2 Peter Snell Road , Ruakaka
View on mapThis Profile Report was written within 18 months of the Education Review Office and Bream Bay College working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website www.ero.govt.nz
Bream Bay College in Ruakaka is a co-educational, year 7 to 13 school that provides education for the young people of the Bream Bay district of Northland. The school has a bilingual unit for years 7 to 10.
Bream Bay College’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
providing facilities that enhance deep learning and are culturally inclusive
for students to succeed as connected, lifelong learners through the provision of deep learning opportunities
for students to succeed as confident, resilient citizens through a school culture that supports and promotes wellbeing
to create a sense of community understanding of deep learning and how the college operates.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Bream Bay College’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate the impact that the school’s structured literacy approach has on raising achievement, engagement, and equitable outcomes for all learners.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
to promote deep engagement and authentic learning
to support learner success in future curriculum learning and achievement
ensure all learners are prepared for NCEA literacy requirements
embed and align learning pathways through the Kahui Ako.
The school expects to see an improvement in students’ achievement in literacy and across all curriculum areas. The school expects to see students, particularly in Years 7 -10 make significant literacy progress. Teachers will develop their knowledge and capability in effective literacy approaches to support students through national qualifications and onto meaningful pathways.
The school can draw from the following strengths to evaluate the impact that the school’s structured literacy approach has on raising achievement, engagement, and equitable outcomes for all learners.
teachers and leaders effectively adapt and respond to the strengths and needs of students, including learners with diverse learning requirements
Māori learners are well supported to achieve success with a strong sense of their cultural identity
strong leadership and experienced staff, with capacity to support quality teaching and learning across the school
progressive and responsive curriculum design that provides flexibility around how and when students learn within changing environments.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
continuing to build teacher knowledge and skill in the teaching of literacy
ensuring there is a shared understanding and implementation of the structured literacy approach across the school.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
21 October 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
As of June 2022, the Bream Bay College Board of Trustees has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
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For further information please contact Bream Bay College Board of Trustees.
The next Board of Trustees assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years.
Information on ERO’s role and process in this review can be found on the Education Review Office website.
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
21 October 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
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.
Bream Bay College 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 no international students attending the school.
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
21 October 2022
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Students at Bream Bay College benefit from a broad, relevant curriculum that supports their learning and includes a wide range of co-curricular programmes and leadership opportunities. Good quality teaching practices support the engagement and achievement of students across the school. School leaders continue to seek out new approaches and opportunities to improve outcomes for students.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Bream Bay College is a co-educational, Year 7 to 13 school that provides education for the young people of the Ruakaka district of Northland. The school has a bilingual unit for Year 7 and 8 students. Māori students comprise forty percent of the school’s roll which is mainly Pākehā.
The school aspires to foster a culture centred on respect, citizenship and achievement. Their vision is to develop well-rounded, innovative and culturally responsive thinkers, who contribute to a diverse world.
The school leadership team has focused on further developing collaborative approaches to improve learning outcomes for all students. In 2016, Bream Bay College joined a global education network, New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (NPDL). This initiative provides a framework for teaching and learning that focuses on developing skills and attitudes of deep learning competencies (6C’s).
ERO’s 2014 report recommended that the school strengthen internal evaluation to better respond to those students whose learning needed acceleration. It also identified that the board of trustees needed to report to the Māori community on the success of Māori students, including a focus on accelerated achievement for Māori boys. Trustees and senior leaders are making good progress in these areas.
The school uses achievement information very well to make positive changes to learners’ progress and achievement.
The school gathers a variety of data that builds a holistic achievement picture of each student over time. This includes information on their attendance, competencies, co-curricular involvement and academic progress. Reports developed are used by leaders, teachers and students to improve learning outcomes, particularly for those students who need their progress and achievement accelerated.
Student achievement in the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2 declined in 2015 and regained some ground in 2016. Māori student achievement at this level has been increasing each year.
Leaders and teachers are implementing initiatives to reduce disparity.
These include vocationally-based pathways to qualifications and a focus on innovative practices (NPDL) to help promote engagement and accelerate progress.
The increasing numbers of students at Level 3 show positive shifts in their achievement levels.
Literacy and numeracy levels attained are consistently high. Leaders identify the challenges of students transferring these skills across the curriculum. Academic coaching is occurring at all levels but these processes could be more systemically developed to assist all students to understand their learning needs and strengths, especially at senior levels as they move from Level 1 to Level 2 NCEA.
