Minister Parata's pre budget, 'Class Size' announcement...

I have to say I am flabbergasted by the logic that says to achieve the Ministry's target of raising student achievement, we will need to raise class sizes in Years 2 and 3.  There is no research (and no logic) that implies this will result in an increase in student achievement.  A recent New Zealand Principal's Federation press release outlines some of our concerns (linked here).


So what will this announcement mean for the children of Maungaraki?

The Ministry's class size ratio is purely a funding formula to allocate staffing to schools.  The reality is, that schools then use this staffing allocation to determine the best configuration of class size to suit the needs of the school.  Real class sizes are determined by a whole range of factors including:

• The Ministry's staffing ratio formula;
• Classroom spaces available;
• The number of children in any one year level;
• The choice to run special programmes;
• Our obligation as good employers to provide release time for those with leadership responsibilities.

At Maungaraki School we already have an enrolment scheme (zone) in place, with this zone being rigidly applied.  Some time ago, the Board of Trustees determined that we have no space for out of zone enrolments.  Despite this, the number of in zone enrolments is still increasing and our roll is therefore growing.  We are now close to the maximum capacity of the school.  The Minister's proposed change in staffing ratios could potentially delay our ability to apply for the 12th classroom that we will soon need.  

With only 11 classroom spaces, we are therefore restricted in what we can do to reduce class size, so we use additional staffing (when we have it!) to run special programmes such as:

• Enviroschools
• Art extension
• Band
• Choir
• Kapahaka
• Maungaraki Eye
• Creative Writing Groups
• Drama Groups
• Special needs programmes ...     etc etc 

Our recent strategic consultation process told us that we as a school (and as a community), value these additional opportunities for children.  

While I am hoping that the increase in the class ratio at Year 2/3 will be balanced out by the decrease at Years 4 - 8, early calculations suggest that we are likely to loose a small proportion of our staffing in 2013... We will then need to make a decision as to how to best manage this adjustment.  I can only hope that the impact will be minimal, or that common sense prevails and that the Minister chooses to focus on what is best for children,  rather than what is best for the "Bottom Line."

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You may also be interested in reading the OECD report on performance pay in education (based on international studies) that was released on the same day as Minister Parata's announcement... (linked here)