Sawyers 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 four years to evaluate what is working well for learners and what needs to be improved.

About the School 

Sawyers Bay School provides education for students from Years 1 to 6. The school roll is 103 students, 69% are Pākehā/New Zealand European, 18% are Māori, and 4% are of Pacific heritage. Sawyers Bay School values learners who are Thinkers, Risktakers, Collaborators, Communicators and Self-managers.

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

Expected improvements

The school evaluated how effective the school’s literacy curriculum is in raising at-risk students’ achievement and providing equitable opportunities to learn.

Findings 

Student achievement data indicates a significant improvement in student literacy outcomes, especially for at-risk learners, driven by the implementation of structured literacy programmes. Leaders and teachers have upskilled to ensure consistent and effective support for literacy achievement. 

Ongoing improvements in teaching practice and student progress are being driven by regular data reviews, targeted professional learning and development (PLD) and clearly defined structured literacy teaching goals.

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.

Achievement in 1 to 6 

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.

Attendance

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

•  The small 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 not yet 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 making progress towards meeting Government reading, writing and mathematics targets.

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

• Learners have a strong sense of belonging and connection with the school and value the caring and supportive relationships they have with their teachers.
• Leaders and teachers purposefully seek professional learning and contribute to building the collective capabilities of all staff to better respond to the needs of learners.
• There is consistent, well established schoolwide practice in structured teaching and learning programmes and approaches which support improved outcomes for learners.
• The school has forged strong reciprocal partnerships across the wider community which contribute to enriched opportunities for learners to be involved in local contexts.
• Strong leadership and a supportive board provide clear vision and direction, using strategic planning, data and regular evaluation to drive school improvement and high-quality teaching.

Key priorities

• Improve and sustain high levels of learner progress while creating opportunities for learners to have ownership, control and responsibility for their own learning across the curriculum. 
• Consult with the school community, seeking participation in decision making and content regarding the curriculum as it relates to local and national requirements.
• Prioritise and gather learner feedback to inform teacher practice, learning contexts and conditions for student wellbeing.
• Increase regular attendance to support improved learner engagement and outcomes.

Actions to bring about improvement 

Within six months:

• leaders and teachers clarify shared understanding of explicit teaching practices that support learners to have ownership, control and responsibility for their own learning across the curriculum and work towards the development of a sequential and coherent school wide Student Agency Rubric
• conduct community engagement activities to understand aspirations for local curriculum priorities
• establish regular learner feedback collection methods
• continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Attendance Management Plan and adjust as necessary

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers review progress and achievement data to identify specific groups and/or individuals below expectation to guide next steps and targeted teaching practice
• incorporate learner feedback into curriculum planning cycles, particularly around engagement, cultural inclusiveness, and preferred learning approaches
• analyse attendance data and share insights with staff, Board, and whānau to support targeted actions

Annually:

• the principal shares achievement data as well as key themes from learner feedback trends with the Board to inform strategic priorities and resourcing decisions to support learner progress and wellbeing outcomes 
• leaders and the Board work together to evaluate the effectiveness of the Attendance Management Plan and develop strategies for the following year to support ongoing improvement.

Expected outcomes

• Increased opportunities for learners to have ownership, control and responsibility for their own learning underpinned by a Student Agency Rubric.
• A documented local curriculum map aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum and community aspirations.
• Improved regular attendance.

Regulatory and legislative requirements

This section of the report is about how the school meets 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

23 April 2026