Teacher Census

Key Findings

The teacher census report covers the following findings on this page, for the full report download the word document or PDF file to view the detailed information.

Response Rate and Sample Error

In total 43,759 teachers took part in the 2004 Teacher Census, a response rate of 91 percent of teachers who were teaching in the week of the census.

Table1: Response Rate by School Type

School Type	Response rate
Primary	92%
Composite*	83%
Secondary	89%
Special	90%
Total	91%

*includes Restricted Composite

The teacher response rate was very high across all school types.  

Ethnicity

Across all school sectors 79 percent of teachers identify as European/Pakeha, 10 percent as being Māori, 2 percent as being Pasifika and 2 percent identify as being Asian.

Table 2: Proportion of Teachers by School Type and Ethnicity

School Type	Ethnicity
	Maori	European/Pakeha	Pasifika	Asian	Other	Total
	%	%	%	%	%	%
Primary	11	80	3	2	5	100
Secondary	8	79	2	3	7	100
Composite*	23	65	3	2	6	100
Special	6	79	1	4	10	100
Total	10	79	2	2	6	100

*includes Restricted Composite

Gender

While most teachers at primary schools are female, the gender split is more even at secondary schools.

Table 3: Proportion of Teachers by Gender and School Type

School Type	Female	Male
	%	%
Primary	82	18
Composite*	69	31
Secondary	58	42
Special	83	17
Total	73	27

*includes Restricted Composite  

Teachers by Age

Over half of teachers (58 percent) are aged between 40 and 59 years. The distribution across age groups is very similar for female and male teachers.

Figure 1: Proportion of Teachers by Gender and Age

 

Designation

The 2004 Teacher Census asked teachers to indicate their current designation. The questionnaire allowed respondents to give more than one designation if appropriate. If this occurred then the highest designation was chosen for reporting purposes.

For 5 percent of respondents principal was their highest designation, 8 percent senior management (associate principal, deputy principal and assistant principal designations), 29 percent middle management (head of department, assistant head of department) and 55 percent teacher (including special needs teachers).

Table 4: Proportion of Teachers by Highest Designation and Gender

Highest Designation	Female	Male
	%	%
Principal	3	11
Senior Management	8	8
Middle Management	26	37
Teacher	61	41
Other	2	3
Total	100	100

 

Males are more likely to be working as a principal than females (11 percent of male respondents highest designation is principal compared with only 3 percent of females). However, males and female respondents are equally likely to be working at the senior management level (associate principal/deputy principal/assistant principal level).

Table 5: Proportion of Teachers by Age Grouping and Highest Designation

Age Grouping	Principal	Senior Management	Middle Management	Teacher	Other	Total
	%	%	%	%	%	%
Under 30	0	1	18	79	1	100
30-39	2	6	30	60	2	100
40-49	6	9	30	52	2	100
50-59	9	12	33	43	2	100
60 plus	7	10	29	50	4	100
Total	5	8	29	55	2	100

 

Teachers aged 50-59 years are more likely to be in a principal, senior or middle management position than any other age grouping.

 

Highest Teaching Qualification

Nearly two thirds of teachers (64 percent) reported holding at least a degree as their teaching qualification, and a third reported holding a certificate or diploma as their highest teaching qualification. When looking at highest teaching qualification broken down by school type we see that a higher proportion of secondary school teachers (75 percent), than teachers from any other school types, hold at least a degree as their highest teaching qualification.

Table 6: Proportion of Teachers by Highest Teaching Qualification and School Type

School Type	No qualification	Certificate/ Diploma	Degree or higher	Other qualification	Total
	%	%	%	%	%
Primary	0	42	57	1	100
Composite*	4	34	59	2	100
Secondary	4	19	75	3	100
Special	2	36	60	2	100
Total	2	33	64	2	100

*includes Restricted Composite

Teachers aged under 30 years are most likely (86 percent) to have a degree or higher as their highest teaching qualification. Whereas teachers aged 60 plus are most likely to have a certificate or diploma as their highest teaching qualification.

Table 7: Proportion of Teachers by Highest Teaching Qualification and Age Grouping

Age Grouping	No qualification	Certificate/ Diploma	Degree or higher	Other qualification	Total
	%	%	%	%	%
Under 30	2	9	86	3	100
30-39	2	24	72	3	100
40-49	2	34	63	2	100
50-59	2	45	52	1	100
60 plus	3	56	39	1	100
Total	2	33	64	2	100

 

Other Tertiary Qualifications

Overall just under half (45 percent) of all teachers hold tertiary qualifications other than their teaching qualifications. Secondary school teachers are more likely to hold qualifications other than their teaching qualifications than teachers at other school types. Nearly three quarters of teachers at secondary schools hold qualifications other than their teaching qualifications.

Table 8: Proportion of Teachers with other Tertiary Qualifications by School Type

School Type	Hold other qualifications	Do not hold other qualifications	Total
	%	%	%
Primary	25	75	100
Composite*	49	51	100
Secondary	74	26	100
Special	33	67	100
Total	45	55	100

*includes Restricted Composite

 

Teachers aged 30-39 years are most likely to have non-teaching tertiary qualifications compared with other age groups.

