Ouruhia Model 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 

Ōuruhia Model School provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The current school roll is 27 students. Pākehā/New Zealand European comprise the largest proportion (70%), followed by Māori (25%) and students of Asian descent (5%). 

Throughout 2025, the school had four acting principals. A Commissioner was appointed in place of the Ōuruhia Model School Board in Term 2 2025. A permanent principal was appointed in Term 4 2025.

The school’s mission is Learning for Life and Making it Count. Its values are Thinkers|Tamariki Whakaaroaro, Independent|Motuhaketanga, Caring & Sharing|Manaakitanga, and a ‘Can Do’ Attitude|Manawanui.

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 April 2023 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

The school evaluated how effectively it meets the needs of all learners through a culturally responsive local curriculum. It expected to see students engaged, curious, and prepared for future learning pathways, with leadership and teaching practices focused on ensuring the curriculum reflects whānau aspirations and provides authentic learning opportunities. 

Findings

Progress towards expected outcomes has been limited due to significant staffing changed. 

Structured literacy approaches are being used in the junior class. Student feedback has been gathered through wellbeing surveys; however, this data has not yet been used to inform improvements to teaching and learning programmes. 

The new principal has set a strategic goal to implement this in 2026, including improving community consultation and communication about the quality of teaching and learning.  

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 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 should improve their use of 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 not 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 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

• Learner’s needs are identified early and those with additional needs are valued, well-supported and actively engaged in learning and all aspects of the school life.
• The principal provides clear direction for teaching and learning and builds genuine partnerships that promote belonging and wellbeing for students and parents.
• Teachers are beginning to plan collaboratively and provide meaningful learning opportunities to develop foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, with this identified as a focus for 2026.
• Structured literacy approaches are embedded in the junior classroom, alongside authentic mathematics learning that meet learners’ needs.
• The commissioner and principal bring significant expertise to governance, maintaining a student-focused agenda and investing in productive, evidence-informed and collaborative decision-making.

Key priorities

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning through the implementation of a teaching observation framework.
• Raise achievement in literacy and mathematics using robust assessment practices and applying data to inform teaching and learning.
• Improve attendance through the implementation of the attendance plan.
• Strengthen partnerships with whānau and the wider community to enhance learning opportunities for all learners.
• Build teacher capability through a targeted Professional Growth Cycle (PGC) and a focused professional learning and development programme. 

Actions to bring about improvement

Within three months:

• leaders implement an assessment and moderation process to accurately report on learner progress and achievement
• leaders and teachers collaborative planning with all teachers to ensure one hour a day for reading, writing and mathematics
• leaders set goals and targets in the strategic and annual plans

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers evaluate the effectiveness of classroom teaching through the PGC, including student voice
• teachers use information from professional learning to review and develop the Year 5 to Year 8 structured literacy and school mathematics programmes
• leaders implement the attendance plan and review its effectiveness

Every six months:

• leaders analyse and monitor learner progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics to inform next steps in teaching and learning
• leaders consult whānau and the community to inform ongoing improvement and goals for the strategic goals

Annually:

• leaders review achievement, attendance, and wellbeing data, and report to the community through the annual report, aligning improvement priorities with the school's strategic goals.

Expected outcomes

• Increased achievement in reading, writing and mathematics for all learners.
• Implementation of an assessment plan with robust analysis and moderation processes.
• Strengthened partnerships with whānau and the wider school community, contributing to roll growth.
• A responsive curriculum that promotes learner achievement and wellbeing and meets the needs of all learners.
• Improved and sustained regular attendance of learners that meets government targets.

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

Actions for compliance

The commissioner and principal has identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:

• the board monitoring and evaluating school performance against the strategic plan 
  [section 639/145 of the Education Act 2020: Board to monitor performance against strategic documents]
• on the basis of good assessment information, reported to the community on the progress of students as a whole, groups of students not progressing or achieving, including Māori students
  [regulation 21 of Education (School Boards) Amendment Regulations 2022: Duty to report on the progress and achievement of students]
• in consultation with the school’s Māori community, developed and made known to the school’s community policies, plans and targets for improving the progress and achievement of Māori students
  [section 127(1)(d) of the Education and Training Act 2020: Objectives of boards in governing schools]
• reported to the Secretary for Education, to its school community, and to parents on the performance of the school’s students
  [section 165 and 639 of the Education and Training Act 2020]
• evaluated the progress and achievement of students, giving priority first to student progress and achievement in literacy and numeracy.
  [section 164(b) and 165 of the Education and Training Act 2020]

The principal and commissioner have taken steps to address the areas of non-compliance identified.

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 March 2026