Ruakaka School

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 4 years to evaluate what is working well for learners and what needs to be improved.

About the School 

Ruakākā School caters for approximately 320 students from Years 1 to 6. Te Whānau Harakeke is a Level 1 immersion unit consisting of 5 classrooms catering for 93 tamariki in Years 1 to 6. Over 50% of learners across the school require supported learning interventions. The school values are - Show respect/Whakaute, Help others/Manaakitanga, Be inclusive/Kotahitanga, Never give up/Papahueke, and Be environmental guardians/Kaitiakitanga.

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

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 good quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in  reading, writing, mathematics and pānui, tuhituhi, pāngarau.How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs?

Learners have some opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.

There is an increasingly consistent focus on supporting learners to gain foundational skills in literacy, mathematics, te reo matatini and pāngarau.

Learners with complex needs are well supported to achieve their education goals.

How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement?The school is establishing planning and conditions that support improvements in the quality of education for learners.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 SafetyThe school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.

Achievement in Years 0 to 8

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 large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are equitable for all groups of learners. 

Mathematics

A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Rumaki/Bilingual

 Pānui 

A small majority of learners meet or exceed curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Tuhituhi 

Less than half of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Pāngarau 

A large 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 school is behind the target of 80% regular attendance.
• The school has a suitable plan in place 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.
• Teachers are developing assessment information 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 and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets and is likely to meet them by 2030.

Rumaki/Reo Rua Outcomes and Conditions to Support Learners Success 

This section of the report provides more detail about the quality of teaching and learning through the provision of te reo Māori in Rumaki/Reo Rua classroom/s within English medium schools. The findings for Te Whānau Harekeke are from the 2024 review.

Learner success and wellbeing

• Tamariki are deliberately exposed to the tikanga and narratives of local iwi which enhances a sense of identity and belonging.
• Tamariki participate in a safe learning environment where positive and respectful relationships are evident.
• Tamariki with additional learning needs are making good progress against their achievement goals.
• Tamariki feel valued by kaiako who understand their individual strengths, interests and learning needs.

Conditions to support learner success

• The design of Te Whānau Harekeke curriculum has emerged from authentic and active engagements with local iwi.
• Kaiako work collaboratively together to understand next step teaching and learning for tamariki.
• Leadership and kaiako have implemented deliberate teaching interventions that accelerate the progress of targeted learners.
• Leadership and kaiako of Te Whānau Harakeke have established purposeful connections with whānau, schools and the wider community that are strengthening learning partnerships.

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

• A variety of extension programmes ensure learners engage meaningfully with the curriculum, while professional learning enhances staff capabilities in both curriculum delivery and wellbeing support.
• Structured literacy and mathematics programmes are delivered for one hour each day, supporting readiness for learning through scaffolding and teacher collaboration.
• Weekly Te Reo sessions in staff meetings, along with the normalisation of te reo Māori across the school, reflect the school and community aspirations.
• Governance has increased confidence in data analysis, scrutinising information and asking comprehensive questions to drive improved performance.
• Whānau engagement through Hui ā-whānau and the PTA fosters a connected and supportive school community.
• Support and wellbeing initiatives for neurodiverse and trauma-impacted tamariki are effectively implemented.

Key priorities

• Empower students to clearly articulate their learning goals and next steps, enhancing their ownership and engagement in the learning process.
• Strengthen staff evaluative skills across the school by developing a robust model of inquiry to monitor the impact and effectiveness of teaching practices, interventions, and programs.
• Enhance school-wide understanding, knowledge, and integration of the Ruakākā curriculum.
• Develop and implement teaching and learning strategies to engage and progress Te Whānau Harakeke tamariki in te reo Matatini.

Actions to bring about improvement

Every six months:

• support learners to use their six-monthly reports to set and track their own learning goals and next steps
• evaluate teaching practices, interventions and programmes with staff using mid-year and end of year data
• provide professional learning for staff to familiarise themselves with, and deepen their understanding of the key components and objectives of the Ruakākā curriculum
• leaders analyse te reo matatini progress data and report on the impact of teaching and learning strategies implemented in Te Whānau Harekeke

Annually:

• students review their end of year reports, reflect on their progress, and set new learning goals for the upcoming year
• evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning across the school and evidence the impact on learner outcomes
• review how well the curriculum is being integrated across the school, share best practice, identify any challenges and refine actions to support ongoing improvement
• leaders analyse te reo matatini progress data and report on the impact of teaching and learning strategies implemented in Te Whānau Harekeke.

Expected outcomes

• Increased student ownership and engagement in their learning, leading to improved self-directed learning and academic progress for all learners.
• Enhanced staff ability to assess and improve teaching practices, interventions, and programmes, contributing to more impactful educational strategies and improved student outcomes.
• Strengthened integration and application of the Ruakākā curriculum across the school, ensuring a more cohesive and effective educational experience for students.
• Improved engagement and progress in te reo matatini for Te Whānau Harakeke tamariki.

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 some 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

21 November 2025