Northland's largest secondary school has received a glowing report card from the Education Review Office.
Kerikeri High School was visited by an ERO team in March as part of the department's regular school checks.
Board of trustees chairman Rick Palmer said the ERO team had been very impressed with what they found
at the school.
"They were saying 'Thank you, we've learnt huge amounts that we can take back to other schools'," Mr Palmer said.
"I guess for us it's nice to know that ERO consider us as performing at such a high level."
The ERO report praised the school's senior management, saying principal Elizabeth Forgie's "strong leadership skills" had boosted teacher morale and confidence in the school.
The report also noted the success of the Te Kotahitanga programme, which has been credited with substantially raising the achievement levels of Maori students.
"Maori students are experiencing success as a result of the changing culture of the school," the report says.
The report noted student achievement levels are above national and decile averages.
"Clear and consistent expectations for teaching and learning, and high expectations of achievement, unite the staff and students," the report said. "Students enjoy teaching and learning that is of a high standard across the board. They are benefiting from positive teacher-student relationships, which are central to Te Kotohitanga."
The ERO will carry out another review in four to five years.
Mr Palmer said the next review date was a good outcome in itself as less than 10 per cent of schools in New Zealand are placed in the four to five year cycle.
