Bream Bay College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · State
- Year levels
- 7–13
- Total roll
- 618
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 2 Peter Snell Road, Ruakaka
- Territorial authority
- Whangarei District
- Phone
- 09-4328226
- admin@breambaycollege.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Whangārei · schools in Northland
Can my child go here?
This school has an enrolment scheme, so a place is not open to every address. How enrolment zones work
Loading zone map…
Zone boundaries shown here are approximate. Ministry of Education data warns these boundaries do not have high spatial precision and can place neighbouring addresses on different sides of a line. This is not a confirmation of enrolment eligibility — always confirm directly with the school. Zone geometry also does not reflect enrolment priority rules (siblings, special character categories, ballots) — it shows the mapped boundary only.
Check if your address is in zone →
Source: Ministry of Education, CC BY 3.0 NZ
What would the day look like?
The practical things this school states on its own website — the hours, the uniform, the term dates, and how children get there. These are the school’s own words, not the Ministry’s record and not ERO’s.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- Uniform
- Required
Students are expected to wear the school’s uniform with pride at all times. This includes to and from school.
- Required
- Getting there
- School buses serving students from the Brynderwyn Summit and Langs Beach in the south to the Oakleigh rail over bridge in the north
The majority of our students travel on school buses. These serve students from the Brynderwyn Summit and Langs Beach in the South, to the Oakleigh rail over bridge in the North.
- School buses serving students from the Brynderwyn Summit and Langs Beach in the south to the Oakleigh rail over bridge in the north
What is on offer beyond the classroom?
The sports, arts, clubs and groups this school names on its own website. Not a complete list of what any school offers, and not a count — a school that names more here has written more down, which is not the same as doing more.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- On offer
- Tug of War
Our Interhouse competions run through the year and include events like Tug of War, Touch, Swimming, Athletics, Basketball and Volleyball.
- Winter Tournament Week
We participate in Winter Tournament Week and AIMS Games.
- AIMS Games
We participate in Winter Tournament Week and AIMS Games.
- Athletics
Athletics * Badminton
- Badminton
* Badminton *
- Basketball
* Basketball *
- Cricket
* Cricket *
- Cross Country
* Cross Country *
- Equestrian
* Equestrian *
- Football
* Football *
- Futsal
* Futsal *
- Get to Go Challenge
* Get to Go Challenge *
- Golf
* Golf *
- Hockey
* Hockey *
- Kiwi Tag
* Kiwi Tag *
- Ki o Rahi
* Ki o Rahi *
- Moto Cross
* Moto Cross *
- Mountain Biking
* Mountain Biking *
- Netball
* Netball *
- Orienteering
* Orienteering *
- Rugby
* Rugby *
- Rugby7s
* Rugby7s *
- Rugby League
* Rugby League *
- Squash
* Squash *
- Surfing
* Surfing *
- Swimming
* Swimming *
- Table Tennis
* Table Tennis *
- Tennis
* Tennis *
- Touch Rugby
* Touch Rugby*
- Turbo Touch
* Turbo Touch *
- Triathlon
* Triathlon *
- Ultimate Frisbee
* Ultimate Frisbee *
- Volleyball
* Volleyball *
- Waka Ama
* Waka Ama
- Tug of War
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 431
- Māori
- 252
- Pacific
- 55
- Asian
- 43
- MELAA
- 15
- Other
- 6
- International
- 3
Roll by year level and age
Shown as context, not ranked, not compared to any average. As at 30 June 2026, from the same annual return as the roll count above.
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 07 | 50 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 82 | 0 | 111 |
| Year 08 | 44 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 64 | 0 | 103 |
| Year 09 | 47 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 0 | 117 |
| Year 10 | 32 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 81 |
| Year 11 | 32 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 2 | 81 |
| Year 12 | 27 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 81 |
| Year 13+ | 26 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 54 |
| Total | 258 | 48 | 42 | 11 | 3 | 395 | 2 | 628 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 11 | 42 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 65 | 0 | 87 |
| Age 12 | 45 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 69 | 0 | 107 |
| Age 13 | 44 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 0 | 109 |
| Age 14 | 29 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 0 | 88 |
| Age 15 | 42 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 83 |
| Age 16 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 2 | 84 |
| Age 17 | 25 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 56 |
| Age 18 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| Age 19+ | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 258 | 48 | 42 | 11 | 3 | 395 | 2 | 628 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Academic results
Percentage with NCEA level 1 or above — 2025
86.5%
| Bream Bay College | 86.5% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 82.3% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 89.6% |
| State: Not integrated | 83.6% |
| New Zealand | 85.2% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 91.1% |
|---|---|
| Male | 82.4% |
| Māori | 78.3% |
| Pacific | 100% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 92.5% |
| Total | 86.5% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 1 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with NCEA level 2 or above — 2025
71.9%
| Bream Bay College | 71.9% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 72.1% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.3% |
| State: Not integrated | 75.4% |
| New Zealand | 77.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 75.6% |
|---|---|
| Male | 68.6% |
| Māori | 67.4% |
| Pacific | 100% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 75.5% |
| Total | 71.9% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 2 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with NCEA level 3 or above — 2025
42.7%
| Bream Bay College | 42.7% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 48.3% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 64.5% |
| State: Not integrated | 55.2% |
| New Zealand | 59% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 57.8% |
|---|---|
| Male | 29.4% |
| Māori | 41.3% |
| Pacific | 50% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 43.4% |
| Total | 42.7% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 3 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with VP Award — 2025
12.5%
