Parents: it’s time to reduce secondary class sizes

Parents say it’s time to reduce secondary class sizes

New research that shows parents of secondary school students want smaller class sizes highlights a desperate need for more staffing and resourcing in the secondary sector.

The research conducted for PPTA by Windshift Ltd finds that class size was an important indicator to parents of the quality of learning. Most would prefer a class size of 20 [38%] or 25 [28%] though some want even smaller class sizes of 15 [10%].

Parents also want teachers to be able to provide more one-on-one learning time for their children, with 40% of parents choosing the option “20 minutes or more”, compared to only 10% who chose “up to 10 minutes” one-on-one time in core maths, English and science classes.

PPTA president Robin Duff said the research backed PPTA’s calls for smaller class sizes in secondary schools.

PPTA’s 2006 class size research found that year 7 & 8 students spent 39% of their learning in classes over 25, and 13% in classes over 30. The figures for year 9 & 10 students were 66% (25+) and 12% (30+); for year 11, 53% and 10%; year 12, 32% and 5%, and year 13, 19% and 2%.

“The government was advised by the Staffing Review Group to improve curriculum staffing ratios as far back as 2000. PPTA research since highlights the drawbacks of large class sizes and teachers’ views that ideal class sizes are between 20 and 25 mirror what parents are saying.

“Having originally agreed to the report’s recommendations the government has now backed away from meeting its commitment and in doing so is short changing secondary students and teachers.”

Mr Duff said that simply by keeping teacher numbers at their current levels as rolls fall New Zealand could achieve within five years significant class size reductions in secondary schools and improve educational outcomes.

“Even cutting the pupil-teacher curriculum staffing ratios by two at each year level – called for by the Staffing Review Group – would cost the government only $78 million, or $283 per student.

He said teachers would get to know each student better and find it easier to personalise learning to their needs with smaller class sizes.

“There is a substantial body of credible international research supporting the parents’ view that smaller class sizes will lead to better educational outcomes and better economic outcomes later in life.

“We all – parents, students, teachers and government - want personalised learning. Now it’s time to deliver the resources to achieve it.

Executive Summary

• This report contains the results of an investigation commissioned by the New Zealand Post-Primary Teachers’ Association [NZPPTA], into the attitudes of parents of current state secondary school students towards secondary school teaching.
• It is based on the findings of four focus groups and a survey sample of 281 parents of current secondary school students, drawn from a larger Omnibus survey of 2000 people aged 15+.
• In both the focus groups and the subsequent survey, the parents seemed to concur that “Inspiring students for life long learning” [33% of survey] and “bringing out their talents and potential” [28% of survey] were the qualities that mattered most to a majority of parents.
• But although generally taken for granted and so rarely specifically identified by respondents, when asked directly about the relative value of specialist subject knowledge, most acknowledged it to be as important [73%] or almost as important [21%] as the quality they had chosen.
• The teaching profession is seen by a majority of parents [60%] as a career they would encourage their child to pursue.
• And a majority of the sample [70%] chose teaching from a list of eight professions as the one that adds greatest value to New Zealand society.
• This finding needs to be interpreted in the context of a series of questions about the income workload and value of various occupations.
• MPs are generally regarded as being the highest paid – along with accountants and GPs.
• GPs and teachers are the professions that should be highest paid – according to 60% of the sample.
• The workload of teachers, GPs, nurses and police is seen as being the highest of all the groups.
• Class size is an important indicator to parents of the quality of learning. Most would prefer a class size of 20 [38%] or 25 [28%].
• When parents were asked How much one on one time would you want your child's English, Maths or Science teacher to spend with your child on average each week?, 40% of parents chose the option “20 minutes or more”, compared to 10% who chose “ up to 10 minutes”.
• In terms of the conditions under which teachers perform their services, a substantial minority [18%] believe their children’s classes are seriously disrupted. Disruption is an issue to some degree for a majority [61%].

ENDS

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