Whangaparaoa School (Auckland)

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

About the School 

Whangaparaoa School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6, and the current school roll is 828. The school roll includes 62% New Zealand European / Pākehā, 19% Māori, 10% Asian, 5% Pacific and students from other ethnic backgrounds. 

The school’s motto is Together, Mahi Tahi, supported by the ORCA values of Ownership (Rangatiratanga), Respect (Manaakitanga), Collaborate (Whanaungatanga), and Achieve (Ako). 

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 expected to see an enhancement in the knowledge and practice of te ao Māori, tikanga and te reo Māori and embed culturally responsive practice. 

Findings 

The school implemented a sequenced learning programme for te reo Māori across the school. Mihi whakatau, karakia, the school’s waiata and tikanga Māori are embedded within the curriculum which has enhanced teacher capability and confidence in te ao Māori.  

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 1 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 approaching 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 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 meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets set 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

• Students experience a broad, engaging curriculum that effectively balances structured learning with creativity, inquiry, and play. The curriculum is further strengthened by authentic, inquiry learning opportunities that utilise the local environment and community.
• Learner wellbeing, belonging and engagement are supported by strong, respectful relationships across school community.
• Consistency of teaching practice is well supported by coherent school expectations that are well aligned to the school’s vision, values and improvement priorities.
• Strategic leadership prioritises and sequences improvement, rationalising the pace of change to sustain implementation and build staff capability.

Key priorities

• Maintain a strong focus on initiatives to improve regular attendance across to meet the government target.
• Implement new assessment tools that align with The New Zealand Curriculum, for consistent, high quality achievement information to further inform teaching and learning and next step planning.
• Further strengthen structured writing approaches to accelerate learning, consistently improve outcomes and promote equity for all learners. 

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• continue to implement targeted attendance interventions for identified learners, including early-contact systems, whānau engagement meetings, and consistent monitoring through weekly data reviews
• introduce and trial assessment tools aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum; teachers receive professional learning to use these consistently
• continue to provide professional learning on a selected structured writing approach, with teachers implementing key strategies in their daily writing programmes and regularly sharing progress

Annually:

• evaluate the effectiveness of attendance initiatives across the year, refine attendance procedures, and establish partnerships with external agencies to strengthen sustained attendance support
• fully integrate the new assessment tools into schoolwide planning, reporting, and evaluation systems, for coherent use of achievement information to inform teaching and learning
• continue to embed the structured writing approach across all classrooms, supported by coaching, observation, and moderation practices for consistency and evaluative use of learner progress data. 

Expected outcomes

• All learners attending school regularly with increased whānau engagement in attendance expectations.
• Teachers use high quality, consistent assessment information that leads to improved achievement and greater coherence across the curriculum.
• Learners’ progress in writing is accelerated where needed for equity in outcomes and increased confidence and capability in writing.

Regulatory and legislative requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements. This includes the provision of education for international students.

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

Provision for international students 

This section is about the quality of the provision of education for international students enrolled at the school.

Findings

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

At the time of this review there were 2 international students attending the school, and 0 exchange students. 

The school provides a welcoming and well organised programme for international learners. Orientation processes, including translation support, help students and families settle quickly. Pastoral care is thoughtful, with careful class placement and buddy systems to support inclusion. Long term students receive English language support. They participate fully in school life. Short-term groups focus on cultural and English immersion experiences. The school reviews its international provision annually this includes feedback from agents and families. International education is included in strategic planning and is managed so that it enhances the learning of students.

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