Romahapa 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.

About the School 

Romahapa School provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s roll is 55. The school is located within the Clutha district. The school roll comprises of mostly New Zealand European/Pākehā students, and smaller numbers of Māori, Pacific and Asian learners. The vision of the school is Active participants in learning and in life. 

Part A: Parent Summary

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 sufficient 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 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 0 to 8

This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Foundation Skills

 Reading

Almost all 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 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

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 significantly improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.

The school has significantly extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review.

The school is meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets set for 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

A strong schoolwide culture of collaboration, led by the principal, supports teachers to be deliberate in their approach to improving outcomes for all learners.  

Staff have high expectations for student success. Learners progress and achieve well in literacy and mathematics; students requiring additional support with learning are identified and receive targeted support focused on literacy and numeracy. Students’ sense of wellbeing and belonging is evident. 

Leaders and teachers work collaboratively to grow professional capability and a shared understanding of high-quality teaching practice through ongoing staff inquiry, that improves progress and achievement in literacy and mathematics. 

Structured literacy, and mathematics teaching that is responsive to individual needs and incorporates structured approaches, are being implemented, supported by targeted professional learning. 

Learner agency is strengthened through the teaching of an integrated curriculum that empowers learners to make informed choices and actively participate in their own learning. 

Key priorities and actions for improvement 

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• fully implement a strategic attendance plan, beyond procedures, to increase regular attendance of all students
• further foster students’ agency by exploring the depth of the curriculum, to enable them to develop critical thinking, problem solving skills and deeper understandings
• develop teaching expertise in structured literacy approaches to enable students to increase achievement in writing and their spelling proficiency
• use culturally responsive practices and approaches to reduce evident disparity between cohorts of learners in mathematics and writing. 

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within six months:

• share the attendance plan with the school community to emphasise the importance of regular attendance for progress and achievement
• identify strategies and practices to build teacher knowledge of structured approaches that support improved learner outcomes in writing and spelling
• explore and use culturally responsive teaching approaches to support all learners to succeed

Every six months:

• analyse attendance data, to identify patterns for irregular attendance and target specific areas for improvement
• review the impact of student agency (informed choices and participation) on achievement of learners, particularly in writing, and use this information to inform next steps
• analyse data to identify the impact of structured spelling approaches on learner outcomes and adjust as needed
• analyse culturally responsive teaching practices to identify successful approaches for reducing disparity in writing and mathematics 

Annually:

• review and report to the school community on student attendance, to inform ongoing strategic decision making for improvement
• evaluate the impact of student agency on achievement in literacy and mathematics, to inform ongoing strategic decision making for improvement and specific teacher professional learning
• review culturally responsive teaching approaches to identify the impact on reducing disparities among cohorts of learners in writing and mathematics. 

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:

• all students attending school regularly
• all students as self-directed learners
• increased learner outcomes in writing and spelling proficiency
• reduced disparities in writing and mathematics. 

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 Evaluation 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)

23 May 2025

Education Counts

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home