Catholic education demand high in Christchurch

Of the 23 Catholic schools in Christchurch, five of which are secondary and 18 primary, only four do not have an enrolment scheme in place.

Villa Maria College, in Upper Riccarton, which has a waiting list, has recently had its roll capacity increased to 850 students to address high demand. Principal Deborah Brosnahan said while one of the guiding principles of Catholic education was to develop faith, delivering an excellent education was a key responsibility.

“The feedback I often hear from people is that they love the idea of sending their daughter somewhere where they can be intellectually nurtured but also spiritually . . . it’s providing that all-round education, not purely through the curriculum,” Ms Brosnahan said.

As a Sisters of Mercy Catholic school, fostering a commitment of service to the poor and vulnerable was another key value that made the school attractive, she said.

Head girl Emma O’Connor said her time at Villa Maria had grown her faith and understanding of the world through opportunities such as volunteering for a food kitchen for the homeless.

Fellow student Niamh Murdoch said she and her parents chose Villa Maria because they wanted a holistic education.

“A Catholic education doesn’t compartmentalise all the different aspects. It incorporates Gospel values which are, we believe, to live by, and can be, especially in times like now, reassuring . . . but, it also incorporates service, which is really important.”

University of Canterbury associate professor of sociology Mike Grimshaw said factors outside faith, such as smaller class sizes and single-cell classrooms, had contributed to growth in the sector, especially in Catholic schools.

“You can essentially get some form of private school education, often a smaller class size, yet you don’t have to pay full fees,” he said.

With a decline in the number of practising Christians in recent years, the growth in faith-based schools cannot be explained by a demographic shift.

“Often [parents] want a values-based education, but they also want a smaller classroom,” Associate Professor Grimshaw said. Dissatisfaction with state provision of education, for various reasons, was another contributing factor, he added.

The Ministry of Education has encouraging state-integrated schools to apply for roll expansions in high growth areas of Lincoln, Halswell and Rolleston.

“In these areas, growth in the state-integrated network is an important part of the overall education response to population and school roll growth,” said Coralanne Child, the Ministry’s director of education for Canterbury.

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Choosing belief: Why more parents are turning to religious schools (By Cate MacIntosh/The Press – subscription required)