Waitaki Valley School
Settlement Road, Kurow · Otago & Southland
Composite score
Established
Above median
Rank #676 of scored NZ schools
In summary
Waitaki Valley School's 2022 ERO review found that while teachers effectively use research and evaluation to support target students, interventions to accelerate progress for at-risk learners have not yet achieved intended results. The school needs to focus on raising achievement for boys in reading, writing and mathematics. Strengths include teachers' use of evidence-based approaches and commitment to building staff capability.
Best suited for
Students aged 5-11 in Kurow looking for a state-funded setting with an established ERO profile.
Is Waitaki Valley School a good school?
Waitaki Valley School scores 76/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Above median nationally. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
Strengths from the latest ERO report
- Teachers effectively use research, different teaching approaches and regular evaluation to identify what initiatives have the greatest impact for students whose progress needs to be accelerated
- There is a commitment to growing the capability of staff to support and promote student achievement and engagement
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=518) · why? ▼ hide
-2.8% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · near band median (n=515) · why? ▼ hide
73/100 from ERO review 2022-07 · bottom quartile 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): 73/100.
Latest ERO review
2022-07-25 · Dr Lesley Patterson, Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
- A range of interventions to respond to learners at risk have been tried but have not resulted in the accelerated progress intended
- Need to raise the achievement of boys in reading, writing and mathematics
- Teachers effectively use research, different teaching approaches and regular evaluation to identify what initiatives have the greatest impact for target students
- There is a commitment to growing the capability of staff to support and promote student achievement and engagement
"teachers effectively use research, different teaching approaches and regular evaluation to identify what initiatives have the greatest impact for students whose progress needs to be accelerated"
Composite score across reviews
2 ERO reviews on file, 2017–2022. 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
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
$1.01M
Per-student funding · 2022
$9,394
2018
$0.8M
2019
$0.8M
2020
$1.1M
2021
$0.9M
2022
$1.0M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 10
- Year 02 14
- Year 03 8
- Year 04 14
- Year 05 22
- Year 06 13
- Year 07 10
- Year 08 15
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 87.0%
- Māori 13.0%
- Asian 9.3%
- Other / MELAA 0.9%
Location
Settlement Road, Kurow. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Frequently asked
Is Waitaki Valley School a good school?
Waitaki Valley School scores 76/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Above median nationally. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
What does the latest ERO review say?
ERO's 2022-07 review identified 4 key findings. A range of interventions to respond to learners at risk have been tried but have not resulted in the accelerated progress intended
How do I enrol my child at Waitaki Valley School?
Contact the school directly on 03-4360660, email office@waitakivalley.school.nz, or visit www.waitakivalley.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?
Waitaki Valley School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Waitaki Valley School has 108 students, with an EQI of 440 (mid-range socio-economic context).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Waitaki Valley School in 2022-07, signed by Dr Lesley Patterson. 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