Westbrook School in Rotorua has recorded more enrolments from overseas students in the past two to three years. Photo / Andrew Warner
Westbrook School in Rotorua has recorded more enrolments from overseas students in the past two to three years. Photo / Andrew Warner
Two fast-growing Rotoruaprimary schools are recording rising numbers of overseas-born students, with one principal saying they now equalled the number of New Zealand-born enrolments.
It comes after the Government made changes to immigration settings to help get net migration “back to a sustainable level”.
This year, Otonga School Te Kura o Tihiōtonga is projected to grow by 71 students – the highest increase in the Rotorua area.
This was followed by Westbrook School and Rotorua Boys’ High School, both with 61 new students.
The provisional school roll data released in late January by the Ministry of Education showed most schools in Rotorua were projected to grow in 2025.
Westbrook School principal Colin Watkins said there appeared to be a “growing immigration trend” in Rotorua, with more families migrating from South Africa and India.
“The big difference for us over the last two or three years is that ... we’re getting an even spread of New Zealand-born and overseas-born students.”
He said the school welcomed, respected, and encouraged diversity.
Watkins said most new students this year were new entrants, but there was growth across all year levels from families who had moved into the area or out-of-zone applications being accepted.
Westbrook School principal Colin Watkins, pictured in 2023. Photo / Andrew Warner
“Word-of-mouth” was another reason the school had experienced roll growth, he said.
Watkins said the biggest issue facing the school was what he viewed as a “lack of planning” by the ministry as more homes were planned for the school’s catchment area in the coming years.
He had spoken with the ministry about how it would manage schools for children living in the new homes “because we are pretty full”.
“We cannot take hundreds more children.”
Otonga School Te Kura o Tihiōtonga principal Gareth Cunliffe, pictured in 2022. Photo / Mead Norton
Otonga School Te Kura o Tihiōtonga principal Gareth Cunliffe said its roll had increased due to families relocating to the area.
The school followed a cohort entry system, where new entrants started on either the first day of term or on a specific mid-term entry date, rather than on their fifth birthday.
“This approach allows us to plan effectively and manage teacher resourcing as needed.”
Cunliffe said the school also had a growing number of Esol (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students.
“While we receive some funding to support them, their needs often exceed the available resources.
“This will be an important consideration for all kura [schools] moving forward, particularly with the rising number of migrants settling in our city.”
Cunliffe said managing enrolments could be challenging as all students living within the school zone were entitled to enrol. One big challenge was securing enough teachers and relief staff.
Rotorua Boys’ High School’s provisional roll was 1299, but new principal John Kendal predicted the roll would be about 1270 students.
The school’s 2024 roll was 1238.
Kendal said this year’s growth was across all year levels and the school was “managing in terms of class size”.
Where are homes being built?
Rotorua Lakes Council said about 145 houses were under construction in the Collie Drive/Diamond St area.
Ministry of Education Te Tai Whenua (Central) hautū (deputy secretary) Jocelyn Mikaere said the ministry met with Westbrook School a few years ago to discuss the planned development.
“More recent information has shown that building in the area has slowed, and the development is several years away.
“We will continue to monitor the roll at Westbrook School and plan for future growth accordingly.”
Mikaere said the ministry’s regional teams worked closely with schools to give advice and support.
“I would encourage principals to make contact with our local team if they have specific matters they would like to discuss.”
Changes to immigration settings
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment immigration (skills and residence) policy manager Polly Vowles said in general, there had been an increase in student visas granted to dependents of workers, which reflected the volume of migrant workers coming to New Zealand on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) since 2022.
The Government had since made changes to immigration settings to help get net migration “back to a sustainable level” and to ensure the AEWV settings were focused on attracting and retaining the skills New Zealand needs, Vowles said.
Two changes were made in April and December, including limiting lower-skilled workers’ ability to bring in partners and children unless they were on a pathway to residence, she said.
Vowles said a rise in immigration fees and levies took effect in October – “part of a move towards a user-pays’ immigration system to make it more sustainable”.
This enabled Government funding for school ESOL programmes to be reduced by 80%, aligning with the principle that those who received the benefit of the immigration system should bear the cost, Vowles said.
Vowles said annual net migration had been declining from its post-Covid peak and the latest release from Stats NZ showed it was now at a level comparable to historical averages.
Stats NZ had provisionally estimated annual net migration in the year ended November 2024 to be an inflow of 30,600 compared with a net migration inflow of 133,300 in the year ended November 2023, Vowles said.