Table 9: Proportion of Teachers with other Tertiary Qualifications by Age Grouping

Age Grouping	Hold other qualifications	Do not hold other qualifications	Total
	%	%	%
Under 30	46	54	100
30-39	51	49	100
40-49	45	55	100
50-59	42	58	100
60 plus	37	63	100
Total	45	55	100

 

Teachers in middle management positions are most likely to have non-teaching tertiary qualifications. More than half of those in middle management have non-teaching tertiary qualifications.

Table 10: Proportion of Teachers with other Tertiary Qualifications by Highest Designation

Highest Designation	Hold other qualifications	Do not hold other qualifications	Total
	%	%	%
Principal	30	70	100
Senior Management	32	68	100
Middle Management	55	45	100
Teacher	43	57	100
Other	51	49	100
Total	45	55	100

 

Current Study towards a Teaching Qualification

Overall, 11 percent of all teachers reported working towards a teaching qualification. Pasifika teachers (21 percent) followed by Māori teachers (16 percent) are more likely to be working towards a teaching qualification than other ethnic groups.

Table 11: Proportion of Teachers working towards a Teaching Qualification by Ethnicity

Ethnicity	Currently studying towards a teaching qualification	Not currently studying towards a teaching qualification	Total
	%	%	%
Māori	16	84	100
European/Pakeha	11	89	100
Pasifika	21	79	100
Asian	10	90	100
Other	11	89	100
Total	11	89	100

 

Secondary school teachers are least likely to be working towards a teaching qualification.

Table 12: Proportion of Teachers working towards a Teaching Qualification by School Type

School Type	Currently studying towards a teaching qualification	Not currently studying towards a teaching qualification	Total
	%	%	%
Primary	14	86	100
Composite*	11	89	100
Secondary	7	93	100
Special	13	87	100
Total	11	89	100

*includes Restricted Composite

 

Teachers aged less than 30 years and teachers over 60 years are less likely to be working towards a teaching qualification.

Table 13: Proportion of Teachers working towards a Teaching Qualification by Age Grouping

Age Grouping	Working towards a teaching qualification	Not working towards a teaching qualification	Total
	%	%	%
Under 30	7	93	100
30-39	12	88	100
40-49	15	85	100
50-59	11	89	100
60 plus	5	95	100
Total	11	89	100

 

Nearly double the proportion of principals and those in senior management reported that they were working towards a teaching qualification compared to those in middle management and classroom teachers.

Table 14: Proportion of Teachers working towards a Teaching Qualification by Highest Designation

Highest Designation	Working towards a teaching qualification	Not working towards a teaching qualification	Total
	%	%	%
Principal	19	81	100
Senior Management	19	81	100
Middle Management	11	89	100
Teacher	10	90	100
Total	11	89	100

Professional Development

Across all ethnic groups, 90 percent of teachers reported that they had undertaken professional development in the 12 months prior to the September 2004 Teacher Census.

 

A slightly higher proportion of teachers at primary schools and special schools undertook professional development in the 12 months prior to the September 2004 Teacher Census, than teachers at secondary and composite schools.

Table 15: Proportion of Teachers who undertook Professional Development by School Type

School Type	Undertook professional development	Did not undertake professional development	Total
	%	%	%
Primary	93	7	100
Composite*	89	11	100
Secondary	87	13	100
Special	92	8	100
Total	90	10	100

*includes Restricted Composite

In comparison to other age groups, a slightly lower proportion of teachers aged 60 plus (82 percent) reported undertaking professional development in the 12 months prior to the September 2004 Teacher Census.

Table 16: Proportion of Teachers who undertook Professional Development by Age Grouping

Age Grouping	Undertook professional development	Did not undertake professional development	Total
	%	%	%
Under 30	91	9	100
30-39	89	11	100
40-49	91	9	100
50-59	91	9	100
60 plus	82	18	100
Total	90	10	100

 

Senior management (98 percent) followed by principals (96 percent) were most likely to have undertaken professional development in the 12 months prior to the September 2004 Teacher Census.

Table 17: Proportion of Teachers who undertook Professional Development by Highest Designation

Highest Designation	Undertook professional development	Did not undertake professional development	Total
	%	%	%
Principal	96	4	100
Senior Management	98	2	100
Middle Management	94	6	100
Teacher	88	12	100
Total	90	10	100

 

Initial Teaching Qualifications from New Zealand or Overseas

Overall, the majority (89 percent) of teachers gained their initial teaching qualification in New Zealand. Asian teachers however, are just as likely to have received their initial teacher qualifications overseas as they are to have received them in New Zealand.

Table 18: Proportion of Teachers who gained their Initial Teaching Qualifications in New Zealand or in another country, by Ethnicity

Ethnicity	Initial teaching qualifications gained in NZ	Initial teaching qualifications gained in a country other than NZ	Total
	%	%	%
Māori	100	0	100
European/Pakeha	91	9	100
Pasifika	80	20	100
Asian	50	50	100
Other	54	46	100
Total	89	11	100

 

A slightly higher proportion of primary teachers received their initial teacher training in New Zealand rather than another country, compared to teachers from other school types.

