Putaruru Primary 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

Putāruru Primary School caters for students in Years 1 to 6. The school roll is 197 of whom 59% identify as Māori. The school’s values are manaakitanga - kindness, pono - honesty, manawaroa - resilience and whakaute.

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 May 2023 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings. 

Expected improvements 

ERO and the school have worked together to evaluate how effectively formative assessment strategies impact on student achievement outcomes. The school expected to see accelerated progress in literacy and numeracy, consistent use of formative assessment practices and learners who actively make choices about their learning to improve achievement outcomes.

Findings

A schoolwide approach to learning and assessment has been implemented. Achievement data is used to track and monitor progress and to identify the specific learning needs of each student.

Teachers identify individual learning goals and plan accordingly. Whānau regularly access information about the progress their child is making. Student achievement outcomes in literacy and mathematics have improved in 2024.

Students with additional needs are planned for, tracked and monitored. Student voice is fostered in regular learning focused conversations and increasingly used to inform programmes. 

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?The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners.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

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

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

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

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

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

Results are not yet 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. 

• Less than half of learners attend school regularly.
• The school is behind the Government target of 80% regular attendance.
• The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.
• Regular attendance is not yet improving towards or beyond the target.
• Chronic absence is not yet 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 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 is developing 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.

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 are engaged in their learning and report that they enjoy the wide range of opportunities enabled by the school’s curriculum.
• Leader’s support and guide school’s improvement, fostering increased staff leadership capacity that enables positive change.
• School values are being embedded through a te ao Māori approach. Strengthened community partnerships are a priority.
• Māori students are achieving at similar rates as their peers in reading and writing.
• Teachers implement structured literacy and mathematics programmes across all levels.
• Regular attendance significantly improved during Term 1, 2025.

Key priorities 

• Accelerate the achievement of all students, including raising literacy outcomes schoolwide.
• Embed the new English and mathematics curriculum requirements.
• Lift the achievement of students at risk of not achieving in mathematics.
• Use assessment data more effectively to inform teacher planning to meet the range of student needs.
• Improve regular attendance and reduce the number of students who are chronically absent.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within three months:

• leaders and teachers engage in professional learning and development to implement structured literacy and mathematics programmes
• leaders and teachers develop and implement a plan to lift the achievement of students at risk of not achieving in maths
• leaders refine the gathering and analysis of achievement information to guide programme delivery
• leaders’ teachers will evaluate attendance strategies and plans to more fully understand what is working

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers fully implement structured literacy and structured mathematics across the school

Every six months:

• leaders use achievement information to refine teacher planning to respond to student needs
• leaders report to the School Board on trends and patterns in regular attendance and chronic absences to identify actions to improve student engagement 

Annually:

• leaders review the effectiveness of the implementation of the English and mathematics curriculum documents on improving student outcomes, including the accelerated progress of target students
• the School Board and leaders further inquire into the use of achievement information to inform planning and teaching and determine the impact of programme delivery on student achievement outcomes
• the School Board and leaders review the school’s progress towards increasing regular attendance and engagement to inform the ongoing targeted strategies and planning.

Expected outcomes

• Improved student outcomes in literacy and mathematics.
• More effective teaching strategies that accelerate and lift achievement outcomes.
• Regular attendance improves and students are more engaged in learning. 

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

10 October 2025