Welcome Bay 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.

Every New Zealand state and state integrated school has an ERO review at least once every 4 years to evaluate what is working well for learners and what needs to be improved.

About the School

Welcome Bay School provides education for learners in Years 1 to 6. The current roll is 285, 36% of whom identify as Māori. 

The Welcome Bay School vision Ma te huruhuru ka rere te manu - Adorn the bird with feathers so that it can fly guides the teaching, learning and culture of the school. The school hosts two satellite classes from Tauranga Special School.

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.

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 sufficient 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 reasonably 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 0 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 65%

65 to 79%

80 to 90%

Over 90%

Reading

A small majority of learners meet or exceed the expected curriculum level.

Results are not yet equitable for all groups of learners.

Writing

Less than half 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 not yet 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 learners 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.
• Teachers are developing assessment information 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 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.

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

• Positive and mutually respectful teacher-learner relationships are evident in classrooms.
• Local contexts are reflected throughout teaching and learning programmes in ways that build on learners’ experiences, knowledge and understanding and shows the school’s engagement with local iwi.
• Curriculum leaders support teachers to implement structured approaches to literacy and mathematics; leaders regularly monitor and celebrate learner progress in reading, writing and mathematics; learners needing additional support are provided with relevant and individualised support.
• Leaders are developing systematic approaches to school improvement and innovation; a range of evidence (including wellbeing and attendance data) is used by leaders and teachers to evaluate the impact of programmes for continuous improvement.

Key priorities 

• Tailor teacher professional development to focus on quality practices that set high expectations and lead to equitable progress and achievement for all learners.
• Implement and embed the revised English curriculum across the school.
• Improve the rate of progress in reading and writing for all groups of students, including those students who need the most support.
• Continue to improve and sustain regular attendance. 

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers plan and implement professional learning based on evidence-based quality approaches, teacher inquiry and the understanding and use of achievement information to further accelerate all learners’ progress and achievement

Every six months:

• teachers and leaders observe one another and provide feedback to strengthen collaboration and shared understanding of effective practice that has a focus on accelerating progress and achievement
• leaders collect and analyse a range of wellbeing and achievement data to ensure teachers continue to adapt their teaching to meet learners’ needs and increase the rate of progress
• the School Board and leaders collect community voice and attendance data to monitor the success of attendance initiatives

Annually:

• leaders maintain a robust cycle of evaluation of teaching and learning programmes using teacher, learner, and whānau feedback, alongside achievement and engagement data to inform next steps
• leaders and teachers evaluate literacy development plans to ensure there is accelerated progress and achievement in reading and writing for all learners
• the School Board and leaders evaluate the effectiveness of the attendance initiatives and refine the attendance plan for the following year. 

Expected outcomes

• Consistent and high-quality teaching practice that responds to learners’ needs and interests.
• Accelerated progress and raised achievement and equitable outcomes in reading and writing for all learners, particularly Māori and Pacific students.
• More students attending regularly so that the school meets the government target of 80% regular attendance.

Regulatory and Legislative Requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meet regulatory and legislative requirements. 

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

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

17 September 2025