Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Senior 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

Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Senior School is in Ōtara, Auckland and provides education for learners in Years 9 to 13. The current roll is 678. Pacific learners make up the largest group in the school at 78% and 20% identify as Māori.The school’s vision is to nurture, inspire and empower every learner. A new principal began in Term 1 2026, and a new leadership team established.

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

Expected improvements

The school evaluated how effectively quality teaching and a responsive curriculum improved learner progress and achievement. The school expected to see improved student engagement in learning and academic achievement and increasingly embedded effective teaching practices schoolwide.

Findings

The school has made limited progress against these priorities. 

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.

Improvement is required to ensure students are attending regularly, engaged in learning, making sufficient progress and achieving well.

• In 2025, less than half of students achieved National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Levels 2 and 3. Less than a third of students achieved Level 1 as a full course was not offered in Year 11.
• Results across all NCEA levels have declined over the last three years and inequity for boys and Māori students has increased.
• Almost all Year 9 students enter the school achieving well below expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Reliable Year 9 and 10 progress and achievement data was not available.
• Less than half of students attend school regularly; an attendance management plan has been implemented, and regular attendance has improved significantly. 

Conditions to support learner success

This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement.

School leaders are taking steps to develop the conditions needed for school improvement.

• The new leadership team is establishing clear priorities and goals and updating strategic planning with the wider Collegiate to guide the school.
• Leaders are building relational trust with staff and the community.
• Leaders are working to improve teaching and learning and to create a calm, positive environment that supports learning.
• Leaders are reviewing the curriculum and made changes to ensure students are able to access the appropriate school qualifications. 

The school is in the early stages of providing consistent, high quality teaching practices and a coherent curriculum.

• Teachers know their students well; students with diverse learning needs are identified and supported. 
• Teachers are beginning to share and implement effective strategies which develop literacy and mathematics skills across learning areas to improve student progress and achievement.
• Teachers and leaders track and monitor student progress and achievement more consistently in the senior school. They now need to embed comparable systems in the junior school.

The school is beginning to strengthen systems, structures and practices to support improvement. 

• The school’s pastoral and support teams prioritise and promote students’ wellbeing and inclusion.
• Leaders and teachers are beginning to improve student engagement and achievement by fostering positive relationships and behaviours for learning. 
• The school is strengthening communication with parents and whānau to develop shared understandings about students’ progress and achievement.

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

• Accelerate equitable progress and achievement outcomes for all students.
• Grow consistent, high-quality teaching practices across the school.
• Improve and sustain regular student attendance.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within three months:

• leaders develop the annual implementation plan to include clear targets and measures for attendance, achievement and equity
• leaders and teachers implement new tools to analyse and report reliable student attendance, engagement, progress and achievement data
• the Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Senior School Board and leaders communicate attendance targets and implement further strategies to lift attendance

Within six months:

• teachers and leaders review and refine teaching practices, school-wide assessment approaches, professional learning and support systems to ensure consistency and effectiveness
• the Board and leaders review the impact of initiatives on student attendance, engagement and achievement, report progress against school and government priorities and plan next steps

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers evaluate the impact of teaching practices and professional learning on student progress and achievement and plan for future development
• the Board and leaders review attendance data, evaluate the impact of actions and adjust strategies to improve regular attendance

Annually:

• the school Board and leaders collect, analyse and report on attendance, progress, wellbeing, behaviour and achievement data to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the school’s initiatives, inform strategic and annual planning, identify next steps for improvement and share with the school community. 

Expected outcomes

• Accelerated progress and achievement outcomes for all students.
• Consistent, high-quality teaching that benefits all students.
• Sustained improvements in regular student attendance.

Support 

During the course of this review ERO had concerns about the quality of education being provided. 

Recommendation to the Ministry of Education 

ERO recommends that the Secretary for Education consider intervention for specialist help as listed in section 171(1) of the Education and Training Act 2020 in order to bring about the following improvements:

• accelerating progress and raising achievement for all students
• improving attendance.

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

5 May 2026