Non-enrolled Learners

What We Have Found

Māori students are more likely than any other ethnic group to become non-enrolled.

Date Updated: August 2012

Indicator Description

The Ministry of Education is responsible for upholding the Education Act 1989 which states attendance at school is compulsory for New Zealand citizens and residents from age 6 until they turn 16.

When a learner of compulsory school age has left a school and has not enrolled in another school within 20 consecutive school days, the school is required to notify the Ministry via the school learner enrolment register (ENROL). The Ministry, along with an external contracted provider, work to locate these learners, and where necessary assist their return to education.  Staff work alongside learners, their families/whānau, schools, and other agencies to discuss and facilitate a return to education.

There is strong evidence to suggest that regular attendance at school is one of the most significant factors influencing learner achievement. Chronic truancy is also strong predictor of negative outcomes in later life including violence, delinquency, substance abuse, unemployment and early parenting.

Why This Is Important

The Ministry of Education is responsible for upholding the Education Act 1989 which states attendance at school is compulsory for New Zealand citizens and residents from age 6 until they turn 16.

When a student of compulsory school age has left a school and has not enrolled in another school within 20 consecutive school days, the school is required to notify the Ministry via the school student enrolment register (ENROL). The Ministry, along with an external contracted provider, work to locate these students, and where necessary assist their return to education.  Staff work alongside students, their families/whānau, schools, and other agencies to discuss and facilitate a return to education.

There is strong evidence to suggest that regular attendance at school is one of the most significant factors influencing student achievement. Chronic truancy is also strong predictor of negative outcomes in later life including violence, delinquency, substance abuse, unemployment and early parenting.

How We Are Going

The non-enrolled incidents reported on in this indicator include only those incidents where the Ministry assisted in enrolling the learner at school, alternative education or assisted with an early leaving exemption.

In 2011, there were 3,686 cases of non-enrolment investigated and closed by the Ministry.  These cases were caused by 3,527 learners, with 155 learners having 2 episodes and 2 learners having 3 episodes.

Of the 3,686 cases, 3,017 were resolved with learners returning to school, 514 by enrolling learners at an alternative education centre and 155 by granting learners an early leaving exemption.

The age-standardised rate was the highest for Māori learners (16.5 non-enrolments per 1,000 learners). The age-standardised rate for Pasifika learners (8.0 per 1,000 learners) was lower than for Māori learners but higher than for European/Pākehā learners (2.6 per 1,000 learners).  The age-standardised rate for Asian learners was 1.6 non-enrolments per 1,000 learners.


Figure 1: Age-standardised non-enrolment rates per 1,000 learners, by ethnic group (2006 to 2011)

The data show that non-enrolment notifications are more common in secondary school-aged learners.  While the non-enrolment rate for 11 year-olds was 2.8 per 1,000 learners in 2011, it was increasing sharply to a rate of 19.0 per 1,000 learners for 14 year-olds.  Hence, the analysis is undertaken using age-standardised rates.

Figure 2: Unadjusted non-enrolment rates per 1,000 learners, by age (2008 to 2011)

There was a slight difference between male and female learners.  The age-standardised rates were 6.0 and 6.6 non-enrolments per 1,000 learners among females and males respectively.

The length of time it took to re-engage learners in education varied greatly.  In 2011, 797 cases took less than 20 days, 1077 cases took 20 to 39 days and 751 cases took 40 to 59 days. The remaining 1,061 took at least 60 days.


Figure 3: Number of days it took to re-engage the learner (2011)

Schools in the lowest quintile (deciles 1 and 2) draw their learners from communities with the highest degree of socio-economic disadvantage.  In 2011, learners in quintile 1 schools were over 12 times more likely to be reported non-enrolled than learners from quintile 5 schools.  In 2011, 65% of non-enrolment notifications were from schools of quintile 1 or 2.

Figure 4: Age-standardised non-enrolment rates, by school quintile (2011)

Achievement

Provisional  2011 achievement results show that Year 11 and Year 12 learners with a non-enrolment notification between 2009 and 2011 were less likely to meet the NCEA Level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements.  

Out of the 896 Year 11 learners with a non-enrolment history whose achievement data could be obtained, 68% did not meet the NCEA Level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements compared to 15% of Year 11 learners who maintained school presence during that period.  

A similar gap in performance can be observed in the Year 12 learners.
  

Figure 5: Percentage of Year 11 and Year 12 learners who did not meet NCEA Level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements in 2011

Note:

1. Total includes ethnic groups Asian, Other and Not specified

References

• Alton-Lee, A. (2003). Quality Teaching for Diverse Students in Schooling: Best Evidence Synthesis. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
• Biddulph, F., Biddulph, J. and Biddulph, C. (2003). The Complexity of Community and Family Influences on Children's Achievement in New Zealand: Best Evidence Synthesis Wellington: Ministry of Education.
• Cosgrave, R., Bishop, F. and Bennie, N (2003). Attendance and Absences in New Zealand Schools 2002. Wellington, Ministry of Education.
  
• UK Office of Standards in Education, (2001). Improving Attendance and Behaviour in Secondary Schools 2001: Strategies to Promote Educational Inclusion. London, Office for Standards in Education.
  
• Hughes, D., Lauder, H., Robinson, T., Simiyu, I., Watson, S., Strathdee, R. and Hamlin, J. (1999). Do Schools Make a Difference?: Hierarchical Linear Modelling of School Certificate Results in 23 Schools: The Smithfield Project, Phase Three: Eighth Report to the Ministry of Education. Wellington.
• UK Office of Standards in Education, (2001).  Improving Attendance and Behaviour in Secondary Schools: Strategies to Promote Educational Inclusion. London, Office for Standards in Education.