Golden Bay High School
Secondary (Year 7-15) · State
- Year levels
- 7–13
- Total roll
- 300
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 12 Waitapu Road, Takaka
- Territorial authority
- Tasman District
- Phone
- 03-5259914
- postie@gbh.school.nz
- Website
- http://www.gbh.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Tasman
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
Not stated on the school’s website.
What does the school say about itself?
Quoted, not summarised. Every school describes itself well, so this is here to be read as the school’s own case rather than as a finding — and a school that states nothing simply has no row.
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.
- International students
- Accepted, as stated
Each international student at Te Waka Kura o Mohua has an individual programme and has goals as diverse as becoming a competent mountain biker to obtaining NZ university entrance or both!
- Accepted, as stated
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
- Instrumental and vocal music tuition
Instrumental and vocal music tuition is available and the school has a concert band and rock bands.
- concert band
Instrumental and vocal music tuition is available and the school has a concert band and rock bands.
- rock bands
Instrumental and vocal music tuition is available and the school has a concert band and rock bands.
- 'Smokefree Rockquest'
Te Waka Kura o Mohua students have competed in both the 'Smokefree Rockquest' and 'Stage Challenge' competitions and aim at staging a school production annually.
- 'Stage Challenge'
Te Waka Kura o Mohua students have competed in both the 'Smokefree Rockquest' and 'Stage Challenge' competitions and aim at staging a school production annually.
- school production
Te Waka Kura o Mohua students have competed in both the 'Smokefree Rockquest' and 'Stage Challenge' competitions and aim at staging a school production annually.
- Kapa Haka
They also have the opportunity to take part in Kapa Haka within the school and in the wider region.
- Outdoor Education programmes
Our Outdoor Education programmes take advantage of the local environment.
- Instrumental and vocal music tuition
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 280
- Māori
- 36
- Pacific
- 4
- Asian
- 13
- MELAA
- 2
- Other
- 3
- International
- 1
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 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 52 |
| Year 08 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 53 |
| Year 09 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 39 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 0 | 46 |
| Year 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 41 |
| Year 12 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 2 | 51 |
| Year 13+ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 35 |
| Total | 39 | 7 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 277 | 3 | 317 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Age 11 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 46 |
| Age 12 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 48 |
| Age 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 0 | 42 |
| Age 14 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 0 | 45 |
| Age 15 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 46 |
| Age 16 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 2 | 46 |
| Age 17 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 39 |
| Age 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Age 19+ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 39 | 7 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 277 | 3 | 317 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Academic results
Percentage with NCEA level 1 or above — 2025
93%
| Golden Bay High School | 93% |
|---|---|
| Tasman Region | 82.2% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 89.6% |
| State: Not integrated | 83.6% |
| New Zealand | 85.2% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 94.1% |
|---|---|
| Male | 92.3% |
| Māori | 83.3% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 94.7% |
| Total | 93% |
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
88.4%
| Golden Bay High School | 88.4% |
|---|---|
| Tasman Region | 72.8% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.3% |
| State: Not integrated | 75.4% |
| New Zealand | 77.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 88.2% |
|---|---|
| Male | 88.5% |
| Māori | 83.3% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 89.5% |
| Total | 88.4% |
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
30.2%
| Golden Bay High School | 30.2% |
|---|---|
| Tasman Region | 43.8% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 64.5% |
| State: Not integrated | 55.2% |
| New Zealand | 59% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 35.3% |
|---|---|
| Male | 26.9% |
| Māori | 33.3% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 28.9% |
| Total | 30.2% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 3 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with VP Award — 2025
2.3%
| Golden Bay High School | 2.3% |
|---|---|
| Tasman Region | 9% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 14.7% |
| State: Not integrated | 14.4% |
| New Zealand | 14.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 5.9% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 2.6% |
| Total | 2.3% |
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
86%
| Golden Bay High School | 86% |
|---|---|
| Tasman Region | 77.2% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 83.1% |
| State: Not integrated | 81.4% |
| New Zealand | 83% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 100% |
|---|---|
| Male | 76.9% |
| Māori | 66.7% |
| Pacific | Too few to report |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | 89.5% |
| Total | 86% |
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
28.1%
| Golden Bay High School | 28.1% |
|---|---|
| Tasman Region | 33% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 43.4% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 19% |
|---|---|
| Male | 35% |
| Māori | 88.7% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 21.2% |
| Total | 28.1% |
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
0%
| Golden Bay High School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Tasman Region | 3.2% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 4.6% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
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
0%
| Golden Bay High School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Tasman Region | 2.1% |
| Secondary (Year 7-15) | 2% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 450
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Small urban area
- Date opened
- 16 November 1858
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
- 5
- Last reviewed
- 17 February 2025
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (17 February 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 17 February 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 identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
review policies responsively, according to changing regulatory and legislative requirements, to ensure a safe physical and emotional environment is maintained [Section 127, Education and Training Act, 2020]
having a compliant child protection policy available for the community [Section 15, Oranga Tamariki Act, 1989; Part 6 and Sections 18 and 19, Children’s Act, 2024].
