Mapua 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 

Mapua School provides education for learners in Years 0 to 8. Pākehā / New Zealand European learners make up the largest proportion of all learners (81%), learners who identify as Māori (9%) and learners from other diverse ethnicities (10%). The school’s vision is To Be All We Can - E eke ai. Its values are Respectful – Whakaute, Resilient – Manawaroa and Ready to Learn – Rite ki tea ko.

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 February 2023 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

The school focused on evaluating assessment practices in literacy to support a cohesive approach to students’ transitions throughout the school.

The school expected to see that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of achievement and progress. Students having greater ownership of their learning and being active participants in assessment conversations.

Findings 

School leaders and teachers collaborated effectively to review and refine assessment resources and practices, resulting in greater consistency across the school. This work strengthened the reliability of schoolwide achievement data and deepened collective understanding of assessment expectations. Evidence shows that learners increasingly taking ownership of their learning through clear learning intentions and success criteria. They demonstrate confidence in sharing their progress with whānau and actively participate in learning celebrations, reflecting a positive shift towards learner agency and partnership in 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?Learners experience high levels of success and make excellent progress; outcomes are similarly high for all groups.What is the quality of teaching and learning?Learners benefit from excellent 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 a 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?School planning and conditions to support ongoing improvement to the quality of education for learners are well established.How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing?The school successfully 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 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 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

Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are becoming more 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 large majority of learners attend school regularly.
• The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
• The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.
• Regular attendance is improving towards or beyond the target.
• Chronic absence is not yet reducing over time. 

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 significantly 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 Government reading, writing and mathematics targets and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets set 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

• Learners experience strong, respectful relationships among peers, staff, and whānau that underpin and inclusive school culture. Collaborative practices build trust and strong partnerships across the school community.
• Learner achievement in reading, writing, and mathematics remains consistently high, with reduced variability between groups. Leaders and teachers use data effectively to identify next steps and target support for individual learners and groups.
• Leaders and teachers maintain a strong focus on literacy and mathematics, supported by ongoing professional learning that promotes continuous growth and aligns practices with current best practice.
• Learner engagement is strengthened through responsive teaching that supports and encourages positive risk-taking and offers diverse curriculum opportunities enriched by local contexts.
• The school has a clear system for early identification and support of learner needs, strengthened by strong collaboration between teachers, senior leaders and the specialist support team.  
• School leaders actively promote leadership opportunities by recognising individual strengths and creating space for growth, encouraging staff and learners to develop their leadership capabilities.
• Senior leaders articulate a clear, strategic vision for teaching and learning, set high expectations for improvement, and foster strong collegial relationships across the school.

Key priorities

• Align the school’s writing curriculum with the structured literacy approach and the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) to improve learner outcomes and ensure consistency across the school.
• Embed an effective evaluation framework to drive continuous improvement in teaching and learning.
• Strengthen regular attendance through a targeted attendance management plan.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers align the writing curriculum with NZC updates to ensure consistency across the school
• leaders design and implement an evaluation framework with measurable indicators of teaching and learning impact
• the school Board and leaders develop and implement an attendance management plan to improve attendance and reduce lateness

Every six months:

• school leaders analyse learner achievement information, teacher reflections and learner voice to evaluate the effectiveness of curriculum implementation and learner progress in writing
• the School Board and senior leaders apply the evaluation framework to measure improvements in teaching and learning, assess board performance, and report progress against indicators
• senior leaders review attendance trends and adjust targeted strategies to support learners at risk of low attendance

Annually:

• senior leaders review and refine the evaluation framework, report to the School Board on curriculum implementation, assess its effectiveness, and guide next steps
• senior leaders evaluate and report on the effectiveness of the attendance management plan to the School Board, highlighting patterns and the impact of interventions. 

Expected outcomes

• Improved achievement for all learners, particularly in writing and greater equity across groups of learners.
• Enhanced internal evaluation practices that effectively informs decision-making and drives improved learner outcomes.
• Increased rates of regular attendance for all learners, meeting or exceeding the Government target of 80% or higher.

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

Provision for International Students 

This section is about the quality of the provision of education for international students enrolled at the school.

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.

No international students were enrolled at the time of the ERO review.

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

27 November 2025