Enviroschools : Enviroschools Stats

Bob Simcock

Mayor of Hamilton

"If we want to achieve significant and lasting social change we are always best to start by working with the young. There is no doubt that through its active learning approach Enviroschools is changing the environmental understanding and the values of New Zealand communities. But it is doing much more than that. Every time I visit an Enviroschool I am struck by the special sense of energy and community pride that is evident within the school. Children have not just ‘learned’ about making a difference but have experienced making a difference. I am very proud to know that the Enviroschools movement has grown out of a local Hamilton City Council supported initiative."

A Diverse and Growing Network
This page highlights some facts and figures about the Enviroschools network. For the Enviroschools national team this information helps us to understand the range of schools/kura that participate in the programme, and some of the characteristics of our partner organisations across New Zealand. We see diversity as esssential for a vibrant and resilient network. Diverse perspectives add to the Puna Mātauranga (pool of knowledge) that we need to create sustainable schools and communities.

Enviroschools by Schooling Level

Overall 25% of all schools in New Zealand are part of the Enviroschools network. While in total numbers there are many more primary schools involved, the proportion of schools by school type shows that intermediate and secondary schools are taking up the Enviroschools Programme at a similar rate to primary schools.

Distribution Across Deciles

Schools/kura from across all deciles are active participants in the Enviroschools Programme. In comparison with the national average there is a slight skew towards participation from schools in the higher deciles. However we have seen this lessen steadily since 2007 as many regions have made it a focus to ensure the programme is attractive to, and provides appropriate support for schools/kura in the lower decile groups.

Support from Council Partners

Regional, City, and District Council partners are vital to the success of the Enviroschools Programme. Most of our Regional Coordinators and many of the Facilitators who support school communities, work for councils throughout the country. Out of the 85 Councils, 49 are supporting Enviroschools. The last two years has seen steady growth in the number of District Councils involved, up from 16 in 2007 to 27 currently.