Torbay School

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 575 — 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.

1. May 2019

   573

   Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 15 July 2019

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 19 May 2025 — “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.

About the School

Torbay School provides education for learners in Years 0 to 6. A large majority of learners identify as European and Pākehā , and the school roll was 593 students at the beginning of 2025. The school has a commitment to collaborative learning and values nurturing the talents and abilities of all learners.

How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?

How well are learners succeeding? The school is working towards high levels of success and progress for all learners.

What is the quality of teaching and learning? The school is improving teaching and learning.

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 an increasingly consistent focus on supporting learners to gain 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 0 to 8

This table outlines how well students across the school meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Foundation Skills

Reading A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Mathematics A large majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.

Attendance

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

The school is improving its approach and the reliability of its practices to accurately find out about achievement against the curriculum.

Teachers are developing assessment information to adjust teaching practices to ensure ongoing improvement in teaching and student progress.

Progress

The school is developing good quality planning to increase the rate of progress for all groups of students.

The school has to some extent 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 for 2030 and agrees this will need to be a key strategic priority.

Part B: Findings for the school

This section of the report provides more detail for the school to include in strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school.

Areas of Strength

Leadership and staff create positive outcomes for a large majority of learners in reading and mathematics through newly implemented structured literacy and mathematics programmes. The school offers high levels of inclusion underpinned by evidence-based inclusion research.

Learners support each other to access the curriculum. A stable and experienced leadership team create appropriate conditions that support the school’s strategic agenda.

A student-centred philosophy includes the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics for at least one hour per day. A broad integrated curriculum is underpinned by a collaborative teaching model.

Leaders and teachers regularly evaluate student outcomes to inform teaching practice and leadership provides appropriate professional development that continues to build the collective capacity of teachers and learning assistants.

The school is well-governed and has strong links to the community, following good practice when dealing with challenging scenarios.

Key priorities and actions for improvement

The agreed next steps for the school are to:

extend effective practices that improve outcomes in writing, particularly for boys

further embed structured literacy across all year levels to align with the school’s curriculum

implement structured mathematics schoolwide to improve outcomes for learners

investigate and implement assessment tools that align with the new curriculum areas to ensure robust and consistent teacher use of assessment tools supported by clear teaching guidelines

maintain a focus on increasing attendance to meet the government target.

The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.

Within six months:

continue to refine targeted teacher professional development in the teaching of writing

introduce structured literacy in the senior school to embed effective literacy teaching schoolwide

develop a plan to implement a structured mathematics programme schoolwide

explore and establish assessment tools and linked teacher professional development to support teachers use of assessment to improve learning

leaders continue to collect and monitor attendance data to ensure there is a continued focus on increasing attendance

Annually:

evaluate and report on the impact of teacher professional development in structured literacy, including writing, on learners’ progress and achievement

evaluate, report and plan for the ongoing implementation of structured literacy and mathematics to make ongoing programme adjustments

review and report on teachers’ consistent use of assessment tools to better target teaching and support improved learning programmes

analyse and report on attendance data to the board to ensure a continued focus on attendance.

Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:

improved outcomes for all learners in writing, with greater equity in outcomes for boys

structured reading and writing programmes that align with the curriculum

structured mathematics programme improving schoolwide student’s progress and achievement

assessment tools more consistently used by teachers across the school to enable increased student progress and achievement in literacy and mathematics

attendance meeting government targets within the expected timeframe.

Background

The Education Review Office reviews schools that are signatories 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.

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 14 international students attending the school, and no exchange students.

International students fully participate in all areas of school life and make good progress during their time at Torbay School. They experience positive and inclusive relationships with their peers and school staff.

The school has thorough processes for annual self-review that provide reliable information about aspects of the provision for international students. School governance and leadership are well informed about international students’ wellbeing, learning and engagement.

Board Assurance with Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

All schools are required to promote student health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

During this review the Board has attested to some regulatory and legislative requirements in the following areas:

Board Administration

Yes

Curriculum

Yes

Management of Health, Safety and Welfare

Yes

Personnel Management

Yes

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 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

19 May 2025

Education Counts

This website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →