Ruawai College

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

Ruawai College is a small rural college located in the Kaipara District that provides education for students in Years 7 to 13. The school has a roll of 152, 49% of whom identify as Māori. The school’s vision for learners is Kimihia ngā maunga teitei | To seek the highest peak through fostering the values of respect, resilience and responsibility. 

Since the 2023 ERO report, significant changes in school leadership and teaching staff have occurred. A new principal began in 2024, with two new members of the senior leadership team appointed in 2025 and 2026. 

The school operates an onsite alternative education programme for learners needing an adapted programme to support their engagement in learning, and a service academy. 

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 January 2023 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

The school focused on evaluating the cultural relevance and responsiveness of the curriculum and learning in the senior school (Years 11 to 13).

The school expected to see improved and equitable progress and achievement for senior students through access to meaningful learning pathways and effective adaptive teaching that responded well to students’ cultures, languages and identities.

Findings

Leaders and teachers have been working together to develop and implement consistent, relational and culturally responsive teaching practices, along with positive behaviour expectations across the school. These actions have contributed to improvements in student engagement, attendance and a positive learning environment. The school has also broadened curriculum choices and pathways in response to learner needs and interests.

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.

• A large majority of Year 7 to 10 students achieve at curriculum expectations in reading and writing, and most achieve this in mathematics. Overall outcomes for Māori learners are equitable; some disparity for boys in literacy and girls in mathematics is evident. The school continues to refine assessment practices across these year levels to better know about students’ progress and achievement against the new curriculum progressions.
• The large majority of Year 11 students achieve the literacy and numeracy requirements for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). 
• Most students achieve NCEA Levels 1 and 2, a large majority achieve Level 3 and about half achieve University Entrance. 
• Less than half of students attend school regularly; regular attendance is improving and chronic absences have decreased. The school use a range of strategies for working with families and whānau to support better attendance.

Conditions to support learner success

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

• Leadership provides clear direction for school improvement through strategic and annual planning and maintains a focus on these priorities through ongoing monitoring and evaluation. 
• Leadership ensures expectations for effective teaching and learning are clear, shared with staff, and closely monitored.
• Leadership ensures staff professional learning aligns with school improvement goals, fostering the professional growth of teachers.
• Leaders are strengthening the ways they and teachers gather, analyse and use data and evidence to inform strategic and teaching decisions that improve outcomes.

• The school works closely with its community to offer a balanced range of subjects that reflect students’ needs, interests and future goals.
• Teachers know their students well and increasingly tailor learning programmes and teaching to individual needs. They are developing clear routines and positive relationships with students to create calm, inclusive classrooms.
• Leaders and teachers are working together to strengthen curriculum planning and assessment practices, so students succeed in core literacy and numeracy skills and national qualifications.

• The school is strengthening its systems and practices for supporting student wellbeing and inclusion, ensuring timely responses to a wide range of needs.
• The school engages productively with the wider community to identify improvement priorities and address barriers to learning. Staff support smooth transitions and partner with families and whānau, promoting student engagement and progress.
• The Board and leadership have sound processes to meet statutory obligations, review these regularly and ensure the school operates smoothly. 

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

• Raise literacy achievement in Years 7 to 11 through high quality teaching and effective intervention.
• Embed consistent effective teaching practices that support all students’ engagement in learning.
• Increase all students’ regular attendance so they have the best chance to succeed.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• curriculum leaders design a clear Year 7 to 11 literacy curriculum and assessment approach that lifts teaching quality, provides early, targeted support, and prepares students for the NCEA literacy and numeracy co-requisites
• leaders develop and implement a professional learning plan to build consistent, high quality literacy teaching and assessment practices across Years 7 to 11 to accelerate progress
• leaders and teachers develop a shared teaching profile and use this to promote consistent high-quality practice, supported by effective monitoring and evaluation
• leaders and teachers work with families and whānau to put the school’s attendance plan into action and improve regular attendance

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers review progress in implementing the literacy curriculum and teaching practices, identifying strengths and areas to improve 
• leaders and teachers review literacy assessment information to understand students’ progress and achievement and to plan actions to accelerate learning
• leaders and teachers evaluate how well they implement the agreed teaching profile and use this information to set priorities for teacher development and professional learning
• leaders evaluate the impact of attendance strategies, report progress to the Board and adjust planning as needed

Annually:

• the Board and leaders evaluate how well teaching, learning and assessment practices are improving literacy progress and achievement and use this information to guide strategic planning and resourcing.

Expected outcomes

• Students in Years 7 to 11 make accelerated progress in reading and writing and have success in the NCEA literacy co-requisites.
• Consistent, high-quality teaching practice that supports students to be more engaged and active in their learning.
• More students attending school regularly.

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

1 May 2026