Gulf Harbour School
Contributing · State
- Year levels
- 1–6
- Total roll
- 540
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 65 Alec Craig Way, Whangaparaoa
- Territorial authority
- Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Area
- Phone
- 09-4280202
- office@ghs.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Auckland
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
It is our expectation that all students wear our official school uniform, correctly and to a high standard, at all times.
- Required
- Where to buy the uniform
- http://www.argyleonline.co.nz
The Gulf Harbour School uniform is sold online through Argyle Schoolwear. Go to [www.argyleonline.co.nz](http://www.argyleonline.co.nz) and select Gulf Harbour School under Shop ArgyleOnLine.
- http://www.argyleonline.co.nz
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.
- In their words
- ‘Be the Difference to Others, Ourselves and the World’
- Kia Taumata rau, Kia mātou, kia Koutou, Ki te ao katoa
- International students
- Accepted, as stated
International student applications are closed for the period 20 July to 15 August 2026. Applications for all other dates are welcome.
- 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
- Cross Country
Throughout the year we run events such as Cross Country and Athletics.
- Athletics
Throughout the year we run events such as Cross Country and Athletics.
- football
Older students can take part in lunchtime coaching and inter-school competitions for sports such as football, rippa rugby, hockey and other seasonal sports.
- rippa rugby
Older students can take part in lunchtime coaching and inter-school competitions for sports such as football, rippa rugby, hockey and other seasonal sports.
- hockey
Older students can take part in lunchtime coaching and inter-school competitions for sports such as football, rippa rugby, hockey and other seasonal sports.
- Cross Country
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 463
- Māori
- 10
- Pacific
- 10
- Asian
- 42
- MELAA
- 38
- Other
- 0
- International
- 16
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 01 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 69 | 0 | 78 |
| Year 02 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 2 | 56 | 1 | 72 |
| Year 03 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 12 | 6 | 76 | 0 | 99 |
| Year 04 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 67 | 1 | 80 |
| Year 05 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 75 | 0 | 99 |
| Year 06 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 86 | 3 | 103 |
| Year 07 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 10 |
| Total | 54 | 27 | 86 | 51 | 18 | 438 | 5 | 541 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 63 | 0 | 70 |
| Age 06 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 58 | 1 | 71 |
| Age 07 | 12 | 6 | 20 | 12 | 6 | 76 | 0 | 98 |
| Age 08 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 64 | 1 | 80 |
| Age 09 | 9 | 5 | 17 | 7 | 4 | 72 | 0 | 94 |
| Age 10 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 5 | 84 | 3 | 104 |
| Age 11 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 24 |
| Total | 54 | 27 | 86 | 51 | 18 | 438 | 5 | 541 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
59.6%
| Gulf Harbour School | 59.6% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 29.7% |
| Contributing | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 109.8% |
| Māori | 149.2% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 23.8% |
| Other | 33.3% |
| European/Pākehā | 65.5% |
| Total | 59.6% |
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
17.4%
| Gulf Harbour School | 17.4% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 3% |
| Contributing | 3.5% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 31.9% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 22.6% |
| Total | 17.4% |
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
8.4%
| Gulf Harbour School | 8.4% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 1.4% |
| Contributing | 1.5% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 15.5% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 10.9% |
| Total | 8.4% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 414
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Large urban area
- Date opened
- 27 January 1998
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
- 4
- Last reviewed
- 27 January 2026
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (14 October 2022)
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 board assurance report of 14 October 2022 carries no actions-for-compliance section — the section ERO uses when it names non-compliance it identified. That is what this report contains; it is not ERO saying it found none. Other reports ERO holds for this school may say something different.
What this report states about the school
As stated in ERO’s report of 27 January 2026 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 6
provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6
- Years 1 to 6
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 27 January 2026 — “School Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.
School 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.
Every New Zealand state and state integrated school has an ERO review at least once every four years to evaluate what is working well for learners and what needs to be improved.
About the School
Gulf Harbour School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The current school roll is 564. Learners who identify as New Zealand European/ Pākehā are 76% of the school roll, 20% of learners identify as Asian, 10% identify as Māori , 9% as Middle Eastern, Latin American or African and 10% from other ethnic backgrounds including Pacific heritage.
The school’s vision of being the difference to ourselves, others and the world | kia taumata rau, kia mātou, kia koutou, ki te ao katoa is underpinned by the values of atawhai | kindness, tū kaha |resilience, manaaki |respect and tū tika |responsibility.
Education Counts provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement, school enrolments and school zones. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
An explanation of the terms and judgements used in this report can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office
Improvement and progress
This section is about the progress the school has made since the October 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.
Expected improvements
Priorities from the last review were to develop solid foundations in literacy and mathematics through a localised curriculum and to strengthen staff capability to be increasingly culturally responsive.
