The Catlins Area School

School Evaluation 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 

The Catlins Area School is situated at Owaka in the Clutha district and provides education for students from Years 1 to 13. The school’s current roll is 140. The school has experienced roll growth in recent years. 68% of students are Pākehā/New Zealand European, 22% identify as Māori, 6% as Pacific and 4% as Asian. The school’s vison is to support its students to connect, learn and grow.

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

Expected Improvements 

The school evaluated the impact of the school’s current Years 1 to 10 literacy initiatives to improve outcomes for learners.

The school expected to see improved levels of literacy for students in Years 1 to 10, with accelerated progress in literacy for students whose literacy learning is at risk.

Findings

Some progress has been made in accelerating at risk students’ literacy progress from Years 1 to 10. Systems and processes have been established to track, monitor and report student progress and achievement in literacy, with appropriate targeted support in place. Improving achievement in literacy remains a priority. 

What we know about learner success   

The judgments in this section are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and the evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.    

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.    

• A large majority of students in Years 1 to 10 achieve at curriculum expectations in reading and a small majority achieve at curriculum expectations in writing and mathematics.
• A large majority of school leavers achieve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Level 1 and 2. The school tracks leaver pathways, with a large majority moving to tertiary study.
• There is equitable achievement for Māori students.
• A small majority of students attend school regularly. Levels of regular attendance are improving towards the Government target of 80% regular attendance.

Conditions to support learner success

This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement. 

Leaders are developing a plan to guide curriculum development across the school.

• Leaders are making school systems and processes stronger to support and improve school operations.
• Leadership and the school Board are increasingly using evidence to plan, track progress, and check if their actions are helping students succeed. 

• Students benefit from learning in settled classrooms, with clear behaviour for learning expectations.
• Teachers know their students well and adapt their teaching to meet different needs.
• Leaders and teachers use a range of information to track student progress and plan next steps in learning.
• Stronger support is in place for students with extra learning needs, including English language learners.

• Well-coordinated systems support students’ engagement and wellbeing.
• Leaders and the board are developing a communication plan to strengthen trust and partnership with the school community.
• Regular feedback from students and staff guides school improvement.

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 identifies actions for improvement.   

Key Priorities   

• Improve and sustain achievement in Years 7 to 10 in literacy and mathematics.
• Implement a communications plan, with a focus on reporting student learning to parents and whānau.
• Integrate te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori across the school curriculum to promote engagement.
• Increase and maintain regular attendance. 

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within three months:

• leaders and teachers review current assessment, moderation and tracking processes to strengthen progress and achievement in literacy and mathematics for Years 7 to 10
• leaders and teachers review current reporting practices to identify strengths and areas for development, ensuring reports on student progress and achievement are current and informative
• leaders and teachers implement strategies to improve attendance

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers engage in professional learning to integrate te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori across learning area

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers align and implement refreshed assessment, moderation and tracking processes
• leaders and teachers develop and implement improved reporting practice
• leaders and teachers review learning programmes to find ways to include te reo, tikanga, and mātauranga Māori
• leaders review attendance trends, evaluate the impact of current initiatives and adjust approaches as needed

Annually:

• leaders assess how well literacy and mathematics assessment, moderation, and tracking are raising achievement in Years 7 to 10, and refine these processes as needed
• leaders evaluate reporting practices and use findings to further improve communication with parents and whānau about learning, progress and achievement
• leaders review the use of te reo, tikanga, and mātauranga Māori across learning areas and identify ways to continue to improve programmes
• leaders and the Board review annual attendance outcomes and use this information to plan next steps to increase regular attendance rates. 

Expected outcomes 

• Improved progress and achievement in Years 7 to 10 literacy and mathematics.
• Improved communication about student learning, progress and achievement.
• The effective integration of te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori across the school curriculum.
• Improved and sustained levels of regular attendance.

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

9 October 2025