Linwood Avenue 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 4 years to evaluate what is working well for learners and what needs to be improved.

About the School

Te Huarahi Linwood Avenue School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The school roll is 356. Māori learners make up the largest proportion of the roll (28%), followed by New Zealand European/Pākehā (25%), Pacific heritage (19%), Asian (25%), and Southeast Asian and Indian (22%). A significant number of learners have English as a second language. The school hosts a satellite class from Ferndale Te Ahu School.

The school’s vision is Success through Learning - Whakaputa hoa Te Akoranga. Its values are Kia Whakaute, Kia Manawanui, Kia Māia and Kia Kaha.

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

The school focused on evaluating how effectively its literacy programme meets the needs of all learners as they progress through year levels.

It expected to see continuous improvement in outcomes for all learners in the junior school, as well as accelerated progress and reduced disparity across the whole school. Strengthening teacher practice, including greater consistency in assessment, was a key focus.

Findings

Teachers have been working to embed structured literacy practices and strategies that have already been implemented. While there has been improvement for some groups of learners, the school has identified literacy as an ongoing priority area.

Teachers are embedding structured literacy practices and strategies that are used across the school. Some learner’s achievement in literacy have improved, this continues to be priority area for further development.

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 sufficient 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 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 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 small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

A small 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. 

• Less than half of learners attend school regularly.
• The school is behind 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 is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately 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 making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics 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 benefit from a positive, inclusive school culture built on strong values. They experience a strong sense of belonging through supportive relationships with staff and develop resilience, self-regulation and readiness to learn through targeted strategies.
• Learners with additional learning needs are closely monitored and supported through individualised teaching and tailored learning programmes that support their progress and achievement.
• Teachers work together and adapt their teaching practices to support each learner’s needs. The school is focused on building foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics, and is embedding consistent, structured teaching approaches across all year levels.
• Senior leaders set clear expectations and a strong vision for high-quality teaching and learning, sharing leadership roles that draws on individual strengths and build collective capacity.
• Staff professional development is collaborative and purposefully implemented to support ongoing improvement, with teachers encouraged to be reflective, responsive and adaptive in their practice.
• The school has strong connections with a wide range of external agencies and the community to support learners and their whānau. Leaders and teachers regularly engage with whānau to share meaningful information about each child’s learning and wellbeing.

Key priorities

• Improve and sustain achievement levels in reading and writing.
• Review and align assessment practices to the revised New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) to ensure data is accurate, reliable and valid.
• Implement an effective evaluation framework to drive continuous improvement in teaching and learning.
• Increase regular attendance for all learners.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within six months:

• senior leaders review attendance trends and implement targeted strategies to support learners at risk of low attendance
• leaders and teachers review and align assessment practices to NZC progressions and identify areas for improvement

Every six months:

• senior leaders provide ongoing professional development in structured literacy to strengthen teaching capability and learner outcomes
• senior leaders investigate and implement an evaluation framework to measure improvements in teaching and learning, including learner feedback
• senior leaders monitor attendance trends, review impact of targeted strategies to support learners at risk of low attendance, adjust as needed and plan next steps

Annually:

• leaders and teachers evaluate student progress and identify steps to further improve achievement, particularly in writing and reading
• senior leaders and the school Board review attendance, progress and achievement aligned to the revised NZC and use this information to identify priorities for improvement and share with the community.

Expected outcomes

• Increased and sustained levels of progress and achievement for all learners, particularly in reading and writing.
• A well-established assessment cycle that provides valid and reliable information, clearly identifying next steps for learning.
• Enhanced internal evaluative practices that effectively inform decision-making to improve learner outcomes.
• Increased regular attendance for all learners, aligned with 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. 

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.

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. 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 

3 November 2025