Source: Radio New Zealand
Mastery School sin Christchurch logo. RNZ / Nathan Mckinnon
Enrolment figures show most of the first eight charter schools have reached or surpassed their target starting enrolments.
The schools set up last year had 658 pupils between them and only Māori boarding school Tipene and Mastery Schools in Christchurch had not reached their establishment rolls, which were used to determine their minimum funding.
Tipene had 72 students and an establishment roll of 100 while Mastery Schools had 104 and an establishment roll of 150.
Among the schools for secondary-aged pupils North West College in Auckland had 143 students, The BUSY School 111, and Christchurch North College 52.
Among the primary schools Te Rito – Te Kura Taiao in Northland had 110 students, Twin Oaks Classical School had 80 ,and École Française Internationale Auckland 66.
A further eight charter schools opened more recently, and the total number of students in all 16 charters was 1471 at 1 March this year.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour said the schools had grown quickly.
“We knew there was demand for charter schools. In some cases, demand was even higher than we expected. Northwest College in Auckland has had to move into a bigger building to accommodate its growth, and its waitlist continues to grow. Newer schools are in huge demand too. Twin Oaks School only opened in Term 3 last year, and already has to move into a bigger space next term,” he said.
Seymour said Charter School Agency calculations showed if the schools reached average size they would cost less per student than average-sized state schools of the same type.
He said a charter primary school with 180 pupils would cost $8,278 per student compared to $8,762 per student for a state school of the same size.
A charter secondary school with 1000 students would cost $10,741 per student compared to $11,040 for a state school of the same size.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
