Some Rotorua schools' rolls are increasing, provisional data shows

Ministry of Education provisional roll data showed an increase in students for some Rotorua schools in 2022. Photo / Getty Images

Rotorua Boys' High School will soon take on the city's largest school roll, according to the Ministry of Education's provisional roll data for 2022.

The numbers predict a roll size of 1137 for the school, which is a boost of 77 students compared to last year's roll.

Provisional school roll numbers from the Ministry of Education are estimates and may change.

The 2021 figures are based on school roll returns from July 1.

Rotorua Boys' High School principal told the Rotorua Daily Post Weekend that the school was expecting 30 more students than the Ministry of Education's estimate of 1137.

He said the roll had steadily increased most years as larger Year 9 cohorts entered and moved through the school.

"We believe our excellent academic results over recent years, plus our successes in our sporting and cultural programmes, have built confidence in the school within the Rotorua community and the wider district.

"These outcomes, especially for our high percentage of young Māori men, sets us apart from other schools. We have more Māori students than any other school in Aotearoa New Zealand," he said.

Grinter said he expected the school's roll to level out at around 1200 within the next 12 months.

"Classroom accommodation will be at a premium this year while we wait for our new science building, which has 10 teaching spaces to be completed. We are hoping this will be available for the 2023 school year."

Meanwhile, Rotorua Girls' High School was estimated to take on the second-largest increase of 69 students.

Principal Sarah Davis said she was "really pleased" with the school's ​roll growth over the past two years.

Davis said she was staffing the school in preparation for a roll of this size and even expected "a few more".

"It is a bit of crystal ball-gazing until you get to February 2, so you can't confirm or lock in anything. We have catered for it, but we won't know really until school starts in a few weeks."

She said single-sex education was going through a "little bit of a resurgence", with more families showing interest.

Rotorua Girls' High School principal Sarah Davis. Photo / NZME

"There definitely is a little bit of a pick-up at the moment."

But she reiterated all schools in Rotorua had "really strong programmes" and were responding differently to community needs.

Provisional figures for John Paul College estimated a roll size of 1061 in 2022 - a 114 student decrease on their roll return from last year.

But school principal Patrick Walsh confirmed the school would start the year off with more than 1100 students and said it had been on its "maximum roll" for around 10 years.

Walsh said it was starting the year off with an "extensive" waiting list and found it "extremely frustrating" the Ministry of Education had imposed a maximum role of 1100 at the school.

At the end of last year, he said there were about 40 students on the waiting list.

He said the ministry had "repeatedly denied" their application to increase the roll size to 1200.

"It denies parents the right to choose the type of education they want for their children."

But he said the city was "blessed" to have a wide variety of high-quality schools with different strengths and character.

"Clearly what we offer at JPC resonates with the community as we are consistently oversubscribed with applications every year."

Provisional figures for Western Heights High School estimated a decrease of 24 students and Rotorua Lakes High School recorded an increase of five students.

Rotorua Primary School principal Fred Whata. Photo / NZME

For Rotorua Primary School, figures forecast a roll of 356, which was a 28-student increase on the previous year.

Principal Fred Whata said the school's successful learning programmes, an "influx" of families moving to Rotorua and emergency housing were all contributing to the school's roll growth.

Whata said the school was heading towards the projected figure, with 322 students currently enrolled to start this year. New students were enrolled across all year levels, he said.

Ministry of Education hautū (leader) operations and integration Sean Teddy said the ministry managed the network of schools across the Bay of Plenty to ensure every child had access to a local school.

"This means we need to be aware of and plan for population growth as well as changes and population shifts in the short term and much further out as well."

Teddy said the total number of students in Rotorua generally remained stable.

The maximum roll for John Paul College had not increased as there was "not a need" for more provision in the Rotorua network.

The ministry was not aware of a change to demand for single-sex secondary schooling in Rotorua, he said.