Waianiwa 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

Waianiwa school is located on the boundary of Invercargill and provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The school’s roll is 68. Many learners have English as a Second Language. Waianiwa’s school mission statement: Our students will be confident, actively involved learners with the necessary skills to succeed in a global environment.

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 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 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 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 Years 0 to 8

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

Foundation Skills

 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 large 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

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 the target.

Chronic absence is reducing overtime.

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 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.

An explanation of the terms used in the Parent Summary can be found here: Guide to ERO school reports

 

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

Leaders and staff have strengthened relationships with the school community, creating an inclusive environment where whānau, staff, and student voices contribute to the school's strategic vision. 

Learners have many opportunities for leadership roles within the school community. Through these valued experiences, students develop skills such as teamwork, resilience and problem solving, empowering them to contribute meaningfully to school life.

Learning support for students who need this, and professional development for staff to identify relevant teaching approaches, increases learner achievement in literacy and mathematics.

Teachers collaborate to ensure consistent teaching approaches. They provide a clear and structured framework so that students identify their next steps in learning and increase their understanding of what they learn and why (student agency) across all year levels.

Key priorities and actions for improvement 

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

• build teacher content knowledge of the new literacy and mathematics curriculum to enhance learner achievement; embed structured literacy and structured teaching approaches to mathematics, building consistency of teacher practice to support improved learner outcomes
• seek professional development for teachers to improve boys’ engagement and achievement in writing
• increase teacher knowledge about practices that support learners with English as second language
• improve regular attendance through more deliberate actions within strategic and annual planning. 

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

Within three months:

• teachers seek professional development to be familiar with changes to the English and mathematics curriculum
• leaders participate in professional development to build knowledge of effective practice to support second language learners 

Within six months:

• teachers identify practices and approaches to improve boys’ achievement in writing
• develop a second language learning programme with strategic approaches, to support engagement and participation of learners and increase their outcomes 

Every six months:

• evaluate the impact of structured teaching approaches to literacy and mathematics, to identify effective practices that increase student achievement and future professional learning
• evaluate and report on students’ progress and achievement, include specific commentary on improvements for boys in writing
• evaluate the second language learning programme to identify further professional development needs and the impact on learners
• review the school attendance plan to identify the effectiveness of increasing regular attendance 

Annually:

• leaders analyse achievement data, include specific commentary in reports to the board on improvements for second language learners, and boys in writing
• evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching approaches and the impact on improved learner outcomes
• evaluate the effectiveness of the second language learning programme to identify further professional development needs and the impact on learners
• report to the board and school community the effectiveness of the school attendance plan, to identify what initiatives were successful and what further approaches are needed to sustain regular attendance.

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

• increased achievement for all learners in literacy and mathematics
• improved and equitable outcomes for boys in writing
• improved achievement outcomes for second language learners
• consistent teaching practice and approaches in structured literacy and mathematics
• all students attending school regularly. 

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 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)

17 April 2025

Education Counts

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