Onekawa 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

Onekawa School, located in Napier Hawke’s Bay, provides education for learners in Years 0 to 6. The school roll is 357 students and comprises 43% of learners who identify New Zealand European|Pākehā, 37% Māori, 7% Asian, 3% of Pacific heritage and 10% other ethnic groups. The school’s core values are reflected in Kia Tū Māia Kia Aumangea Manaakitanga.

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 expected to see effective, and culturally responsive, teaching strategies that promote equitable outcomes for all learners, particularly Māori boys. They focused on providing a rich, broad and local curriculum that responds to learners' identity, language and culture.

Findings 

A rich, broad curriculum incorporating local contexts has supported engagement and improved achievement for Māori learners. The school does not disaggregate data to determine equity of outcomes between Māori boys and girls. Affirmation of learners’ identities, languages, and cultures promotes a sense of belonging.

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.

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 high 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 rich opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.

There is a consistent focus on supporting learners to gain skills in foundational skills in literacy and mathematics.

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 is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.

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.

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 large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

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

Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

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

Results are 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.

• The large majority of learners attend school regularly.
• The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
• The school is developing a suitable plan 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.
• Teachers are developing their use of assessment information 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 is developing 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

Students are well engaged in their learning. Learners have a strong sense of belonging, wellbeing and pride in their school. They experience a positive, inclusive and caring learning environment that supports their interests and cultures. 

A consistent collaborative and well understood approach to teaching and learning is evident across the school. Learning is well planned, emphasising reading, writing and mathematics. Structured literacy and mathematics approaches are embedded schoolwide.

Leaders and teachers work collaboratively. Teachers are well supported to build capability through professional learning programmes aligned with strategic goals for learner achievement.

Whānau engagement is high, and parents are well informed about their children’s progress and achievement.

School leaders work with the school Board to set a clear direction and focus on improving conditions that help students succeed. The Board makes well considered decisions about resources to make sure staff are well placed to support student learning.

Key priorities

• Align the school curriculum with The New Zealand Curriculum and assessment requirements.
• Grow teacher confidence and capacity in te reo Māori.
• Strengthen analysis and the use of data to inform teaching, gain a deeper insight into the needs of different groups of learners and to better inform the impact of improvement actions in strategic planning.
• Further improve regular attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers review teaching approaches in literacy and mathematics for alignment with The New Zealand Curriculum and assessment developments; identify further staff professional learning priorities
• leaders support teachers, and provide opportunity, for improved confidence and capacity in te reo Māori
• leaders analyse the impact and effectiveness of teaching and learning programmes, with a focus on reading, writing and mathematics

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers collaboratively review current data analysis practices, to look at usefulness and accuracy across the school
• leaders and the School Board evaluate the impact of strategies used to further improve students’ regular attendance to guide next steps

Annually:

• leaders evaluate the quality of teaching and the use of best practice approaches aligned to curriculum and assessment developments, identifying areas for future development
• leaders and the school Board use analysed achievement data to identify barriers to learning, inform strategic goals and implement effective targeted action
• leaders and the school Board evaluate the effectiveness of attendance strategies to increase regular learner attendance towards government targets and adjust as needed. 

Expected outcomes

• Alignment of the school and The New Zealand Curriculum and assessment requirements.
• Improved progress, achievement and equity in outcomes for all learners.
• Teachers and students using te reo Māori with greater proficiency.
• Sustained and improved regular student attendance.

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

Actions for Compliance 

The board and ERO has identified the following area of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

• process for Police vet completed prior to employment
  [Education and Training Act 2020, Section 104].

The board has since addressed the area of non-compliance identified.

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 December 2025