Motueka 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

Motueka High School provides education for learners in Years 9 to 13. The school’s mission is to prepare students for their future by providing a balanced, full education within a caring environment and in partnership with the community. The school’s values are Rangatiratanga - Managing Self; Manaakitanga - Respect for others, ourselves, and our environment; and Ako - Centrality of Learning.

Education Counts provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. 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 February 2023 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

The school expected to see students in Year 9 to 13 experiencing success in localised and integrated earning programmes and equity and excellence in outcomes at NCEA.

The school focused on developing a leadership framework to ensure a coherent, collaborative approach to implementing changes and driving improvement. It was expected that the aspiration of the school community would be reflected in the new strategic plan.

Findings

Learners are experiencing learning programmes that are increasingly connected and relevant to local contexts. The school has embedded teaching practices based on positive learning relationships resulting in improved learner student engagement and achievement.

Goals and aspirations of mana whenua, expressed through Ngā Kawatau me ngā Tūmanakotanga o Te Tauihu, are guiding teacher development and programme design.

Strategic and annual planning goals are effectively helping the school assess changes to better meet learners' diverse needs. The school uses evidence-based data and engages with the community, including mana whenua, to inform the priorities in its strategic plan.

Other findings

During the evaluation, it was found that student achievement is generally increasing with the school’s close attention to tracking student achievement over time and the implementation of appropriate interventions and supports. The greatest shift that occurred in response to the school’s actions is an improvement in success in National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Levels 2 and 3 and University Entrance.

What we know about learner success

This is a summary of learner success, which guides the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki/bilingual settings.

Less than a third

Less than half

Small majority

Large majority

Most

Almost all

0 to 33% 

34 to 49%

50 to 65%

65 to 79%

80 to 90%

Over 90%

Learner success and wellbeing

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.

Learner progress across the school is increasingly positive.

• A small majority of Year 9 and 10 learners are achieving at or above curriculum levels in reading and mathematics with a lower number in writing. The school is improving its framework for tracking learner progress in Years 9 and 10, particularly in literacy and numeracy across the curriculum.
• A small majority of Year 11 learners achieve the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Level 1 and a large majority of Year 12, and 13 learners achieve Levels 2 and 3, less than half achieve University Entrance.
• Learners value a sense of inclusion and belonging at school and enjoy a wide variety of learning opportunities.
• The school is not yet meeting the Government’s target for regular attendance with less than half of learners attending school regularly. Improving regular attendance is a priority for the school.

Conditions to support learner success

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

School leadership works collaboratively and strategically to improve outcomes for learners.

• Leaders and teachers are refining a schoolwide understanding of high-quality teaching practices to accelerate learner progress and achievement across the diversity of the school.
• Leaders effectively use multiple sources of evidence to coherently plan, implement and review strategic and annual plans to support increased learner engagement and progress.
• Leaders prioritise professional learning for staff that supports consistent, effective and inclusive teaching practices that improve outcomes for learners.

The school’s curriculum design and teaching practices are increasingly responsive to learner needs, interests and cultural identities.

• Classroom environments are welcoming with positive teacher-learner relationships and clear expectations and routines for learning.
• Learner progress is increasingly monitored and supported by purposeful teaching strategies to ensure all learners experience success.
• Curriculum design increasingly reflects local contexts and provides a wide variety of learning opportunities that improve engagement and achievement across the diversity of the school.

Key conditions to support school improvement and learner success are becoming increasingly embedded.

• The Board and leaders have a clear focus on strategic and annual planning based on strong community consultation and centred on furthering wellbeing, engagement and achievement of learners.
• Teachers increasingly use effective communication strategies to develop and sustain valued partnerships with parents and whānau to support learning and wellbeing.
• The school has well-established connections with iwi to support all learners to be confident in their identities, languages and cultures across the diversity of the school and community.
• Leaders and teachers affirm and value the diversity of learners and increasingly provide inclusive opportunities and programmes to support all learners to experience success.

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

• Improve how teachers use attendance, wellbeing and achievement data to inform practices.
• Improve the progress and achievement for all learners and accelerate progress for learners at risk of not achieving.
• Continue building teacher cultural capability, responsiveness and confidence in mātauranga Māori and te āo Māori for culturally responsive teaching.
• Increase regular attendance. 

Actions to bring about improvement

Within three months:

• leaders and teachers continue to develop current strategies and initiatives that are improving attendance

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers complete the development and implementation of the data framework for Years 9 and 10 to better monitor learner progress and achievement
• leaders and teachers embed literacy and numeracy strategies across the curriculum to raise achievement
• leaders and teachers implement specialised interventions for learners who require further support

Every six months:

• teachers refine the data framework they use to understand Years 9 and 10 engagement and learning data to inform teaching practice
• leaders and teachers review and respond to Years 11 to 13 progress data, and identify, track and mentor learners at risk of not achieving
• leaders and teacher review the use of inclusive teaching strategies to meet the meet the diverse needs of learners, including for NCEA achievement and identify next steps as needed

Annually:

• the School Board use student, teacher and whānau feedback to guide and inform annual and strategic planning
• the School Board and leaders use attendance, engagement and achievement data to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching practice on learner outcomes and use this to inform annual planning
• the School Board review the school’s curriculum to ensure it continues to reflect the diverse nature of the school community, ensuring learners and their whānau see their own and the wider community’s identities reflected. 

Expected outcomes

• The consistent use of high-quality assessment information to identify the next learning steps for learners.
• An engaging learning programme that improves learner engagement, regular attendance and achievement.
• Highly effective and inclusive teaching practices that respond to the cultures and identities of learners and support improving achievement of all learners.

The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation 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 (Acting)

3 September 2025