Whakarewarewa 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 

Whakarewarewa School is located in the heart of Whakarewarewa, Rotorua and caters for approximately 111 students from Years 1 to 8. The school offers dual medium education. Te Whānau Rumaki is a Level 1 immersion unit consisting of three classrooms that support 47 ākonga in Years 1 to 6. The school values are Pride – Mana, Empathy – Aroha, Respect – Whakaute, and Honesty – Tika me te pono. Whakarewarewa School is guided by a marau ā-kura that explores the people, places, histories and kōrero of Tūhourangi, while embracing all iwi and cultures.

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

Expected improvements 

The school focused on strengthening the strategic implementation of identified priorities by building collective capacity of staff and improving student outcomes to ensure equity and excellence for the tamariki of Whakarewarewa School.

Findings 

Whakarewarewa School enhanced staff capability through targeted professional learning, resulting in improved outcomes in English medium. Māori medium learners are not yet meeting curriculum expectations, largely due to limited te reo Māori proficiency upon entry to Te Whānau Rumaki. The school is consulting with the community on entry criteria to address this challenge. 

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.

A large majority of learners enter Whakarewarewa School significantly behind the expected curriculum level. The school’s efforts are well focused on accelerated progress.

How well are learners succeeding?The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners.What is the quality of teaching and learning?Learners benefit from good 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 sufficient opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.

There is an increasingly consistent focus on supporting learners to gain foundational skills in literacy, mathematics, te reo matatini and pāngarau.

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 needs to ensure a physically and emotionally safe learning environment.

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.

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 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

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

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Rumaki/Reo Rua

 Pānui

Less than a third of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners. 

Tuhituhi

Less than a third of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners. 

Pāngarau

Less than a third 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.

• Less than half 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 is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately 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.

Almost all tamariki in the rumaki whānau enter Māori medium with little to no prior exposure to te reo Māori. In response, the school actively consult with whānau, hapū and the wider community to develop clear entry criteria for the rumaki pathway. This process aims to ensure a consistent and successful pathway for tamariki learning through the provision of te reo Māori.

• The school has 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 and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets and is likely to meet them by 2030.

Support 

During the course of this review ERO had concerns about the quality of education being provided and made recommendations for support and/or intervention to the Secretary / Ministry of Education.

Rumaki/Reo Rua outcomes and conditions to support learner success 

This section of the report provides more detail about the quality of teaching and learning through the provision of te reo Māori in rumaki/Reo Rua classroom/s within in English medium schools.

Learner success and wellbeing

• Less than a third of ākonga in the rumaki meet or exceed expected curriculum levels in pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau.
• Ākonga regular attendance in the rumaki is currently behind the government attendance target.
• Ākonga are engaged in te reo Māori learning that is embedded in tikanga and kawa of Tūhourangi, ensuring culturally authentic and meaningful learning opportunities.
• Ākonga benefit from a Marau-ā-Kura that reflects local culture and identity, promoting a strong cultural foundation for success.

Conditions to support learner success

• Tamariki are immersed in an environment where the integration of language, culture, and identity strengthens their cultural grounding. Strong partnerships with iwi and mana whenua nurture a strong sense of belonging for ākonga.
• Whānau engagement is variable, and school leaders need to strengthen home school partnerships to support ākonga progress and wellbeing.
• Culturally grounded approaches, combined with targeted interventions from external agencies, support ākonga to engage in learning.

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

• Teaching is increasingly structured and targeted, with kaiako strengthening interventions through a deep understanding of their learners.
• Professional learning for staff in structured literacy and mathematics is building collective capability and confidence in delivering quality teaching.
• The impact of teaching and learning programmes is regularly assessed through learner reflections, student voice, and achievement data. School leaders and kaiako use this evidence effectively to guide future planning and drive continuous improvement.
• Leadership maintains an improvement focus, setting and actively pursuing a small number of strategic goals, and develop targeted actions to accelerate progress for learners at risk of underachievement.
• Support and wellbeing initiatives are implemented effectively, underpinned by a culturally grounded framework that supports tamariki to explore their identity, build self-awareness, and strengthen their sense of belonging within the kura.

