Whatawhata School
9 Kura Street, Whatawhata · Waikato
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Composite score
Strong
Top 25% in NZ
Rank #402 of scored NZ schools
In summary
Whatawhata School's October 2024 ERO review found that most learners make sustained progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The school's strategic leadership, schoolwide reading and writing initiatives, and relational teaching practices support positive student outcomes and wellbeing. Composite score: 74.
Best suited for
Students aged 5-11 in Whatawhata looking for a state-funded setting with a strong recent ERO trajectory.
Is Whatawhata School a good school?
Whatawhata School scores 80/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Top 25% in NZ 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
- Leaders implement schoolwide initiatives to continually enhance reading and writing outcomes for all learners
- Teachers participate in ongoing professional development to improve responsive practice with deliberate approaches
- Students benefit from relational and affirming teaching practices within well-established classroom routines
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
+9.9% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · above band median (n=515) · why? ▼ hide
74/100 from ERO review 2024-10 · 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): 74/100.
Latest ERO review
2024-10-18 · Shelley Booysen, ERO
- Most learners make sustained progress, and the majority achieve at the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics
- Student wellbeing data shows positive shifts that confirms school strategies support emotional and social wellbeing
- Strategic leadership sets responsive goals and targets to improve conditions and outcomes for learners
- Māori medium Reo Rua pathways for learners are seen as a key focus in the school's strategic plan to improve outcomes for Māori learners
- Outcomes for learners are becoming increasingly equitable and excellent
"Most learners make sustained progress, and the majority achieve at the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics; targeted interventions are in place for students below expected levels of achievement."
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.
Whatawhata School's achievement_overall score declined from 85 (2019) to 72 (2024), yet the narrative findings suggest sustained progress with more equitable outcomes. The 2019 report emphasized 'significant progress' and 'strategic and coherent approach to accelerate achievement of at-risk students,' while 2024 frames achievement more broadly, noting 'most learners make sustained progress' and 'outcomes for learners are becoming increasingly equitable and excellent,' suggesting a shift from targeted intervention focus to schoolwide improvement.
2019-05 → 2024-10 diff source
Both reports rate leadership as 'well placed' with similar overall scores (85 vs 82). The 2019 report emphasized leadership's development of a holistic bi-cultural framework and robust data-driven systems for at-risk learners, while the 2024 report highlights strategic leadership setting responsive goals with a specific focus on Māori medium pathways (Reo Rua) and increasingly equitable outcomes, reflecting an evolution toward broader equity and student voice in decision-making.
2019-05 → 2024-10 diff source
Audited financials
Year ended 2020 · Audit opinion: n/a
Total revenue
$2.43M
Surplus / (deficit)
$70k
Net assets / equity
$0.27M
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
$2.06M
Per-student funding · 2022
$7,375
2018
$1.6M
2019
$1.8M
2020
$3.5M
2021
$1.8M
2022
$2.1M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 35
- Year 02 43
- Year 03 36
- Year 04 43
- Year 05 41
- Year 06 34
- Year 07 28
- Year 08 18
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 73.2%
- Māori 33.6%
- Pacific 10.4%
- Other / MELAA 3.2%
- Asian 2.5%
Location
9 Kura Street, Whatawhata. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Whatawhata School.
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Full Primary · 5km · 250 roll
60
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Full Primary · 5.9km · 328 roll
62
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Koromatua School
Full Primary · 6.2km · 224 roll
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Crawshaw School
Full Primary · 6.9km · 303 roll
28
-52 vs this
Ngā Taiātea Wharekura
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 7km · 267 roll
60
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Nawton School
Contributing · 7.5km · 531 roll
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Frequently asked
Is Whatawhata School a good school?
Whatawhata School scores 80/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Top 25% in NZ 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 2024-10 review identified 5 key findings. Most learners make sustained progress, and the majority achieve at the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics
How do I enrol my child at Whatawhata School?
Contact the school directly on 07-8298820, email office@whatawhata.school.nz, or visit www.whatawhata.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?
Whatawhata School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Whatawhata School has 280 students, with an EQI of 446 (mid-range socio-economic context).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Whatawhata School 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
- web.archive.org
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz