Long Bay College is a co-educational secondary school (Years 9–13) on Auckland’s North Shore, known for strong academics, a beachside location, and a big focus on student wellbeing and opportunities outside the classroom.

Quick Scoop on Long Bay College

What and where is Long Bay College?

  • State co-ed high school for Years 9–13, located in Torbay on the North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand.
  • Serves a wide coastal and semi-rural zone including the upper East Coast Bays and parts of Albany and surrounding areas.
  • Large roll (around 1800+ students by 2025), so it feels like a sizeable, busy campus.

Vibe, values and culture

  • Core values are Care , Respect, Creativity and Community, and they sit under a vision of “personal excellence for global success.”
  • The school puts noticeable emphasis on wellbeing, resilience, inclusion and student voice; “self‑managed learning” and growth mindset are deliberately taught, especially in Year 9.
  • There is active bicultural development, with involvement from a local kaumatua and a focus on New Zealand’s cultural context.

Academics and learning style

  • Offers a broad New Zealand curriculum with NCEA as the main qualification pathway; students consistently achieve strong NCEA and Scholarship results.
  • Subjects span English, maths (including Calculus and Statistics), sciences, social sciences, arts (music, dance, drama), technologies, PE/Health and more specialised options at senior levels (business, tourism, classical studies, media studies, etc.).
  • Teaching mixes class participation, hands-on work and textbook learning, and there is a structured “learning to learn” programme for juniors.

International students and diversity

  • Actively recruits international students and promotes “embracing diversity, challenging minds” with dedicated pastoral and academic support.
  • Offers ESOL/EAP English support and tailored guidance so non‑native speakers can adapt and succeed.
  • International students typically live in local homestays with half‑board arrangements, integrating them into the community.

Co‑curricular and campus life

  • Strong emphasis on extra‑curriculars: sports, arts, culture, and clubs are considered part of a holistic education rather than just add‑ons.
  • The school highlights particular strengths in graphics, technology and the arts, supported by modern facilities and digital campus tools.
  • Located near the beach in a quiet suburb, so day‑to‑day life mixes typical city‑school energy with a coastal, outdoorsy backdrop.

Recent notes and newsy bits

  • A major historical event was a fire that destroyed the woodwork block in 2017, which led to redevelopment of parts of the campus.
  • Leadership has been refreshed in recent years; CJ Healey is the current principal and frequently communicates with the community, including during safety drills and lockdown exercises.
  • External reviews describe a positive board–leadership relationship and a clear strategic plan focused on safety, connection and high-quality learning.

At‑a‑glance overview (HTML table)

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<table>
  <tr>
    <th>Aspect</th>
    <th>Details</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Location</td>
    <td>Torbay, North Shore, Auckland, near Long Bay beach.[web:1][web:6]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Type & Years</td>
    <td>State, co-educational, Years 9–13.[web:1][web:7]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Roll size</td>
    <td>Approx. 1800+ students as of 2025.[web:1]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Core values</td>
    <td>Care, Respect, Creativity, Community.[web:5][web:7]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Academic profile</td>
    <td>Strong NCEA and Scholarship results, broad subject range.[web:7][web:9]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Wellbeing focus</td>
    <td>Holistic education, resilience and growth mindset programmes, high priority on wellbeing.[web:5][web:7]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>International students</td>
    <td>Dedicated prospectus, ESOL/EAP support, homestay accommodation.[web:2][web:3][web:4][web:6]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Co‑curricular</td>
    <td>Sports, arts, culture, strong in graphics/technology/arts.[web:5][web:6][web:9]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Recent context</td>
    <td>Modernised leadership and strategic plan; noted 2017 fire rebuilt facilities; ongoing safety drills.[web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
  </tr>
</table>

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.