Parawai 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 

Pārāwai School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The school has a roll of 224 students, with 79 percent NZ European/Pākehā, 34 percent Māori and seven percent of Pacific heritage. The school's vision is Kia Māia | Be Courageous, Kia Hiranga | Strive for Excellence, Kia Ngākau nui | Be of Big Heart. This vision is supported by the school values of Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga, Whanaungatanga and Rangatiratanga. 

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

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 an increasingly 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 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 becoming more 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 has a suitable plan in place to improve attendance.
• Regular attendance is not yet improving towards or beyond the target.

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 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 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 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.

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 learn in well-resourced classrooms and display high levels of purposeful engagement in calm and settled environments.
• Learners have a strong sense of belonging and pride in their school. Learners are well supported through schoolwide inclusive practices that enhance their wellbeing.
• Leadership prioritises the improvement of student learning and achievement through clear strategic planning and decision making, reviewing the impact of selected initiatives that promote positive outcomes for learners.
• Design and delivery of the school curriculum is well planned and contextual, encouraging students to participate in a wide range of meaningful learning experiences. The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is meeting the Government’s one hour per day expectation.
• Leaders and teachers have integrated a structured approach to literacy schoolwide; the implementation of structured mathematics is a focus for 2025.
• Staff regularly collaborate and take opportunities to plan together, share and apply strategies acquired through their professional learning that respond well to learner needs, interests and strengths.

Key priorities

• Ensure consistent high quality teaching practice to improve learner progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Further strengthen the school’s use of achievement information for planning, reporting and evaluation to accelerate progress for students not yet achieving at the expected curriculum levels.
• Monitor and review the school attendance plan and strategies to improve students’ regular attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Every six months:

• review and refine explicit teaching strategies to respond effectively to student assessment information
• monitor and review the effectiveness of actions taken to accelerate progress and lift achievement in reading, writing and mathematics to inform next steps
• refine the school attendance plan, identifying further actions

Annually:

• review schoolwide teaching and learning practices to determine further professional development for staff
• evaluate student achievement and accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics to inform ongoing strategic planning for improvement
• evaluate strategies designed to improve attendance and continue to adjust accordingly.

Expected Outcomes

• Effective use of student progress and achievement information that supports equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners in literacy and mathematics.
• High quality teaching, learning and assessment practices embedded consistently schoolwide.
• Increased levels of regular student attendance.

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 was one international student attending the school.

The school has good systems and processes in place for monitoring the wellbeing and progress of international students. Students are actively included in the school community and have the opportunity to participate in a range of learning experiences.

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

3 December 2025