Springlands 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

Springlands School is located in Blenheim and provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The school roll is currently 344 with a majority of learners identifying as Pākehā / New Zealand European (54%), 21% Māori, 13% of Asian descent, 5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African (MELAA), 3% of Pacific heritage and smaller numbers identifying with other diverse cultures. The school’s values are: Manawanuitanga, Whanaungatanga, Kaitiakitanga and 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 July 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

The school evaluated the school’s culturally responsive practices. The school expected to see increased student engagement and wellbeing and a strengthening of whānau and aiga reciprocal learning partnerships to improve outcomes for Māori and Pacific students. 

Findings

There has been significant improvement in equity of outcomes between student groups, particularly for Māori and Pacific students. While progress is evident, continuing to enhance outcomes for these learners remains a priority. A range of targeted programmes and initiatives were implemented to support students at risk of not achieving, resulting in accelerated learning for some. Regular school attendance continues to improve, progressing towards meeting government targets.

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 0 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.

• The small majority of students attend school regularly.
• The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
• The school has a suitable plan in place to improve attendance.
• Regular attendance is improving towards or beyond the target.

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

• Learners are engaged in inclusive learning environments that support participation and respectful relationships with teachers.
• Leaders promote a collaborative team culture where staff reflect on their practice and embrace new approaches to improve learner success and wellbeing.
• Leadership actively builds professional knowledge with teachers strengthening teaching and learning through intentional collaboration.
• The School Board, leaders and teachers engage in robust conversations about student progress to shape strategic priorities and improve outcomes.
• Leaders and teachers use diverse communication methods to connect with parents and whānau, building shared understandings and encouraging active support for their child’s learning.
• The school has established community partnerships that guide the development of the school’s vision and values and informs improvement priorities; partnerships with whānau, hapū and iwi and the Pacific community continue to grow.

Key priorities

• Strengthen structured teaching approaches in mathematics and literacy to improve outcomes and increase equity for all learners.
• Evaluate and expand strategies to improve regular student attendance.
• Strengthen the use of evaluation to effectively identify areas for improvement.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers review strategies and monitor progress towards improving regular attendance and learner outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics
• leaders investigate and establish a systematic approach to using evaluation for school improvement

Every six months:

• leaders report to the School Board on student progress in reading, writing and mathematics, showing the impact of actions and responses to emerging trends
• leaders and teachers use evaluation to identify actions that are improving outcomes for learners and plan next steps

Annually:

• the School Board, with community input, uses student attendance, progress and achievement information to develop strategic priorities and guide resourcing decisions
• leaders, teachers and the School Board evaluate teaching approaches to understand their impact on student engagement and outcomes and use this insight to set future improvement priorities.

Expected outcomes

• improved achievement in mathematics and literacy, with reduced disparities in outcomes for all learners
• increased rates of regular attendance across all year levels
• evaluative processes are embedded across the school, enabling data-informed decision-making to drive school improvement at all levels.

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 some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

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

19 September 2025