Sawyers Bay School
Contributing · State
- Year levels
- 1–6
- Total roll
- 113
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 99 Stevenson Avenue, Sawyers Bay, Port Chalmers
- Territorial authority
- Dunedin City
- Phone
- 03-472 8981
- office@sawyersbay.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Dunedin · schools in Otago
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
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 105
- Māori
- 25
- Pacific
- 5
- Asian
- 2
- MELAA
- 0
- Other
- 0
- 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 01 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 11 |
| Year 02 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 21 |
| Year 03 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Year 04 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 17 |
| Year 05 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 18 |
| Year 06 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 15 |
| Year 07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 19 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 0 | 99 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 11 |
| Age 06 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 21 |
| Age 07 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Age 08 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 19 |
| Age 09 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 16 |
| Age 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 17 |
| Total | 19 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 0 | 99 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Sawyers Bay School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 36.8% |
| Contributing | 35.6% |
| 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%
| Sawyers Bay School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 4.6% |
| Contributing | 3.5% |
| 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%
| Sawyers Bay School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Otago Region | 2% |
| Contributing | 1.5% |
| 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)
- 432
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Major 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
- 3
- Last reviewed
- 23 April 2026
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (12 July 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 12 July 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 23 April 2026 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 6
provides education for students from Years 1 to 6
- Years 1 to 6
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 23 April 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
Sawyers Bay School provides education for students from Years 1 to 6. The school roll is 103 students, 69% are Pākehā /New Zealand European, 18% are Māori , and 4% are of Pacific heritage. Sawyers Bay School values learners who are Thinkers, Risktakers, Collaborators, Communicators and Self-managers.
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 July 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.
Expected improvements
The school evaluated how effective the school’s literacy curriculum is in raising at-risk students’ achievement and providing equitable opportunities to learn.
Findings
Student achievement data indicates a significant improvement in student literacy outcomes, especially for at-risk learners, driven by the implementation of structured literacy programmes. Leaders and teachers have upskilled to ensure consistent and effective support for literacy achievement.
Ongoing improvements in teaching practice and student progress are being driven by regular data reviews, targeted professional learning and development (PLD) and clearly defined structured literacy teaching goals.
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 excellent 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 skills in 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 high quality education for learners are driving excellent school performance.
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 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 A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.
Writing A large majority of 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 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 or beyond the target.
Chronic absence is not yet 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 making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets.
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 have a strong sense of belonging and connection with the school and value the caring and supportive relationships they have with their teachers.
Leaders and teachers purposefully seek professional learning and contribute to building the collective capabilities of all staff to better respond to the needs of learners.
There is consistent, well established schoolwide practice in structured teaching and learning programmes and approaches which support improved outcomes for learners.
The school has forged strong reciprocal partnerships across the wider community which contribute to enriched opportunities for learners to be involved in local contexts.
Strong leadership and a supportive board provide clear vision and direction, using strategic planning, data and regular evaluation to drive school improvement and high-quality teaching.
Key priorities
Improve and sustain high levels of learner progress while creating opportunities for learners to have ownership, control and responsibility for their own learning across the curriculum.
Consult with the school community, seeking participation in decision making and content regarding the curriculum as it relates to local and national requirements.
Prioritise and gather learner feedback to inform teacher practice, learning contexts and conditions for student wellbeing.
Increase regular attendance to support improved learner engagement and outcomes.
Actions to bring about improvement
Within six months:
leaders and teachers clarify shared understanding of explicit teaching practices that support learners to have ownership, control and responsibility for their own learning across the curriculum and work towards the development of a sequential and coherent school wide Student Agency Rubric
conduct community engagement activities to understand aspirations for local curriculum priorities
establish regular learner feedback collection methods
continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Attendance Management Plan and adjust as necessary
Every six months:
leaders and teachers review progress and achievement data to identify specific groups and/or individuals below expectation to guide next steps and targeted teaching practice
incorporate learner feedback into curriculum planning cycles, particularly around engagement, cultural inclusiveness, and preferred learning approaches
analyse attendance data and share insights with staff, Board, and whānau to support targeted actions
Annual ly:
the principal shares achievement data as well as key themes from learner feedback trends with the Board to inform strategic priorities and resourcing decisions to support learner progress and wellbeing outcomes
leaders and the Board work together to evaluate the effectiveness of the Attendance Management Plan and develop strategies for the following year to support ongoing improvement.
Expected outcomes
Increased opportunities for learners to have ownership, control and responsibility for their own learning underpinned by a Student Agency Rubric .
A documented local curriculum map aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum and community aspirations.
Improved regular attendance.
Regulatory and legislative requirements
This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements .
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
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 April 2026
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).