Millers Flat 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 

Millers Flat School a rural school in Central Otago, provides education for learners from Years 1 to 8. At the time of the review there were 35 learners, with European/Pākehā the largest proportion of learners. The school’s motto is The Bridge to the Future. The school aims to guide students to be STAR’s – Solve problems, Take risks, Achieve and be Respectful of others.

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

Expected improvements

The school focused on further developing the Millers Flat School Board and staff understanding and implementation of effective evaluation and to evaluate the delivery of the mathematics programme across the school, particularly for the senior students. 

The school expected to see well embedded evaluation processes used to evaluate any aspect of the curriculum and of students' learning. The school also expected to see staff being able to pinpoint where students are struggling and be more focused in addressing their needs.

Findings 

Staff collaborate regularly to engage in purposeful discussions about learning and achievement. The discussions support an ongoing evaluative process through careful monitoring of individual learner’s progress, with teaching practices adapted to meet identified needs. The school’s next step is to formalise a process for capturing evaluative thinking in a clear and structured format. 

A schoolwide focus on professional learning in mathematics has contributed to improved levels of achievement over time. Student voice gathered by ERO also indicates increased learner engagement and confidence in mathematics.

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 an increasingly 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?The school is establishing planning and conditions that support improvements in the quality of education for learners.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 SafetyThe school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.

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.

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 large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

A small majority of 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

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.

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 are developing 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 learners.

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

• Strong, positive relationships between learners and teachers promote a clear sense of belonging within the school. This sense of connection supports learner confidence that is reflected in high levels of participation and engagement in school activities.
• Teachers draw on strong relationships with learners and their whānau to create personalised learning pathways that enable learners to make meaningful progress and experience success.
• A structured incentive-based programme builds learner agency from Years 4 to 8. As students’ progress through the school, they are able to take increasing responsibility for their learning, developing confidence as independent learners who plan, monitor, and reflect on their progress.
• Strong partnerships between the school and its community provide students with authentic, real‑life learning opportunities that are grounded in the school’s rural context. This collaborative approach supports learner adaptability and readiness to participate and succeed in a range of different settings.

Key priorities

• Lift learner achievement in reading and writing, especially for those below year level expectations.
• Strengthen assessment practices and the use of achievement information to increase progress for all learners.  
• Develop a formalised and cyclical evaluation process to enhance planning and teaching, ensuring timely insights into how learners are progressing towards their learning goals.
• Further improve and sustain learners’ regular attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• the Board and principal develop targeted actions to include in strategic and annual planning to strengthen learner reading and writing achievement across the school
• the principal investigates and develops effective formats for staff Professional Growth Cycles that support regular evaluation
• the principal and teachers implement a cyclical evaluation process, agreeing on clear criteria for the timing and expectations of each stage

Every six months:

• the principal and teachers review progress and achievement data and identify specific groups of learners below expectation to guide strategic priorities, next steps and resourcing
• teachers analyse learner progress data, noting trends and record actions that inform immediate improvements in teaching practice
• teachers integrate insights from professional learning on the new assessment requirements into teaching, planning, and ongoing evaluation of learner progress
• the principal and Board review and monitor the effectiveness of the Attendance Management Plan

Annually:

• the principal and Board set measurable indicators in the annual plan to track learner progress and improvement over the year, especially for those below year level expectations in reading and writing
• the principal and teachers review and refine evaluation processes to support ongoing planning and improvement
• the principal and board review attendance data to identify patterns, barriers and inequities.

Expected outcomes

• Improved reading and writing progress and achievement across year levels, with accelerated gains for learners below expectations.
• Well-embedded assessment practices and evaluation processes that support ongoing and continuous improvement in student outcomes.
• Sustained improvement in regular attendance rates and a reduction in irregular absences.

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

2 April 2026