Waitaria Bay School
Full Primary · State
- Year levels
- 1–8
- Total roll
- 12
- Enrolment zone
- No
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 5668 Kenepuru Road, Picton
- Territorial authority
- Marlborough District
- Phone
- 03-5734377
- office@waitariabay.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Marlborough
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 11
- Māori
- 2
- Pacific
- 0
- Asian
- 0
- 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 02 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Year 04 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Year 06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 06 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Age 07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Age 08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Age 09 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Age 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Waitaria Bay School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Marlborough Region | 36.2% |
| Full Primary | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Asian | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| 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%
| Waitaria Bay School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Marlborough Region | 4% |
| Full Primary | 3.9% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Asian | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| 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%
| Waitaria Bay School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Marlborough Region | 1% |
| Full Primary | 1.7% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Asian | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| Other | Not available (source marker: "nd") |
| 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)
- 449
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Rural other
- Date opened
- 30 April 1897
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
- 2
- Last reviewed
- 16 April 2025
- Latest report
- School Report
- Report type
- Review report
- Board assurance
- not reported
What this report states about the school
As stated in ERO’s report of 16 April 2025 — not necessarily the position now. Each line quotes the sentence it came from.
- Year levels
- Years 1 to 8
provides education for learners in Year 1 to 8
- Years 1 to 8
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 12 — 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.
May 2019
8
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 10 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 16 April 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
Waitaria Bay School provides education for learners in Year 1 to 8. There are currently 8 learners enrolled in the school. European /Pākehā learners are 62% of the school roll with 38% Māori learners. The school’s vision is Kia tū, kia māia, kia rere – Stand tall, be brave, fly high and learners are encouraged to know and use the school’s ARIA values – Aspiration, Respect, Initiative, Achievement.
How well placed is the school to promote educational success and wellbeing?
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 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 is improving its collection and use 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 Almost all learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.
Writing Almost all learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.
Mathematics Almost all learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level. Results are equitable for all groups of learners.
Attendance
The school is behind the target of 80% regular attendance.
The school is developing a suitable plan to improve attendance.
Regular attendance is improving towards or beyond the target.
Chronic absence is reducing over time.
Assessment
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
The school has 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 Government reading, writing and mathematics and/or pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau targets and is likely to meet them by 2030.
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
Learners express a strong sense of belonging and connection to the school’s values. Learners are well supported through school-wide inclusive practices.
Leaders use assessment information and feedback from learners, staff and the community well to plan for and monitor strategic improvement priorities.
Leaders foster a culture of high-quality teaching through building strong connections with whānau , parents and the community. Leaders ensure professional growth opportunities for support staff.
Structured literacy is embedded across the school; a structured mathematics programme is being implemented and supported by targeted professional learning.
Professional growth is prioritised to strengthen high-quality teaching practices to improve outcomes for all learners. Leaders ensure professional growth opportunities for support staff and professional learning opportunities are strategically aligned with the school’s improvement goals.
A school-wide understanding and planned approach of evaluation for improvement is developing.
Key priorities and actions for improvement
The agreed next steps for the school are to:
review and strengthen assessment practices and processes to align with national priorities
refine the school’s learning programmes align with the newly introduced curriculum phases and expected learner progress outcomes
maintain high-quality teaching and learning practices to sustain learner progress and achievement in reading, writing, mathematics and wellbeing
develop an attendance plan to increase regular attendance in line with government targets.
The agreed actions for the next improvement cycle and timeframes are as follows.
Within 6 six months:
develop an attendance plan that aligns with the school’s Annual Plan actions to increase regular attendance
Every six months:
evaluate learner progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics; adapt learning programmes where necessary to meet learner needs
review the impact of school-wide professional learning on teaching practice and learner progress and achievement
gather, analyse and use learner wellbeing assessment information to inform teacher planning and practice
review the effectiveness of strategies in place to increase regular attendance
Annually:
evaluate and report assessment information on learner progress and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics to inform next steps for teaching and learning
review the school’s learning programmes to align with national priorities
gather and use feedback from learners, staff, whānau and the community to inform strategic planning of school improvement goals and resourcing decisions
evaluate the effectiveness of attendance strategies on increased regular attendance.
Actions taken against these next steps are expected to result in:
improved learner progress, achievement and wellbeing for all learners
strengthened capability in teaching and learning practices and assessment
improved regular attendance for all learners.
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
Actions for Compliance
ERO has identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
Policies and procedures in regards to staff training must comply with physical restraint regulations, rules and guidelines [Education (Physical Restraint) Rules, 2023; Sections 99 to 101 Education and Training Act, 2020].
The board has since addressed the areas of non-compliance identified.
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 Director of Schools (Acting)
16 April 2025
Education Counts
This 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 2 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).