Review 20 May 2025
LatestSchool 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.
About the School
Southbridge School is in Canterbury’s Selwyn District and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The school roll of 117 is predominantly Pākehā, with approximately 26% Māori learners and fewer numbers of Pacific, Asian and other ethnicities. The school’s vision is to Inspire, Equip and Ignite learners.
Part A: Parent Summary
Progress since April 2023 ERO report
The school has been evaluating how well its curriculum and teaching and learning practices support positive outcomes for learners. Leaders expected to see a refined curriculum and consistent teaching practices throughout the school that foster curious, problem solving, self-managing learners with the potential to succeed.
Deliberate professional development promotes teachers’ collective understanding of play-based and project-based learning, alongside explicit training for delivering structured approaches to literacy and mathematics teaching. As a result of these actions, teaching fosters active learning with most learners achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics. Feedback identified strong engagement and enjoyment of classroom programmes. Learners express positive views of their own capabilities.
How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?
| 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 rich 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 Safety | The school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety. |
Achievement in Years 0 to 8
This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.
Foundation Skills | |
| Reading | Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Writing | Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Mathematics | Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners. |
Attendance
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
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
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 Government reading, writing and mathematics and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets and is likely to meet them by 2030.
An explanation of the terms used in the Parent Summary can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office
Part B: Findings for the school
This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.
Areas of Strength
- Learners experience an inclusive and supportive environment that fosters engagement and enthusiasm in learning; students with diverse needs are supported with highly differentiated planning and practices.
- Nurturing connections between peers and ‘tuakana-teina’ relationships between older and younger students, exemplify the school values; learners express a strong sense of belonging, wellbeing and pride in their school.
- Learners access a broad curriculum with explicit project-based and authentic learning opportunities, further enriching a well-organised and structured programme.
- Staff actively foster learner confidence in deliberate ways, ensuring students are well-supported to develop resilience, self-management, leadership, curiosity and problem-solving skills.
- Internal staff expertise is valued and utilised to build teacher capability; leaders provide wider opportunities to build professional connections with external facilitators and agencies.
- Strong, positive relationships between the school and community are evident, including effective communication and consultation approaches that contribute to strategic planning.
- Well-considered transition practices are established which support learners to experience success, and assists information-sharing between families, the school and external agencies.
Key priorities and actions for improvement
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
- collaborate with whānau and the community to further improve regular attendance rates
- formalise leadership systems and approaches designed to grow teacher capability, including documenting clear curriculum expectations for Years 1 to 6
- embed consistent structured and project-based teaching and learning programmes across the school, to enhance learner progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics
- grow teacher capability in te reo Māori, promoting more consistent use throughout the school.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows:
Within six months:
- consult with whānau and the school’s community to further refine the school’s attendance plan
- formalise professional growth cycle approach with systematic observations of teaching practice, focused feedback, and facilitation of collaborative discussions around progress and achievement information
- review curriculum expectations for Years 1 to 6 and refine teaching guidelines to inform teaching and learning programmes
- all teachers develop and model use of te reo Māori as a component of day-to-day practice
Every six months:
- analyse and share attendance data with whānau and the school community, to evaluate the impact of their actions increasing regular school attendance
- teachers to evaluate the impact of professional learning and enhanced practices on learner outcomes, using this information to refine goals and strategies accordingly
- leaders to monitor and review the implementation and consistency of structured teaching and learning programmes throughout the school, to inform further professional development needs and supports
Annually:
- review and report on the impact of initiatives for improving regular attendance and achievement within the school’s annual report, and use this information to inform strategic targets, goals and actions
- evaluate the impact of professional development in reading, writing and writing on learner progress and achievement
- assess and review the effective integration of te reo Māori use throughout the curriculum and classroom programmes, to inform future planning.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
- increased rates of regular attendance that meet or exceed the Government target
- consistent and effective teaching practices embedded throughout the school with clear curriculum guidelines to support structured and project-based learning programmes and improve learner outcomes
- teachers effectively supporting learners to value, progressively acquire and use te reo Māori throughout the curriculum.
Part C: Regulatory and Legislative Requirements
Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements
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 some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:
Board Administration
Yes
Curriculum
Yes
Management of Health, Safety and Welfare
Yes
Personnel Management
Yes
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Report and is due within three 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 (Acting)
20 May 2025
Education Counts
This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home