Stoney Creek Road , Palmerston North
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.
Whakarongo School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 8. The school roll is approximately 433, with over half the learners identifying as European/Pākehā, 20% Māori, 13% Asian and 4% of Pacific heritage. The school’s vision and Whakarongo Kid learning model is focused on developing future focused learners, underpinned by the dimensions of being an effective Navigator (Mana motuhake),Innovator (Auahatanga) and Collaborator (Kotahitanga).
| How well are learners succeeding? | Success and progress for all learners is increasing. |
| What is the quality of teaching and learning? | Learners benefit from high 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 rich 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 not yet equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Writing | A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners. |
| Mathematics | Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners. |
The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
The school has a suitable plan in place to improve attendance.
Regular attendance is not yet improving towards or beyond 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 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.
This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.
Learners progress and achieve well in reading and mathematics; school leaders have identified a need to accelerate progress and achievement in writing for groups of learners. Learners needing additional in-class learning support are identified and provided with effective assistance; this contributes to a positive and inclusive environment that progresses learning.
Leaders continue to prioritise the improvement of student learning and achievement through strategic planning and decision making; reviewing the impact of selected initiatives that promote positive outcomes for learners, particularly for Māori learners is an identified next step.
The school is using a structured approach to literacy and mathematics to support learner progress and achievement.
Teachers work collaboratively to provide balanced curriculum coverage; regular monitoring and use of achievement information is used well to inform teaching and learning.
Staff professional learning is targeted, planned and strategically implemented for ongoing development of leadership, teaching and learner outcomes.
School leaders promote a highly reflective culture that supports teaching teams to systematically inquire into aspects of their teaching practice and positively impact learner outcomes.
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Every six months:
Annually:
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020.
The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self review of its implementation of the Code.
At the time of this review there were 2 international students and no exchange students attending the school.
The school’s internal evaluation provides adequate information about the provision for international students. Provision could be more effectively monitored by incorporating specific areas identified for improvement into the annual action plan. Student voice about their experience at the school could further inform decision making.
The International Co-ordinator provides a point of contact for students and families upon enrolment and during their time at the school. Students are settled into school-life, learning and pastoral needs are regularly attended to and provision made to support student’s learning and wellbeing. Students are well integrated and participate fully in the wider life of the school.
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 has 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
Acting Director of Schools
26 March 2025
This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Whakarongo School in Palmerston North, has students in Years 1 to 8. The multi-cultural roll of 546, includes 22% who identify as Māori and 4% as of Pacific heritage. The roll has continued to increase since the February 2016 ERO report. An enrolment scheme is in place. Property development has continued in response to roll growth.
The stated vision and valued outcome for students is to ‘Be the best Whakarongo Kid I can be’. This is promoted through the four dimensions of the ‘Whakarongo Kid: Innovator, Navigator, Connector, and Collaborator’.
The school recognises Rangitāne iwi as mana whenua.
In 2018, the school’s strategic priorities are raising achievement for identified groups of students in mathematics at Year 4, writing at Year 5, and developing the key competencies at Year 6.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
Recent initiatives to support student learning and wellbeing include: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics); a Foundation Curriculum; a Conceptual Curriculum; and cultural responsiveness. External and internal professional learning and development (PLD) is supporting the implementation of these initiatives.
The school is part of the Palmerston North East Kāhui Ako.
Since the previous ERO report, achievement has remained consistently high. The school continues to achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for most students.
At the end of 2017, school reported data indicated that most students, including Māori and Pacific learners, achieved at or above curriculum achievement expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.
Boys and girls achieve at equivalent levels in reading and writing. Girls achieved slightly lower than boys in mathematics. Māori students achieve similarly to their peers in literacy and slightly lower in mathematics.
Mid-year 2018 student achievement information, indicates that most students including Māori are on track to meet end-of-year expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.
The school is successful in accelerating the learning of most students, especially Māori students in mathematics. Students whose learning requires acceleration are well known to leaders and teachers.
In 2018, the school has successfully accelerated the learning for almost all target students in writing, most of Year 6 students in relation to their key competency focus and the majority of target students in mathematics. There is also evidence of students accelerating their learning as a result of specific interventions in literacy. Targeted teaching and a range of interventions are responsive to the needs of individual students.
Leaders collaboratively establish clear goals and expectations that ensure an organised, well-aligned and supportive environment for student wellbeing and learning. Inquiry and evaluation are used effectively to inform decisions for school improvement. A well-considered approach and the collective knowledge and skills of staff, successfully support the implementation of new initiatives and innovations to promote positive outcomes for students. A culturally responsive framework informs board operation and school practices.
Learner-focused relationships are highly evident across the school. Learning environments are managed in ways that promote students’ participation and engagement in purposeful learning. They work capably and confidently at challenging tasks across the curriculum. Teaching and learning in STEM and the foundation and conceptual curriculums, support students to think creatively and critically and prepare them for a changing world.
The school’s innovative approach to curriculum development gives teachers license to trial and implement new ideas, as they seek to actively engage all learners and help them meet with success. Literacy, mathematics and the dimensions of the Whakarongo Kid underpin teaching and learning and ways of being. Students personalise their learning through following their interests and strengths and are encouraged to be self-managing. Learner progressions guide students to understand and know about their learning as they move through the school.
Well-established systems and processes, including clearly defined assessments practices, enable leaders and teachers to identify, respond, track and monitor student learning progress and achievement. This is regularly reported to trustees, enabling them to make well-informed resourcing decisions.
Collaboration with parents, whānau and external agencies ensures the learning of students with more complex needs is suitably supported. Appropriate use of resourcing promotes students’ participation and engagement in the programme alongside their peers. Careful consideration and responsiveness to students’ and their families’ aspirations supports the successful transition of students into, through and beyond the school.
The school has developed and implemented comprehensive, useful guidelines and processes for appraisal of staff. This promotes inquiry and fosters collaboration and sharing evidence of good practice. Teachers’ professional learning and development and inquiry are closely aligned to the school’s goals and priorities.
Leaders and teachers continue to actively participate and contribute to wider education networks.
Trustees, leaders and teachers should continue to use internal evaluation to systematically evaluate how well and to what extent strategies, approaches and innovations promote improved and accelerated learning. Findings should then be used to further inform decision-making for ongoing and future development.
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:
The school became a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989 on 8 November 2018. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. At the time of this ERO review no international students were enrolled.
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in four-to-five years.
Phil Cowie Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
20 December 2018
| Location | Palmerston North |
| Ministry of Education profile number | 2481 |
| School type | Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
| School roll | 546 |
| Gender composition | Male 53%, Female 47% |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 22%, Pākehā 60%, Pacific 4%, Other ethnic groups 14% |
| Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) | Yes |
| Provision of Māori medium education | No |
| Review team on site | November 2018 |
| Date of this report | 20 December 2018 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review February 2016, Education Review October 2012, Education Review September 2010 |