2025 Highlights, Celebrations and Next Steps for 2026

This document supports the Highlights and Celebrations 2025 page with the colourful images and information on it, providing more details.

These are just some of our celebrations for the 2025 year. Like all schools, we continually look for ways we can improve. This document also links to some of our next steps in areas identified for improvement. The next steps form part of our 2026 Annual Implementation Plan, which can be found on our website.

This document is a high level overview of achievement only.

Staff spend a significant amount of time looking at individual student achievement data, groups and larger cohorts such as year levels throughout the year. They analyse what is working well and what areas need future focus. All teachers have specific target groups in their learning communities.

We celebrate our many ethnicities at OPS - we currently have well over 40. We acknowledge that within each of the Ministry of Education identified ethnic groups (Asian, Māori, Middle Eastern, Latin American/African, NZ European/Pakeha/Other, European, Pacific), there are many unique groups of ākonga.

We recognise that in reality each ākonga may identify themselves as being multiple ethnicities.

2025 School Achievement and Progress Data

Achievement

In 2025, we grouped students into three categories:

Above expected level - They are working above expectation for their year level.

Within expected level - They are on track and learning at their year level.

Below expected level - They are not yet at expectation for their level and may need extra support.

Student Achievement & Progress Data 2025

We share with whānau during the year information about their individual child’s learning.

The information below refers to the whole school or groups within our school.

‘Within the expected level’ refers to the New Zealand Curriculum level each ākonga should be learning and achieving at.

Increased Achievement from 2024 to 2025

In 2025, we saw an overall increase in student achievement across reading, writing, and maths compared to 2024. This positive shift was achieved because students who were previously working below the expected level made accelerated progress, meaning they achieved more than a year's worth of learning within the school calendar year. See the table below for the Expected and Accelerated Progress Data.

Expected and Accelerated Progress

Our focus is ākonga making the expected progress of one year’s learning and progress each calendar year. This data excludes students who have not completed a school year or enrolled at OPS from Term 3.

When ākonga are learning below their expected level we aim for them to make accelerated progress - more than a year’s learning/progress in a school calendar year.

2025 Achievement and Progress Data Based on Ethnicity

This data shows that there are differences in achievement between ethnic groups. Part of our planning within our 2025 Annual IpImplementation Plans aims to address this - see more below.

Reducing Inequity of Achievement

Targets were set in 2025 to increase equity of achievement - specifically to increase achievement of our Māori and Pasific ākonga to become more in line with our whole school cohort..

While we achieved these targets, we know we have more work to do.

Studnet Achievement - Ethnicity

Ethnic groups shared here are based on Ministry of Education groups.

Next Steps

We will continue to focus on individuals and groups of ākonga (learners) who are not yet achieving at the expected level. While equity in achievement in different ethnic group is increasing, we need this to be an ongoing focus. Our staff identify and where possible minimise any of the many factors which impact achievement.

Our ‘2026 Annual Implementation Plan’ outlines how we are going to achieve the goals in our Strategic Plan. It’s a working document which a number of staff add to over a year. You can see updates of our 2026 Annual Implementation Plan progress once a term on the Board of Trustees section of our OPS Website.

BOT approved 2026 OPS Annual Implementation Plan .pdf

Highlights and Celebrations

Strategic Planning & Governance

ERO Review: An Excellent Review

Our 2025 external evaluation by the Education Review Office provided an unbiased review of our school's direction, helping confirm areas for future growth.

Compliance & Safety: The school met all compliance requirements, ensuring a safe learning and work environment for all.
Shift to ‘Excelling’: The review team upgraded several self-review areas from ‘Embedding’ to ‘Excelling,’ reflecting our high-functioning internal systems.
Positive Acknowledgment: Positive feedback was received regarding classroom observations by ERO and OPS Senior Leaders, highlighting strong, effective leadership.
Leadership Alignment: ERO identified that our staff’s identified "next steps" were aligned with best practices, confirming we are on the right track.

Attendance

Strategic Planning: A strong Attendance Plan was developed and implemented, with leadership in this area recognised by outside agencies.
Positive Trends: We have seen an increase in "On Time" numbers and a rise in overall attendance during Terms 1 and 2.

Curriculum & Learning

Literacy & Mathematics: Raising the Bar

Structured Literacy: Through community fundraising and Ministry of Education (MOE) funded PLD, our teachers have gained significant confidence and competence in evidence-based instruction.
Revised Maths Curriculum: We empowered teacher-leaders within our Kahui Ako (Community of Learning) to lead the revised rollout, increasing staff confidence across the board.
Resource Investment: Every Learning Community received new "hands-on" mathematical equipment to move learning from abstract concepts to practical understanding.

