[marcia]

Just wondered if anyone knows how many children per class in NZ - are there limits like in the uk (not supposed to be more than 30)

Also school sizes in general. The boys' schools are quite large and have 3 classes of 30 per year group - just wondered what they would have to adapt to!

[stevieboy]

Hi Marcia,

We're not there yet, but having looked at numerous Government school reports over the last few weeks, they all detail the number of children present at the time of the report, for each individual school, plus the number of teachers and hence you can work out the average.

Try this link and enter the school name if you know it ERO Reports (http://www.ero.govt.nz/reports/search.htm)

From my limited research it appears that (certainly for primary schools) the average is about 20-25 children per class.
They also detail the %age of Pakeha present in the school plus the Decile rating for the area.
(Decile 1 schools draw their students from areas of greatest socio-economic disadvantage, Decile 10 from areas of least socio-economic disadvantage)

We've found this a huge benefit.

To get a list of schools in the area you're looking try tki.org.nz (http://www.tki.org.nz)

Hope this helps
Steve

[stevieboy]

Also, another bit of stats (that I’ve just remembered where I put) that I think I got from the Ministry of Education site (http://www.moe.govt.nz) was the following:

As of July 2004
Secondary school yrs 7-15: 95 schools in total in NZ (49 state run), students – 24835(m), 23982(f) – i.e. average 514 children per school

Secondary school yrs 9-15: 243 schools in total in NZ (200 state run), students – 109338(m), 106367(f) – i.e. average 888 children per school.

Not sure on the difference between the two types other than ages catered for and it doesn’t help with your class size question at all but gives you an idea of the school size at least.

Steve

[Hannah-NL]

This might be an interesting read?:

http://www.nzcer.org.nz/default.php?cPath=130_154_179&products_id=375

http://www.nzpf.ac.nz/resources/magazine/2001/aug/class_sizes.htm

http://www.teachnz.govt.nz/environment/edusystem/classorg.html

http://www.malcolmpacific.co.nz/nzeducation.html

http://www.ed.gov/pubs/APEC/ch5.html

[Carol]

I have 27 children in my Yr4/5 mixed class.
The junior school is full to the seams.......bursting actually...parents aren't happy.....


but until we reach a magical figure the ministry wont entertain another classroom or teacher....we are doing well....and paying the price in increased numbers!

[Hannah-NL]

Sad to say, that is the same number as classes in NL have, so it won't be a difference for our kids in NZ :?

[paul&laura]

Well it's a lot less than my 10 year old daughter's class...she has 33 in her class :no

[Hannah-NL]

We live in the "quiet" part of the country tho, the east, I have heard many schools in the western part of our country where those numbers around 30 are normal too, teachers do not have time or energy left...they come and work in our region, where it's still relatively "quiet"...

[jan]

In my sons class (year 8) = 23

In my daughters (year 3) = 25