Cambridge High 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

Cambridge High School provides education for learners in Years 9 to 13. The school roll of 1816 includes 79% of students who identify as Pākehā/New Zealand European, 14% as Māori, 2% as Pacific and 7% as Asian.

The school’s purpose is to ‘empower every student to grow, realising their potential in an inspiring and supportive learning environment’. The school’s REACH values (realise your potential, engage with purpose, act with integrity, care for people and places, have courage to succeed) underpin the school culture and curriculum.

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

Expected improvements

The school expected to see teachers applying a wider range of tools and techniques to strengthen student literacy and students using these strategies in ways that sustainably and effectively build their literacy skills over time. As a result, the school expected learners to make progress that would allow them to access meaningful curriculum pathways.

Findings

The school has demonstrated progress in lifting literacy outcomes. A coordinated, schoolwide effort, supported by targeted professional development, enhanced monitoring of learner progress, and more responsive placement of students into appropriate support classes, are central to this improvement.

What we know about learner success 

This section provides a summary of learner success, wellbeing and foundation school conditions, including any education in Rumaki/Reo Rua settings. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.

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%

Learner success and wellbeing

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.

Success and progress for learners is increasing and outcomes for all groups of students are becoming more equitable.

• In 2025 a large majority of students achieved National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 1, and most students achieved Level 2 and Level 3.
• Students entering the school achieving below expected curriculum levels make accelerated progress, and most learners achieve the literacy and numeracy component of NCEA by Year 11.
• Learner’s experience and benefit from high levels of inclusion, wellbeing and belonging.
• A small majority of students attend school regularly. Attendance is improving and chronic absence is decreasing. Improving attendance is a priority for school leaders.

Conditions to support learner success

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

School leadership works strategically with clear purpose to sustain successful outcomes for learners.

• Leaders provide coherent strategic direction and ensure initiatives are aligned with school priorities.
• Leaders and teachers actively promote a professional learning culture that prioritises high quality teaching and continuous improvement. 
• Leadership is building staff capability through clear systems of support for both classroom management and curriculum delivery. A sustained focus on literacy and numeracy is resulting in improved achievement.
• Leadership has strengthened the systems and conditions necessary for effective school improvement.

Students benefit from high quality teaching practices and a rich and varied curriculum that supports their engagement and progress in learning.

• The curriculum is designed and delivered to provide meaningful learning experiences; the junior curriculum has been strengthened through coherent and evidence informed development.
• Relationships between learners and teachers are characterised by mutual respect, fostering an inclusive culture which supports high levels of engagement, wellbeing, and achievement.
• Teaching is structured, purposeful, and consistent schoolwide with clear learning expectations. 

School systems and processes to support learner outcomes are well aligned, clearly communicated and well understood.

• The pastoral team provide a coherent, student centred system with clear processes and strong collaboration, resulting in responsive, inclusive, and effective support for students.
• A coherent, multitiered learning support model is in place with strong collaboration, early identification, and a wide range of supports to meet individual needs.
• Staff–student relationships and REACH values are deliberately leveraged to build engagement, routines, and a sense of belonging.
• The Cambridge High School Board represents and serves the school community well to develop the strategic direction of the school; resourcing decisions are made thoughtfully and guided by the needs of students, with a clear focus on improving engagement, progress, and overall student achievement.

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 key priorities and actions for improvement.

Key priorities

• Further improve equitable and excellent outcomes for all groups of learners.
• Improve and sustain regular attendance. 

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers strengthen the observation tool aligned with the design for learning self-assessment rubric to evaluate the effectiveness and consistency of its implementation
• leaders and teachers strengthen the coherence and use of junior achievement data to identify priority learners, target interventions, and monitor progress over time

Every six months:

• the school Board reviews and adjusts the attendance plan in response to attendance data
• leaders analyse and report impact measures to the Board to inform the ongoing review of annual goals 

Annually:

• The school board succinctly reports overall achievement, progress, wellbeing and attendance information to the community.

Expected outcomes

• Excellent and equitable outcomes for all learners. 
• Improved and sustained regular attendance. 

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

22 May 2026