Council Wants School Figures

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29913, 29 August 1962, Page 12

Council Wants School Figures

Saying that he “felt a bit uneasy about the hoary question of admissions to high schools,” Dr. C. D. Ellyett obtained the unanimous support of the Christchurch Postprimary Schools’ Council last evening for a request that schools be asked annually to reveal the number of applications they received, number accepted, and the numbers rejected or number of vacancies remaining.

The information would be confidential to the council.

“We have, at the outset, to separate two distinct issues,” said Dr. Ellyett. “How selections are made is a matter entirely for the Individual schools. Where new schools should be built

It would be grand to have this information but did the council have power under its act to ask for it? asked the chairman (Mr W. J. Cartwright). As Dr. Ellyett had said, the

and their type, however, is a matter for the council. “We should know „ where pressures are coming. We know a fair amount but not enough," said Dr. Ellyett. Yet, in the House of Representatives this month, the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) gave rU the information on enrolments at • number of Christchurch schools. Dr. Ellyett said. "That was the first I had heard ot these figures.” Connell’* Duty The Minister then said that the Post-Primary Schools’ Council was charged with the responsibility of ascertaining future requirements in Christchurch and making recommendations to him about development. The council, the Minister said, would no doubt take Into account enrolment trends at existing schools, said Dr. Ellyett.

council must have the information to discharge its duty, said the secretary (Mr P. J. Halligan). Mr Cartwright: Where do we seek it? Mr Halligan: It would be easiest to ask the Education Department but safest to ask the individual schools. “What we really need are good figures on primary school rolls and the postprimary aspirations *of the parents of those pupils," said Mrs C, H. Perkins. “That. would be sufficient if pupils applied to enter high schools in their own districts: but they don’t," said Mrs F. O. Bennett. “We need both sets of figures—primary rolls and post-primary selections,” said associate-Professor A. H. Hay. An Easy Year “This has been an easy year for enrolments," said Dr. Ellyett, “In a year or two this may change. We schools wanted as well as where they are needed. "Most people apply to the school where they think a child will get in, especially since most schools now decline to consider dual enrolments” said Mrs Perkins. Dr. Ellyett said the Minister, in the House, said the Christchurch Boys’ High School rejected 90 applications and the Shirley Boys’ High School 40. The council should have that sort of information. Schools' Aura Mr W. M. Wright said he was not closely in touch with all the schools but, from the community, he had the impression that the reputation or aura of a school was the chief factor governing its applications for enrolment.

“But some new schools have not had time to get any aura,” said Mrs Bennett. “On the other hand you can say the prejudice against co-educational schools has almost gone," said Professor G. Jobberns. “Some of them are now as good as any single-sex schools in ’ this country.”