Tauranga Boys’ College

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

Tauranga Boys’ College is a large secondary school for boys in Years 9 to 13. The school roll of 2184 includes 28% of students who identify as Māori, 8% of Pacific heritage, 11% Asian and 68% Pākehā / NZ European students.

The school’s vision is Best for Boys-Tama Tū Tama Ora, reflected in ‘Respect for Self, Others, Learning, Our College’ - Whakaute ‘mō Mōku Ake, Tangata Kē, Ako, Tō Tātou Kura’. The school values of respect, honesty, loyalty, commitment, resilience and generosity underpin the school’s key aspiration for learners - ‘Better Than Before’.

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 and wellbeing. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and the 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 65%

65 to 79%

80 to 90%

Over 90%

Learner Success and Wellbeing

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.

Most learners experience high levels of academic success and a positive sense of wellbeing.

• Most learners in Years 9 to 10 achieve at or above the expected curriculum level in reading and numeracy, and a large majority in writing. Further analysis is recommended to better show the progress and achievement of Māori and Pacific learners over time.
• Most learners achieve National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2, with a large majority achieving NCEA Level 3 and a small majority achieving University Entrance (UE).
• Most Year 11 learners achieve at and above the expected curriculum levels in the school’s Te Punga qualification.
• School survey information shows that the majority of learners reported that they felt supported in a positive school culture.
• Less than half of learners attend school regularly. The school behind the Government’s attendance target of 80% regular attendance. Improving regular attendance remains a priority for the school.

Conditions to support learner success

This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement.

Collaborative strategic school leadership enables improved learner outcomes.

• Leaders model strong relational practices in their ongoing refinement of school systems and processes to better meet the needs of learners and staff.
• Leaders have established organisational conditions that support staff professional growth and development across the school, informed by the school’s strategic improvement priorities.
• The leadership team are building staff capacity to use data and use self-review processes, to support progress and improved achievement for all learners.

Students learn across the breadth and depth of the curriculum and are well supported by improved teaching practices.

• Learners benefit from a wide range of learning opportunities that cater for wide range of learner interests and needs.
• Teachers and staff focus on providing learning environments that are supportive, orderly and promote focused learner participation and engagement across the school.
• Learners experience positive relationships with their teachers contributing to a strong sense of belonging.

School conditions that underpin effective schooling are strengthening and contribute to ongoing school improvement.

• The School Board is taking steps through training to better understand its governance role and responsibilities including how well it meets its statutory obligations through robust school systems, policies and procedures to guide school operations.
• Connections with whānau, local community, past students, and external educational organisations provide students with access to various academic and vocational pathways.
• Leadership is strengthening the analysis and use of achievement and pastoral data within the school and improving internal review and evaluation practices to support improvements in learning and 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.

Key priorities

• Review the college’s strategic direction to strengthen the focus on learner centred improvement goals.
• Enhance internal evaluation processes and develop a shared schoolwide understanding of effective internal evaluation to support ongoing improvement.
• Review transition processes for students new to the college and identify potential strategies to enhance their retention and academic success.
• Improve regular attendance.
• The School Board should undertake governance training to better fulfil its responsibilities and accountabilities, including establishing a systematic cycle of review of school policies and procedures.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within three months:

• school leaders refine strategies to improve and sustain improving regular attendance
• the School Board and leaders undertake review of school policies to ensure they provide sufficient detail and clear guidance, especially in critical areas such as complaints
• the School Board and leaders engage with whānau and mana whenua so that their views and aspirations are reflected in strategic direction of the school
• leaders begin to investigate and review how well new students transition into the school during the year are supported to settle, progress and belong

Within six months:

• leaders establish good practice and processes for transitioning new students into the college during the school year with suitable approaches for all year levels

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers respond to the trends and patterns of regular attendance to develop specific approaches to further improve and sustain regular attendance
• leaders track and report on students’ progress and achievement in relation to strategic improvement goals, including well how new students transition into the college, to monitor engagement and learning outcomes

Annually:

• the School Board and leaders review student engagement, progress, attendance and achievement data including trends and patterns, through the use of longitudinal data and information to inform ongoing improvement actions
• the Board uses the feedback from parents, whānau and mana whenua, to evaluate strategic direction and the Board’s performance, including the currency of policies and procedures.

Expected outcomes

• Effective, inclusive teaching practices that are consistent and responsive to the needs of all learners.
• Sustained high levels of wellbeing, engagement and achievement for all learners.
• Improved levels of regular attendance.
• High quality evaluation practices are used by the staff and Board to support ongoing school improvement.

The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within 4 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

8 September 2025