Key priorities 

• Improve regular attendance to support learner outcomes.
• Strengthen capability in using data and evaluative information to inform strategic priorities and guide resourcing decisions.
• Develop and implement targeted extension opportunities that support and challenge learners who are working at or above expected curriculum levels.
• Strengthen assessment and teaching practice in pāngarau, tuhituhi, and pānui, using targeted strategies to support ākonga who are below expected curriculum levels.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within three months:

• leaders and the school Board embed regular monitoring and analysis of attendance data to evaluate the effectiveness of strategic actions and ensure improved regular attendance
• leaders and kaiako develop and implement an improvement plan for ākonga in Whānau Rumaki o Whakarewarewa at risk of not achieving in pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau

Within six months:

• leaders provide targeted professional development for kaiako in Whānau Rumaki o Whakarewarewa to build teacher knowledge and capability in te reo matatini and pāngarau

Every six months:

• the School Board develop clear, realistic and measurable attendance goals for the attendance plan, review attendance trends and plan next steps for improvement
• the School Board engage in targeted training to support the regular review of data and trial a data informed decision-making framework to support strategic initiatives
• leadership and teachers use assessment data to identify high-achieving learners and co-design targeted extension opportunities, while actively monitoring engagement and progress
• monitor ākonga progress in Whānau Rumaki o Whakarewarewa and target support as needed, with particular attention to leaners who are significantly behind 

Annually:

• the School Board and leaders create and share an annual report showing how attendance affects student outcomes, use this to help guide improvements and involve whānau in working together to support better attendance
• the school Board and leadership review the impact of learner data on strategic priorities, establish a system for ongoing monitoring, and engage external expertise to enhance evaluative practice
• leadership and teachers evaluate the impact of extension programmes, share effective practices across teams, and set new goals to support in future planning
• leadership complete a thorough analysis and evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of strategies, interventions and resourcing decisions for Te Whānau Rumaki o Whakarewarewa.

Expected outcomes 

• Increased regular attendance and improved progress, achievement and wellbeing for all learners including learners working at or above curriculum levels.
• Enhanced governance confidence and capability in interpreting data, resulting in strategic priorities that are data driven and aligned with learners needs.
• Strengthened whānau engagement in shared accountability for attendance and achievement.
• Improved ākonga outcomes, particularly for students at risk of underachievement in Whānau Rumaki o Whakarewarewa.

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

No

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

No

Personnel Management

Yes

Actions for Compliance 

ERO and the board have identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

• ensure all procedures and practices relating to the stand-down/suspension/exclusion and/or expulsion of any student are implemented in accordance with the guidance issued by the Ministry of Education (Sections 78 to 89 Education and Training Act 2020)
• evaluate evacuation procedures and report fire drills to Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Section 32 Fire and Emergency (Fire Safety, Evacuation, Procedures, and Evacuation Schemes) Regulations 2018)
• provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students including preventing and reporting child abuse, and the prevention of bullying [Section 127(1) and (2) Education and Training Act 2020]
• implement risk management procedures for school trips and education outside the classroom (Health and Safety at Work Legislation – EOTC Guidelines)
• the board needs to be regularly assured that the school is monitoring and reporting health and safety risks, trends and patterns [Health and Safety at Work Act 2015] 
• to follow school policy and legislative requirements regarding the receipt and management of written complaints [Schedule 2A Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987; S27 New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990; S15 Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020]
• to ensure necessary safety checks of an employee are completed [Section 25, 26, 27 Children’s Act 2014; Sections 5 – 8 Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015]
• to follow school policy, procedures and legislative requirements regarding mandatory reporting to Teaching Council [Education and Training Act 2020].

The board has not yet addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education 

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education provide tailored support for:

• the school Board to meet their governance responsibilities, with a focus on health and safety
• improving student achievement in the rumaki.

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                                       Sharee Hemingway
Director of Schools                            Director Ākonga Māori

27 January 2026