CHILDREN face more overcrowded classes in state primary schools and reduced activities in secondary schools next year as figures show there will be fewer teachers for the same number of students.
Department of Education, Training and Employment figures show that, on average, primary schools affected by staff planning changes would have about half a classroom teacher less than they do this year, assuming enrolments remain the same.
Principals say when all primary school teachers - HPE, music and support teachers - are included, the figure is closer to a full staff member.
It follows a staffing change, announced by the State Government around the time of its budget, which will see state primary schools with more than 175 students provided teachers to the decimal place according to Day 8 enrolments, instead of the figure being rounded up or down to a whole number of teachers.
This means a school could be granted 8.6 teachers instead of 9.
State high schools will also have 200 resource teachers, who sometimes took smaller classes in less popular subjects, redeployed back into classrooms.
DETE assistant director-general Craig Allen said it was premature to speculate there would be a problem forming appropriate class sizes until Day 8 of the next school year. But Queensland Secondary Principals' Association president Norm Fuller said the changes would result in some activities being curtailed because teachers would not have the time to do them.
The Courier-Mail has been contacted by concerned staff warning their schools were considering composite classes in every year level and more overcrowded classes.
Queensland Association of State School Principals president Hilary Backus said the change could see some primary schools considering composite classes for the first time, or having more classes over the size targets.
The Queensland Teachers' Union is asking principals to provide details of the anticipated impact of the changes.
QTU president Kevin Bates said there was "clear evidence on the table that there could be problems next year", but they needed hard data.
He warned the impact would not be known until Day 8 next year.
"Regional human resources staff have been working with schools on their class formations on the basis of forecast 2013 enrolments, and schools are aware that they can apply for additional staffing if they have significant class formation issues," he said.
