Pacific Advance Secondary School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · State
- Year levels
- 9–13
- Total roll
- 161
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 42 Atkinson Avenue, Otahuhu, Auckland
- Territorial authority
- Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board Area
- Phone
- 09-2760375
- office@pass.school.nz
- Website
- http://pass.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Auckland
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.
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
- Pacific Advance Secondary School is a state designated character school. Our unique point of difference is that our school environment is embedded by our Pasifika values, culture and pedagogies through the knowledge and experiences of our Pasifika kaimahi (staff), kāinga (families), talavou (students) and community.
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 6
- Māori
- 25
- Pacific
- 140
- Asian
- 15
- MELAA
- 2
- Other
- 2
- International
- 0
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 09 | 5 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 29 |
| Year 11 | 6 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 |
| Year 12 | 6 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Year 13+ | 1 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 |
| Total | 24 | 127 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 145 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 13 | 4 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Age 14 | 8 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 37 |
| Age 15 | 5 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 |
| Age 16 | 5 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Age 17 | 2 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 |
| Age 18 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Age 19+ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 24 | 127 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 145 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Academic results
Percentage with NCEA level 1 or above — 2025
80%
| Pacific Advance Secondary School | 80% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 90.1% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 88% |
| State: Not integrated | 83.6% |
| New Zealand | 85.2% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 76.9% |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.8% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | 81.3% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | Too few to report |
| Total | 80% |
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
74.3%
| Pacific Advance Secondary School | 74.3% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 85.3% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 81% |
| State: Not integrated | 75.4% |
| New Zealand | 77.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 76.9% |
|---|---|
| Male | 72.7% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | 75% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | Too few to report |
| Total | 74.3% |
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
57.1%
| Pacific Advance Secondary School | 57.1% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 71.7% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 61.8% |
| State: Not integrated | 55.2% |
| New Zealand | 59% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 69.2% |
|---|---|
| Male | 50% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | 56.3% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | Too few to report |
| Total | 57.1% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 3 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with VP Award — 2025
17.1%
| Pacific Advance Secondary School | 17.1% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 14.6% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 15.2% |
| State: Not integrated | 14.4% |
| New Zealand | 14.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 15.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 18.2% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | 15.6% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | Too few to report |
| Total | 17.1% |
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
82.9%
| Pacific Advance Secondary School | 82.9% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 88.9% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 83.5% |
| State: Not integrated | 81.4% |
| New Zealand | 83% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 84.6% |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.8% |
| Māori | Too few to report |
| Pacific | 84.4% |
| Asian | Too few to report |
| MELAA | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable |
| European/Pākehā | Too few to report |
| Total | 82.9% |
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
0%
| Pacific Advance Secondary School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 29.7% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 35.8% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
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 stand-down rates data (2024)
Age-standardised suspension rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Pacific Advance Secondary School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 3% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 4% |
| 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%
| Pacific Advance Secondary School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Auckland Region | 1.4% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 1.7% |
| 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)
- 519
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Major urban area
- Date opened
- 23 January 2019
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
- 3
- Last reviewed
- 23 October 2025
- Latest report
- School Evaluation Report
- Report type
- Evaluation report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (23 October 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 board assurance report of 23 October 2025 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 23 October 2025 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 9 to 13
provides education for students in Years 9 to 13
- Years 9 to 13
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 161 — 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.
March 2021
160
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 23 June 2021
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 23 October 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.
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
Pacific Advance Secondary School in Ōtāhuhu , Auckland provides education for students in Years 9 to 13. The school follows the Fonofale model of wellbeing, which emphasises cultural values, faith, kāinga , and the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of students.
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
What we know about learner success
This section provides a summary of learner success, wellbeing and foundation school conditions. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.
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%
Learner success and wellbeing
This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.
The school is working towards excellent and equitable outcomes for learners.
A large majority of students achieve National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Levels 2 and 3 and achieve University Entrance (UE); less than a third of students achieve Level 1.
Improving the progress and achievement of learners in Years 9 and 10 in reading, writing, and mathematics is a priority.
Less than half of students attend school regularly; the school is working towards the Government’s target for government target for regular attendance and have prioritised the development of an attendance plan to increase regular student attendance.
Conditions to support learner success
This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement.
Leaders are collaborative and culturally responsive with clear focus on learner success.
Leadership builds and sustains high levels of relational trust and effective collaboration at every level of the school community to achieve the strategic vision and goals.
Leadership sets and pursues a small number of strategic development priorities and targets including the acceleration of progress for those learners at risk of underachievement.
Leaders uses evidence to plan and monitor aspects of the school’s strategic improvement cycle and increasingly evaluate the effectiveness of strategies designed to improve learner outcomes.
The school is enhancing its curriculum and teaching practices to better support learning and engagement outcomes for all learners.
The curriculum is planned well to integrate and reflect local contexts in a way that builds on learners’ experiences, knowledge and understanding.
Teachers provide an inclusive learning environment; they are organised and prepared, know their learners well and respond to their individual strengths and learning needs.
School conditions that underpin ongoing improvement and student success are well established.
The school fosters purposeful, whānau-like relationships; staff and students report these relationships as enabling meaningful learning and positive interactions that improve engagement in learning.
The school board and leadership have a clear focus on improvement; staff plan and prepare purposeful learning activities.
Learners experience an inclusive, and supportive learning environment that reflects Pacific values and holistic pastoral care, supporting their physical and emotional wellbeing.
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 identifies key priorities and actions for improvement.
Key priorities
Strengthen the NCEA Level 1 programme, with a particular strong focus on literacy and numeracy.
Formalise and implement a robust attendance plan to improve regular attendance.
Embed te ao Māori into the delivery of the curriculum and environment in a meaningful and sustainable way.
Continue to develop engaging and purposeful partnerships with kāinga.
Agreed actions to bring about improvement
Within six months:
ensure all school staff understand and implement attendance procedures
develop a comprehensive strategy to support the integration of te ao Māori into curriculum delivery and the environment, supporting a stronger connection with Māori culture and values
plan actions to increase engagement of kāinga with school events, such as Talanoa Ako
Every six months:
use achievement data to inform teaching practices to strengthen the transition of students from Year 10 to Level 1 NCEA
review attendance information and plan next steps to sustain improvements
review the integration of te ao Māori i nto the curriculum to measure progress and plan next steps
Annually:
continue to strengthen and embed Year 9 and 10 literacy and numeracy programmes and report outcomes to the board to inform strategic direction and ongoing improvement
review the effectiveness of strategies in working towards achieving significant and positive improvements in regular student attendance
strengthen professional development opportunities and iwi partnership with Ngāti Tamaoho
evaluate the success of the school in fostering engaging and collaborative partnerships between the school and kāinga, and the extent to which learning partnerships have been enhanced across the school community to support learners’ success.
Expected outcomes
Improved achievement of Year 9 and 10 students in literacy and mathematics; an increased number of learners achieving NCEA Level 1
Increased regular attendance
Teachers confidently applying te ao Māori in their teaching and learning programmes
Kāinga equipped to purposefully engage in their child’s learning journey, stay connected and actively participate in the educational process.
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
23 October 2025
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 3 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).