Curriculum Experiences & Inquiry

Integrated Learning: Staff made strong connections between curriculum areas to maximise learning time (e.g., Reading and Writing, reinforcing Science Inquiry knowledge).
Beyond the Classroom: 2025 featured a rich array of experiences, including the Black Grace performance at Aotea Centre, Butterfly Creek, MOTAT, the Waitakere Ranges, the Fossil in a Van visit, and an immersive life-sized blow-up whale on-site.
New Opportunities: We sent our first-ever team to the Kids Lit Quiz, eSports, and held a Science & Tech week where whānau joined in for experiments.

Staff Collaboration & Professional Learning

Shared Growth: Staff focus on "Log Flume" approach (consistency over "Roller Coaster" experiences) has led to more common language and teaching approaches between year levels.
Efficiency: Stronger collaboration has resulted in sharing expertise, strengths, interests and a more efficient use of workload and time for teachers.

Measured Approach: A strategic approach to educational changes. A focus on maximising learning time, in reading, writing and maths.

HERO: Streamlining Communication

In response to whānau feedback, we successfully transitioned to the HERO Student Management System.

One-Stop Shop: Whānau and staff now use a single app for absences, permission slips, school reports, and event bookings.
Effective Rollout: The transition has seen great uptake by both staff and whānau, streamlining admin and information sharing.

Board of Trustees & Elections

High Engagement: OPS saw a high number of parent nominations for the 2025–2028 Board of Trustees (BOT).
Professional Development: Newly elected BOT members engaged in professional learning opportunities both individually and alongside other local schools.

Whanaungatanga: Relationships & Connections

Whānau Engagement & Transitions

Waka Huia Boxes: Students and staff created boxes containing taonga (treasures) representing their identity. Having whānau come into class to support this sharing created a deep sense of belonging.
Smooth Transitions: From "Little Kiwi" pre-school visits to the Term 1 "Visit Your Teacher" day, we prioritised emotional readiness for ākonga.
Welcoming Culture: Termly Whakatau (Māori welcome) ensures every new student and staff member is welcomed into our whānau.
Increased Participation: We have seen a noticeable increase in whānau attendance at school events and engagement in student learning.

Culture, Sport & The Arts

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Te Tiriti Commitment: The Board reaffirmed our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, embedding Te Reo Māori and Tikanga into daily planning and policy.
Strategic focus: Increasing partnership, participation and protection in teaching, planning, policy and governance
Cultural Leadership: With an awesome new tutor, Kapa Haka is now a core part of the school week. The group opened our Arts and Cultural Festival, performed at out of school events, and we have begun building a set of OPS performance uniforms.
Staff Leadership: Increased focus on Te Reo Māori, Tikanga, and Te Ao Māori (the Māori world view) across all planning.

Celebrating Cultures

Language Weeks: Strong whānau involvement in planning and supporting our Cultural Language Weeks.

Arts & Cultural Festival: Every ākonga was involved in one of 25 different groups. The event saw huge community support, with FOTS providing additional stalls. This event celebrated the wonderful diversity of our school community.

Sporting Participation

Student Leadership: Year 6 "We CARE PALS" (trained by Sport Auckland) organised inclusive break-time games for younger students.
Diversified Sports: We offered everything from Ki O Rahi to our first-ever eSports team, which balanced gaming with lessons on nutrition and sleep.
Competition & Fun: High participation in "Splash and Dash" Fun Runs and Interschool Winter and Summer Zones (including tennis, cricket, touch rugby, swimming, T-ball, rugby, Ki O Rahi, rugby league, netball, soccer, cross country, and athletics ). 2025 also saw the first-ever Interschool Athletics for Year 3 & 4.
Staff Involvement: A staff member with leadership of sports responsibility. A Learning Assistant to support class teachers with sport. Staff Vs Students games throughout the year. Sport Duty teachers at lunch breaks to promote sport.

Environment & Property

Sustainability & PB4L

Enviro-Sustainability: Our flourishing, productive garden involves students in planting, harvesting, and cooking. Students are also engaged in various cluster projects in our local area.
PB4L Refresh: We updated our "We CARE" graphics and revisited our positive behaviour frameworks to ensure our EPIC environment remains relevant, effective and visible for all.

Property & Facilities

Collaborative Learning Environments: The refurbishment of Rooms 6, 7, and 8 was completed, providing versatile spaces for both quiet work and collaboration.
Future Planning: Planning is currently underway for the refurbishment of the pool changing sheds.
Grounds: Significant tree pruning and aesthetic work began over the holiday break to maintain our beautiful environment.

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