Takaka Primary School
9 Wadsworth Street, Takaka · Nelson, Marlborough & West Coast
Composite score
Established
Above median
Rank #1,139 of scored NZ schools
In summary
Takaka Primary School's new leadership team has analysed achievement and wellbeing data to identify opportunities for improvement. The school has developed tools to clarify culturally responsive practice for teachers and staff are engaged in professional development for culturally responsive practices and structured literacy in both English and te reo Māori. The school's composite score is 67.
Best suited for
Students in Takaka looking for a state-funded setting with an established ERO profile.
Is Takaka Primary School a good school?
Takaka Primary School scores 70/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Above 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
- New leadership team has worked with shared focus to analyse achievement and wellbeing data, providing clarity and purpose when identifying opportunities for improved practices
- Tools have been developed that provide clarity for teachers about what constitutes culturally responsive practice at Takaka Primary School
- Staff are engaged in professional development for culturally responsive practices, and structured literacy in English and in te reo Māori learning pathways, supporting literacy improvement across the school
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 0.0/1k · suspensions 0.0/1k · exclusions 0.0/1k · top 10% of band (n=404) · why? ▼ hide
-14.0% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · bottom quartile of band (n=403) · why? ▼ hide
67/100 from ERO review 2023-05 · bottom quartile of band (n=406) · 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): 67/100.
Latest ERO review
2023-05-16 · Shelley Booysen, ERO
- New leadership team has analysed achievement and wellbeing data to identify opportunities for improved practices
- Tools have been developed that provide clarity for teachers about what constitutes culturally responsive practice at Takaka Primary School
- Staff are engaged in professional development for culturally responsive practices, and structured literacy in English and te reo Māori learning pathways
- Data shows scope to enhance literacy achievement across the school, supported by culturally responsive practices
- School is developing a dual language teaching and learning pathway
"the new leadership team has worked with shared focus to analyse achievement and wellbeing data, providing clarity and purpose when identifying opportunities for improved practices"
Composite score across reviews
3 ERO reviews on file, 2014–2023. Click a point to read that review.
Trajectory across review cycles
Year-over-year change per dimension based on consecutive ERO reviews.
Governance strengthened significantly between 2014 and 2017. The 2014 report noted 'good governance and management practices' as a general strength, while the 2017 report provides more specific evidence of effective board functioning, stating 'The board effectively represents and serves the school.' Additionally, a leadership team was newly appointed in 2015-2016, and the school implemented a more systematic, evidence-based change management process centered on student outcomes.
2014-08 → 2017-11 diff source
The 2017 report emphasized an established school-wide positive behaviour programme and strong learning environment as conducive to student wellbeing, while the 2023 report focuses on newly developed tools and professional development for culturally responsive practices with expected enhancement of student engagement. The shift reflects a transition from describing embedded wellbeing systems to describing emerging work in progress, despite the overall ERO score declining from 82 to 65.
2017-11 → 2023-05 diff source
Between 2014 and 2017, Māori achievement shifted from being at similar levels to non-Māori peers to becoming an identified area of in-school disparity. While the 2014 report highlighted positive relationships and comparable achievement, the 2017 report identified reading and writing as specific areas where Māori students showed disparity, though the school implemented targeted interventions and culturally responsive practices including dedicated Māori student leadership opportunities.
2014-08 → 2017-11 diff source
Both reports emphasize culturally responsive curriculum, but the focus shifted from collaborative teacher inquiry into children's interests (2017) to structured literacy pathways with explicit professional development tools (2023). The 2023 report indicates a more formal, systems-driven approach to literacy improvement, while acknowledging scope for enhancement—suggesting less confidence in existing practices than the earlier report's emphasis on 'positive improvement' and 'intentionally strengthened systems.'
2017-11 → 2023-05 diff source
Leadership changed significantly between 2017 and 2023, with a new leadership team replacing the one appointed in 2015-2016. The 2017 report praised established leadership with a clear strategic vision and evidence-based change management, while the 2023 report describes a new team in the early stages of analyzing data and developing tools for culturally responsive practice and literacy improvement.
2017-11 → 2023-05 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
0.0
· 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
$1.52M
Per-student funding · 2022
$10,832
2018
$1.1M
2019
$1.4M
2020
$1.5M
2021
$1.7M
2022
$1.5M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 21
- Year 02 19
- Year 03 21
- Year 04 24
- Year 05 22
- Year 06 31
- Year 07 3
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 90.7%
- Māori 20.7%
- Asian 6.4%
- Pacific 2.9%
- Other / MELAA 1.4%
Location
9 Wadsworth Street, Takaka. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Takaka Primary School.
Frequently asked
Is Takaka Primary School a good school?
Takaka Primary School scores 70/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Above 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 2023-05 review identified 5 key findings. New leadership team has analysed achievement and wellbeing data to identify opportunities for improved practices
How do I enrol my child at Takaka Primary School?
Contact the school directly on 03-5259035, email postie@takakaprimary.school.nz, or visit www.takakaprimary.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?
Takaka Primary School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Takaka Primary School has 140 students, with an EQI of 452 (mid-range socio-economic context).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Takaka Primary School in 2023-05, signed by Shelley Booysen. 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
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz