Summary

The Ministry of Education has several national sets of information available to measure levels of student engagement. These include:

• roll data;
• school leaver data;
• data on disciplinary events like stand-downs and suspension;
• early leaving exemption data; and
• attendance and absence data.

This report gives a national picture of student engagement in relation to stand-downs, suspensions, and early leaving exemptions. The information can be used by schools to maintain and improve their own student engagement levels.

The statistics in this report are about students enrolled in state or state-integrated schools during the 2005 calendar year. The averages are calculated using the six year timeframe of 2000–2005.

The number of cases totals more than the number of students because some students were stood-down, or suspended, more than once. The report is focussed on the number of stand-down and suspension cases, rather than the number of students.

The report uses 'rate per 1,000 students' to present or discuss changes over time. The rate per 1,000 is calculated by dividing the number of cases by the number of students and then multiplying by 1,000. Rate per 1,000 provides a consistent measure and allows for comparisons over time.

Engagement and the Student Population

In 2005 there were 726,087 students in New Zealand state and state-integrated schools.

The composition of the student population is changing. During the period 2001-2005 the number of Māori, Pasifika, and Asian students increased (by 9%, 13%, and 38% respectively) while the number of New Zealand European/Pakeha students decreased (by 3%). Growth in the number of Asian students has resulted largely from increased migration from Asia in recent years.

The composition of the student population is changing. During the period 2001-2005 the number of Māori, Pasifika, and Asian students increased (by 9%, 13%, and 38% respectively) while the number of New Zealand European/Pakeha students decreased (by 3%). Growth in the number of Asian students has resulted largely from increased migration from Asia in recent years.

Figure 1: Percentage of students by ethnicity, as at July 2005

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. This shift is important because most stand-downs and suspensions occur in secondary schools.

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