Harvest Christian 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

Harvest Christian School provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. The school’s roll is 68. 78% of students identify as European/Pākehā and 15% identify as Māori. The school’s purpose is to grow curious and courageous learners who explore God’s world and are equipped to fulfil their potential in Christ. At the time of the ERO review, the School Board appointed a new principal to begin in Term 3 2025. 

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

What we know about learner success and wellbeing

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. 

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?The school is improving teaching and learning. How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs?

Learners have some opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.

There is a variable 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?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 Years 0 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 65%

65 to 79%

80 to 90%

Over 90%

Reading

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

Results are not analysed for equitable outcomes across groups of learners.

Writing

Less than half of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are not analysed for equitable outcomes across groups of learners.

Mathematics

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

Results are not analysed for equitable outcomes across 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 is developing a suitable plan 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. 

• School leadership was unable to provide ERO with an analysis of schoolwide achievement information over time to show the extent to which learners have made progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The school is developing good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.
• The school is unable to identify if they are 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.

Support

During the course of this review ERO had concerns about the quality of education being provided and made recommendations for support and/or intervention to the Secretary/Ministry of Education.

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

• Students benefit from an inclusive and supportive learning environment that promotes positive and respectful relationships between staff and learners.
• Teachers plan and implement learning programmes that increasingly reflect the diverse strengths, interests and learning needs of all students.
• Staff identify and respond promptly to learners with additional needs, ensuring students are empowered to participate fully in their learning and make meaningful progress.
• The School Board represents and works well with the school community; parents report that they have ongoing opportunities to share their views about their child’s learning.
• School leadership prioritises staff professional development to support teaching and learning practices that respond to learners’ needs and challenges.

Key priorities 

• Implement structured literacy and structured mathematics across the school.
• Improve student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Collect and analyse schoolwide achievement data to track progress over time and inform teaching and learning.
• Establish a Professional Growth Cycle for all staff to support high quality teaching practice.
• Embed initiatives and strategies to increase and sustain students’ regular attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within three months:

• the principal and teaching staff review schoolwide learning programmes in reading, writing and mathematics to identify next steps
• the principal reports to the School Board on analysed student progress and achievement information to inform planning for teaching and learning
• the principal reviews current systems and processes for staff appraisal and implements a Professional Growth Cycle to ensure schoolwide consistency of teaching practice

Every six months:

• the principal and the School Board monitors and reviews the impact of initiatives and strategies to improve regular attendance and identify further actions
• the principal and teaching staff undertake professional development to support the consistent implementation of structured literacy and structured mathematics
• the principal and staff revisit the Professional Growth Cycle to embed a culture of reflective practice that informs high quality teaching and learning

Annually:

• the principal and the School Board review student attendance, progress and achievement information to inform strategic planning and decision making
• the principal and teaching staff evaluate the implementation of structured literacy and structured mathematics to support future actions and professional development.

Expected outcomes 

• Improved progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
• High quality teaching and learning embedded schoolwide.
• More students attending school regularly.

Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meet 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

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education/Ministry of Education consider intervention for an action plan as listed in section 171 of the Education and Training Act 2020 in order to bring about the following improvements:

• implement structured literacy and structured mathematics schoolwide
• effectively use achievement information to plan for learning and monitor the impact on student progress.

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 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

29 September 2025