Ruakituri 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  

​​Ruakituri School, located 45 kilometres northwest of Wairoa, is a small rural school that provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The current school roll is 10 students, and 40% identify as Māori with the remainder New Zealand European|Pākehā. All of the students come from the surrounding farming community.  The school’s vision, Success for All, focuses on the development of well rounded, confident and responsible individuals who aspire to achieve their potential. ​ 

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 have in place a high-quality local curriculum that promotes the positive engagement of learners leading to improved achievement.​  

Findings  

​​The school made meaningful improvements the local content of the curriculum to better meet the needs of learners. A strong focus on literacy and mathematics helps students become more confident and capable and apply these skills in new and varied learning contexts. Through active collaboration with the wider community, students engage in learning that highlights the importance of environmental sustainability. Learners are well engaged and benefit from a rich variety of opportunities in the rural setting and beyond.​ 

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?Learners experience high levels of success and make excellent progress; outcomes are similarly high for all groups.What is the quality of teaching and learning?Learners benefit from high quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in  reading, writing and mathematicsHow 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 foundational 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 is improving its collection and use 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 1 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

Most​ learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are ​equitable​ for all groups of learners. 

Writing

Most​ learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are ​equitable​ for all groups of learners. 

Mathematics

​​Most​ learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are ​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 ​is developing a suitable plan​ 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.​
• ​​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 meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets. 

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 

​​Learners have a strong sense of belonging and show pride in their school. They experience positive relationships with their teachers and peers. 

• ​Teachers know their students well and maintain warm, respectful relationships that support learning. Students are engaged in their learning and confidently talk about what they are learning and their progress.
• ​Teaching has a strong focus on developing foundational skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. The school is well resourced to meet the needs of students in the multi-level classroom.
• ​Learner progress and achievement is well monitored, with robust assessment practices in place that guide next steps.
• ​Recent attendance data shows significant improvement over the past year.
• ​Leadership is reflective and uses both school-wide and individual learner data to inform future planning. A culture of effective strategic planning and ongoing evaluation of initiatives is evident.
• ​Strong collaboration within the staff and between the school and its community, actively support the school and its learners.
• ​Relationships are strengthening with local iwi and marae, providing input that positively guides school programmes.
• ​Close connections with a range of community groups enrich learning opportunities for students. ​ 

Key priorities 

• ​​Improve rates of regular attendance and maintain these.
• ​Embed The New Zealand Curriculum developments in school programmes, ensuring alignment with appropriate assessment tools.
• ​Strengthen staff capability in te reo Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te ao Māori to support culturally responsive teaching.
• ​Build the school Board’s governance and stewardship capacity through targeted training and use of structured self-review systems.​ 

Actions to bring about improvement  

Within six months: 

• ​​staff engage with whānau to co-develop a plan to support students with irregular attendance
• ​staff commence aligning reading, writing and mathematics programmes and assessment tools with updates in The New Zealand Curriculum
• ​staff engage in professional learning in te reo Māori, mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori and apply this learning to classroom practices
• ​the school Board engage in training to strengthen knowledge of their roles and responsibilities​ 

Every six months: 

• the principal reports to school Board on student learning progress and the impact of actions on school attendance, identifying any emerging concerns and adjusting responses as required
• the principal reports to the school Board on the alignment of teaching programmes and assessment processes to The New Zealand Curriculum
• teachers reflect on the effectiveness of professional learning in te reo Māori, mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori, identifying progress in their knowledge and skill and how this is applied in the classroom 

Annually: 

• the school Board evaluates the effectiveness of school initiatives on improved attendance, using the findings to plan further actions
• the principal assesses the impact of culturally responsive practice on student engagement and achievement
• the school Board undertakes self-review to identify areas for improvement and determine next steps.  

Expected outcomes 

• ​​Sustained rates of regular student attendance.
• ​Curriculum delivery and assessment practices align with updated national expectations.
• ​Staff demonstrate culturally responsive teaching practice that improves engagement and achievement, particularly for Māori learners.
• ​The Ruakituri School Board has enhanced capability in setting strategic direction, self-review and knowledge of their role as stewards of the school.​ 

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​ 

Actions for compliance  

​​ERO has​ identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process: 

• ​​obtain a Police Vet every three years for employees who still work at the school 
  [Education and Training Act 2020, S104]
• ​ensure planning and risk assessment procedures for Education Outside the Classroom activities align with school policies; ensuring appropriate assessment and documentation of risk management and including car travel 
  [Education and Training Act 2020; Children’s Act 2014, Health and Safety at Work Act 2015].​ 

The board ​has since addressed​ the areas of non-compliance identified. 

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​ 

​​12 December 2025​