Review 26 September 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.
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
Wharenui Primary School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The growing roll is currently 442 with more than 50% of learners identified as Asian, almost 20% as Māori and around 10% as European | Pākehā. The school’s core values are: Whanaungatanga | Relationships, Manaaki | Respect, Mana | Resilience and Aroha | Love of Learning. A new Principal has been appointed since the previous review.
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? | 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 a 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 reasonably 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 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 | Less than half of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Writing | Less than half of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Mathematics | A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more 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 small majority of learners attend school regularly.
- The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
- The school is developing a suitable plan 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 and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau 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 show a positive sense of belonging, demonstrating pride and confidence in their identities and cultures; reflective of an increasingly diverse, dynamic community.
- Learners are positive and supportive in their relationships with others.
- Leaders are well informed by data, setting and pursuing strategic goals that benefit learners and inform their families.
- Leaders and staff effectively use explicit teaching in literacy and mathematics to assist the progress of learners and are well placed for further curriculum adjustments.
- Cohesive, collaborative whole school approaches for curriculum, assessment and social development ensure learners’ needs are effectively catered for; a range of opportunities are provided across curriculum areas through the Mauri o Wharenui approach.
- Targeted, planned professional learning intentionally develops the capability of teachers and learning assistants.
- Leaders have effective processes in place to ensure all staff are participating in the regular, ongoing evaluation and review of their progress and effectiveness in meeting the needs of learners.
Key priorities
- Improve progress and achievement for all learners, reducing inequity for Māori learners.
- Initiate and define a self-review framework for the School Board.
- Increase regular attendance, towards the Government’s target.
Actions to bring about improvement
Every six months:
- leaders and teachers analyse and evaluate data to determine the effectiveness of resources and programmes that support learner progress and reduce inequity in achievement
- leaders and the School Board evaluate the implementation of Board self-review
- leaders review progress towards attendance targets, adjusting practices as needed to lift attendance further
Annually:
- leaders and the School Board plan strategically for the allocation of resources to support equitable learner progress and achievement
- leaders and the School Board confirm the work plan and regular review schedule to bring about ongoing improvement
- the School Board and leaders plan for further resourcing and assistance required to raise levels of regular attendance.
Expected outcomes
- Increased and equitable achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
- A fully implemented, informative process for Board self-review to bring about improvement.
- Increased regular attendance.
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
26 September 2025