieve their learning goals. 

• Leaders engage with families, whānau, iwi and the wider community to support and improve student outcomes.
• Students experience a culture of care and support in an inclusive school environment.
• The school is working to provide appropriate pathways so that students can make choices for life beyond school and improving the monitoring of these.
• Leaders and staff are committed to raising learner expectations to enable them to achieve their personal excellence. 

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 identifies actions for improvement. 

Key Priorities

• Implement a plan to improve student attendance.
• Develop a strategy to ensure effective communication systems operate throughout the school and with parents and whānau.
• Further enhance the role of middle leaders to enable them to effectively lead the school curriculum.
• Foster a culture committed to high quality teaching and equity and excellence in learner outcomes.
• Create a school wide plan to build competence in te reo Māori to improve capability in teaching and learning.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers implement the attendance plan to improve attendance
• leaders work with staff to review current communication and organisational systems, identify areas for improvement and adjust as needed

Every six months:

• leaders monitor and report rates of progress and attendance to the school Board and adjust plans as necessary
• leaders monitor for teachers’ consistent use of effective teaching practices and assessments schoolwide
• leaders check with their teams the effectiveness of communication and organisational systems and report outcomes to the leadership team

Annually:

• leaders review and evaluate the extent and effectiveness of te reo Māori being woven through all aspects of the school’s curriculum
• leaders and teachers review the curriculum to ensure that current requirements are met
• the school Board and leaders evaluate student progress and achievement outcomes in literacy and mathematics and report to the school community
• the school Board and leaders analyse schoolwide attendance information to plan actions to improve student engagement and learning outcomes.

Expected outcomes 

• Attendance and achievement improve for all learners.
• Reliable information about activities and organisational requirements and clarity about school expectations is regularly and clearly communicated to the school community.
• Students develop foundational skills and engage in relevant and meaningful learning experiences.

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

11 November 2025