Torbay School

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.​ 

Part A: Parent Summary 

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. 

An explanation of the terms used in the Parent Summary can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office 
 

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. 

Part C: Regulatory and Legislative Requirements 

Provision for International Students  

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