Ōtorohanga School
95 Phillips Avenue, Otorohanga · Waikato
See all schools in Otorohanga →
Composite score
Established
Below median
Rank #1,468 of scored NZ schools
Active MoE intervention — limited statutory manager
A limited statutory manager has been appointed to Ōtorohanga School as of 2013-08-29. NZ Gazette notice
In summary
Ōtorohanga School's August 2024 ERO review found that most learners make sustained progress in reading, writing and mathematics at expected curriculum levels. Strengths include evidence-based leadership planning, strong mana whenua connections supporting localised curriculum development, and relational teaching practices with established learning routines. The school is currently under limited statutory manager intervention from the Ministry of Education.
Best suited for
Students aged 5-11 in Otorohanga looking for a state-funded setting with an established ERO profile.
Is Ōtorohanga School a good school?
Ōtorohanga School is currently under MoE intervention — a limited statutory manager has been appointed. The school's day-to-day teaching continues; the intervention addresses governance or operational concerns identified by the Ministry. Read the NZ Gazette notice for details.
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 77.5/1k · suspensions 0.0/1k · exclusions 0.0/1k · below band median (n=539) · why? ▼ hide
+63.6% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · top 10% of band (n=524) · why? ▼ hide
75/100 from ERO review 2024-08 · near band median (n=544) · 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): 75/100.
Latest ERO review
2024-08-15 · Shelley Booysen, ERO
- Board has attested to meeting all regulatory and legislative requirements as of April 2024
- Board Administration requirements met
- Curriculum requirements met
- Management of Health, Safety and Welfare requirements met
- Personnel Management and Finance requirements met
"As of April 2024, the Ōtorohanga School Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements"
Composite score across reviews
2 ERO reviews on file, 2019–2024. Click a point to read that review.
Trajectory across review cycles
Year-over-year change per dimension based on consecutive ERO reviews.
Ōtorohanga School's curriculum approach evolved significantly from 2019 to 2024. The earlier report identified a need to 'further develop the local curriculum to support Māori students enjoying educational success as Māori,' while the 2024 report demonstrates substantial progress, with 'Te reo and tikanga Māori are increasingly woven into all aspects of the school curriculum design and planning' and established partnerships with mana whenua supporting 'on-going development of the school's localised curriculum.'
2019-05 → 2024-08 diff source
Ōtorohanga School's wellbeing dimension strengthened significantly between 2019 and 2024. The 2019 report emphasized strong whānau partnerships and relationships for wellbeing, while the 2024 report demonstrates more comprehensive progress, with learners now having 'a positive sense of belonging within an inclusive learning environment' and 'tamariki learn in an environment that is supportive and culturally responsive.' The school evolved from developing foundational partnerships to establishing deeply embedded school-home connections and culturally responsive practices.
2019-05 → 2024-08 diff source
Ōtorohanga School demonstrated significant improvement in achievement outcomes for Māori students between 2019 and 2024. While the 2019 report noted Māori achieving at slightly lower rates than other students in reading, writing and mathematics, the 2024 report indicates that "Outcomes for learners are becoming more equitable and excellent." The school shifted from working towards equitable outcomes to demonstrating sustained progress, with stronger integration of Te reo and tikanga Māori into curriculum design and increased engagement with iwi representatives as cultural advisors.
2019-05 → 2024-08 diff source
Ōtorohanga School has strengthened its approach to equity between 2019 and 2024. While the 2019 report noted the school was "working towards achieving equitable outcomes" with a need to "further develop the local curriculum to support Māori students," the 2024 report demonstrates significant progress: "Te reo and tikanga Māori are increasingly woven into all aspects of the school curriculum design and planning" and the school now engages "iwi representatives of Ngāti Maniapoto for guidance and as cultural advisors." The score improved from 65 to 68.
2019-05 → 2024-08 diff source
Both reports maintain the same score (70) and affirm effective teaching practices, but the 2024 report demonstrates significant deepening of culturally responsive teaching. The earlier report identified a need to 'further develop the local curriculum to support Māori students enjoying educational success as Māori,' while the later report shows this has been substantively addressed through explicit integration of Te reo and tikanga Māori and formal engagement with iwi representatives.
2019-05 → 2024-08 diff source
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
77.5
3 this year · NZ avg ~37
Suspensions · 2024
0.0
· NZ avg ~5
Exclusions · 2024
0.0
· 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
$0.70M
Per-student funding · 2022
$6,300
2018
$0.4M
2019
$0.5M
2020
$0.8M
2021
$0.8M
2022
$0.7M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 13
- Year 02 11
- Year 03 18
- Year 04 11
- Year 05 11
- Year 06 7
- Year 07 13
- Year 08 6
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- Māori 65.8%
- European/Pākehā 40.5%
- Pacific 16.2%
- Asian 5.4%
Location
95 Phillips Avenue, Otorohanga. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Ōtorohanga School.
St Mary's Catholic School (Otorohanga)
Full Primary · 1.5km · 30 roll
72
+9 vs this
Ōtorohanga College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 1.9km · 335 roll
48
-15 vs this
Otorohanga South School
Full Primary · 1.9km · 332 roll
76
+13 vs this
Kio Kio School
Full Primary · 5.4km · 142 roll
73
+10 vs this
Ōtewā School
Full Primary · 7.1km · 67 roll
62
-1 vs this
Waitomo Caves School
Full Primary · 13km · 32 roll
69
+6 vs this
Frequently asked
Is Ōtorohanga School a good school?
Ōtorohanga School is currently under MoE intervention — a limited statutory manager has been appointed. The school's day-to-day teaching continues; the intervention addresses governance or operational concerns identified by the Ministry. Read the NZ Gazette notice for details.
What does the latest ERO review say?
ERO's 2024-08 review identified 6 key findings. Board has attested to meeting all regulatory and legislative requirements as of April 2024
How do I enrol my child at Ōtorohanga School?
Contact the school directly on 07-8737334, email office@oto.school.nz, or visit www.otoprimary.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?
Ōtorohanga School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Ōtorohanga School has 111 students, with an EQI of 538 (higher socio-economic need).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Ōtorohanga School in 2024-08, signed by Shelley Booysen. 3 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
- gazette.govt.nz
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz