There's been a steady increase in roll numbers, according to the Ministry of Education.

Immigrants boost school rolls

An immigration-driven surge in enrolments is adding to the pressure. The national school roll is now topping 831,038 children.

In Invercargill, Catholic co-ed Verdon College has reached its maximum enrolment number.

The school must hold spots for preference pupils, says principal Jarlath Kelly (pictured).

"It's been a bit tricky for us and we've had to turn people away - and we're just trying to hold on to places for our preference students, being a Catholic school."

Verdon College has many pupils from immigrant families which has been positive for the school, Kelly says.

"A lot of our new-to-New Zealand families are from the Philippines and we have a very vibrant and thriving Filipino community. We have done for some years so that's another positive for us."

The school welcomes new New Zealanders. Communication is eased by employing staff who can speak various languages.

Other Southland secondary principals are also reporting increasing school rolls.

This is borne out by the Ministry of Education's provisional rolls for Otago and Southland in 2024, which show a one percent increase. That's the equivalent of 486 children, according to provisional rolls for 2023.

Southland Secondary Principals Association chairman, school principal Peter Wilkinson says he thinks some schools in Southland are at capacity for infrastructure and teaching staff.

Primary school rolls decline

Interestingly, Southland primary schools are seeing a slight decline in enrolment numbers.

One principal says his school saw a peak in enrolments about five years ago.

"In the last two to three years those big increases have been going off to high school ... so there is a slight decline of enrolments."

His roll is sitting at about 400 pupils at the moment and is expected to go down to 350 at the start of next year. This is likely to climb to about 430 by the end of next year.

The fluctuation may be driven by rental accommodation which often leads to transient enrolments as people live in the area for a while and then move on.

Additional ESOL funding needed

One primary principal says he has many international pupils from Columbia and, although they managed English as a Second Language (ESOL), they could always use more funding.

"We're doing all right but that's just through sheer chance and because we've got experienced staff," he says.

Source

• Otago Daily Times

The Government's handling of the issue lacked compassion, says Jarlath Kelly (pictured) who is the principal of Invercargill's Verdon College.

The Government's implementation of the policy left a lot to be desired, he suggests.

While Kelly agrees vaccination is a way forward for the country, he says the way the Government implemented the mandate policy created significant challenges for individuals and schools.

This level of stress needn't have occurred if there'd been a more planned, considered and compassionate approach, he says.

"I don't think the way they handled it took into account the impact on the people that might be affected, particularly when the mandate could end people's employment. I think it was pretty discompassionate."

Kelly says the November 15 vaccine mandate added a lot of stress to school staff around the country who had medical conditions and were concerned about the vaccine.

The mandating decision was announced unexpectedly and the deadline "put a lot of pressure on a lot of people," Kelly says.

He is also critical of the lack of support and advice for principals and staff dealing with the situation.

"It's created extraordinarily complicated situations for principals and school boards."

Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins's office did not respond to claims accusing the government of lacking compassion.

"Ultimately, this is about keeping people and children safe," a spokesperson for Hipkins says.

When Stuff asked about his staff's vaccination status, Kelly said it was a sensitive subject for principals. Many felt they were unable to comment given the circumstances and the issue of privacy.

Another Southland school principal, Lynlee Smith of Fiordland College, was more open, however. She says all the College's 46 teachers and support staff had received at least one Covid-19 jab before the mandate deadline.

Source

• Stuff
• Image: Stuff

Verdon College principal Jarlath Kelly's practising certificate expired in June of this year.

The school's board of trustees chairman Tim Ward would not comment that the school could potentially be flouting Education and Training Act laws.

A Teaching Council of Aotearoa spokeswoman said she could not comment on a specific person. But, all school principals were legally required to be registered and have a current practising certificate.

‘‘It is an offence to teach without a practising certificate beyond the 20 half days provided for in the Education and Training Act 2020, unless an extension is granted while an application for a practising certificate is before the council. It is also an offence for an employer to continue to employ a teacher in a teaching role beyond the 20 half days.''

Mr Kelly has been the subject of several complaints recently.

The principal scheduled mock exams for students while in Alert Level 4. Parents complained this was putting extra pressure on their children.

Kelly responded saying: "Our main thing at the moment is just to manage that anxiety around it for people. I have said to the kids ... we will get back to you in a couple of days about exactly what we are doing. In the meantime do a bit of study, spend time with your family, make the most of it."

But, concerns about how Kelly interacts with teachers and parents were raised with the New Zealand Catholic Education Office and Dunedin Catholic Education Office.

Ministry of Education sector for enablement and support deputy secretary Helen Hurst said the ministry had received some complaints, ‘‘which in the first instance we have referred back to the school board as the employer."

‘‘It is appropriate that they have the opportunity to respond directly.''

If complainants were unhappy with the school's formal complaints process, they should seek further advice from the ministry, she said.

Mr Ward said he had received the letter. The board was particularly concerned about the defamatory nature of many of the allegations against Mr Kelly.

‘‘The provision of the quality education is a collective effort of staff, students and those associated with the college in various roles. Mr Kelly, as principal, is the professional leader of the college.''

Post Primary Teacher's Association general secretary Michael Stevenson said the union would not make public any complaints received from members. These could undermine processes that may be in place to resolve complaints.

‘‘Our advice to any teacher who was feeling bullied, humiliated or unsafe would be to contact their PPTA field officer as soon as possible.''

Sources

Otago Daily Times

Stuff

They were founded in France by St Marcellin Champagnat in 1817.

Marist brothers accompanied Bishop Pompallier when he began his mission in the South West Pacific in 1838.

In 1876 a community of four Brothers arrived to start the first NZ Marist school in Wellington.

In the following decades Marist primary and secondary schools spread through the length and breadth of New Zealand, as well as in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati.

"Marist spirit multiplied significantly when Brothers and ex-students developed Marist sporting clubs in nearly every city and town so that today the Marist sporting brand has become a prominent nationally recognised feature of nearly every sport in the country, says Brother Richard Dunleavy.

As part of the Jubilee celebration Brothers Osmund, Mark and Alan Henley, John Paul Wilson, Anthony Walker and Peter Thompson came to Verdon College in Invercargill for a jubilee celebration which took place on the weekend.

It is 120 year since the Brothers came to Invercargill. They worked there for 113 years in primary and secondary education.

The last brother to teach in Invercargill was Br Osmund, who retired to Christchurch in 2011 after 10 years at Verdon College.

Verdon College was established in 1982 with the amalgamation of Marist with St Catherine's College, which was a school for girls run by the Dominican Sisters.

Source

• www.verdoncollege.school.nz
• aucklandcatholic.org.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.mz
• Image: stuff.co.nz