Invercargill Middle 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 

Invercargill Middle School provides education for students in Years 1 to 6. The current roll is 157. Pākehā/New Zealand European learners are 50% of the school roll, 21% are Māori, 7% of Pacific heritage, and the remainder from other ethnic backgrounds.

The school’s vision is E tu Atu nei – stand strong, stand proud, supported by the values, to show Integrity, do great Mahi and Support 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 August 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

• Internal systems respond to learners’ needs by accelerating progress and improving achievement in mathematics.
• Improved achievement and progress for all groups of learners.

Findings 

The school has placed an emphasis on strengthening teaching and learning in structured approaches to mathematics, as well as in reading and writing. Following a decline in achievement in 2024, outcomes in mathematics have begun to improve. The school is also continuing to align The New Zealand Curriculum with existing resources and assessment practices.  

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.

A large majority of learners enter Invercargill Middle School significantly behind the expected curriculum level. The school’s efforts are focused on accelerated progress. 

How well are learners succeeding?The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners.What is the quality of teaching and learning?Learners benefit from good 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 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 is improving its collection and use 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 1 to 6

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 not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are not yet 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. 
• Chronic absence is reducing over time.

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 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 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

• Teachers respond to learners at the stage they are at and emphasise the skills needed to learn how to learn, enabling them to engage meaningfully.
• Leaders and teachers acknowledge and value the identities and cultures of learners foster a strong sense of belonging and engagement. 
• Relationships between staff and learners are based on mutual trust enabling learners to seek help when needed. 
• Parents are seen as key partners, are welcomed into the school and encouraged to engage in school life and work with the school to support positive learning outcomes.
• Te reo and tikanga Māori are woven throughout the curriculum and enriches learning and engagement. 
• The school board actively supports continuous professional development to strengthen teaching practice and improve learner success.

Key priorities

• Increase achievement in reading, writing and mathematics and equitable outcomes.
• Further develop learning programmes that improve outcomes for those learners at risk of not achieving.
• Embed consistent, effective teaching practices across the school.
• Improve regular attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• staff participate in the Ministry of Education’s mathematics trial and track the progress of the group of students involved
• leaders and teachers review and adapt the current structured approach to mathematics teaching to meets the needs of all learners
• teachers identify learners for targeted programmes to make faster progress in reading and mathematics 
• leaders and teachers collaboratively document and follow expected high-quality practices in reading, writing and mathematics 
• staff implement the updated attendance plan 

Every six months:

• teachers identify targeted learners for extra in-class support 
• leaders communicate with parents, through channels known to work, the impact of non-attendance on achievement
• leaders and teachers evaluate the impact of the strategies in the attendance plan and report findings to school board

Annually:

• leaders with teachers evaluate the impact of the reading, writing, and mathematics teaching and learning on improved outcomes for learners to understand what works for all learners and adjust accordingly
• leaders and teachers track those learners who require accelerated progress and report to the board the impact of small group programmes 
• leaders with staff review the effectiveness of school-wide teaching practice and the extent to which expectations and current teaching and learning best practice are reflected 
• leaders evaluate the impact of measures taken to improve attendance, report to the School Board and share with the school community.

Expected outcomes

• Increased learner achievement in reading, writing and mathematics, and greater equity in outcomes for all learners.
• Learning programmes that improve outcomes for those learners at risk of not achieving are consistently used across the school 
• Clear expectations for effective teaching are consistent and used across the school.
• Most learners attending school regularly, and there is shared understanding the importance of regular attendance across the school community. 

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 March 2026