Jump in requests for roll increases at integrated schools

New Zealand Catholic Education Office chief executive Dr Kevin Shore said the maximum roll system is designed to protect the wider school network and ensure growth in one school does not leave neighbouring schools with unused classrooms.

“What [the ministry] don’t want is a whole lot of state schools with empty classrooms, because that’s a waste of resources,” Dr Shore said.

He said schools can also face financial limits when building new classrooms, as state-integrated schools fund property projects through attendance dues and proprietor contributions rather than direct government funding.

“Our proprietors do get frustrated sometimes that they want to grow and they can’t grow, but the current Government has been more open to choice,” Dr Shore said.

“We’ve seen significant numbers of maximum roll applications going through and being accepted, so that’s been a positive move.”

The Ministry of Education’s general manager of school network, Vincent Fallon, said there are several factors when assessing applications, including evidence of demand, population growth projections, school capacity and the impact on surrounding schools.

Dr Shore said many Catholic schools in high-growth areas have reached their maximum roll – and have remained at this level for some time. He said the pressure is being felt by families who would traditionally have had priority access to those schools

“I’m hearing – and that’s more of a worry to me – that some of our preference students who are active in the life of the Church and in the parishes are struggling to actually get enrolled in some of our Catholic schools,” Dr Shore said.

“And that’s particularly an issue in a place like Auckland.”

The Ministry of Education said it’s also seeing increasing demand for places at state-integrated schools, particularly in Auckland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty and parts of Canterbury.

Mr Fallon said the Government has responded by establishing a $30 million State Integration Growth Initiative to fund additional teaching spaces in areas where demand is growing.

FULL STORY

Faith schools face growing demand as rolls reach limits (By Jaime Cunningham/New Zealand Herald)