Murrays Bay Intermediate

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 

Murrays Bay Intermediate provides education for students in Years 7 and 8. The school roll of 1091 includes 57% Asian, 31% New Zealand European/Pākehā, 4% of students identify as Māori and 8% from other ethnic groups. The school ‘s vision is Ako ki te ora; Learn to live.

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 December 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

The school focused on evaluating how effective its literacy programme is, with particular attention to improving explicit, systematic teaching through a structured approach.

The school expected to see the schoolwide implementation of a structured literacy approach for adolescent learners, including identifying key teacher resources and professional development needs. This work aimed to adapt schoolwide tracking tools to support more responsive planning and teaching that deliver equitable outcomes for all learners.

Findings 

The school broadened its structured teaching approaches to include mathematics and literacy, strengthening coherence across core curriculum areas. Strategic resourcing, targeted professional development and schoolwide tracking tools contribute to strengthened consistency in teaching and learning. These actions provided accelerated progress for targeted groups and improved equitable outcomes for all learners.

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?Learners experience high levels of success and make excellent progress; outcomes are similarly high for all groups.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 SafetyThe school board is taking reasonable steps to ensure student health and safety.

Achievement in Years 7 to 8

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

Most 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

This section is about school attendance and the progress the school is making towards meeting the Government target of 80% regular attendance.

• The large majority of students 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 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 meeting Government targets in reading, writing and mathematics set for 2030.

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

• Students experience a welcoming, respectful learning environment that promotes a strong sense of belonging and provide learners with opportunities to participate in a wide range of activities across a broad curriculum.
• Leadership effectively use evidence and external networks for decision making, ensuring strong strategic coherence and alignment to school priorities that improve student outcomes and drives continuous improvement.
• Structured and well-planned approaches in literacy and mathematics, together with well-established daily routines, consistently promote high levels of learner engagement, progress and achievement.
• Strategic, targeted professional development strengthens teacher capability, with ongoing reviews contributing to sustained enhancement of core teaching practice.
• The school demonstrates highly effective approaches for multiple, targeted intervention strategies provide for students with additional needs.
• Parents and whānau are supported by effective communication and regular reporting to enhance student wellbeing and progress.
• The Board provides clear strategic direction; effective oversight of school resourcing decisions supports sustainable improvements in learner outcomes and future developments.

Key priorities

• Sustain increases in learners’ regular attendance each term to meet the Government’s targets.
• Integrate 2026 New Zealand Curriculum assessment and parent reporting requirements.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of strategic and curriculum planning that builds on whānau aspirations for their children to further strengthen Māori success as Māori.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• senior leaders provide staff with initial guidance and professional learning to support changes in assessment practices and meeting parent reporting requirements
• leaders and the school board implement regular whānau Māori hui to capture their aspirations for their children to guide strategic and curriculum planning and decision making

Every six months:

• senior leaders analyse current attendance data to identify trends, priority groups, and to gauge the effectiveness of attendance strategies and planning
• leaders evaluate participation levels and the impact of whānau hui in informing strategic and planning priorities for teaching and learning programmes for Māori learners

Annually:

• senior leaders and the board evaluate overall attendance improvement against annual targets to further improve and sustain attendance
• senior leaders evaluate the effectiveness of the new assessment and reporting systems and processes support strengthened teaching and parents understanding of how they support their child’s learning
• leaders monitor and evaluate how well Māori whānau aspirations support the school’s strategic planning, teaching and impacts on Māori learner outcomes.

Expected outcomes

• Regular attendance consistently improves to meet and exceed government targets
• The school successfully implements 2026 New Zealand Curriculum assessment and parent reporting requirements in a coherent, timely, and fit for purpose manner.
• Māori students experience increased success as a result of strengthened whānau engagement in their children’s learning. 

Regulatory and legislative requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meets regulatory and legislative requirements. This includes the provision of education for international students.

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

Provision for international students 

This section is about the quality of the provision of education for international students enrolled at the school.

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 32 long term and six short term international students attending the school. 

International students are effectively transitioned into the life of the school. Staff use a range of established strategies that support the students’ success in learning across the curriculum. Strong practices are in place to support students pastoral care and wellbeing. 

There are opportunities for English language lessons that cater to the students’ individual needs. Policies and procedures are clearly documented, and the Board is regularly updated with information about the provision for the international student’s programme.

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

16 March 2026