| Bream Bay College | 12.5% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 16.8% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 14.7% |
| State: Not integrated | 14.4% |
| New Zealand | 14.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 11.1% |
|---|---|
| Male | 13.7% |
| Māori | 15.2% |
| Pacific | 12.5% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 11.3% |
| Total | 12.5% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison Vocational Pathway data (2023-2025)
Retention
Percentage staying until at least 17th birthday — 2025
74%
| Bream Bay College | 74% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 72.9% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.1% |
| State: Not integrated | 81.4% |
| New Zealand | 83% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 84.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 64.7% |
| Māori | 73.9% |
| Pacific | 87.5% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 69.8% |
| Total | 74% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison trend data (2023-2025)
— 2024
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)
— 2023
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)
— 2024
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)
— 2023
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
50.5%
| Bream Bay College | 50.5% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 52% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 43.4% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 54.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 46% |
| Māori | 112.9% |
| Pacific | 58.1% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 24.7% |
| Total | 50.5% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison stand-down rates data (2024)
Age-standardised suspension rate per 1,000 students — 2024
11.8%
| Bream Bay College | 11.8% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 6.5% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 4.6% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 7.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 16.8% |
| Māori | 28.3% |
| Pacific | 13.5% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 6.4% |
| Total | 11.8% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison suspension rates data (2024)
Age-standardised exclusion rate per 1,000 students — 2024
7%
| Bream Bay College | 7% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 2.7% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 2% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 4.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 9.7% |
| Māori | 15.9% |
| Pacific | 17.1% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 3.8% |
| Total | 7% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 482
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- Some students taught in te reo Māori
- Urban / rural
- Small urban area
- Date opened
- 31 January 1972
The Equity Index is used by the Ministry to allocate equity funding. It describes the socio-economic barriers a school’s students face, not how good the school is. How the Equity Index works
What did ERO find?
The Education Review Office reviews every school and publishes what it finds in full. We quote ERO’s report here, section by section, in ERO’s own words and order, and link to it. We do not summarise a report, pick a line out of one, or turn one into a score. How ERO reviews schools
- Reports ERO holds
- 7
- Last reviewed
- 2 April 2025
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (2 April 2025)
A board assurance statement is the board’s own account of whether it took all reasonable steps to meet its legal obligations, on the date shown. It is not ERO’s finding. ERO reports separately, in the same report, on any non-compliance it identified during that process.
The same report — the board assurance report of 2 April 2025 — also sets out actions for compliance: the non-compliance ERO identified during that process. This is that section of the report in full, in ERO’s words.
ERO has identified the following area of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
ensure police vets for non-teaching staff are renewed every three years. [s104 Education and Training Act 2020]
The board has since addressed the area of non-compliance identified.
The roll ERO recorded, and when
ERO writes a roll into each report it publishes: a count taken for that report, on the day shown, by the review team that was there. The Ministry of Education’s current roll for this school is 618 — the figure at the top of this page, and the one to use for how big the school is now. These are a different measurement by a different body, so they will rarely agree, and a difference between them is not a change in the school.
May 2017
505
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 10 July 2017
This is one count taken for one report. It says what the roll was on that day, and nothing about how the roll has moved.
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 2 April 2025 — “School Evaluation Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.
School Evaluation Report
Tēnā koutou e mau manawa rahi ki te kaupapa e aro ake nei, ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa. Mā wai rā e kawe, mā tātau katoa .
We acknowledge the collective effort, responsibility and commitment by all to ensure that the child remains at the heart of the matter.
Context
Bream Bay College is a co-educational school in Ruakākā , Northland and provides education for students in Years 7 to 13. The board appointed a principal in Term 3, 2023. The school’s vision is to foster a culture centred on the MANA values of Manaakitanga | Hosting, Awhi | Supporting each other, Ngakaunui | Being curious, and Aroha | Working with positivity .
The school has a bilingual unit, Te Rerenga Kōtuku , for students in Years 7 to 10.
There are three parts to this report.
Part A: A summary of the findings from the most recent Education Review Office (ERO) report and/or subsequent evaluation.
Part B: An evaluative summary of learner success and school conditions to inform the school board’s future strategic direction, including any education in Rumaki /bilingual settings.
Part C: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.
Part A: Previous Improvement Goals
Since the previous ERO report in October 2022, ERO and the school worked together to evaluate the impact of a structured literacy approach on raising achievement and engagement for equitable outcomes for all learners.
Expected Improvements and Findings
The school expected to see:
An improvement in students’ progress and achievement in literacy and across all curriculum areas.
Achievement information shows an increase in spelling skills for Year 7 and 8 students; school leadership continue to work towards improving schoolwide analysis of progress and achievement information to inform ongoing planning.
