Clarkville Te Kura ki Waimatao

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

Clarkville Te Kura ki Waimātao is in Kaiapoi, in Canterbury’s Waimakariri District. The school has a stable roll of approximately 192 across Years 1 to 8. Most of the learners identify as New Zealand European/Pākehā, 11% identify as Māori and smaller numbers of students from other ethnic groups.

A new principal has led the school since 2022. The vision, ‘Choose to be more / Whiriwhiria kia eke panuku’, aims to grow learners as ‘Agents of Change’, ‘Experts at Discovery’, with ‘Positive Relationships’, and ‘Boldly Me’ as benchmarks for success.

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?Success and progress for all learners is increasing.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 a consistent focus on supporting learners to gain 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

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

Most 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.

• The large majority of learners 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.
• 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 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 meeting Government mathematics targets set for 2030.
• The school is making progress towards meeting Government reading and writing 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 express a strong sense of belonging and pride in their school. They engage enthusiastically in a wide range of opportunities and develop supportive relationships with both peers and staff.
• Teachers know learners well, providing a responsive curriculum and learning opportunities that engage their interests.
• Learners have strong leadership opportunities and contribute their ideas positively to further enhance the school environment, resources and curriculum.
• Staff well together to plan for and build on learners’ prior knowledge with structured teaching approaches for reading, writing and mathematics; classrooms are settled, purposeful learning environments.
• Learners with additional needs are well-supported through personalised planning and established partnerships with whānau, families, iwi, professional agencies and education networks.
• Leaders are reflective, and improvement focused, building on current research to create evidence-based curriculum developments.
• Well-considered systems and structures foster teachers’ collaborative practice that builds further consistency and a shared understanding of effective teaching.
• Staff and School Board are focused on nurturing learner success with a collective commitment to a culture of ongoing improvement in learning and wellbeing outcomes.

Key priorities

• Use detailed learner data to identify groups most in need of support and apply these insights to inform specific annual planning goals and targets.
• Improve equity of achievement for groups learners in reading and writing.
• Establish regular observations of teaching practice as a consistent aspect of professional growth.
• Monitor and review the impact of new teaching approaches on the outcomes of target learners.
• Review and improve how the school curriculum reflects the cultures and languages of the increasingly diverse community.
• Further improve regular attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement

Every six months:

• teachers work together to review data and student feedback and adjust teaching practice as needed, especially for students who need extra help
• leaders observe teaching practices, provide feedback and identify opportunities for continued improvement, with a focus on the engagement and progress for boys’ literacy
• leaders and the School Board further strengthen engagement with the community, seeking feedback and participation in the decision making for the school curriculum and programmes

Annually:

• leaders and teachers review and align their professional learning goals with areas identified through learner achievement data and feedback
• leaders and teacher plan for ongoing professional development to increase their knowledge of responsive practices to sustain improvement
• the School Board and leaders review student attendance and achievement information, identify areas for further improvement, plan next steps and share with the school community.

Expected outcomes

• Increased numbers of learners achieving at curriculum expectations in reading and writing, prioritising improved equity of outcomes for boys.
• Strengthened use of data for evidence-informed internal evaluation and strategic decision-making.
• Refined leadership of enhanced staff capability-building practices.
• Increased regular attendance that meets the Government’s target.

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

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

8 October 2025