Year 9 and 10 literacy and numeracy achievement information is collated and analysed to inform class programmes. This achievement is aligned with curriculum levels and the Junior School Diploma.
In Years 7 and 8, overall achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has remained relatively good over the last three years. However, there are some disparities in achievement at Year 7 and 8. The percentage of Māori students achieving National Standards is below the figure for all students achieving in reading, writing and mathematics. Some gender based differences are also in girls’ achievement exceeding that of boys in writing and reading.
Teachers and leaders are initiating inquiries into the effectiveness of their current practice and to identify how they could address identified disparities and accelerate students’ progress and achievement.
Students with additional learning needs and abilities are well supported by teachers and support staff. There is effective liaison between specialists and other resource personnel. The Accelerated Learning Centre makes a significant contribution to the educational success of many students. Their strategic and deliberate focus to support students through innovative approaches and targeted learning programmes helps bring about positive learning outcomes for students.
School leaders have identified they need to align the Junior Diploma with National Standards to provide greater clarity for students and parents about achievement.
The Bream Bay College curriculum supports and promotes student learning effectively. The curriculum is aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and increasingly to vocational and other pathway options. Teachers make learning meaningful and relevant for students in programmes that encourage creativity and collaboration.
Good quality teaching practices support the engagement and achievement of students across the school. Teachers are effectively using the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (NPDL) to enrich student learning opportunities. These strategies support the engagement and learning of students, encourage collaboration and assist students to manage their own learning. Students have opportunities to learn in a range of authentic and community focused programmes using a range of technologies.
Learner focused relationships are acknowledged as the basis for effective learning. School leaders are investigating ways to seamlessly link the curriculum from Years 7 to 13 through their deep learning approaches.
The school successfully uses its Year 7 to 13 structure to enhance learning opportunities for Year 7 and 8 students through access to specialist teachers in many curriculum areas. Cross curricular connections give additional breadth and depth to student learning and engagement. Teacher strengths are used in a range of ways in the school’s curriculum and to respond to the diversity of student interests and needs.
The college offers a wide range of co-curricular activities. There are opportunities for students to build leadership capability and social competencies. The school has a variety of cultural, academic and sporting events that celebrate and promote student achievement.
The school is increasingly effective in promoting success for Māori students. The conditions for Māori students to succeed in their identity as Māori are improving and well supported by trustees, senior leaders and staff. The school is becoming more deliberate and strategic in promoting success for Māori learners. School leaders and teachers are working to address Māori boys’ disparity levels in school achievement.
Māori students report feeling more included in the life of the school and are well represented in leadership roles. Links with local iwi, marae and kaumātua are being strengthened. Te reo Māori is available through to Year 13. School kawa provides opportunities for students to lead karanga, whaikorero, waiata and haka.
Teachers and leaders are continuing to foster relationships and build learning focused partnerships with whānau and the Māori community for the benefit of students’ learning and future pathways.
The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance.
Sound governance is evident. Board decision-making is focused on improving outcomes for all students. Trustees are well informed about curriculum developments and student achievement. School systems and structures are coherent and aligned to school priorities.
School leadership is effective. The senior leadership team uses a range of strategies to establish a purposeful and successful learning environment. They use current educational research to build capability across the school through whole staff professional learning and performance management systems. Leaders of learning across the school are developing a range of innovative approaches and practices to improve outcomes for students.
ERO and school leaders acknowledge the importance of continuing to embed teaching as inquiry approaches to strengthen the school’s evaluation culture.
The school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. At the time of the review there was one international student attending the school.
The school provides its international students with a good standard of education. Students benefit from the school’s pastoral care systems and the opportunities to participate in school activities. The school’s monitoring systems and internal evaluation processes are effective.
Before the review, the board of trustees and principal of the school completed the ERO Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
Students at Bream Bay College benefit from a broad, relevant curriculum that supports their learning and includes a wide range of co-curricular programmes and leadership opportunities. Good quality teaching practices support the engagement and achievement of students across the school. School leaders continue to seek out new approaches and opportunities to improve outcomes for students.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Violet Tu’uga Stevenson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
10 July 2017
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Location |
Ruakaka, Northland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20 |
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School type |
Secondary (Years 7 to 15) |
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School roll |
505 |
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Number of international students |
1 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 51% Girls 49% |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
42% |
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Special Features |
Bilingual Unit Years 7 and 8 |
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Review team on site |
May 2017 |
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Date of this report |
10 July 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2014 |