Professional development for Year 7 and 8 teachers in structured literacy has improved collaboration and a more consistent schoolwide approach to teaching literacy.
Teachers developing their knowledge and capability in effective literacy approaches to support students through national qualifications and onto meaningful pathways.
Year 9 and 10 students show an increased understanding of the literacy requirements for national qualifications.
Students have an improved awareness of their literacy capability and a shared understanding of the language of literacy.
Teachers continue to develop their knowledge and capability in effective literacy approaches.
Other Findings
During the course of the evaluation, it was found that with targeted professional learning teachers continued to improve their use of explicit teaching approaches in literacy.
Part B: Current State
The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.
Learner Success and Wellbeing
Some students are engaged, making progress and achieving at expected levels.
The majority of students achieve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Levels 1, 2 and 3; however, less than half achieve University Entrance.
A small majority of students in Years 7 to 10 achieve at or above the expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics.
Achievement information shows that the school has yet to address the disparity evident for Māori learners, particularly in mathematics.
A small majority of students attend school regularly; the school is yet to meet the Government’s target for regular attendance.
Conditions to support learner success
Leaders are establishing strategic initiatives and expectations for high quality teaching practices.
Leaders set strategic priorities with goals and initiatives for future changes that appropriately focus on the school values, curriculum and assessments.
Leaders are taking steps to foster a culture committed to quality teaching and improving equitable outcomes for groups of learners.
Leadership is focused on strengthening teaching and learning in Years 7 to 10 to raise achievement for all students.
The school is working towards strengthening a responsive curriculum and developing robust assessment practices.
Teachers and leaders are beginning to establish effective systems for tracking and monitoring student achievement that enable progress and success.
Staff are developing a shared understanding of consistent curriculum delivery and the effective use of assessment practices and information to improve strategies that meet the needs of each learner.
Staff are improving their use of responsive teaching practices that support increased learner engagement, progress and cultural connectedness.
School conditions are being strengthened to support schoolwide improvement.
Relationships between staff and learners are increasingly founded on mutual trust and respect that allows learners to seek help when required.
Leaders and teachers recognise and value learners’ interests to create a stronger sense of student belonging.
Leaders and teachers are taking steps to reduce barriers to education, supporting access to learning for those students in need of improved outcomes.
Learner success and wellbeing
Ākonga are beginning to engage and challenge themselves more in learning te reo Māori within Te Rerenga Kōtuku .
A small majority of ākonga in Te Rerenga Kōtuku meet or exceed the expected curriculum level for numeracy, while less than half do so for literacy.
The majority of Te Rerenga Kōtuku ākonga attend school regularly, promoting learner engagement.
Conditions to support learner success
Kaiako increasingly use valid and reliable assessment information to plan, teach and report on the progress and achievement of ākonga .
Leadership distributes targeted resources effectively to Te Rerenga Kōtuku , that has an enrolment provision for ākonga who hold a genuine desire to learn te reo Māori and tikanga .
Leaders and kaiako are working with other contributing schools to develop te reo pathway aspirations that better support ākonga transitions into and beyond Te Rerenga Kōtuku .
Part C: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
monitor and review strategies and initiatives to increase students’ regular attendance
strengthen the Years 7 to 10 curriculum and assessment framework so that teaching programmes support improved student outcomes, particularly for Māori learners
develop teaching and learning practice across the school to continue to develop consistency
strengthen the implementation of the school’s MANA values to continue to create a schoolwide environment of high expectations
build te reo Māori capability within Te Rerenga Kōtuku to accelerate progression for ākonga .
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within six months:
develop and implement a work plan to review the effectiveness of the current Years 7 to 10 curriculum and assessment framework
use staff and student voice to enhance the use of the school’s MANA values, improving student engagement and achievement
implement a formalised a professional learning development plan to grow kaiako te reo Māori capability within Te Rerenga Kōtuku .
Every six months:
review attendance strategies and initiatives to inform next steps
review teaching and assessment practices across the school to inform ongoing staff professional learning
monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s MANA values on student engagement and achievement.
Annually:
report to the board on student attendance, progress and achievement information to inform ongoing strategic planning and decision making
evaluate the extent to which the Years 7 to 10 curriculum and assessment framework is consistently used, identifying further actions
evaluate teaching and assessment practices and the impact on student outcomes
review the implementation plan and identify next steps to continue to develop Te Rerenga Kōtuku reo capability.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
students attending school regularly
improved achievement outcomes, particularly for Māori learners
a well-structured Years 7 to 10 curriculum and assessment framework; student progress is tracked and targeted interventions guided
consistent teaching and learning approaches across the school
a learning environment of high expectations based on the school’s MANA values
strengthened te reo Māori capability within Te Rerenga Kōtuku and improved ākonga progress and achievement.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.
Me mahi tahi tonu tātau , kia whai oranga a tātau tamariki Let’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children
Sharon Kelly Acting Director of Schools
2 April 2025
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 7 reports ERO holds for this school
ERO reviews a school every few years — around four years between reviews is the usual cycle — so an older date here reflects where a school sits in that cycle, not how it is doing.
Source: Education Review Office, CC BY 4.0.
Roll date: 30 June 2026 (2026).