Students at school in 2006

Introduction

Many schools opened for the 2006 school year on Tuesday, 7 February, with an estimated 756,400 New Zealand¹ students expected to go to school this year, about 500 more than last year. This is expected to be the peak year for enrolments.

Government funding of schools is expected to continue increasing, with an estimated $5.3 billion going to schools in the year to June 2006.

NZ classrooms are diverse with increasing proportions of Māori, Pasifika and Asian students enrolling in schools.

Total primary enrolments this year will be around 480,500, down by around 1,700 from last year. Secondary enrolments will be around 275,900, an increase of around 2,200 on last year.

Actual school rolls will not be known until the 2006 March and July roll collection, but it is expected that around 9,700 new entrants will be enrolled at schools this week. They’ll be among an estimated 58,000 children who will start school for the first time throughout the year, around 1,200 fewer than last year. Most new school entrants will already have experience in education through attending an early childhood education centre. In 2005, 94 percent of new entrants had attended some form of early childhood education. 

National Summary

Schoolings

At July 2005 there were around 751,400 students across nearly 2,600 schools in NZ (see Table 1). There were also around 52,000 teachers in NZ schools in 2005.

Table 1: Number of schools and students at July 2005 and teachers at April 2005

School type	Number of schools	Number of students**	Number of teachers
Primary	2,056	441,910	26,327
Secondary	334	259,791	20,639
Composite*	141	46,938	4,023
Special	48	2,782	1,019
Total	2,579	751,421	52,008

*Composite includes restricted composite schools and the Correspondence school.

** Excludes foreign fee-paying and NZAID students.

Note: Kura Teina and Teen Parent Units are not included in the count of schools. Their enrolments are included in the number of students.

Funding for schools

Around $5.1 billion in funding from the Government was spent on schools during the year to June 2005², a figure which is expected to rise to $5.3 billion in the year to June 2006.

Table 2: Estimated total expenditure on NZ schools

Funding Group	2004/05 est. actual $M	2005/06 forecast $M
Teacher Salaries	2,533	2,670
School Operations	950	1,015
Additional funding for Special Education	245	261
Property including depreciation	1,017	1,022
Other	359	359
Total	5,103	5,326

Notes: All figures GST exclusive.

Components may not add exactly due to rounding.

In nominal and real terms, there has been an increase in total government funding (including teacher salaries, operational funding and other resources) of schools in the last decade. Increases in total per-student funding were relatively high in the late 1990s and have been slower but still increasing relative to inflation since 2000, with larger increases in 2004 and 2005 (see Figure 1).

 

Figure 1: Estimates of inflation adjusted per-student funding of State and State Integrated schools, 1996 to 2005

Ethnic composition of schools

While European/Pakeha constitute the largest ethnic group in New Zealand schools, the next largest group, Māori, account for 22 percent of enrolments. There are also significant numbers of New Zealand students who are of Pasifika (9 percent) and Asian (8 percent) ethnicities.

Figure 2: Percentage of students by ethnicity, as at July 2005

During the period 2001-2005 the number of Māori, Pasifika and Asian students increased while the number of European/Pakeha students has decreased. Growth in the number of Asian students has resulted largely from increased migration from Asia in recent years.

Table 3: Change in the number and percentage of students by ethnicity, 2001 to 2005

Number	European /Pakeha	Māori	Pasifika	Asian	All New Zealand Students
	-14,093	12,944	7,686	16,705	28,298
% change 2001-05	-3.0%	8.7%	13.2%	38.3%	3.9%

 

Regional projections

Primary schools

The estimated number of new entrant children on the first day of school in 2006 is expected to be lower than in 2005. Throughout the year, around 58,000 new entrant children will enter schools – over half of these will be in the three main centres Auckland, Canterbury, and Wellington.

Table 4: Estimated number of new entrants by region

Region	2005		2006
	Beginning of School Year	Entire School Year	Beginning of School Year	Entire School Year
Northland	410	2,490	370	2,250
Auckland	3,270	19,650	3,270	19,640
Waikato	980	5,910	950	5,700
Bay of Plenty	700	4,210	660	3,980
Gisborne	130	760	130	760
Hawkes Bay	410	2,450	380	2,280
Taranaki	260	1,570	250	1,510
Manawatu/Wanganui	550	3,290	530	3,170
Wellington	1,050	6,290	1,030	6,170
Nelson/Malborough/Tasman	290	1,730	290	1,720
West Coast	70	400	70	420
Canterbury	1,130	6,810	1,130	6,810
Otago	380	2,270	370	2,240
Southland	230	1,380	220	1,310
All areas	9,870	59,190	9,660	57,960

Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.

A similar breakdown by TLA is attached, refer appendix.

 

Secondary schools

Around 62,000 Year 9 students (including adult students) are expected to enrol at New Zealand secondary schools this year, about 600 fewer than last year.

Table 5: Estimated number of Year 9 students by region

Region	2005	2006
Northland	2,630	2,620
Auckland	20,240	20,300
Waikato	6,430	6,190
Bay of Plenty	4,250	4,260
Gisborne	890	850
Hawkes Bay	2,610	2,560
Taranaki	1,770	1,720
Manawatu/Wanganui	3,580	3,560
Wellington	6,460	6,380
Nelson/Malborough/Tasman	1,990	2,000
West Coast	500	440
Canterbury	7,210	7,060
Otago	2,590	2,530
Southland	1,460	1,490
All areas	62,610	61,970

Note 1: Totals may not add due to rounding.

A similar breakdown by TLA is attached, refer appendix. 

Total enrolments regionally

Primary enrolments are expected to drop by around 1,700 between 2005 and 2006. Secondary enrolments should continue to increase, by around 2,200 enrolments between 2005 and 2006.

Table 6: Estimated number of students by region

Region	2005		2006
	Primary (Year 1-8)	Secondary (Year 9-15)	Primary (Year 1-8)	Secondary (Year 9-15)
Northland	20,050	10,260	19,710	10,330
Auckland	158,840	90,460	159,470	91,930
Waikato	48,510	26,450	48,180	26,670
Bay of Plenty	34,040	17,760	33,940	17,990
Gisborne	6,580	3,430	6,530	3,460
Hawkes Bay	19,860	11,290	19,620	11,270
Taranaki	12,920	7,660	12,610	7,490
Manawatu/Wanganui	27,170	15,680	26,690	15,670
Wellington	50,310	29,460	50,400	29,640
Nelson/Malborough/Tasman	14,340	8,680	14,250	8,740
West Coast	3,580	1,780	3,480	1,800
Canterbury	55,960	32,700	56,020	32,880
Otago	18,970	11,880	18,760	11,850
Southland	11,090	6,180	10,850	6,130
All areas	482,220	273,660	480,520	275,850

Note 1: Totals may not add due to rounding

Note 2: Primary figures are as at 1 July, Secondary figures are as at 1 March.

Note 3: Table excludes enrolments in Teen Parent Units.

School roll growth

The number of primary school students peaked in 2003, with a decline seen in 2004 and 2005 and a continuing decline expected to 2008. In contrast, the number of secondary school students continues to grow and is expected to peak in 2007 or 2008.

Figure 3: Actual and projected school rolls, 2001 to 2015

* Actual student rolls

Note: Primary figures are as at 1 July, Secondary figures are as at 1 March

 

Enrolments are influenced significantly by birth trends. In the last twenty years the peak for live births was 60,400 in 1992. Since 1992, the number of live births drifted downwards until picking up again in 2004. These changes have a subsequent impact on the number of new entrants five years later. The high level of births experienced during the late 1980s and early 1990s has resulted in a ‘student bulge’ moving through the education system with a peak in primary rolls in 2003 and expected peak in secondary rolls in 2007 or 2008. The increase in births in 2004 is expected to boost primary rolls in 2009 and eventually impact secondary rolls in later years.

Migration also influences roll levels. In the year ended June 2005, New Zealand experienced a net gain of close to 2,700 migrants aged 0 to 17 compared to a net gain of around 7,200 migrants aged 0 to 17 over the same period in the previous year. Gains from migration are expected to increase for 2006, and remain steady in the short-term.

Appendix

Table 7: Estimated Territorial Local Authority student rolls

Territorial Local Authority	Assorted statistics distributed by TLA
	2005					2006
	Yr 1 begin-ning of sch yr	Year 1 entire school year	Year 9 students	Primary (Years 1-8)	Second-ary (Yrs 9-15)	Year 1 beginning of school year	Year 1 entire school year	Year 9 students	Primary (Years 1-8)	Secondary (Years 9-15)
Ashburton District	60	360	330	3 090	1 480	70	410	340	3 120	1 490
Auckland City	870	5 210	6 550	43 170	31 450	910	5 450	6 510	43 360	31 830
Banks Peninsula District	10	70	10	650	40	10	80	10	650	40
Buller District	20	120	160	1 040	570	20	120	120	1 010	550
Carterton District	20	100	20	740	40	20	90	20	720	40
Central H.Bay District	40	210	180	1 640	820	30	210	150	1 620	790
Central Otago District	30	190	210	1 660	950	30	190	190	1 620	950
Christchurch City	720	4 340	4 860	35 470	22 640	720	4 340	4 640	35 650	22 660
Clutha District	50	280	240	2 130	980	40	260	240	2 090	990
Dunedin City	220	1 300	1 610	11 180	7 420	220	1 320	1 580	11 040	7 380
Far North District	170	1 010	1 070	8 070	4 100	150	880	1 050	7 900	4 120
Franklin District	170	1 010	850	7 980	3 350	150	910	820	8 000	3 440
Gisborne District	130	760	890	6 580	3 430	130	760	850	6 530	3 470
Gore District	20	150	210	1 490	870	30	160	230	1 450	860
Grey District	30	200	240	1 690	830	40	210	210	1 670	840
Hamilton City	310	1 850	2 590	15 510	11 280	320	1 890	2 580	15 700	11 380
Hastings District	200	1 210	1 230	9 880	5 380	190	1 130	1 290	9 740	5 390
Hauraki District	40	230	370	2 210	1 550	30	200	340	2 120	1 560
Horowhenua District	70	430	410	3 530	1 790	60	360	390	3 450	1 800
Hurunui District	20	130	70	1 160	260	20	120	70	1 130	250
Hutt City	270	1 590	1 380	12 400	6 500	250	1 520	1 390	12 350	6 540

