Teacher shortage eases in Canterbury schools

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

After a difficult few years, North Canterbury school principals say they have plenty of quality teachers to choose from.

A global teacher shortage in recent years has seen local schools competing against Auckland principals for staff at university recruiting events.

But education advocate Simon Green said heading into term four, local primary schools were well placed ‘‘to fill their vacant positions from a good pool of quality applicants’’.

Green is the Rangiora High School board of trustees presiding member, and is a leadership adviser with Evaluation Associates, working with principals and school boards in Otago and Canterbury.

While there is a slight overall drop in primary school rolls in North Canterbury, he said more specialist structured literacy teachers were required.

Additional classroom release time for teachers meant relief teachers were also needed.

‘‘The secondary school job market remains challenging for our high school principals,’’ he said.

Rangiora High School has 22 vacancies for next year, mainly due to short term teaching positions, promotions and new opportunities opening up.

But principal Bruce Kearney said the positions are filling up fast.
The school roll is expected to close in on 1800 students next year, but Kearney said growth could begin to slow down, in the short term at least.

‘‘Our role can fluctuate depending on the rolls of our contributing schools and there is a sense we are seeing the end of a bubble.’’

Longer term that could change with new sub-divisions planned in the Waimakariri district.

‘‘We don’t want to grow much more,’’ Kearney said.

‘‘But I don’t think it would make economic sense for the Government to build a new secondary school on a new site when both Rangiora and Kaiapoi have land for more growth.

‘‘Communities may need to accept that big schools are more economical. Auckland has been managing schools of up to 3000 students for years.’’

Kearney said it was possible the Ministry of Education could build another primary school across the road from Rangiora High School, next to the school farm, in 10 years time.

Last year Kaiapoi High School had 22 vacancies to fill, but principal Jason Reid said he has just one vacancy advertised on the Education Gazette, for now.

For the first time in a decade Kaiapoi will have a slight dip in its year 9 roll for next year.

‘‘I don’t think it is indicative of anything other than a population blip,’’ Reid said.

With several contributing schools, including Woodend School and Te Kura o Tuahiwi, bursting at the seams, growth at Kaiapoi High School is set to continue for sometime yet.

For now, Reid is expecting the roll to remain at 1080 next year, just under the site capacity of 1100.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.