Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College

School Evaluation 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

Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College is a designated character status school and provides education for students in Years 9 to 13. The school offers adult education, including tertiary pathways, pre-professional and English Language courses, as well as programmes for refugees and migrants. The school provides a second-chance education pathway for over 200 senior students each year, with the primary aims of re-engaging students in learning and supporting their wellbeing.

The school’s mission is Lifelong learning that is accessible to all. The school’s values are Whakamarumaru (Responsibility), Whakawhirinaki (Trust), Mana (Respect), and Tika (Integrity).

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

ERO and the school have worked together to evaluate how they can better measure successful outcomes, and which strategic initiatives have had the most impact on learners.

Expected Improvements and Findings

The school expected to understand which actions best supported its strategic priorities and had the greatest impact on learner outcomes, to ensure sustained improvement.

The school focused on strengthening bicultural partnerships to support Māori students’ success. The school expanded te reo Māori and kaupapa Māori learning options, including kapa haka for junior students. A new deputy principal role was established to focus on building relationships with whānau, hapū and iwi.

Monthly reporting tracks Māori student achievement, engagement and attendance, while school-wide professional learning promotes culturally responsive teaching. The steering group, Te Urungi, comprises of a Board representative, the Principal, Deputy Principal Māori, whānau Māori, ākonga Māori and a kaiako Māori. Monthly hui provide a space for relationship building and gathering voice to inform decisions about ākonga, whānau and kaupapa Māori. 

The school has provided personalised support for students who need to improve their learning outcomes. Learning tutors have broadened their focus on helping students set academic goals. Stronger communication with whānau supports ongoing learning opportunities.

Other Findings

Following the school's actions, there has been an increased focus on defining success for individual students, and a greater focus on literacy and numeracy. There is a stronger focus on measuring individual success, supported by ongoing communication and parent involvement.

What we know about learner success 

The judgments in this section are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and the evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.

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% 

Learner Success and Wellbeing

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.

Improvement is required to ensure all students are attending regularly, making sufficient progress and achieving well.

• A small majority of learners achieve National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 1 and 2, and less than half gain Level 3; most learners gain the literacy and numeracy corequisites by Year 13.
• The school is developing an understanding of student progress and achievement in Years 9 and 10. This has been identified as a priority for the school.
• Achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects is not yet equitable for all learners.
• Learner wellbeing remains an ongoing priority, with students being well-supported in their learning through access to flexible and responsive pathways within and beyond the school.
• Less than half the learners attend school regularly. The school continues to explore a range of approaches and initiatives to improve regular attendance.

Conditions to support learner success

This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement.

School leaders foster a culture of belonging that affirms learner identities and focuses on improving achievement and wellbeing outcomes.

• The School Board, leaders and teaching staff value diversity and take deliberate steps to strengthen programmes, initiatives and practices that support student engagement, belonging and success.
• The leadership team works together to promote and build staff capability through targeted professional learning opportunities aligned with strategic priorities.
• The school uses self-review processes to drive improvement across a range of areas throughout the school.

Teaching and curriculum design are responsive to the diverse cultures, interests and abilities of learners.

• Learners access a broad and rich curriculum that aligns with their interests, strengths and pathways; a range of flexible options are offered in response to learner needs.
• Teaching staff use relational approaches to engage learners in meaningful learning experiences.
• Learners needing additional support are supported with effective, flexible and personalised programmes.

Schoolwide systems focus on continuous improvement to meet the diverse needs of learners.

• Teachers, whānau and learners communicate regularly to understand learner aspirations, goals and plan appropriate learning pathways.
• Partnerships with community and outside agencies are valued and used to support learning, wellbeing and pathways to future learning.
• School leaders are committed to growing staff understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi initiatives to support learner engagement and success.
• Restorative practices underpin the school’s behaviour management approach.

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 identifies actions for improvement.

Key Priorities

• Establish consistent assessment, tracking and monitoring systems for Year 9 and 10 students so the school can accurately determine student progress and achievement.
• Embed and refine data evaluation capabilities to identify achievement and attendance trends to support informed decisions that improve outcomes and meet government targets.
• Apply consistent behaviour approaches across the school to foster high-expectation classrooms that support academic success for all learners.
• Embed culturally responsive practices, including tikanga and te reo Māori, throughout the school to enhance engagement and outcomes of all learners.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within six months:

• curriculum leaders review and refine Years 9 and 10 assessment practices to gather accurate and reliable baseline data
• school leaders and teachers review and refine behaviour strategies to support consistent schoolwide practices
• kaiako and kaimahi deepen their understanding and use of the Aromatawai: te reo Māori me ōna tikanga tool to monitor progress and guide next steps

Every six months:

• curriculum and senior leaders moderate and analyse Years 9 and 10 assessment data to guide responsive planning, refine practices and inform next steps
• senior leaders and staff systematically analyse and report on student attendance, behaviour and achievement data to inform and guide targeted interventions

Annually:

• the School Board and senior leaders evaluate and report on student attendance, behaviour and achievement to inform strategic decisions and improvement priorities
• leaders and teachers evaluate and report on the impact of the schoolwide behaviour approach on student engagement and academic success
• curriculum and senior leaders assess and review culturally responsive practices across the school, including the use and progress of te reo Māori, to inform next steps.

Expected outcomes

• Strengthened assessment practices in Years 9 and 10 improve achievement outcomes and tracking of student progress.
• Achievement and attendance data is effectively analysed and reported to bring about improvement in regular attendance and academic achievement.
• Consistent and embedded behaviour expectations and approaches contribute to positive classroom environments, promoting high expectations and academic success.
• Culturally responsive practices, including the integration of tikanga and te reo Māori, are embedded across the school.

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education provide tailored support for:

• improving student attendance to meet the government’s targets
• tracking and monitoring of students' progress and achievement over time
• assessment practices for Years 9 and 10.

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

21 October 2025