Papakura Central 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

Papakura Central School, located in Auckland provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. In 2024, the roll was 418, 42 percent of learners are of Asian heritage, 26 percent as Pacific and 21 percent identify as Māori. The vision of "Ko te piko o te mahuri, tērā te tupu o te rākau", reflects a commitment to nurturing future growth. Since the previous ERO report, a new principal has been appointed and new leadership team established.

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.

Achievement in Years 0 to 6

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.

Attendance

This section is about school attendance and the progress the school is making towards meeting the Government target of 80% regular attendance. 

• The large majority of learners attend school regularly.
• 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.
• Assessment information is used well 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 significantly improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.
• The school has significantly 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 for 2030.

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

• School systems and processes for collecting, analysing and reviewing student progress and achievement information drive continuous school improvement.
• A highly collaborative leadership team sets and pursues strategic priorities that place learners at the centre of school life, fostering a strong learning community; well-established systems and processes support the effective management of the school.
• School leadership promotes a culture of shared responsibility, high expectations, and ongoing professional development for teachers.
• Leaders and teachers foster strong learning focused partnership with families/whānau; robust processes ensure learners are well supported to transition successfully into and from the school.
• Learners experience a positive and inclusive learning environment where physical and emotional safety is well promoted and underpinned by strong pastoral care systems.
• Learners requiring additional support are promptly identified, with effective interventions implemented to address their needs and reduce barriers to learning.
• The school provides a rich and well-structured curriculum that offers integrated learning opportunities with breadth and depth across all learning areas.
• Teachers work well together to build capability and ensure consistent practice, supporting strong foundations in literacy and mathematics; structured literacy is embedded, and structured mathematics practices are being developed.
• The School Board and principal take a strategic approach to resourcing and decision-making, using comprehensive information effectively to prioritise support for high-quality teaching and learning.

Key priorities

• Sustain and improve regular attendance of all students.
• Implement structured mathematics schoolwide to raise achievement.
• Strengthen and embed leadership capability across the school to drive ongoing improvement.

Actions to bring about improvement

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers review the impact of initiatives to increase students’ regular attendance and identify further action
• leaders and teachers review and refine the schoolwide implementation of structured mathematics to ensure effective practice and sustain high levels of student achievement

Annually:

• leaders review and refine the strategic framework to ensure leaders are responsive, effective, and working in alignment with evolving priorities for continuous improvement
• the School Board and leaders review student attendance, progress, and achievement, as well as the implementation and impact of structured literacy mathematics across the school, to support ongoing strategic planning and decision-making.

Expected outcomes

• Sustained and improved regular student attendance that meet the government targets.
• Leadership across the school demonstrates strong evaluative capability, driving effective decision-making and continuous improvement.
• High levels of student achievement in mathematics.

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 meeting 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 (Acting)

2 September 2025