Tamatea High School

School Evaluation 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

Tamatea High School located in Napier|Ahuriri, provides co-education for learners in Year 9 to 13. The school has a current roll of 386. Māori learners make up the largest proportion of all learners, with 50% of students are New Zealand European|Pākehā, 9% Asian and 8% of Pacific heritage. 

The school has relationships with local hapū, Ngāti Hinepare, Ngāti Maahu, Ngāi Tāwhao, Ngāti Paarau, Ngāti Matepu, Ngāti Tu, Ngai Te Ruruku and iwi, Ngāti Kahungunu. The school offers te reo Māori immersion and bilingual education. Rua Tē Pāia has one rumaki class consisting of Years 9 and Year 10 students. 

A new principal was appointed in 2024. 

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 focused on accelerating students’ learning in literacy and numeracy, ensuring programmes and methods and practices of teaching (pedagogy) enhance student engagement. They expected to see all students accessing meaningful pathways to further study, training or employment.

Findings

Progress is becoming evident. National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 1 numeracy data showed a marked decline from 2022 to 2024. A significant improvement is evident in 2025 with a large majority achieving Level 1 numeracy.

Although NCEA literacy outcomes also showed a decline between 2022 to 2024, most students achieved Level 1 literacy in 2025. 

In 2024 a small majority of leavers left with NCEA Level 2.  Gender inequity is evident. 

Regular attendance has not improved over time. After a temporary improvement in early 2022, attendance information over time shows regular attendance declining and chronic absence rising. 

What we know about learner success 

This section provides a summary of learner success, wellbeing and foundation school conditions, including any education in Rumaki/Reo Rua settings. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.

Learner success and wellbeing

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.

• In 2025, a large majority achieved NCEA Level 1. A small majority of learners achieved NCEA Levels 2 and 3, while less than a third gained University Entrance; the percentage of learners gaining University Entrance (UE) increased from 2022 to 2025. Gender inequity for boys at Level 1 and girls at Level 2 is evident. 
• The percentage of students gaining NCEA endorsed at Merit increased from 2023 to 2024.
• A small majority of students in Years 9 and 10 in reading, writing and mathematics make sufficient progress. A small majority of students in Year 9 achieved the expected curriculum level standard in reading, and less than half in writing and mathematics. At the end of Year 10, less than one-third of students attained the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics. 
• The school is significantly behind the Government target for regular attendance with less than a third of students attending regularly.

Conditions to support learner success

This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement.

• The new senior leadership team is working with staff to embed an innovative approach to teaching. This teaching approach reflects movement toward a shared sense of collective responsibility for improving learner outcomes. 
• Leaders model and reinforce the school’s values, supporting staff and students to embed these principles consistently across all areas of school life. 
• The collection and analysis of achievement data by senior leaders is at an early stage. Strengthening this capability is a key next step to improve strategic decision making for learner achievement.

• Students are supported through structured teaching practices that are designed to promote improved participation in learning and classroom activities. 
• Deliberate, schoolwide action by teachers and leaders ensures mātauranga Māori and te reo Māori are authentically integrated across the curriculum to enhancing both the relevance and depth of learning experiences for students. 
• Curriculum design better reflects students’ strengths and career goals. Ongoing review is required to ensure these programmes consistently lead to improved progress and successful transitions for students.

• The school’s values and high expectations are understood by students and staff, and becoming more embedded in the school’s culture, routines, and systems.
• The school is working towards data informed, evidence-based decision making, focused on addressing under achievement and strengthening the monitoring of learners’ progress and wellbeing.
• The School Board has sound systems for its governance functions; it is working towards developing self-review capacity with focus on learner outcomes. 

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

• Rumaki ākonga are immersed in a place-based, reo Māori-rich curriculum that seamlessly integrates academic learning with cultural identity, fostering holistic development.
• Based on 2025 end‑of‑year data, a small majority of ākonga are meeting or exceeding curriculum expectations in te reo Māori. For Year 9, a small majority are meeting expectations in te reo Māori, reading and writing, while less than a third are doing so in pāngarau and mathematics. For Year 10, a small majority are meeting expectations in te reo Māori, with less than half in writing and less than a third in reading, pāngarau and mathematics.
• Rumaki ākonga benefit from strong whānau engagement, culturally grounded learning experiences, responsive leadership, committed kaiako, and whānau-centred practices that support their success and wellbeing. Attendance remains significantly below the government target and requires focused improvement.

Conditions to support learner success

• The rumaki whānau provide a strong kaupapa-aligned Māori-medium programme, ensuring consistency, depth, and cultural relevance in teaching and learning.
• More recent data show ākonga progress in Te Reo Māori, pāngarau, reading and writing. Regular attendance in Rua Tē Pāia is significantly behind the government target.
• Data collection and reporting practices need to be strengthened to ensure progress and achievement information is meaningful, visible, and aligned with curriculum level expectations. Leadership and governance should enhance support for kaiako through targeted professional learning and resourcing to maintain high-quality teaching and effective ākonga support.

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 identifies key priorities and actions for improvement.

Key priorities

• Complete the attendance plan and share with students and the school’s community. 
• Develop the capacity of leaders and teachers to use data and other information to improve learning and wellbeing outcomes.
• Embed a focused, aligned approach to address the needs of learners at risk of underachievement.
• Embed a systematic approach to evaluating the impact on learner outcomes of expected shifts in teaching and assessment practices.
• Develop a specific Rua Tē Pāia strategic plan to improve data collection to inform decision-making and guide resource allocation for Māori Medium education.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within three months:

• senior leaders to establish and familiarise the school’s community with the attendance plan and clear strategies to increase rates of regular attendance
• the School Board with senior leaders, complete alignment of strategic and annual priorities, including staff professional learning to use data 
• staff and leadership collaborate with all stakeholders to confirm shared understanding of Rua Tē Pāia marau with kaiako and whānau

Within six months:

• senior leaders develop and implement a clear process for evaluating the effectiveness of initiatives and new practices on learner outcomes

Every six months:

• the principal reports to the School Board on the effectiveness of attendance strategies, and progress, achievement and wellbeing outcomes to celebrate gains and inform further change 
• rumaki staff and leadership co-construct strategic priorities for Rua Tē Pāia with all stakeholders and monitor progress

Annually:

• the principal, senior leaders and staff evaluate teaching effectiveness, including the use of learner outcome data to determine priorities
• the School Board scrutinises learner outcome reporting from senior leaders, including attendance trends and patterns, for decision making and as part of determining its governance effectiveness
• rumaki staff and leadership evaluate the impact of actions on ākonga outcomes taken in the strategic plan and marau; report these findings and identify opportunities to drive continuous improvement.

Expected outcomes

• Increased rates of regular attendance for all learners.
• Improved student progress and achievement and equitable outcomes.
• High levels of learner engagement and sense of wellbeing. 
• High quality teaching practices, including staff capability to use data well to inform teaching decisions.
• An established system to evaluate school effectiveness and inform improvement priorities.
• Capability and understanding to effectively lead and sustain improvements in Māori medium education, resulting in enhanced achievement, engagement, and wellbeing outcomes for all rumaki ākonga.

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education 

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

• address attendance, including reducing chronic attendance rates
• support the development of data collection and use, to inform teaching and learning and strategic decision making.

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

23 April 2026