Karamū High School
Windsor Avenue, Parkvale-Napier/Hastings · Hawke's Bay & Gisborne
See all schools in Parkvale-Napier/Hastings →
Composite score
Developing
Below median
Rank #1,741 of scored NZ schools
In summary
Karamū High School's 2023 ERO review found that leadership collaboratively develops the school's vision with a focus on equity and excellence, setting annual targets to accelerate learning for at-risk students. The school demonstrates strength in aligning professional learning opportunities to build teacher capacity in developing a responsive local curriculum. The school has a composite score of 71.
Best suited for
Students aged 13-18 in Parkvale-Napier/Hastings looking for a state-funded setting.
Is Karamū High School a good school?
Karamū High School scores 56/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Below median nationally. ERO trajectory has declined across recent review cycles. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
Strengths from the latest ERO report
- Leadership collaboratively develops and pursues the school's vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence
- Leadership sets and pursues annual targets that relate to accelerating learning of students who are at risk of underachieving
- Alignment of strategic professional learning opportunities to further build the capacity and capability of teachers in developing a responsive local curriculum
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.
L1 91% · L2 73% · UE 45% · above band median (n=109) · why? ▼ hide
Uni 17% · Te Pūkenga 19% · Industry 13% · top 10% of band (n=102) · why? ▼ hide
72% to Y13 · below band median (n=115) · why? ▼ hide
standdowns 55.9/1k · suspensions 13.9/1k · exclusions 6.8/1k · bottom quartile of band (n=468) · why? ▼ hide
-2.3% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · near band median (n=469) · why? ▼ hide
71/100 from ERO review 2023-01 · below band median (n=471) · 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): 71/100.
Latest ERO review
2023-01-30 · Phil Cowie, Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
- Leadership collaboratively develops and pursues the school's vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence
- Leadership sets and pursues annual targets that relate to accelerating learning of students who are at risk of underachieving
- Alignment of strategic professional learning opportunities to further build the capacity and capability of teachers in developing a responsive local curriculum
- The school is working to strengthen connections with the community, whānau, hapū and iwi to build reciprocal relationships that support improved learner outcomes
"leadership collaboratively develops and pursues the school's vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence"
Composite score across reviews
3 ERO reviews on file, 2016–2023. Click a point to read that review.
Trajectory across review cycles
Year-over-year change per dimension based on consecutive ERO reviews.
The curriculum dimension shifted from a strength (score 85, described as 'extensive' and 'culturally responsive') to an area requiring further development (score 65). While the 2019 report praised the school's broad, localized curriculum opportunities, the 2023 report indicates the school is still in the process of 'working to strengthen' community connections and 'further build the capacity and capability of teachers in developing a responsive local curriculum,' suggesting implementation gaps have emerged.
2019-06 → 2023-01 diff source
Achievement outcomes for Māori students declined between 2016 and 2019. The 2016 report highlighted that "Māori students now achieve at similar levels to their peers within the school in many measures" with "significant improvement" since 2012. By 2019, while "almost all students including Māori and Pacific heritage achieve NCEA literacy and numeracy requirements," the report explicitly noted that "Boys and Māori achieve less well in University Entrance and Level 3 qualifications," indicating a concerning gap had emerged at higher qualification levels.
2016-02 → 2019-06 diff source
Karamū High School's overall achievement performance declined slightly between 2016 and 2019, with the score dropping from 85 to 80. While the 2016 report highlighted NCEA pass rates "well above national" across all levels, the 2019 report shows a narrower focus on literacy and numeracy requirements, with emerging concerns that "Boys and Māori achieve less well in University Entrance and Level 3 qualifications."
2016-02 → 2019-06 diff source
Both reports rate leadership as a strength, but with evolving emphasis. The 2016 report highlighted leadership's contribution to sustaining performance through effective processes. The 2019 report emphasizes an improvement-focused, collaborative leadership team that works cohesively on systems and processes, while introducing a new concern that teacher appraisal and inquiry processes require deeper implementation with clearer feedback.
2016-02 → 2019-06 diff source
Both reports affirm the school's commitment to student wellbeing, but with a shift in emphasis. The 2019 report highlighted 'a school culture and a strong sense of belonging that promotes students' social and emotional wellbeing' with detailed evidence of 'holistic support' and 'student voice' in decision-making. The 2023 report takes a broader, community-focused approach, stating 'the well-being of everyone in the school community is important' and emphasizing leadership's work to 'strengthen connections with the community, whānau, hapū and iwi,' suggesting evolution toward more inclusive wellbeing rather than regression.
2019-06 → 2023-01 diff source
Audited financials
Year ended 2024 · Audit opinion: unmodified
Total revenue
$12.85M
Surplus / (deficit)
+$40k
Net assets / equity
$3.39M
3 years of audited data on file · View full history (Pro)
NCEA achievement
School leavers with NCEA at each level. National average is ~85% (Level 1).
NCEA Level 1 · 2024
90.7%
165 of 182 leavers
+3.3pt vs prior year
NCEA Level 2 · 2024
72.5%
132 of 182 leavers
-1.8pt vs prior year
University Entrance · 2024
45.1%
82 of 182 leavers
+1.1pt vs prior year
Data: Ministry of Education / Education Counts, CC-BY-4.0
Stay-on rate
Percentage of students who stay at school until at least their 17th birthday — the standard NZ proxy for Year-9-to-Year-13 retention.
72.0%
2024 cohort · 182 students
-4.0pt vs 2023
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
55.9
82 this year · NZ avg ~37
Suspensions · 2024
13.9
25 this year · NZ avg ~5
Exclusions · 2024
6.8
10 this year · NZ avg ~1.5
Vocational Pathway Awards
School leavers achieving Vocational Pathway Awards by industry sector (2024).
- Service Industries 25
- Creative Industries 16
- Construction and Infrastructure 2
- Manufacturing and Technology 1
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
$8.37M
Per-student funding · 2022
$9,900
2018
$6.7M
2019
$7.1M
2020
$7.7M
2021
$8.5M
2022
$8.4M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 09 236
- Year 10 207
- Year 11 206
- Year 12 145
- Year 13+ 94
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 65.7%
- Māori 35.1%
- Asian 12.1%
- Pacific 7.8%
- Other / MELAA 3.6%
Location
Windsor Avenue, Parkvale-Napier/Hastings. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Karamū High School.
Parkvale School
Contributing · 0.8km · 506 roll
44
-12 vs this
Mayfair School
Contributing · 1.1km · 237 roll
52
-4 vs this
St John's College (Hastings)
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 1.1km · 406 roll
66
+10 vs this
St Joseph's School (Hastings)
Full Primary · 1.7km · 301 roll
76
+20 vs this
Taikura Rudolf Steiner School
Composite · 2.1km · 299 roll
62
+6 vs this
Kōwhai School
Specialist School · 2.1km · 130 roll
89
+33 vs this
Frequently asked
Is Karamū High School a good school?
Karamū High School scores 56/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Below median nationally. ERO trajectory has declined across recent review cycles. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
What does the latest ERO review say?
ERO's 2023-01 review identified 4 key findings. Leadership collaboratively develops and pursues the school's vision, goals and targets for equity and excellence
How do I enrol my child at Karamū High School?
Contact the school directly on 06-8787139, email admin@karamu.school.nz, or visit www.karamu.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?
Karamū High School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Karamū High School has 845 students, with an EQI of 484 (mid-range socio-economic context).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Karamū High School in 2023-01, signed by Phil Cowie. 5 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
- karamu.ibcdn.nz
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz