Leeston 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

Leeston School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The roll is 297. 60% of students at the school are NZ European | Pākehā and just under 20% of learners identify as Māori. The school’s vision identifies learners as LEGENDS in the making. Learners are supported by staff to focus on the key values of caring for themselves, each other, and the environment.

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 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 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 65%

65 to 79%

80 to 90%

Over 90%

Reading

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

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

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

Results are 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

• 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 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 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 engage positively with each other and staff, reflecting school values in their interactions and demonstrating a strong sense of belonging, underpinned by Te Whare Mauri Ora.
• Teachers actively support learners by building positive relationships and using intentional, relationship-based approaches. They regularly seek learner feedback to continually enhance wellbeing and achievement.
• Leaders sustain a collaborative, cohesive school culture that ensures quality teaching and learning is strongly connected with whānau aspirations, for the benefit of all learners.
• Leaders are embedding a structured, explicit and consistent approach to literacy teaching; staff are well positioned to extend this through a school wide mathematics approach.
• Curriculum opportunities are broad and varied, linked to the location and community, including ongoing relationships with whānau Māori and mana whenua; collaboratively planned programmes ensure varied opportunities designed to engage learners.
• Learners with additional needs benefit from systematic planning, assessment and resourcing; families and learners are highly involved in discussing programmes that support wellbeing and learning.
• Quality teacher inquiry is reflective, data driven and collaborative, prioritising learner progress and achievement as a key component of ongoing school improvement.

Key priorities

• Further embed structured teaching and learning strategies for literacy and mathematics, ensuring alignment with the curriculum.
• Develop internal evaluation capability across the school to ensure interventions and initiatives benefit the wellbeing and achievement of learners.
• Increase regular attendance and sustain the reduction of chronic absence.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers work together to review, refine and implement a shared approach to internal evaluation to identify areas for further improvement

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers review the teaching of literacy and mathematics, check alignment with curriculum requirements and identify areas for further improvement
• leaders and the School Board review and refine strategies to increase regular attendance for learners and ensure a sustained decrease in chronic absence

Annually:

• the School Board and leaders evaluate the effectiveness of wellbeing and achievement initiatives, reporting and consulting on outcomes and next steps to the school community
• the School Board and leaders review attendance information to guide focused planning and allocation of resources to support and improve regular learner attendance.

Expected outcomes 

• Cohesive teaching and learning practices in literacy and mathematics, aligned with curriculum and assessment requirements are embedded across the school.
• In-depth evaluation practice ensures effective decision making and targeted resourcing to benefit the wellbeing and achievement of learners.
• Increased regular attendance of learners and sustained reductions in chronic absence. 

Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meet 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 Evaluation 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 

11 September 2025