Grey Street , Opotiki
View on mapTēnā 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.
St Joseph’s Catholic School (Opotiki) provides education for students in Years 1 to 8. Māori learners make up 50% of the roll, European/Pakeha 27%, and a growing ethnic diversity of 23%.
The Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions established St Joseph's in 1890, with the present school being built around 1920. The school’s Catholic character and values support the vision of creating a ‘safe, stimulating and positive learning environment’.
| 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 Safety | The school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety. |
This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.
Foundation Skills | |
| Reading | Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Writing | Most 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. |
The school is behind the target of 80% regular attendance.
The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.
Regular attendance is improving towards the target.
Chronic absence is reducing over time.
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.
The school has good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.
The school has to some extent 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.
This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months:
Every six months:
Annually:
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
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:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
ERO and the board have identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
The board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.
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)
22 April 2025
This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
St Joseph’s Catholic School (Opotiki) is a state integrated primary school, providing education for children in Years 1 to 8. The school roll of 196 children includes 120 Māori children, 51 Pākehā and 25 from a range of other nationalities. The parish and parent community is proud of the school’s values and special Catholic character and is highly supportive of the school. The school is part of the Rotorua Catholic Faith Based Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.
Since the previous ERO review in 2014, significant property development has taken place. The school has established the Whare Manaaki, a new modern learning environment for the senior area of the school. Teachers are working collaboratively in this purpose-built shared learning space. A new large adventure playground has also been built. The school celebrated its 125th Jubilee in 2015.
Data over the past three years shows consistently high levels of achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. There has been significant improvement in achievement of Māori children in reading and mathematics.
The school is responding well to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration.
Many school processes are effective in enabling the achievement of equity and excellence including:
Further development is needed to enable all at-risk learners to accelerate and achieve in their learning.
At the time of this review, the 2016 achievement data shows high levels of achievement in reading and mathematics and slightly lower levels in writing.
Learners are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective sustainable processes and practices.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
The school is responding well to Māori and other children whose learning and achievement need acceleration. The school can show accelerated progress for children. The school’s National Standards data from 2014 – 2016 shows consistently high levels of achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. There is some disparity between boys and girls in reading and mathematics. While the school has improved the overall achievement of Māori children in reading and maths over the past three years some disparity remains for Māori in all National Standard areas.
Raising student achievement is an important and valued outcome for all children. The school has accessed professional development for teachers to respond to accelerating children’s achievement in writing. Children who require additional learning support are carefully identified and provided for through individualised learning programmes.
The school has clear expectations for the collection of data and uses a range of appropriate assessment tools. There is a collaborative approach to making overall teacher judgements (OTJs) about children’s achievement in relation to National Standards. Teachers are supported through professional learning discussions, reflections and moderation across the school. Leaders have participated in moderation with other schools as part of their involvement in the Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.
Many school processes are effective in enabling the achievement of equity and excellence.
The curriculum is well designed. Children are engaged in a variety of authentic learning contexts including leadership opportunities, environmental education, science and the arts. Appropriate emphasis is placed on literacy and numeracy to improve learning. Māori children have equitable opportunities to learn and achieve success and Māori cultural values are highly evident. Children experience rich learning opportunities in a curriculum that provides a strong foundation for learning and promotes wellbeing and belonging.
Teachers use many effective strategies to enable children to experience success in their learning. They are focused on raising achievement for at-risk learners and monitoring progress over time. Teachers know their children well and there are positive, caring and respectful relationships. Classrooms are attractive, well presented and resourced. Children with additional learning needs are well supported through programmes and interventions and their progress is reported to parents and the board. Children are achieving well and are actively involved in meaningful learning opportunities.
Leaders are building teacher capability through focused professional learning and development. They are highly focused on improving outcomes for children. Leaders have built a strong culture of collaboration with the teaching team and are benefitting from participation in the wider education community through the Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako. They are implementing a new approach to teaching as inquiry and appraisal to support effective practice and improve outcomes for children. The principal is strategic in utilising teachers’ skills and expertise to lead curriculum learning in the school. All children have equitable opportunities to learn and achieve.
There are positive and trusting relationships between trustees and school leaders. Trustees uphold the school’s values and Catholic character and bring a range of useful skills and expertise to their roles. They have undertaken training in aspects of governance. The board’s governance manual details clear operational policies and procedures to guide school operations. Children benefit from learning in a well-managed and well-resourced school.
Parents, whānau and the wider community are highly supportive of the school and the principal. Many families have intergenerational connections with the school and feel a strong sense of belonging and pride. Parents have regular opportunities to be informed of their children’s learning and progress and this has been enhanced through the use of digital technology. The school has recently undertaken consultation with Māori whānau to gather their views and aspirations and has strengthened relationships with local iwi. Helpful partnerships for learning are supporting children to achieve and experience success.
Further development is needed to enable all at-risk learners to accelerate and achieve in their learning. There is need for:
Before the review, the board and principal of the school completed the ERO board assurance statement and self-audit checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to the following:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
Learners are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress toward achieving equity in educational outcomes, supported by effective, sustainable processes and practices.
Agreed next steps are to:
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
2 November 2017
| Location | Opotiki |
| Ministry of Education profile number | 1950 |
| School type | Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
| School roll | 196 |
| Gender composition | Boys 49% Girls 51% |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 61% Pākehā 26% Cook Island Māori 2% Samoan 2% Indian 3% Chinese 2% South East Asian 1% Other Asian 2% Other 1% |
| Provision of Māori medium education | No |
| Review team on site | September 2017 |
| Date of this report | 2 November 2017 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review May 2014 Education Review February 2011 |