St Joseph's School (Waitara)
21 Nelson Street, Waitara · Taranaki & Manawatū
Composite score
Established
Below median
Rank #1,570 of scored NZ schools
In summary
St Joseph's School (Waitara) had a board assurance review in October 2024. The board attested to meeting all regulatory and legislative requirements as of August 2024, with board administration and curriculum requirements confirmed. No composite score was assigned for this review type.
Best suited for
Students aged 5-11 in Waitara looking for a state-funded setting with an established ERO profile.
Is St Joseph's School (Waitara) a good school?
St Joseph's School (Waitara) scores 61/100 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
- Positive and inclusive school environment supporting learner sense of belonging
- Orderly classes with clear expectations and evident respect between learners and teachers
- Leadership setting and pursuing improvement targets including acceleration for at-risk learners
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 23.6/1k · suspensions 0.0/1k · exclusions 0.0/1k · near band median (n=539) · why? ▼ hide
-1.4% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · near band median (n=524) · why? ▼ hide
55/100 from ERO review 2024-10 · bottom quartile of band (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): 55/100.
Latest ERO review
2024-10-25 · Shelley Booysen, ERO
- The majority of learners progress well and achieve at the expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics; there is identified disparity for boys and Māori learners.
- Learners experience a positive and inclusive school environment that supports their sense of belonging.
- Regular attendance is significantly below the Ministry of Education's targets; improving and maintaining attendance is a priority for school leaders.
- School leadership is strengthening relational trust and embedding the conditions necessary for effective teaching and learning.
- Leaders increasingly involve whānau and mana whenua in sharing their aspirations for learner outcomes; this information supports school decision making.
"The majority of learners progress well and achieve at the expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics; there is identified disparity for boys and Māori learners."
Composite score across reviews
2 ERO reviews on file, 2017–2024. Click a point to read that review.
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
23.6
1 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
$0.62M
Per-student funding · 2022
$6,902
2018
$0.8M
2019
$0.7M
2020
$0.7M
2021
$0.6M
2022
$0.6M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 8
- Year 02 8
- Year 03 6
- Year 04 8
- Year 05 14
- Year 06 10
- Year 07 7
- Year 08 12
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 70.0%
- Māori 50.0%
- Asian 12.2%
- Pacific 6.7%
- Other / MELAA 2.2%
Location
21 Nelson Street, Waitara. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with St Joseph's School (Waitara).
Waitara Central School
Contributing · 0.4km · 148 roll
45
-16 vs this
Manukorihi Intermediate
Intermediate · 1.4km · 217 roll
47
-14 vs this
Waitara High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 1.7km · 418 roll
50
-11 vs this
Waitara East School
Contributing · 1.8km · 217 roll
38
-23 vs this
Tikorangi School
Contributing · 5.3km · 175 roll
63
+2 vs this
Huirangi School
Contributing · 5.4km · 127 roll
82
+21 vs this
Frequently asked
Is St Joseph's School (Waitara) a good school?
St Joseph's School (Waitara) scores 61/100 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 2024-10 review identified 6 key findings. The majority of learners progress well and achieve at the expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics; there is identified disparity for boys and Māori learners.
How do I enrol my child at St Joseph's School (Waitara)?
Contact the school directly on 06-7547797, email office@sjw.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?
St Joseph's School (Waitara) is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
St Joseph's School (Waitara) has 90 students, with an EQI of 510 (higher socio-economic need).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed St Joseph's School (Waitara) in 2024-10, 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
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz