Monitoring Teacher Supply 2009

Sources of Teacher Supply in 2009

The supply of teachers for New Zealand schools is dependent on a number of sources. The recruitment of first year (beginning) teachers is one of these sources. Another source is the recruitment of overseas-trained teachers. Over recent years, when demand for teachers has been particularly high, overseas-trained teachers have been encouraged to apply for positions in New Zealand. As in previous years, the 2009 survey asked questions about these two sources of teacher supply.

Overseas-trained Teachers

The survey form asked principals whether their school employed any overseas-trained teachers, and, if so, to indicate the actual number of teachers and the year in which they first began teaching in New Zealand. For the purpose of the survey, an ‘overseas-trained teacher’ was defined as an overseas trained teacher who taught for the first time in New Zealand in either 2008 or 2009.

Table 9 shows the number of overseas-trained teachers who began teaching in New Zealand in 2008 and 2009 (the equivalent data from 2008 is in Appendix Table 1). Compared to 2008⁴ (which included teachers who began in 2007 and 2008), there were increases in the total number of overseas-trained teachers in primary schools (from 266 teachers in 2008 to 317 teachers in 2009), but a small decrease of overseas-trained teachers in secondary schools (from 388 teachers to 376 teachers in 2008).

Table 10 provides details of the 693 overseas-trained teachers who began teaching in New Zealand in either 2008 or 2009. These teachers represented 1.3 percent of all primary and secondary teachers in 2009, at a similar level compared to the 2008 data (1.4% in 2008).

In terms of where overseas-trained teachers were employed, they were more likely to be in schools with a lower proportion of Māori students, lower decile schools, and schools in main and secondary urban areas.

Equivalent data from the 2008 Teacher Vacancy Survey are detailed in Appendix Table 2.

Beginning Teachers

In addition to the questions regarding overseas-trained teachers, the survey also asked about beginning teachers within schools. Principals were asked to indicate the number of beginning teachers in their school who were eligible for the Beginning Teacher Time Allowance⁶ (BTTA) and those who were not eligible for the allowance.

In 2009, there were 2,029 first year beginning teachers employed in New Zealand schools (see Table 11). The vast majority of these teachers (97%) were eligible for BTTA. First year beginning teachers represented 3.8 percent of all primary and secondary teachers in 2009. This was a decrease from the 2008 data (4.6% in 2008).

Table 12 provides details of the characteristics of the schools in which beginning teachers were employed in 2009. As a proportion of all teachers in each of the sectors, slightly more beginning teachers entered the primary sector (4.2%) than the secondary sector (3.2%).

In terms of where beginning teachers were employed, they were more likely to be teaching in main urban areas, and schools with a lower proportion of Māori students. In 2009, beginning teachers were spread across low and high decile schools. Results of the 2008 survey are shown in Appendix Table 3.

Principals were asked to indicate the number of first and second year beginning teachers who were eligible and not eligible for the BTTA, as well as first and second year beginning overseas-trained teachers. Table 13 shows the number of first and second year beginning teachers at primary and secondary schools in 2009. There were more second year beginning teachers than first year beginning teachers at primary schools, and marginally more first year beginning teachers at secondary schools.

Footnote

4. It should be noted that completed surveys were not received from 81 primary schools and 33 secondary schools in 2009, therefore the actual number of overseas teachers employed at the start of the 2009 school year may be slightly higher than reported here.
5. ‘Relatively new’ overseas teachers are defined as those overseas teachers who began teaching in New Zealand for the first time in either 2008 or 2009.
6. The Beginning Teacher Time Allowance is available to state school boards employing New Zealand or overseas trained year one teachers within their first 12 months of teaching. It aims to assist schools in providing advice and guidance programmes for beginning teachers. The teacher must be provisionally registered, appointed to a position for at least 10 weeks and for at least 0.5 FTTE, and be paid out of Teacher salaries. BTTA has also been available for second year beginning teachers at secondary schools from 2002, and 2004 for primary schools.