Invercargill City	120	750	920	6 210	3 930	120	750	960	6 130	3 890
Kaikoura District	10	50	50	370	190	10	60	60	360	200
Kaipara District	50	310	260	2 350	1 030	50	270	260	2 300	1 030
Kapiti Coast District	100	630	670	5 070	2 850	100	590	660	5 060	2 870
Kawerau District	20	120	120	1 100	490	20	110	100	1 060	470
Manawatu District	60	370	420	3 440	1 740	60	370	390	3 400	1 730
Manukau City	1 000	6 000	5 230	47 010	21 940	980	5 880	5 350	47 260	22 380
Marlborough District	80	510	550	4 440	2 300	90	530	570	4 380	2 330
Masterton District	50	310	530	2 960	2 410	50	290	550	2 900	2 480
Matamata-Piako District	80	510	540	4 070	2 020	80	470	520	3 950	2 070
McKenzie District	10	50	50	420	200	10	60	40	430	190
Napier District	140	860	1 070	7 020	4 570	130	780	1 000	6 970	4 560
Nelson City	90	540	860	4 740	4 010	100	570	850	4 760	4 040
New Plymouth District	160	950	1 320	8 310	5 670	150	930	1 240	8 170	5 530
North Shore City	440	2 640	3 420	22 710	16 180	450	2 710	3 480	22 790	16 350
Opotiki District	30	180	160	1 450	610	30	160	160	1 430	640
Otorohanga District	20	140	110	1 080	410	20	150	100	1 050	400
Palmerston Nth City	180	1 090	1 330	8 470	5 870	190	1 120	1 400	8 440	5 910
Papakura District	130	790	900	6 500	3 760	130	780	840	6 530	3 800
Porirua City	140	850	580	6 690	2 470	150	880	560	6 760	2 470
Queenstown-Lakes District	40	240	200	1 950	910	40	260	200	2 030	960
Rangitikei District	40	240	230	1 940	940	40	220	220	1 890	930
Rodney District	210	1 270	1 070	10 290	4 000	210	1 260	1 070	10 370	4 120
Rotorua District	200	1 210	1 230	9 580	5 020	180	1 080	1 270	9 470	5 070
Ruapehu District	40	240	180	1 960	790	40	230	180	1 910	790
Selwyn District	80	480	500	3 630	2 060	80	480	520	3 670	2 100
South Taranaki District	80	480	310	3 440	1 290	70	440	320	3 310	1 280
South Waikato District	60	380	420	3 500	1 670	50	320	390	3 360	1 690
South Wairarapa District	20	120	130	950	500	20	120	120	940	490
Southland District	80	480	330	3 380	1 380	70	400	320	3 280	1 380
Stratford District	20	150	140	1 190	700	20	140	150	1 150	670
Tararua District	50	270	250	2 320	1 040	40	270	270	2 230	1 060
Tasman District	110	680	580	5 160	2 380	100	620	570	5 110	2 370

Taupo District	80	500	500	3 960	1 830	80	470	450	3 910	1 840
Tauranga District	270	1 620	1 740	12 740	7 380	270	1 630	1 740	13 020	7 460
Thames-Coromandel District	60	340	320	2 750	1 310	60	350	290	2 750	1 320
Timaru District	100	590	670	4 980	3 100	90	540	680	4 860	3 130
Upper Hutt City	90	530	750	4 750	3 120	90	520	740	4 710	3 130
Waikato District	130	760	360	5 700	1 290	130	780	320	5 740	1 280
Waimakariri District	110	650	600	5 150	2 470	110	640	580	5 170	2 530
Waimate District	10	70	70	790	260	10	80	70	770	260
Waipa District	120	690	830	5 790	3 720	100	610	900	5 700	3 780
Wairoa District	30	160	130	1 320	520	30	160	130	1 290	530
Waitakere City	490	2 950	2 380	23 060	10 340	470	2 840	2 340	23 090	10 530
Waitaki District	50	280	340	2 270	1 610	40	210	320	2 180	1 580
Waitomo District	30	170	160	1 400	560	30	190	170	1 360	580
Wanganui District	110	660	750	5 480	3 510	100	590	730	5 340	3 450
Wellington City	360	2 160	2 410	16 720	11 560	360	2 160	2 320	16 950	11 660
Western BOP District	90	550	400	4 640	1 770	90	520	420	4 590	1 830
Westland District	10	80	110	840	380	20	90	110	810	400
Whakatane District	100	600	640	5 080	2 720	90	560	630	4 980	2 740
Whangarei District	190	1 160	1 290	9 620	5 130	180	1 100	1 310	9 510	5 180
Total	9 870	59 190	62 610	482 220	273 660	9 660	57 960	61 970	480 520	275 850

Note1: Individual TLAs may not add to total due to rounding

Note2: Total includes Chatham Islands District.

Footnote

1. All figures represent New Zealand students only. NZAID sponsored students and foreign fee-paying students are excluded.
2. Excluding GST.  

Related Education Counts Documents

The index page for the National School Roll Projections provides links to this report and other related documents.

See Education Statistics from 1989-2004 publications for further information on school rolls.