The board has since addressed the areas 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 300 — 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.
June 2019
359
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 18 July 2019
March 2017
359
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 19 June 2017
We draw no line between these. Each was counted for its own report, years apart, by a different review team, and a roll moves between reviews for reasons none of these figures record — so the difference between any two of them measures nothing.
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 17 February 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
Golden Bay High School located in Tākaka , is a co-educational state secondary school for learners in Years 7 to 13. The school’s values are: Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga, Kaitiakitanga, Wairuatanga underpinned by its vision: Inspiring world-ready rangatahi.
There are two parts to this report.
Part A: 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 B: The improvement actions prioritised for the school’s next evaluation cycle.
Part A: Current State
The following findings are to inform the school’s future priorities for improvement.
Learner Success and Wellbeing
Achievement across the school varies; most learners make good progress.
Achievement data for Years 7 to 10 is variable; the school is prioritising teachers’ understanding and implementation of a strengthened Years 7 to 10 data framework for reliability of teacher judgement and improved learner outcomes.
A large majority of all Year 11 and 12 learners achieve the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Levels 1 and 2; a small majority achieve Level 3 and University Entrance.
Learners value the sense of community and belonging throughout the school, reporting that their teachers know them well; teachers consistently building on these relationships for improving learning is the next step.
The school is not yet meeting the Government’s target for regular attendance; improving regular attendance is a priority for the school.
Conditions to support learner success
School leadership works collaboratively to strategically improve outcomes for learners.
Leaders effectively consider multiple sources of evidence to coherently plan, implement and review strategic and annual plans.
Strong leadership provides clear guidance and expectations for improved outcomes for all learners.
Leaders model and ensure a continuously improving, responsive approach to progressing school priorities for learner outcomes.
The school’s curriculum and teaching practices are increasingly responsive to learners’ needs, interests and cultural identities.
Learners benefit from settled classrooms with teachers working towards using evidence-based teaching strategies tailored to meet learners’ different needs.
The school has a strong, localised curriculum with positive place-based learning and extensive use of community resources.
Learners have planned transitions into, within and beyond school contributing to a strong sense of belonging and support for their post-school pathways.
The board, leaders and teachers are taking positive steps to use data and evidence to strengthen schoolwide processes and practices for continuing improvement in learner outcomes.
The board is actively representing and serving the school in its stewardship role with a clear emphasis on learner wellbeing, progress and achievement.
The school has well-established, educationally focussed connections with iwi and is working towards a strengthened partnership.
Systematic, collaborative inquiry, and developing monitoring and evaluation practices are used to inform priorities and strategies to improve learner outcomes.
Targeted professional learning and development, including connections beyond the school, is a key strategy that leaders implement for growing teaching practices to meet the diverse needs of learners.
Part B: Where to next?
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
strengthen teachers’ use of Year 7 to 10 learning data for informing teaching practice, evaluating progress and achievement for all learners, and accelerating progress for the learners at risk of not achieving
develop a school-community strategy to increase regular attendance, particularly for the senior years
continue to strengthen teachers’ use of culturally sustaining teaching practices for all students to experience and enjoy success as themselves
continue the development of middle leadership to ensure schoolwide consistency of practices that best sustain learner wellbeing, progress and achievement outcomes.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within three months:
embed a process for evaluating teachers’ present use of culturally sustaining teaching practices
develop a Years 7 to 10 data framework for reliability of teacher judgement and improved learner outcomes
develop a process for teachers to use Poutama Reo to determine specific targets and timeframes for the continuing development of staff capacity in te reo and tikanga Māori , and the development of mātauranga Māori across the school curriculum
Every six months:
evaluate the impact of middle leadership practices on improving teaching and learning across the school
leaders report to the board on progress towards meeting regular attendance targets and learning progress and achievement goals and act on any emerging trends
Annually:
leaders review how effectively teachers’ professional learning is supporting middle leadership development to ensure sustainability of schoolwide systems and learner progress and outcomes
report to the board on the effectiveness of interventions and strategies on increasing learner wellbeing, attendance, progress and achievement across the diversity of the school to inform decision making for further improvement.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
high quality, consistent use of reliable assessment information to inform planning that meets the needs of learners
increased achievement in Years 7 to 10 across the curriculum
effective systems and practices to sustain schoolwide practices for learner attendance, progress and achievement across the diversity of the school.
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
17 February 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 5 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).