Berkley Normal Middle 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 

Berkley Normal Middle School is located in Hillcrest and provides education for learners in Years 7 to 9. The school roll is 785 students. The largest group of students are New Zealand European/Pākehā (48%), followed by Asian (26%), Māori (15%), Pacific heritage (5%) and the remainder are from other backgrounds.

WERO values underpin the culture of the school – whanaungatanga | connections and relationships, ekea | empowerment, raakau | resilience and perseverance, ora | open mindedness and wellbeing.Statements of intent are for learners to ‘take up the challenge’, where ‘every child has a place’.

As a Normal school, they work closely with the education programmes of the Waikato University, Faculty of Education. 

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 August 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

Priorities for improvement since the previous review were to continue to develop a local curriculum to meet the needs of students and The New Zealand Curriculum refresh, and to enhance equitable learner outcomes through building relationships that support learners’ language, culture and identity.

Findings 

Teaching and learning programmes are strengthened through a variety of initiatives across the wider curriculum and rates of progress for learners have improved. The school continues to explore structured approaches tailored to meet the wide range of learning needs. 

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 high 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 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 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 7 to 9

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

Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

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

Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

Most 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.

• The large majority of learners attend school regularly.
• The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
• The school has a suitable plan in place 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 uses an appropriate approach and reliable practices to find out about achievement against the curriculum.
• Assessment information is used well 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 significantly 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

• A positive school culture supports learners' sense of belonging. Learners are highly engaged and participate in an inclusive learning environment that support their interests, strengths and backgrounds. 
• Leaders and teachers set high expectations for all learners. Leaders and teachers use achievement data effectively to monitor progress and achievement, resulting in effective rates of progress, especially for those students who attend for two years.  
• Leaders and the school Board work well together to implement the school priorities. Well-considered resourcing decisions support a culture of high-quality teaching for improvement.
• Structured teaching approaches in mathematics increase engagement and are being embedded across the school. The school’s structured literacy approach responds to the tailored needs of teachers and learners, and a range of literacy tools and strategies are used. 
• Students participate in a wide range of learning activities within the school’s broad curriculum.
• Professional learning is well planned to strengthen collective teacher capability. This supports an ongoing focus on equitable outcomes for all groups of learners and is improving culturally responsive teaching approaches.  
• School operational systems and processes are effective, regularly reviewed and well embedded, enabling strong conditions for teaching and learning. 
• Internal evaluation practices for ongoing improvement are closely aligned to teachers’ inquiry cycles. 

Key priorities

• Integrate the school’s curriculum, assessment and reporting practices to reflect The New Zealand Curriculum focusing on improving equitable outcomes for all groups of learners. 
• Strengthen learning partnerships with whānau Māori through consultation and enacting their aspirations.
• Increase rates of regular student attendance in partnership with parents/whānau.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• leaders strategically plan the for the implementation of the new assessment and reporting requirements including professional learning for teachers 
• leadership establish regular opportunities to consult and engage with whānau Māori to strengthen home/school learning partnerships

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers evaluate the impact of teaching and learning including assessment practices on learner outcomes to inform curriculum decision making
• leaders and teachers evaluate the impact of whānau Māori consultation on improving learner outcomes and informing future priorities
• leaders closely monitor the effectiveness of initiatives to improve student attendance, adjust where needed and report to the school Board and parent community

Annually:

• leaders and teachers evaluate the effectiveness of New Zealand Curriculum changes on learner progress and achievement, including equitable outcomes for all groups of learners.

Expected outcomes

• The school meets the Government’s target of 80% regular attendance.
• High achievement and equitable outcomes for all learners.
• A school curriculum refresh that meets requirements.  

Regulatory and legislative requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements. This includes the provision of education for international students.

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

Provision for international students 

This section is about the quality of the provision of education for international students enrolled at the school.

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 and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

At the time of this review there were six international students attending the school.

The school demonstrates effective annual self-review and strong pastoral care for international students. 

Well-established systematic review processes draw on student voice, achievement information, and wellbeing monitoring to inform ongoing improvement and board reporting. Pastoral care is responsive and culturally appropriate, with students reporting that they well supported, and know who to approach for help.

Targeted English language support and collaboration between specialist and classroom teachers contribute positively to the quality of education, enabling students to understand their learning and recognise their progress. International students are actively involved in the wider life of the school through participation in camps, sport, and cultural activities, fostering a strong sense of belonging and engagement.

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

8 May 2026