Tawa Intermediate

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 4 years to evaluate what is working well for learners and what needs to be improved. 

About the School

Tawa Intermediate provides education for students in Years 7 and 8.  At the time of this review there were 463 learners, with European and Pākehā making up approximately 68% of the roll; 23% of learners identified as Asian, 21% as Māori and 15% as Pacific. Their vision is ' A community of curious ākonga, shaping the future with service and courage.'

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 

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 an increasingly consistent focus on supporting learners to gain 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?The school is establishing planning and conditions that support improvements in the quality of education for learners.How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing?The school is taking steps to improve 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 7 to 8

This section is about learner achievement. It outlines how well learners across the school meets or exceeds 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 65%

65 to 79%

80 to 90%

Over 90%

Reading

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

Results are not yet 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

Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. 

Results are not yet 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 small majority of learners attend school regularly.
• The school is behind the target of 80% regular attendance.
• The school has a suitable plan in place to improve attendance.
• Regular attendance is not yet 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 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 and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets and is likely to meet them by 2030.

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 express a strong sense of belonging and pride in their school.  School values, positive relationships, and school culture are highly valued by students.
• Students are increasingly supported to succeed in reading, writing, and mathematics. A broad range of programmes are in place to accelerate progress, promote wellbeing, and foster a strong sense of inclusion and connection.
• Leaders and teachers work collaboratively and have an ongoing commitment to improvement and excellence for all learners. Inclusive and responsive teaching, along with a warm and welcoming environment, supports students in their learning.
• Thoughtful curriculum design reflects local contexts and the aspirations of iwi and whānau. Learning experiences promote engagement and are tailored to extend students’ interests, abilities, and prior knowledge in meaningful ways.
• Focused professional development is closely aligned with the school’s strategic direction, strengthening teaching effectiveness and contributing to improved outcomes for students.
• Leaders and teachers collaboratively identify key improvement areas, take deliberate action, and track progress and the impact on student achievement; their capacity for evaluation is steadily strengthened.

Key priorities 

• Improve assessment practices to accurately find out about learners' progress and achievement.
• Enhance school-wide evaluation to monitor and promote equitable learner outcomes.
• Improve regular attendance. 

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within three months: 

• Ieaders and teachers develop a school attendance plan with a focus to meet government targets

Within six months:

• leaders provide professional learning opportunities that strengthen teachers’ understanding and use of highly effective assessment strategies
• leaders and teachers review the attendance plan and plan next steps 

Every six months:

• leaders review and report learner attendance, progress and achievement information to ongoing decision making for improvement
• leaders evaluate programmes and initiatives designed to improve learner progress and achievement, with a particular focus on equitable outcomes

Annually:

• leaders and the School Board review the impact of the evidence-based approaches on learners’ attendance, progress and achievement and use this information to inform strategic planning.

Expected outcomes 

• High-quality assessment practices established schoolwide that clearly show the progress and achievement of all learners.
• The effective use of evaluation for improvement to support equitable student achievement outcomes.
• More students attending school regularly. 

Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meet 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

Provision for International Students 

Findings

The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self-review of its implementation of the Code.

At the time of this review there was one international student attending the school, and no exchange students. 

Tawa Intermediate complies with all requirements of the Code for hosting international students. It regularly reviews its practices and reports on wellbeing and achievement to parents and the School Board. 

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 (Acting)

4 September 2025