Sherenden and Districts 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 

Sherenden and Districts School is a rural school that provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The roll is 54 with 90% of learners New Zealand European|Pākehā and 10% Māori. The school culture is guided by its ROAR values: Respectful, Organisation, Aspiration and Resilience.

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 aimed to effectively promote learner engagement leading to improved and accelerated progress in literacy and numeracy.

Findings

The school embedded structured approaches to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics that build strong foundational skills. Systems to monitor student progress are used effectively. Information is used for planning so that teaching responds to individual learner needs. 

The wider curriculum connects student learning to the rural environment, with an emphasis on local history and environmental sustainability.

Over the past three years, schoolwide achievement has improved, including recent gains for boys in literacy and mathematics. Tracking of student achievement shows steady progression through the curriculum and accelerated progress for some learners. The number of students performing above expectations in reading has increased significantly, and more students are now meeting expected levels in writing. Regular school attendance has also improved markedly since the previous review.

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.

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.

Attendance 

This section is about school attendance and the progress the school is making towards meeting the Government target of 80% regular attendance.

• Most learners attend school regularly.
• The school is exceeding the target of 80% regular attendance.
• The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.
• Regular attendance is improving beyond the target.

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 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 meeting the Government reading, writing and mathematics targets.

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 learn in a warm, affirming environment. Strong relationships with teachers and peers foster a sense of belonging and pride in the school.
• Clear routines and expectations are consistently implemented across the school, enabling learners to understand their roles and responsibilities. Classrooms are well resourced and organised to meet diverse learning needs and support effective learning.
• Teachers know their students well and adapt their practice in multi-level classrooms to provide support and challenge. Teaching strongly emphasises building foundational skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. Learners have opportunities to apply these skills across the wider curriculum.
• Teachers use a range of data to effectively track student progress and inform teaching decisions so that learners continue to achieve as they progress through the curriculum.
• School leadership promotes a collaborative and trusting environment, with a shared vision and clear expectations for teaching practice. The principal provides leadership for an establishing culture of 
  self-review.
• Teachers work together to enhance student learning and wellbeing, supported by relevant professional learning and ongoing discussion about their practice.
• The curriculum connects learning to the surrounding rural environment, focusing on sustainability and local history, increasingly linking these ideas to national and global contexts.
• The School Board represents the community and actively supports the school to achieve its goals. 

Key priorities

• Implement recent developments to The New Zealand Curriculum, align assessment practices and the reporting of student achievement with the updated requirements.
• Strengthen students’ awareness of learning strategies that enhance their goal setting and reflective learning.
• Build staff capacity to integrate te ao Māori, including te reo Māori, across the curriculum; deepen partnerships with whānau and the wider community to further support this integration.
• The school Board undertake regular self-review to support continuous school improvement and to measure their effectiveness as a governance body.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within six months:

• leadership and teachers begin aligning reading, writing and mathematics programmes and assessment tools with the updated curriculum, engaging with support as needed
• staff review and refine schoolwide teaching of student learning strategies, particularly at middle and senior school levels, and embed in classroom practice
• leadership assists teachers to develop a professional learning plan to strengthen confidence and consistency in delivering te ao Māori across all levels; actively engage community expertise to enrich curriculum delivery

Every six months:

• the principal reports to the School Board on progress in aligning teaching programmes and assessment processes to The New Zealand Curriculum
• teachers reflect on the effectiveness of professional learning in te ao Māori, identifying progress in their knowledge and application and determining next steps

Annually:

• staff collect and analyse a range of data, including student voice, to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning strategies in supporting students’ learning and progress
• leaders consult with whānau and the wider community to capture and incorporate their expertise into curriculum planning and delivery
• the school Board undertake a comprehensive self-review to evaluate its impact on school performance and determine next steps for governance improvement. 

Expected outcomes

• Teaching and assessment practices are fully aligned to The New Zealand curriculum and confidently used.
• High levels of learner progress, achievement and attendance are sustained, improved and equity of outcome evident.
• Students set meaningful learning goals and reflect on their progress.
• Student voice and achievement data show improved self-regulation and engagement in learning.
• Teachers demonstrate increased confidence and capability in te reo Māori and the integration of te ao Māori across learning programmes.
• The school Board’s annual self-review informs strategic decisions and supports continuous improvement.

Regulatory and legislative requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements. This includes the provision of education for international students. 

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

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

• ensure planning and risk assessment procedures for Education Outside the Classroom activities
  align with school policies
  [Education and Training Act 2020; Children’s Act 2014, Health and Safety at Work Act 2015].

The Sherenden and Districts School Board has since addressed the areas 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

2 March 2026