Review 20 May 2025
LatestSchool 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.
About the School
Kaitoke School (Claris) provides education for students in Years 1 to 8, on Aotea (Great Barrier Island). The school’s roll is 41, 29% of whom are Māori.
The school vision is Whāia ki te teitei – Aim High. Values of respect/whakaute, responsibility/haepapa and resilience/manawaora guide teachers and learners.
Part A: Parent Summary
Progress since May 2023 ERO report
The school has evaluated the impact of an innovative, authentic, localised curriculum on the engagement, wellbeing and achievement of all learners.
The school expected to see happy, confident, lifelong learners within a localised curriculum that is authentic to Kaitoke School and which promotes imagination, creativity and success for all.
- Teaching and learning programmes have a focus on authentic experiences in the local environment.
- Wellbeing initiatives based on school values have been introduced, these have led to more settled behaviours and increased attendance.
- Learners report a strong sense of belonging and connection to the school’s environmental and sustainability focus.
During the evaluation, it was found that teaching and learning programmes based on authentic contexts have led to engaged learners and raised achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?
| How well are learners succeeding? | Success and progress for all learners is increasing. |
| What is the quality of teaching and learning? | Learners benefit from high quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
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| How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs? | Learners have rich opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum. There is a 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 high quality education for learners are driving excellent school performance. |
| 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 Safety | The school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety. |
Achievement in Years 0 to 8
This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.
Foundation Skills | |
| Reading | A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Writing | Most 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
The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.
Regular attendance is improving towards or beyond the target.
Assessment
The school is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately find out about achievement against the curriculum.
Teachers are developing assessment information to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.
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 to some extent extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review.
The school is meeting Government writing targets and is making progress towards meeting Government reading and mathematics targets for 2030 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.
An explanation of the terms used in the Parent Summary can be found here Reporting | Education Review Office
Part B: Findings for the school
This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.
Areas of Strength
Leadership at Kaitoke School is responsive, inclusive, and future-focused ensuring alignment between the school’s vision, targets, and classroom practice.
Achievement has improved steadily in recent years; a large majority of learners make sustained progress and achieve at the appropriate curriculum level, particularly in foundational skills; targeted interventions are in place to accelerate achievement for those working below expected levels.
Whānau and student voice are valued and actively inform the strategic direction of the school.
Teachers set high expectations, have a focus on continuous improvement and are supported by professional learning that directly aligns with the school’s strategic goals.
Learners show high levels of engagement with localised and authentic learning experiences.
Key priorities and actions for improvement
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
- embed a school-wide focus on mathematics, including acceleration initiatives to raise engagement and achievement in mathematics
- refine teaching and learning programmes and assessment practices to integrate the new literacy and mathematics requirements to further sustain learner progress and achievement
- continue to strengthen teaching, assessment and wellbeing frameworks to ensure that every learner feels safe, valued, equipped to thrive and actively participates in their learning
- review and refine initiatives that lead to more regular attendance
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months:
- draft a schoolwide overview in mathematics that aligns to the revised curriculum and includes targeted acceleration initiatives
- implement a programme of professional development for teachers to focus on structured mathematics, literacy and assessment approaches
- survey students to understand how well wellbeing initiatives are meeting their needs and how they see themselves as active learners
- consult with the school community about initiatives that will raise regular attendance
Every six months:
- analyse achievement in mathematics to measure the impact of the revised curriculum and acceleration initiatives
- observe teachers and provide feedback about the impact of professional development
- provide opportunities for learners to set and evaluate goals based on their learning and wellbeing
- review attendance data to ensure that more students are attending regularly
Annually:
- analyse achievement data in reading, writing and mathematics and set professional learning goals on the basis of learner needs
- collect student voice to evaluate the impact of wellbeing and engagement initiatives and design further initiatives
- report to the school community on the impact of attendance initiatives that have been successful in raising regular attendance.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
- raised achievement in mathematics to meet school and Government targets, and accelerated learning for those who need it
- coherent and consistent teaching, and assessment practices that support accelerated and sustained achievement
- engaged and confident learners who can set and evaluate learning goals
- most students attending school regularly.
Part C: Regulatory and Legislative Requirements
Provision for International Students
Background
The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories 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.
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.
No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.
Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements
All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:
Board Administration
Yes
Curriculum
Yes
Management of Health, Safety and Welfare
Yes
Personnel Management
Yes
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Report and is due within three 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)
20 May 2025
Education Counts
This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home