Marshland 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

Te Rito Harakeke - Marshland School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8 with a roll of 606 students. The largest group of students are New Zealand European/Pakeha (61%), followed by Asian (19%) and Māori (14%). A satellite class for Ferndale School is also located on site.

The school’s vision is success for every child, guided by the MANA values of Manaakitanga - Respect and Care, Ako – Learner, Ngātahi – Together and Aumangea – Resilient.

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

Expected improvements

The school focused on the implementation of an annual cycle of professional growth and fostering an environment for inclusive, collaborative teacher learning to advance understanding of the relationship between professional practice and outcomes for students. 

Findings 

A positive cycle of professional growth for teachers has been successfully implemented and embedded. This intentional review and development of teacher practice enhance outcomes for student engagement, progress, and achievement. This is achieved through the application of a carefully considered, consistent approach.

A strong culture of inclusive, collaborative teacher practice is observed throughout the school. This strengthened the validity and reliability of teacher judgments, enabled a focus on accelerated learning for students requiring additional support, and a sound understanding of the practice required of an effective teacher. 

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.

Achievement in Years 1 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.

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 students 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 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 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. 

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

• Wellbeing and high expectations are prioritised for all learners. Leaders and teachers use achievement data effectively to monitor progress and achievement, determining next steps in learning, informing school-wide decision making and resourcing.
• Learners successfully engage and participate confidently in their learning. They demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and understanding of the MANA values assisting their ongoing progress and learning.
• Learners with additional learning needs are effectively supported through comprehensive, cohesive systems that ensure an effective response to their needs.
• School leadership embed a clearly articulated vision through strategic, annual planning and evidence informed decision-making. This is accompanied by in-depth review and evaluation of programmes, resourcing for school improvement and leadership development.
• The school has well-established, collaborative, consistent and explicit approaches to teaching, in particular the teaching of structured literacy, English and mathematics, resulting in raised achievement.
• Leaders regularly and effectively review the design and delivery of curriculum, ensuring it enhances learners' experiences, knowledge, and understanding.
• Staff professional learning is carefully targeted and strategically implemented through multiple layers of coaching, feedback and action, resulting in the ongoing development of teaching to promote the progress and achievement outcomes for learners.

Key priorities

• Refine and align Te Rito Harakeke - Marshland teaching, learning and assessment practices to curriculum documents.
• Further develop practices to meet an increasingly diverse range of learners.
• Lift regular attendance and reduce chronic absence. 

Actions to bring about improvement 

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers review the consistent implementation of revised assessment and curriculum practices adapting as needed
• leaders and teachers gather information on the wellbeing, progress and achievement of groups of diverse learners to set goals
• leaders review progress towards attendance targets adjusting practices as needed to lift attendance further

Annually:

• leaders and teachers collaboratively evaluate the school’s principles of teaching and learning to ensure they meet curriculum and assessment guidelines
• leaders and teachers evaluate the wellbeing, progress and achievement of groups of diverse learners to prioritise future resourcing
• leaders review learner attendance and use this information to inform goal setting and resourcing decisions.

Expected outcomes

• Sustained, comprehensive Te Rito Harakeke - Marshland School learning programmes and assessment schedule aligned with national requirements.  
• Strengthened targeted support and a wider range of practices supporting groups of diverse learners.
• Increased regular attendance and reduced chronic absence.

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

20 February 2026