Findings
Structured approaches to literacy and mathematics are well embedded across the school and promote positive outcomes for learners. Assessment processes are further strengthened and align to quality teaching practice, internal evaluation and student agency for continuous improvement across the curriculum.
Professional learning is well planned and considered to support staff to be increasingly culturally responsive to improve equitable outcomes for all groups of learners.
What we know about learner success
This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and the evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation .
How well are learners succeeding? Success and progress for all learners is increasing.
What is the quality of teaching and learning? Learners benefit from high quality teaching practice that improves progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
How well does the school curriculum respond to all learners needs? Learners have rich opportunities to learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum. There is a consistent focus on supporting learners to gain foundational skills in literacy and mathematics. Learners with complex needs are well supported to achieve their education goals.
How well does school planning and conditions support ongoing improvement? School planning and conditions to support ongoing improvement to the quality of education for learners are well established.
How well does the school include all learners and promote their engagement and wellbeing? The school successfully promotes learners’ engagement, wellbeing and inclusion.
How well does the school partner with parents, whānau and its community for the benefit of learners? The school reports usefully and accurately to parents / whānau about their child’s learning, achievement and progress. The school responds well to a wide range of information gathered through community consultation, to inform strategic planning and curriculum decisions.
Student Health and Safety The school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.
Achievement in Years 1 to 6
This section is about learner achievement. It outlines how well learners across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level of The New Zealand Curriculum in foundational skills.
Less than a third Less than half Small majority Large majority Most Almost all
0 to 33% 34 to 49% 50 to 64% 65 to 79% 80 to 90% Over 90%
Reading Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.
Writing Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.
Mathematics Most learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are becoming more equitable for all groups of learners.
Attendance
This section is about school attendance and the progress the school is making towards meeting the Government target of 80% regular attendance.
The small majority of learners attend school regularly.
The school is approaching the target of 80% regular attendance.
The school has a suitable plan in place to improve attendance.
Regular attendance is improving towards the target.
Chronic absence is reducing over time.
Assessment
This section is about how the school assesses learner progress and achievement.
The school uses an appropriate approach and reliable practices to find out about achievement against the curriculum.
Assessment information is used well to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.
Progress
This section is about how well the school supports all learners to make sufficient progress.
The school has good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.
The school has significantly improved achievement and progress for those learners most at risk of not achieving since the previous review.
The school has to some extent extended achievement and progress for learners working at or above curriculum levels since the previous review.
The school is meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets set for 2030.
Next steps for improvement
This section provides more detail for the school to include in its strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school. It outlines what the school is doing well and identifies actions for improvement.
Areas of strength
Learners are actively involved in their learning and most achieve well in a positive, caring environment. Learners requiring additional support are clearly identified for targeted support to improve learning and wellbeing.
Learners benefit from a strong sense of belonging and engage in respectful interactions with their teachers and peers.
Leaders and the Gulf Harbour School Board work well together, strategically using evidence-based knowledge, including parent and community feedback, to plan for improvement with learners at the centre of decision-making.
Structured approaches in literacy and mathematics are well-embedded and prioritised across the school to build strong foundational skills.
Learners access broad, rich curriculum that supports success in engaging, meaningful learning.
Targeted professional learning aligned with school priorities, helps leaders and teachers to strengthen capability and ensure consistent teaching practices.
A collaborative approach to data analysis helps identify learners’ needs and planning for ongoing improvement.
Key priorities
Embed an instructional coaching model to help strengthen teaching and learning and improve outcomes for all learners.
Sustain the focus on improving regular student attendance to meet Government targets.
Actions to bring about improvement
Every six months:
leaders and teachers monitor achievement to determine the impact of the instructional coaching model on improving teaching and learning
leaders and the Board review and report to the community on the outcome of attendance strategies and adjust as needed
Annually:
leaders evaluate and report to the Board on the impact of the instructional coaching on teaching and learner outcomes to guide next steps.
Expected outcomes
Consistent, effective teacher practice that improves learner outcomes
Improved rates of regular student attendance.
Regulatory and legislative requirements
This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements. This includes the provision of education for international students.
Board assurance with regulatory and legislative requirements
This section of the report reviews the school's policies, procedures, documentation, and checks that it meets all regulations, maintains a safe environment, and supports students' wellbeing.
During this review the Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:
Board administration
Yes
Curriculum
Yes
Management of health, safety and welfare
Yes
Personnel management
Yes
Provision for international students
This section is about the quality of the provision of education for international students enrolled at the school.
Findings
The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 established under section 534 of the Education and Training Act 2020. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code and has completed an annual self- review of its implementation of the Code.
At the time of this review there were four international students attending the school.
International students successfully transition into the school. Staff work well together to provide a range of strategies that support their success in learning. Students receive effective pastoral care and can share about their cultural identities. The Gulf Harbour School Board receives regular information about the school's provision for international students.
The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Report and is due within four 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 Director of Schools
27 January 2026
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 4 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).