Riversdale 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 

Riversdale School provides education for students from Years 1 to 8 in a rural community. The school roll is 140. A new principal was appointed in Term 3, 2023.

The school’s vision is Inspiring Excellence and the school’s mission statement is Today’s learners, tomorrow’s leaders.

The school’s values are Respectful - Whakaute, Responsible - Kawenga, and Resilient - Manawaroa.

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 focused on evaluating how effectively teachers support student learning in literacy through culturally responsive approaches, and how well teachers use learning information to improve their teaching and students’ learning.

The school expected to see students develop knowledge and skills in literacy to enable them to achieve at appropriate curriculum levels. It also expected to see inclusive, authentic, and fit-for-purpose assessment activities that provided meaningful evidence of achievement and progress and a basis for determining next teaching and learning steps.

Findings 

Learning achievement data over time shows improvements for both reading and writing for all groups of learners. Teachers access a range of professional learning and development to inform their literacy teaching. Assessment activities have been adapted to reflect changes in the national curriculum.

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 small majority of learners enter Riversdale School significantly behind the expected curriculum level. The school’s efforts are well 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 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 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?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 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

Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

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

Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics

Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are 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 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 a growing number of learners who speak English as an additional language. 

• 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 who have additional learning needs are well supported and catered for through targeted, personalised learning programmes.
• Leadership capacity and capability is expanding across the school to give effect to the school’s strategic goals, supported by professional learning and mentoring for senior leaders.
• Teaching staff have clear learning frameworks and use structured approaches to literacy and mathematics teaching.
• Learners experience a broad and rich curriculum that increasingly draws upon community expertise and knowledge.
• Committed teaching staff develop a high trust culture and a collective capacity to explore and drive change across all areas of the curriculum. 
• Leaders and teaching staff work collaboratively and demonstrate a shared responsibility to improve learner outcomes.

Key priorities

• Align assessment and moderation practices to new curriculum requirements.
• Identify and apply targeted teaching approaches to raise writing achievement to similar levels as reading and mathematics achievement.
• Further improve regular attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers develop assessment and moderation practices that align with curriculum requirements to monitor and evaluate learner achievement and progress
• leaders and teachers apply professional learning and development to identify and trial targeted strategies to improve writing achievement
• Board and leaders engage with the school community to review current attendance initiatives and identify next steps to improve regular attendance

Annually:

• leaders and teachers evaluate the impact of assessment and moderation practices on how usefully they are informing planning for learners’ next steps
• leaders and teachers evaluate the impact of targeted teaching approaches on writing achievement and report progress to inform planning
• Board and leaders review and evaluate initiatives that have been successful in raising levels of regular attendance to improve regular attendance.

Expected outcomes

• Clear assessment and moderation processes are used consistently by teachers to effectively plan next steps for learning to improve learner progress and achievement.
• Improved writing achievement that aligns with reading and mathematics achievement outcomes.
• Increased rates of regular attendance that meet Government targets.

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

7 April 2026