Brooklyn School (Motueka)

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

Brooklyn School (Motueka) provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The school has a roll of 130 learners, 73% of whom are New Zealand European/Pākehā and 28% of students identify as Māori.

The school vision and values are Together at Brooklyn – Active, Curious and Sharing.

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 December 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements and findings

Leaders and teachers have implemented structured literacy practices including the development of a literacy progression framework. This has been embedded in the junior school. Leaders are currently adjusting the literacy progression framework schoolwide to align to curriculum and assessment changes, and in response to the current professional learning.

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 good 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 sufficient opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.

There is an increasingly 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?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 reasonably 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 is improving its reporting to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress.

The school is improving its collection and use of information gathered through community consultation to inform strategic planning and curriculum decisions.

Student Health and SafetyThe school needs to ensure a physically and emotionally safe learning environment.

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. 

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

Results are becoming more 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.

• A large majority of learners are regularly attending school.
• The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
• The school is yet to have 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 does not have 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.

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

• Teachers know their learners well and care about their wellbeing. School leaders have focused on creating a supportive and inclusive school culture.
• Leaders provide professional learning that matches the school’s goals; teachers receive feedback on their progress and there is mentoring for new teachers.
• Structured literacy practices are well established in the junior school and are being reviewed in the middle and senior school. Teachers have, supported by professional learning, started using structured approaches to teaching mathematics.
• Teachers and leaders’ partner with the community to provide learning linked to the local area and to student interests and needs.

Key priorities

• Strengthen strategic and annual planning to ensure there is a focus on learners and the evaluation of outcomes.
• Identify, monitor and report to the Board progress and achievement of target learners and the effectiveness of strategies to accelerate learning.
• Analyse and evaluate school data to understand what is working well and use this to guide decision making.
• Improve regular student attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within six months:

• leaders and the school Board work with the community to develop a strategic plan and annual plan with clear learner-focused outcomes and ways to measure progress
• leaders develop a plan to improve student attendance and share this with the community

Every six months:

• leaders update the school Board on the progress against outcomes in the annual plan and on learner progress and achievement
• teachers and leaders analyse student progress and achievement data and use this information to adjust teaching and review strategies to accelerate learning
• leaders analyse and review the effectiveness of strategies to improve attendance

Annually:

• leaders and the School Board review progress against annual goals and use this to inform resourcing and strategic decisions
• teachers and leaders evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to improve student progress and achievement and use this information to make decisions about next steps
• leaders review attendance strategies, gather feedback from students and whānau, and make changes to improve regular attendance.

Expected outcomes

• An active, informed school Board with a clear focus on improved learner outcomes.
• Teachers and leaders using and analysing school wide data effectively to identify what is working well and what requires ongoing focus.
• Increased progress and achievement for all learners.
• Improved levels of attendance that meet the Government target for regular 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

ERO has identified the following areas of non-compliance during the Board assurance process:

• obtaining and considering a police vet for non-teaching staff before commencing employment
  [Section 104 of the Act: Required Police vetting; Clauses 9,10, 11 and 12 Schedule 4 of Education and Training Act 2020]
• evidence of all teaching staff having completed restraint training.
  [Education (Physical Restraint) Rules 2023 (MOE) and Section 100 of the Education and Training Act 2020]

The Board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.

ERO also identified these areas of non-compliance during the Board assurance process:

• evidence of consistent workforce safety checking
  [Sections 25, 26 and 27 of the Children’s Act 2014: Safety checks of children’s workers; Regulations 5 – 8 of the Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015]
• developing support plans for preventing restraint
  [Education (Physical Restraint) Rules 2023 (MOE) and Section 100 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
• all students are entitled to attend school full-time unless there is a reduced attendance plan approved by the Ministry of Education.
  [Section 33 and 34 Education and Training Act 2020]

The Board is yet to address the areas of non-compliance identified.

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education consider intervention for an action plan as listed in section 171 of the Education and Training Act 2020 in order to bring about the following improvements in governance and leadership: 

• strengthening personnel and appointment practices
• school planning and reporting
• implementing the school’s policies and procedures/guidelines/practices.

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

10 November 2025