Al-Madinah 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

Al-Madinah School is an Islamic special character school located in Mangere, Auckland. The school provides education for 581 learners in Years 1 to 15 of whom 72% are Indian, 21% Asian and 7% from other ethnicities.

The vision of the school is dedicated to all round achievement of students within a commitment to the mission of Islam and citizenship of Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The school aims to develop students spiritually stronger, intellectually sound, emotionally stable and physically fit to their full potential in an Islamic environment to ensure they are active, vibrant, life-long learners, confident, caring and responsible New Zealand citizens. 

The Ministry appointed school Board, in conjunction with two proprietor’s representatives, has been in place for several years and undertake the function of school governance in place of an elected Board. 

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 February 2024 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

The school evaluated the effectiveness and consistency of school-wide assessment practices that support students’ learning and consequently improve achievement outcomes.

The school expected to see teachers using achievement data more explicitly to address individual learning needs, and students using achievement data to self-assess, peer-assess and become increasingly aware of their progress and next learning steps.

Findings

Assessment practices and tools have been refined to better respond to learners' needs. Teacher participation in professional learning and development (PLD) has improved their collective understanding of assessment practice and provided opportunities to plan collaboratively when designing learning for students. Students increasingly take ownership of their learning by setting and tracking individual goals, with growing opportunities to engage in self and peer assessment.  

What we know about learner success 

This section provides a summary of learner success, wellbeing and foundation school conditions, including any education in Rumaki/Reo Rua settings. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.

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%

Learner success and wellbeing

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.

Success and progress for all learners is increasing. 

• A large majority of school leavers achieve NCEA Level 1, with most student progressing to achieve Level 2 and Level 3. Most students attain University Entrance. Increasing the number of NCEA qualifications endorsed with Excellence is an identified next step for the school.
• A large majority of learners achieve curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics in Years 1 to 10.
• The school’s Islamic special character nurtures shared beliefs and promotes positive inclusion and a strong sense of belonging for learners.
• A small majority of students attend school regularly. Levels of regular attendance are incrementally 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.

Collaborative leadership facilitates positive outcomes for learners and their community.

• Leadership is strategically structured, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities to guide practice that meets the needs of learners.
• Leaders actively promote the school’s special character, embedding it into everyday teaching, fostering shared expectations that enhance learner engagement.
• Leaders engage meaningfully with their community to ensure their aspirations are suitably included in the vision and reflected in delivery of the curriculum. 

Learners benefit from high quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement.

• School leaders and teacher have high expectations for learner success, tailoring learning and providing relevant additional opportunities to achieve positive outcomes.
• Staff demonstrate highly collaborative practice with regular opportunities to plan together, share and apply strategies acquired through their participation in professional learning, matched to their curriculum priorities and reflective to the needs of learners.
• The school demonstrates a well-considered approach to curriculum design and delivery, integrating the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) with its special character through the inclusion of Islamic studies.

Well established systems and practices foster the school’s vision and underpin student success. 

• Learners with additional and complex needs receive tailored support aligned to their educational needs in collaboration with parents and relevant specialists.
• Parents are encouraged to share their aspirations for learner success and receive relevant information in relation to student experiences and progress, in ways that reflect and support the school’s special character.
• Well established practices support the diverse needs of learners and are soundly aligned to the shared vision of the school community.
• The school Board receives regular information to support their resourcing decision making that benefits learner outcomes. 

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 key priorities and actions for improvement.

Key priorities

• Raise regular attendance to meet Government targets.
• Extend the collection of wellbeing information across the school to support evaluation into the impact of school processes and practices aligned to valued outcomes for learners.
• Develop targets aligned to annual achievement priorities with relevant actions that inform evaluative evidence that establishes the impact on learner success.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within three months:

• the school Board, leaders and teachers develop a relevant tool to gather student feedback from across the school in relation to their wellbeing
• school leaders’ analysis of achievement and attendance information informs relevant targets for learners that strengthens evaluation into the actions undertaken to meet their specific needs 

Within six months:

• school leaders and teachers gather student wellbeing information for analysis to evaluate the impact of their processes and practices on learner wellbeing across the school 

Every six months:

• school leaders gather progress information aligned to their achievement targets to support evaluation into their impact of their actions with recommendations that support ongoing improvement for learners

Annually:

• the school Board and leaders gather wellbeing data to establish the effectiveness of their process and practices that support positive wellbeing and areas for improvement
• leaders compile a statement of variance providing evaluative evidence of the impact of their actions aligned to their achievement, attendance and wellbeing priorities to inform development of their annual implementation plan.

Expected outcomes

• Regular attendance continues to improve towards meeting the Government target.
• School leaders and the Board use evidence to show their actions achieve annual goals and improve learner outcomes.
• Evaluation of wellbeing information confirms that school practices support positive student wellbeing and guide ongoing improvement.

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

10 February 2026