Nearly a quarter of teachers at special schools received their initial teacher training in a country other than New Zealand.

Table 19: Proportion of Teachers who received their Initial Teaching Qualifications in New Zealand or in another country, by School Type

School Type	Initial teaching qualifications gained in NZ	Initial teaching qualifications gained in a country other than NZ	Total
	%	%	%
Primary	92	8	100
Composite*	87	13	100
Secondary	84	16	100
Special	77	23	100
Total	89	11	100

*includes Restricted Composite

Principals and senior management are most likely to have received their initial teaching qualification in New Zealand.

Table 20: Proportion of Teachers who received their Initial Teaching Qualifications in New Zealand or in another country, by Highest Designation

Highest Designation	Initial teaching qualifications gained in NZ	Initial teaching qualifications gained in a country other than NZ	Total
	%	%	%
Principal	96	4	100
Senior Management	93	7	100
Middle Management	87	13	100
Teacher	88	12	100
Other	89	11	100
Total	89	11	100

 

Teaching Outside New Zealand

More than a quarter (28 percent) of all teachers, have taught outside New Zealand. Asian teachers (62 percent) are most likely to have taught outside New Zealand , followed by Pasifika teachers (39 percent).

Table 21: Proportion of Teachers who have worked as a Teacher outside New Zealand by Ethnicity

Ethnicity	Have taught outside NZ	Have not taught outside NZ	Total
	%	%	%
Māori	10	90	100
European/Pakeha	27	73	100
Pasifika	39	61	100
Asian	62	38	100
Other	55	45	100
Total	28	72	100

 

Whilst around a quarter of primary school and composite school teachers have taught outside New Zealand, approximately a third of secondary school and special school teachers have taught outside New Zealand.

 

Table 22: Proportion of Teachers who have worked as a Teacher outside New Zealand by School Type

School Type	Have taught outside NZ	Have not taught outside NZ	Total
	%	%	%
Primary	25	75	100
Composite*	27	73	100
Secondary	33	67	100
Special	36	64	100
Total	28	72	100

*includes Restricted Composite

 

Teachers aged less than 30 years are least likely to have taught outside New Zealand. Just under a fifth of teachers in this age group reported having taught outside New Zealand compared to closer to a third of teachers across the other age groups.

Table 23: Proportion of Teachers who have worked as a Teacher Outside New Zealand by Age Grouping

Age Grouping	Have taught outside NZ	Have not taught outside NZ	Total
	%	%	%
Under 30	17	83	100
30-39	34	66	100
40-49	27	73	100
50-59	30	70	100
60 plus	36	64	100
Total	28	72	100

 

Teaching the Curriculum in Māori or a Pasifika Language

The 2004 Teacher Census asked teachers to indicate whether they had taught the curriculum in Māori or a Pasifika language. Around 4,400 teachers indicated that they had taught students in Māori and around 400 teachers indicated that they had taught students in a Pasifika language. Of those teaching in a Pasifika language, nearly three quarters indicated that they taught in Samoan.

 

Teacher Registration

The majority (98 percent) of teachers are registered teachers.

 

Table 24: Proportion of Teachers by Registration Status by School Type

School Type	Registered	Not registered but have Limited Authority to Teach	None of these	Total
	%	%	%	%
Primary	99	1	0	100
Composite*	94	5	1	100
Secondary	96	4	1	100
Special	96	2	2	100
Total	98	2	1	100

*includes Restricted Composite

 

Labour Market Interest

3,659 teachers (8 percent of all respondents) indicated they had applied for job outside the state teaching sector. This is comparable with the loss rate data collected by the Ministry of Education (10 percent between 2003 and 2004). Of those who indicated that they had applied for a job outside the state teaching sector more than half indicated that they had applied for a teaching job at a New Zealand independent school, and just over a third indicated that they had applied for a non-teaching job in New Zealand.

 

Secondary School Level Teachers by Teaching Subject Area

In the 2004 Teacher Census secondary school teachers were asked what subjects they taught. 16,863 respondents indicated that they taught at the secondary level (years 9-13) and specified their teaching subjects.

Nearly a quarter of teachers teaching secondary level students indicated that they taught English, followed by mathematics, social sciences, and science.

Table 25: Secondary School Level Teachers by Subject Area

Subject Area	Number	%
Arts	2464	15
Commerce	923	5
English incl. ESOL	4129	24
Health and Physical Well-Being	2858	17
Languages	1295	8
Maths	3231	19
Science	3002	18
Social Sciences	3130	19
Technology	2756	16
Other	2918	17

Of those 16,863 respondents who indicated that they taught at the secondary level (years 9-13) and specified their teaching subjects:

• 35 percent taught one subject,
• 35 percent taught two subjects,
• 17 percent taught three subjects,
• 7 percent taught four subjects,
• the remaining 6 percent indicated that they taught more than four subjects.

In the 2004 Teacher Census, teachers were asked if they had delivered the curriculum in either Māori or a Pasifika language in the 5 most recent days that they had taught.

Percentages don’t add up to 100% because teachers could be teaching in more than one subject area.