Pyes Pa Road 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 

Pyes Pā Road School is a rural school located south of Tauranga catering for learners from Years 1 to 8. The school provides education for about 230 students; 64% are Pākehā/New Zealand European and 18% identify as Māori. The school values are Tū Teitei | Stand Tall, Mahitahi | Strive Together and Angitu | Success for the Future.

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

Expected improvements

The school evaluated how well the quality of leadership and teaching impacted on the development of a local curriculum, strengthened professional growth opportunities, enhanced students’ sense of belonging, culture, language and identity, and encouraged community participation in school life.

The school expected to see high quality leadership and teaching, students feeling valued, confident and comfortable to participate in the school’s curriculum, and all learners engaged and connected to their learning. 

Findings 

The school made good progress in these areas. Positive relationships, inclusive practices and restorative approaches support students to feel valued at school. Students culture and identity is more visible in the curriculum. Teaching is consistently high quality, with well‑established routines, and clear learning expectations evident in classrooms. Students show enthusiasm, are engaged and have greater ownership of their learning. Targeted interventions respond well to individual 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.

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.

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 students 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 improving towards or beyond the target.

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 significantly 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 set 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

• High levels of overall student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics are sustained over time; outcomes for groups of students are equitable.
• Students express a strong sense of belonging and are confident, positive participants in their learning. High expectations are clearly communicated. Reciprocal relationships, supported by well‑embedded systems, promote wellbeing, engagement and students’ ownership of learning.
• Leadership is strategic, collaborative and improvement‑focused. Clear systems drive teaching and learning. Leaders grow capability, distribute responsibility and align professional learning to curriculum priorities and student outcomes.
• Well-designed transition and inclusion processes ensure learners and families/whānau feel welcomed, informed and supported as they move into and through the school. Community and iwi partnerships meaningfully enrich learning and strengthen cultural identity to promote engagement.
• Students benefit from an engaging curriculum connected to the environment. Structured, evidence‑based approaches in literacy and mathematics and authentic learning experiences, foster students’ pride and a strong connection to their school.

Key priorities

• Through leadership inquiry consolidate and refine teaching, learning and assessment practices to The New Zealand Curriculum including reporting requirements
• Further challenge students to excel and achieve excellence.
• Improve regular attendance for all students. 

Actions to bring about improvement 

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers review and adapt as needed the revised assessment and curriculum practices that further support learners to achieve excellent and equitable outcomes
• leaders and teachers evaluate progress against the attendance targets adjusting practices as needed and report to the school Board and community

Annually:

• leaders and teachers collaboratively evaluate the school’s principles of teaching and learning to ensure they meet curriculum and assessment guidelines and excellent outcomes for all learners.

Expected outcomes

• Increased and sustained levels of equity and excellence for all learners
• A well-established assessment cycle aligned to the curriculum
• Improved 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.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

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

16 March 2026