Fernworth Primary 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 

Fernworth Primary School provides education for learners in Years 0 to 6. The school has a roll of 266 learners. Of these, 43% identify as Māori, 34% as Pākehā/New Zealand European, 12% of Pacific heritage, 6% of Asian descent and 4% as Middle Eastern, Latin American and African (MELAA).

The school’s values are Whakapono – having self-belief and confidence, and Manaakitanga – being respectful and caring for each other.

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

The school focused on the extent to which fostering Whakapono and Manaakitanga in individual learners leads to successful outcomes. They expected to see students demonstrating resilience, perseverance, and improving their understanding of their progress and achievement.

Findings 

The school has taken deliberate steps to strengthen student wellbeing and engagement. Regular wellbeing surveys show improvement, with teachers responding more effectively to individual needs and setting goals based on feedback. Student voice is central to planning and inquiry, and learners are increasingly confident and reflective about their learning. Whakapono (self-belief) and Manaakitanga  (care and respect) are embedded in all aspects of school life, guiding relationships, teaching and learning. The school responds to feedback, uses structured annual plans with tuakana-teina approaches, and strategically targets learner 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.

A small majority of learners enter Fernworth Primary School significantly behind the expected curriculum level. The school’s efforts are focused on accelerated progress. 

Achievement in Years 0 to 6

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 small 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.
• 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 a growing proportion of English Language Learners (ELL), currently comprising 12% of the roll. These learners are included in overall achievement data. 

• 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 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

• Learners experience a positive, inclusive environment where a strong sense of belonging is fostered through the schools’ values. Learners needing additional in-class learning support are identified and provided with effective assistance.
• Learner feedback is actively gathered through multiple methods and used to inform inquiry and drive continuous improvement in teaching and learning.
• Leaders promote a highly reflective and collaborative team culture through clear systems and expectations that enable staff to engage in professional inquiry and implement innovative strategies to enhance learner success and wellbeing.
• Teachers collaborate to ensure balanced curriculum coverage, including structured approaches to literacy and mathematics.
• Teachers regularly use achievement data and learner voice to inform practice.
• Strong partnerships with parents, whānau, and the wider community are actively maintained through clear communication and regular reporting of student progress.
• The school Board receives clear, comprehensive information to make informed decisions, supported by effective resourcing and strategic planning focused on positive learner outcomes.

Key priorities

• Accelerate progress and raise achievement in reading, writing and mathematics, with a strong focus on improving equity of outcomes for all learner groups.
• Embed and extend expectations for high-quality teaching practice to ensure consistency and maintain high standards across all classrooms.
• Increase regular attendance and engagement to meet Government targets.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers continue to review the impact of targeted teaching strategies on student progress in reading, writing, and mathematics, and use evidence from this review to plan and implement next steps that further accelerate learning
• leaders build on professional learning opportunities aligned with identified needs to strengthen teaching practice and improve student outcomes
• leaders and teachers maintain efforts to monitor attendance and engagement trends, refining strategies to further improve and sustain regular attendance

Annually:

• leaders sustain the practice of evaluating and reporting to the school Board on the impact of teaching, learning, and key initiatives, identifying those most effective in accelerating progress, improving attendance, and enhancing engagement
• leaders and teachers maintain a systematic approach to evaluating the effectiveness of practices and their impact on student outcomes, using evidence to guide future professional learning priorities and strategic planning.

Expected outcomes

• Accelerated progress and improved achievement in reading, writing, and mathematics for all learners, with equitable outcomes across all groups.
• High-quality teaching practices are embedded across all classrooms and consistently applied in line with the school’s expectations.
• Improved regular attendance and engagement that meets or exceeds the Government’s target.

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

12 December 2025