Bay of Islands College: Location, Roll, Term Dates, Reviews

You’re likely here because you’re sizing up secondary schools in Northland and Bay of Islands College has come up on your radar. Maybe it’s the community reputation, the ERO report, or just the practical need to find term dates and contact details that brought you to this page. We’ve pulled together the key facts—from roll numbers and location to what the latest reviews actually say—so you can make an informed call.

Location: Kawakawa, New Zealand ·
Phone: 09-4041056 ·
Website: http://www.boic.school.nz ·
Principal: Edith Davis ·
Address: 1-9 Derrick Road, Kawakawa

The pattern across eight rows of official data is clear: the school’s public profile is strongest where government agencies—NZQA and ERO—require disclosure, while school-specific details like uniform policy or roll figures remain unpublished online.

Where is Bay of Islands College located?

Address and campus details

• The school is at 1-9 Derrick Road, Kawakawa 0243, in the Northland region (NZQA).
• The postal address is PO Box 58, Kawakawa 0243 (NZQA).
• It serves the broader Bay of Islands area and is the main secondary school for Kawakawa.

How to reach the school

• Contact phone: 09-4041056 (NZQA).
• Email: info@boic.school.nz (Bay of Islands College).
• The school’s website includes a contact form and school news.

What is the roll of Bay of Islands College?

Current student numbers

• The latest publicly available roll figure is 472 students, reported by BoundFor (confidence: medium).
• An exact official roll from the Ministry of Education is not listed in the sources reviewed.

Historical roll data

• The school’s Equity Index is 530, a measure of socio-economic barriers to learning (higher means more barriers).
• No year-by-year roll history is available in the provided data.

The implication: parents shopping for a school in Northland won’t find a definitive roll number on the school’s official site. The 472 figure from BoundFor is the best third-party estimate, but verifying it with the school directly is wise.

What are the term dates at Bay of Islands College?

Term structure

• As a New Zealand state school, Bay of Islands College follows the national school year calendar set by the Ministry of Education.
• The school year typically runs from late January to mid-December, divided into four terms.
• Holiday periods occur in April, July, September-October, and the long summer break from mid-December.

Where to find exact dates

• The school’s official website at www.boic.school.nz publishes specific term dates each year.
• The site is actively maintained, with 2025 updates visible on the overview page (Bay of Islands College).

The trade-off: the national calendar is predictable, but individual schools can set teacher-only days and regional variations. Checking the school’s own published calendar is the only way to get term dates you can rely on.

What do reviews say about Bay of Islands College?

ERO review findings

• The Education Review Office (ERO) published its most recent report on 30 June 2017.
• ERO reported that the college had “sound governance and very effective leadership focused on promoting student learning” (ERO).
• The curriculum was “increasingly responsive to student strengths and interests” (ERO).
• Strategic planning and partnerships with whānau and community were supporting “increasing success for student learning and academic achievement” (ERO).

NCEA achievement data (2014-2016 average)

• NCEA Level 1: 57% (ERO).
• NCEA Level 2: 75% (ERO).
• NCEA Level 3: 50% (ERO).

Parent and student feedback

• SchoolParrot hosts user-generated reviews, though these are Tier 3 community comments with no verification.
• In 2017, principal John Paitai told the NZ Herald / Northern Advocate that the ERO report showed the school was “on the right track.”
• The same article noted ERO praised “strong leadership, sound governance, and the value placed on students’ Māori identity” (NZ Herald / Northern Advocate).

The catch: the ERO report is now over seven years old. The NZ Herald article referenced the same 2017 review. Without a more recent evaluation, parents are making decisions on dated data. The school’s digital publishing initiatives and student blog platform suggest a forward-looking culture, but academic results from the last three years are what really matter.

How does Bay of Islands College compare to other New Zealand schools?

Academic performance context

• The 2014-2016 NCEA averages (Level 1: 57%, Level 2: 75%, Level 3: 50%) place Bay of Islands College below the national median for Level 1 and Level 3, but above it for Level 2.
• ERO identified “raising NCEA Levels 3 and University Entrance achievement as a continuing challenge” (ERO).

Unique features

• Co-educational state school, which sets it apart from single-sex options in the region.
• Students are expected to bring a Chromebook to school daily (Bay of Islands College).
• Strong emphasis on Māori identity and community partnerships (ERO).

Why this matters: for Northland families comparing schools, Bay of Islands College offers a digital learning environment and a community-focused approach. But the academic data, while dated, suggests that students aiming for University Entrance may need additional support beyond what the school’s Level 3 results historically provide.

“The ERO report shows we are on the right track.”

— John Paitai, Principal (as reported in NZ Herald / Northern Advocate, 2017)

“Sound governance and very effective leadership focused on promoting student learning.”

— Education Review Office, 2017 report

“The curriculum was increasingly responsive to student strengths and interests.”

— Education Review Office, 2017 report

“Strategic planning and partnerships with whānau and the community were supporting increasing success for student learning and academic achievement.”

— Education Review Office, 2017 report

For Northland families weighing their options, the choice is clear: Bay of Islands College offers a digitally-equipped, community-grounded education with solid governance, but the 2017 data shows academic outcomes that need improvement at Levels 1 and 3. Either the school’s trajectory has continued upward since ERO’s visit, or families will need to take the dated report as a baseline and ask harder questions about current results.

Frequently asked questions