Redcliffs School ‘disruption’ same as any other

Robberds said her main reason had been disproved.

The school was forced off its grounds after the June 2011 aftershock, when rockfall from a cliff backing on to the property threatened safety. The year 1 to 8 school has been operating from van Asch Deaf Education Centre in Sumner since.

Parata announced in November an interim decision to close the school ‘‘because of ongoing concern about the unstable cliff behind the school’’, and the chance of disruption following another earthquake.

But Robberds said tests, modelling and geotechnical advice taken following the 5.7-magnitude Valentines Day earthquake proved the school could have been up and running within two days, if it left the site at all.

It matched timing for many other schools assessing damage, he said. Every school had an obligation to plan for disruptive events. ‘‘We’re going to have the same risk of disruption as many, many schools in New Zealand, so why close us?’’

Detailed modelling demonstrated no rockfall reaching the school, but the school was ‘‘really focused on providing a really robust solution’’ to all Parata’s concerns.

The bund wall and redrawing of the school boundary were designed to withstand a major rockfall, ‘‘not a little or close to none rockfall we had in that event’’.

The school’s supporters have also started a petition against the potential disruption reason for closure, which had more than 2000 signatures after three days on Sunday.

It will be sent to Prime Minister John Key, Parata, deputy Prime Minister Bill English, Canterbury Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee, and Labour leader Andrew Little.