Puriri 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

Puriri School is a small rural school near Thames, providing education for learners in Years 1 to 8. At the time of the review the school had 22 students, including 27% who identify as Māori.

The school’s Be TRUE values of Trust, Respect, Understanding, Equity, as well as Kotahitanga, Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga and Whanaungatanga underpin the school’s kaupapa. Te Kura o Awa | River School is a significant and integrated aspect of the school’s curriculum.

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 a consistent focus on supporting learners to gain 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 high quality education for learners are driving excellent school performance.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 large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

A large majority of 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 large 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 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.
• Assessment information is used well 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 significantly 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 and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets and is likely to meet them by 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 learn in an inclusive environment where their hauora (wellbeing) is priority and high expectations are set. Teaching and learning are personalised and respond to the needs of students.
• Students take part in meaningful learning across the New Zealand Curriculum; with a strong focus on improving reading, writing, and mathematics through structured teaching approaches.
• Students explore real-life learning in their local environment, Te Kura O Awa (River School), which contributes to their sense of belonging and engagement in learning.
• The teaching principal and the School Board focus on continuous improvement and work towards clear goals. Strong systems and processes support the use of data to guide decisions.
• Coherent organisational conditions are well aligned with school and government priorities to guide improvement.
• Leaders and teachers work together with external networks and the wider school community to support all learners, including helping them succeed beyond school. Professional learning is thoughtfully planned and contributes to positive outcomes for learners.
• Tikanga Māori guides school practices. Teachers and leaders actively integrate the principles and articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi into daily learning and behaviour expectations. Students confidently use te reo Māori as part of their everyday learning.
• Leaders and teachers encourage regular communication with parents to support learning. 

Key priorities

• Strengthen understanding and use of curriculum and assessment changes, with a continued focus on improving reading and writing outcomes.
• Enhance assessment practices to better track student progress, acceleration, and lift achievement.
• Work with parents and the community to improve regular attendance.
• Deepen collaboration with Ngāti Maru to enhance students’ learning about mana whenua and their local environment. 

Actions to bring about improvement 

Every six months:

• the principal and staff work together to review the effectiveness of professional learning and curriculum implementation and plan next steps
• the principal and teachers use relevant student assessment data to evaluate student progress, acceleration and achievement
• the principal and the School Board review enrolment and attendance data to inform next steps
• the principal plans opportunities to engage with Ngāti Maru

Annually:

• teachers analyse achievement data in reading, writing and mathematics to guide teaching and learning next steps
• the principal and the School Board evaluates attendance and enrolment data to check what’s working well, plan improvements, and share successes with the local community
• the principal and the School Board work with Ngāti Maru to review the partnership and inform future collaborations.

Expected outcomes

• Consistent, high-quality teaching and planning that keeps students engaged and improves achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Effective use of assessment information to support student progress and accelerate learning.
• Improved student attendance and an increase in the school roll.
• Strong partnership with Ngāti Maru, reflected in student learning and the wider community. 

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 

8 October 2025