Okaihau College

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report 

Background 

This Profile Report was written within 3 months of the Education Review Office and ​Okaihau College​ working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz 

Context 

Okaihau College is a Years 7 to 13 school located midway between Peowhairangi (Bay of Islands) and the Hokianga. 

Since the last ERO Report in 2020, the senior leadership team has expanded to include a deputy principal with responsibility for te ao Māori and a new deputy principal with responsibility for pastoral care. 

The Okaihau College vision is ‘E tipu e rea mō ngā rā o tō ao’ (Every student develops the skills and attributes to succeed, then contributes to their community). The college’s values are Whanaungatanga, Rangatiratanga, and Taha Wairua. 

​​Okaihau College​’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are: 

• Mauri Ora - Māori students achieving as Māori and Mauri Ora for all students through cultural relationships 
• Whānaungatanga - building a sense of belonging for all people involved in the school from akonga to whānau, hapu and iwi so that there is a collective responsibility for learning. 

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on the ​Okaihau College​ website. 

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well teaching and learning enables students’ mana orite mo te Matauranga Māori. They are also working to evaluate the quality of the school’s partnerships with its community. 

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:  

• develop a more relevant, inclusive and responsive curriculum 
• promote equitable learning outcomes and success for all groups of students 
• increase whānau involvement and support in their children’s learning. 

 The school expects to see:  

• further engagement and success in learning for all groups of students  
• students’ increasing confidence to take responsibility and autonomy over their learning  
• stronger reciprocal partnerships with the school community, particularly hapu/iwi, to ensure effective educationally powerful connections that enhance students’ learning. 

Strengths  

The school can draw from the following strengths to evaluate how well teaching and learning enables students’ mana orite mo te Matauranga Māori, and the quality of the school’s partnerships with its community: 

• positive relationships between ākonga and kaiako that support effective teaching and learning 
• a focus on the local curriculum  
• student access to clear future career pathways 
• a committed and culturally responsive staff that is open to learning 
• student and staff engagement with various community groups. 

Where to next? 

Moving forward, the school will prioritise: 

• embedding responsive teaching and learning strategies through professional learning and critical observation processes to improve learning outcomes for students 
• strengthening educational connections and relationships with the school community including whānau, hapu and iwi, to promote active community involvement in student learning. 

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.  

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools 

​​5 April 2024​   

About the School 

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

This school has a special needs unit, Rangimarie, on site.