Taumarunui High School

School Evaluation 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 

Taumarunui High School is a co-educational secondary school for students in Years 9 to 13. The school’s vision is A Place of Learning, Aroha and Respect and its motto is Kia Manawanui | Be Steadfast. The school uses the Big Picture Learning curriculum design for all year levels. The school offers trades academy programmes in building, farming, hairdressing, hospitality and tourism, and is a fundholder for alternative education provision.

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

Expected improvements and findings

This section is about the progress the school has made since the November 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings. 

The school’s previous improvement goals are drawn from the ERO report of November 2022. The focus to evaluate the extent to which teacher efficacy (dispositions and effectiveness) impacted on student outcomes to improve learning outcomes for all. 

Expected improvement 

The school expected to see an improvement in teaching practice and teachers consistently engaging in effective teaching interactions and practices based on Rongohia te Hau indicators and outcomes data. 

The school expected student achievement in literacy and numeracy in Years 9 and 10 and in National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2 to improve. 

Findings 

The school has made variable progress against these improvement areas. The quality of teaching remains variable with limited range of teaching and learning strategies being used across the school. 

Achievement information for students in Years 9 and 10 shows minimal improvement in reading and mathematics. Student achievement in writing remains a concern. 

Students report that they value being able to set an individual pathway for future study or employment. The school has yet to collate and report on students’ destination data to confirm how well individual plans work for each school leaver. 

What we know about learner success 

This is a summary of learner success, which guides the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings. 

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.

• Less than half of Year 9 and 10 students achieve at or above the expected curriculum levels in reading, and few are at or above in writing and mathematics.
• The school is yet to develop a clear understanding about student progress and achievement in Year 11 to support success in NCEA Level 2 and 3.
• Less than half of students achieved NCEA Level 2 in 2024, with a small majority achieving NCEA Level 3; very few gained University Entrance.  
• The school is significantly behind the Government’s target for attendance; regular attendance is improving towards the target.

Conditions to support learner success

This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement. 

• Learning design enables students to have choices in what they learn. The school’s learning programmes should be reviewed and strengthened to ensure Years 9 to 11 students access all learning areas of The New Zealand Curriculum.
• Leaders and teachers work with students to identify personal learning goals and individual learning plans. However, leaders need to develop a framework for tracking and monitoring progress and achievement across the breadth of The New Zealand Curriculum.
• The school builds productive partnerships through positive relationships with local employers, industry and vocational training that supports students’ transitions into future employment.

• Student engagement levels in learning differ. Some students demonstrate strong self-management and motivation; many require additional instructional support to develop their foundational skills in literacy and mathematics.
• Teachers’ use of data and responsive teaching practices are inconsistent. Schoolwide understanding of effective teaching needs to be developed and monitored.
• Whānau have regular opportunities to be involved in their child’s learning through termly exhibitions of each student’s learning.
• Students with additional learning needs are well identified and supported.

• The School Board should systematically review data to determine how effectively current teaching approaches cover The New Zealand Curriculum and whether individual programmes result in equitable learning opportunities and positive outcomes for all students.
• Teachers’ systematic use of assessment and achievement data should be strengthened to increase the consistency in the quality of teaching and learning.
• The school made recent progress in providing kapa haka learning and performance opportunities; ensuring all students access planned schoolwide bicultural learning opportunities in te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori is a next step.

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.

Key priorities 

• Provide a teaching programme with learning progressions that reflects the breadth and depth of The New Zealand Curriculum.
• Improve progress and achievement.
• Improve regular attendance and retention to meet the Government target.
• Provide the School Board with reliable and appropriate achievement data to guide decision making and drive improvement. 

Actions to bring about improvement: 

Within three months:

• leaders and teachers review the current approach to teaching and learning to ensure coverage of The New Zealand Curriculum
• leaders need to develop a framework for tracking and monitoring progress and achievement across the breadth of The New Zealand Curriculum
• leaders report to the School Board on school’s attendance strategies to establish next steps for improvement

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers establish targeted schoolwide literacy and mathematics teaching programmes based on effective practices
• the School Board and leaders evaluate the progress of the review of the provision and delivery of The New Zealand Curriculum and report this progress to the community

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers monitor the extent and effectiveness of literacy and mathematics programmes and teaching strategies to inform next steps
• leaders analyse, report and respond to attendance and pastoral data, including retention, to improve engagement and achievement
• the School Board and leaders use whānau, student and teacher feedback to inform ongoing school improvement planning

Annually:

• the School Board and leaders report to the school community on student attendance, progress, achievement and retention data, to show the impact of school initiatives, inform annual and strategic planning and to set improvement targets
• leaders and the School Board review and report on the progress of the school’s redevelopment of the curriculum and the impact of teacher professional development on improving schoolwide teaching practices
• the School Board and leaders evaluate the effectiveness of student learning exhibitions to ensure whānau and students receive robust information about progress, achievement and next learning steps across the breadth of The New Zealand Curriculum.

Expected outcomes 

• Improved progress and achievement.
• A schoolwide teaching programme that reflects the breadth and depth of The New Zealand Curriculum.
• High quality, evidence-based teaching practices.
• Reporting that shows students’ progress and steps to improve achievement.
• Increased regular attendance and senior school retention.

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education 

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education consider intervention(s) listed in section 171 of the Education and Training Act 2020 in order to bring about the following improvements: 

• schoolwide systems and processes that support high-quality teaching and learning including increased use of progress and achievement data
• equitable learning opportunities to enable all learners to experience progressions of learning across the breadth and depth of The New Zealand Curriculum
• increased regular attendance and engagement in learning.

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

7 October 2025