School’s capacity to double
A new early childhood centre is under construction at Hamilton Christian School, and is just the beginning of a major expansion to the school’s capacity over the next few years.
The school, established in the
1980s in the countryside at Rototuna, recently achieved state integrated status and was presented with a significant challenge by the educational authorities, according to principal Shaun Brooker.
Rototuna is a rapidly growing suburban area in Hamilton’s northeast, which already has two new state primary schools, Te To¯ tara and Te Ao Ma¯ rama, and the recently completed Rototuna Junior and Senior High School.
Hamilton Christian School, adjacent to the soon-to-be completed Countdown supermarket, retail and office complex on Borman Rd, started the year with
450 students and is expected to reach 470 by the end of the year.
Brooker said while state integration meant the Government paid the staff – usually the largest ongoing cost – the school has been asked to expand to take 850 students by 2024 and help take up some of the expected population growth in the area. This means 25
‘‘We have a phenomenal level of inquiry [from parents] looking for a place to put their children.’’
Principal, Shaun Brooker
new classrooms, an administration block and gymnasium in a building programme over the next four years, costed at between $15 and $20 million.
‘‘We have a phenomenal level of inquiry [from parents] looking for a place to put their children,’’ Brooker said. ‘‘The Ministry of Education pays the staff and we provide the land and buildings. They have recognised the population explosion around here. It’s a win-win for both of us and it enables us to better be part of the local network with the other schools.’’
Hamilton Christian School stands on about 4 hectares of land and is looking to add an additional 2ha on the school boundary and is in conversation with the land owners.
‘‘We’re looking at our options. We have enough land now to get to 850 students, but in another 10 to 15 years as the city expands the demand will expand. If we don’t get additional land, growth will be limited in the future.’’
Hamilton Christian School needs to have the first phase of its expansion – 12 classrooms and the new gymnasium – completed by the end of 2021.
‘‘We are a composite school; new entrants to Year 13. The new early childhood centre will help to extend that and was one of the aspects envisioned by the school’s founders more than 30 years ago. One of our biggest challenges is how do we hold on to the culture of the school, which is best described as ‘big family’.’’
A Christian-character school, Hamilton Christian School draws students from as far as Raglan, Pirongia, north of Huntly and many families relocating out of Auckland, along with local growth.
‘‘One of the things the ministry and the city council had not fully anticipated was the population growth. The new schools around here are bursting at the seams,’’ Brooker said.