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

About the School

Yendarra School in Otara provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. Approximately 70% of the students are of Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island, and Niuean heritage, and 30% identify as Māori. Since the last ERO review the school has appointed a new Principal. The school’s vision ’Kia pai taea tātou - Be the best we can,’ and the values of aroha, piripono, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and koha support and guide all school operations.

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 and mathematics.How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs?

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

There is an increasingly consistent focus on supporting learners to gain skills in literacy and mathematics.

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

How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement?School planning and conditions to support ongoing improvement to the quality of education for learners are well established.How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing?The school successfully 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

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

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

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

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

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

Results are becoming more 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 small 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 is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately find out about achievement against the curriculum.
• Teachers are developing their use of 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 for 2030 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.

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

• Children learn in a caring and inclusive environment and engage well in their learning. The school values are well embedded and celebrated, and a strong sense of wellbeing is evident.
• Leaders and teachers have high expectations for all children to engage, learn and make progress to enable successful future learning pathways.
• Strategies to improve student attendance have resulted in significant lifts in student attendance since 2024.
• Leaders clearly outline expectations for planning, teaching and assessment to ensure consistency of teaching practice across the school.
• Professional development opportunities support teachers to embed a schoolwide structured literacy approach. Leaders are acquiring resources and professional training in a structured mathematics programme to support teachers understanding and implementation of the new mathematics curriculum.
• The curriculum fosters children’s identity, language and culture; classrooms and outdoor learning environments support the delivery of the New Zealand Curriculum and the school’s strategic goals.

Key priorities

• Further increase regular attendance for all learners.
• Improve achievement outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics for all learners.
• Align current school mathematics and literacy programmes and assessment practices with changes to the New Zealand Curriculum.
• Strengthen leadership capability to sustain effective practice to promote equitable and excellent outcomes for all children.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers review reading data; especially for children in years one to three to find out howe effectively strategies are supporting children to make sufficient progress and plan next steps
• leaders and the School Board review the attendance plan, identify areas for improvement and plan next steps

Every six months:

• leaders sand the School Board monitor the effectiveness of the school’s attendance plan to plan next steps and report attendance community
• leaders review and record their participation of communities of professional practice and reflect on the impact of their personal growth to strengthen leadership capability

Annually:

• leaders and the School Board review learning outcomes reading, writing, and mathematics, and the impact of professional development and acceleration programmes on student progress and achievement to identify further areas for improvement
• leaders and the School Board review how well school strategies have increased regular attendance, identify next steps for ongoing improvement and share with the community
• leaders and the School Board work together to review how well leadership strategies are impacting equitable and excellent outcomes for all children and driving school improvement.

Expected outcomes

• Improved regular attendance.
• Improved achievement outcomes in reading, writing, and mathematics for all learners.
• A well-aligned curriculum and embedded assessment practices that guide responsive teaching and learning programmes and informs improvement priorities.

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

13 October 2025