Rotorua Girls’ High School

Hostel Report

Background

The Chief Review Officer has the authority to carry out reviews (which may be general or in relation to particular matters) of the provision of a safe physical and emotional environment that supports learning for students accommodated in hostels under section 470 of the Education and Training Act 2020. This function is delegated to review officers who have the powers to enter and carry out review of hostels under section 472 of the Act.

Findings

The hostel manager and the hostel owner has attested in the Hostel Assurance Statement that they meet the requirements of the Hostel Regulations 2005.

Te Whare Whawhao was licensed in August 2022. The hostel was opened for boarders to begin the 2023 school year. It is located on the Toi oho Mai campus in Rotorua. The hostel can accommodate up to 50 boarders in a 7 day a week, purpose-built boarding facility. Te Whare Whawhao is governed by the Rotorua Girls’ High School Board, a new Director of Boarding has recently been appointed.

ERO undertook an initial readiness visit in October 2023. The hostel was formally reviewed in August 2024 to report on the quality of provision of a safe physical and emotional environment that supports learning for students accommodated in hostels. This is the first ERO report for Te Whare Whawhao.

Purposeful connections with external agencies and hostel providers have been initiated to support ongoing review and improvement.

Policies and procedures are now fit for purpose to ensure the provision of a safe physical and emotional environment for boarders. Te Whare Whawhao values and bicultural foundation clearly aligns with those at Rotorua Girls’ High School. As a result, boarders benefit from a consistent transition from hostel to school focusing on engagement, learning and wellbeing.

Student wellbeing and engagement are central to the care and provision provided, with a range of learning opportunities and extra-curricular activities available for borders to participate in. Boarders are provided with increasing leadership opportunities to create an inclusive culture within the day-to-day operation of the Hostel.

Actions for Compliance

In its initial readiness visits to the school hostel in October 2023 ERO identified non-compliance in relation to:

• security measures used to prevent unauthorised access to the hostel premises 
  [Hostel regulations 2005 61(f)]
• food, when stored, prepared, and served, is free of, and adequately protected against contamination
  [Hostel regulations 2005 63(b)]
• a border, boarders’ parents, or Board making a complaint to the owner of the hostel about non-compliance – (a) with these regulations, or some or all of the conditions of the hostels license, or both
  [Hostel regulations 2005 61(f)].

It recommended that to address this, the board of trustees must:

• conduct a review of policies, procedures and practices to ensure alignment with the application for licensing, Hostel Regulations 2005 and other guiding legislation for operation
• develop a student handbook that outlines expectations, responsibilities, leadership opportunities and pulls together the culture of the hostel.

The hostel owner has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

24 January 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