Key facts about student behaviour in New Zealand

Learning

The attainment of an upper secondary school qualification is linked to labour force status and incomes. In 2007 New Zealanders with no qualifications had an unemployment rate over 53 per cent higher than those whose highest qualification was a school qualification (OECD 2009). In 2008, 83.9 per cent of school leavers attained at least NCEA Level One.

Suspensions

There were 4,374 suspension cases in 2008, involving a total of 3,988 students. This equates to 0.6 per cent of the student population.

Stand-downs

There were 20,279 stand-down cases in 2008, involving a total of 15,930 students. This equates to 2.2 per cent of the student population.

Exclusions and Expulsions

In 2008, the exclusion rate was 2.2 students per 1,000.

Continual disobedience was the main reason for exclusion and expulsion and was responsible for 40.1 per cent and 22.7 per cent of events respectively in 2008. Physical assault on other students accounted for 19.4 per cent of exclusions and 25.3 per cent of expulsions in 2008. Exclusions relating to drugs peaked at 24.4 per cent in 2001 and have dropped to 12.2 per cent in 2008. Expulsions due to drugs have decreased from 32.3 per cent in 2000 to 19.5 per cent in 2008. These three behaviours made up approximately three-quarters of all exclusions and expulsions handed out in 2008.

The proportion of exclusions for physical assault on staff has increased gradually since 2000 from 2.7 per cent to 6.3 per cent in 2008. The proportion of expulsions for physical assault on staff varies from year to year. However, this proportion has been high for the last couple of years and was 6.5 per cent in 2008.

Definitions

Suspension means the formal removal of a student from school until the board of trustees decides the outcome at a suspension meeting.

Stand-down means the formal removal of a student from school for a specified period. Stand-downs of a particular student can total no more than five school days in a term or 10 school days in a year.

Exclusion means the formal removal of a student from the school and the requirement that the student enrol elsewhere.

Expulsion means the formal removal of a student from the school.