Abbotsford School
72 North Taieri Road Abbotsford, Karaka · Otago & Southland
Composite score
Developing
Below median
Rank #1,898 of scored NZ schools
In summary
Abbotsford School's August 2022 ERO review identified that some student groups were not achieving as well as expected in writing. The school is working with ERO to strengthen teacher practice and student understanding of their own learning, supported by a strong leadership team and commitment to culturally responsive teaching. The school delivers effective programmes through an inquiry-based curriculum.
Best suited for
Students aged 5-11 in Karaka looking for a state-funded setting.
Is Abbotsford School a good school?
Abbotsford School scores 52/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Below median nationally. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
Strengths from the latest ERO report
- A strong professional team of leaders, teachers, and support staff
- Effective teaching and learning programmes delivered through a rich and broad inquiry-based curriculum
- A commitment to culturally responsive practice
Summary derived from ERO reports + audited financials + MoE records. Every claim links to its source — see data transparency at the bottom of this page.
Score breakdown
6 axes, each scored 0–100 on a national absolute scale. As at 2025.
standdowns 13.2/1k · suspensions 10.3/1k · exclusions 10.3/1k · bottom 10% of band (n=518) · why? ▼ hide
-1.7% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · near band median (n=515) · why? ▼ hide
87/100 from ERO review 2015-09 · top 10% of band (n=520) · why? ▼ hide
⚠ Insufficient EQI-band peers (n<10) to compute per-axis percentile context. The score above is absolute; treat it as a single-school read rather than a peer comparison.
Real ERO composite (from the latest review): 87/100.
Latest ERO review
2022-08-24 · Dr Lesley Patterson, Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
- ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively all students' writing achievement is being improved through strengthening teacher practice and developing student knowledge of their own learning
- The school has identified that some groups of students were not well engaged in writing and were not achieving as well as expected
- The school believes that student success is more likely to result from culturally responsive teaching and programmes
- A strong professional team of leaders, teachers, and support staff support the school's goals
- The school is committed to introducing the Aotearoa New Zealand Histories curriculum and connecting Māori students to their whakapapa and cultural identity
"ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively all students' writing achievement is being improved. This is sought by strengthening the way teachers adapt their practice to meet students' needs and developing their knowledge of their own learning."
Composite score across reviews
2 ERO reviews on file, 2012–2015. Click a point to read that review.
Audited financials
Year ended 2022 · Audit opinion: unmodified
Total revenue
$2.69M
Surplus / (deficit)
$28k
Net assets / equity
$0.33M
Discipline (age-standardised, per 1,000 students)
Stand-down = sent home temporarily. Suspension = formal investigation. Exclusion = removed from school. National averages shown for comparison.
Stand-downs · 2024
13.2
2 this year · NZ avg ~37
Suspensions · 2024
10.3
1 this year · NZ avg ~5
Exclusions · 2024
10.3
1 this year · NZ avg ~1.5
Government funding
Crown funding only (school operations + teacher salaries + property). Excludes locally-raised funds, international fees and trading income — those are in the audited financial report above.
Total Crown funding · 2022
$2.82M
Per-student funding · 2022
$9,275
2018
$2.2M
2019
$2.3M
2020
$2.2M
2021
$2.2M
2022
$2.8M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 39
- Year 02 38
- Year 03 45
- Year 04 51
- Year 05 35
- Year 06 46
- Year 07 25
- Year 08 13
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 91.8%
- Māori 20.1%
- Pacific 5.3%
- Asian 3.3%
- Other / MELAA 2.3%
Location
72 North Taieri Road Abbotsford, Karaka. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Abbotsford School.
TKKM o Otepoti
Composite · 0.9km · 75 roll
93
+41 vs this
St Peter Chanel School (Green Island)
Full Primary · 1.2km · 54 roll
73
+21 vs this
Green Island School
Full Primary · 1.5km · 162 roll
45
-7 vs this
Fairfield School (Dunedin)
Full Primary · 2.2km · 515 roll
74
+22 vs this
Concord School
Contributing · 3km · 66 roll
33
-19 vs this
Balaclava School
Contributing · 3.8km · 268 roll
71
+19 vs this
Frequently asked
Is Abbotsford School a good school?
Abbotsford School scores 52/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Below median nationally. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
What does the latest ERO review say?
ERO's 2022-08 review identified 5 key findings. ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively all students' writing achievement is being improved through strengthening teacher practice and developing student knowledge of their own learning
How do I enrol my child at Abbotsford School?
Contact the school directly on 03-4882642, email office@abbotsford.school.nz, or visit www.abbotsford.school.nz. For state schools, check your home address against the school's enrolment zone — some schools are in-zone-only.
What are the fees?
Abbotsford School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Abbotsford School has 304 students, with an EQI of 438 (mid-range socio-economic context).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Abbotsford School in 2022-08, signed by Dr Lesley Patterson. 4 ERO reports are on file in our archive.
Data transparency
Every fact on this page links to its source. We never publish a claim without provenance — read our methodology for the full rules.
Sourced from
- ero.govt.nz
- web.archive.org
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz