Enrolment zones may change for 55 Auckland schools
Another 55 Auckland schools are being consulted over possible changes to their enrolment schemes.
The Ministry of Education is trying to grapple with unprecedented growth in the region’s school-aged population and the new changes follow a process that started last year.
By 2030, the ministry expects 60,000 more school-aged children to be living in the region.
“To meet that demand we are building new schools and classrooms, and we are also working with boards to help them manage enrolments by implementing enrolment schemes,” the ministry says.
Last year, it consulted 60 schools and changed the enrolment schemes of 44 schools.
It is now suggesting amending the Selwyn College home zone so it overlaps the Glendowie College zone in the St Johns Park area, and overlaps Tamaki College up to the railway line.
Selwyn’s zone was introduced in 2015. As a result, families in the St Johns Park bubble used a ballot system in a bid to make the school roll, despite living nearby.
However, in the past, Selwyn and One Tree Hill College were forced to back down on proposed overlapping zones after hostility from parents in the grammar zones.
At the time, boards of trustees decided the zones. The ministry has since taken over zoning powers in efforts to make enrolment schemes more equitable.
Parent Genevieve Ostring has previously told the Herald she was thrilled about the proposed overlap zone for Selwyn College. Her family lived inside the St Johns Park area — meaning her two boys were in zone for Glendowie, nearly 7km away, instead of Selwyn, 4km away.
One son starts high school next year. Concerned that he would be torn away from his childhood friends, the family rented out their house and moved up the street to get into Selwyn’s zone. Ostring also started a petition calling for a dual zone, which garnered more than 130 signatures. The other proposals are:
● Ngakoroa School is set to open in Drury West next year. It is proposed that part of Drury School’s zone become part of the new enrolment scheme for Ngakoroa.
● Park Estate School in Papakura is also to open next year. Its proposed zone would include Park Estate Rd, Goodwin Dr and Edinburgh Ave.
● Royal Oak Intermediate’s home zone would reduce the southern portion to align with the boundary of Onehunga High School.
● An enrolment scheme for Sir Douglas Bader Intermediate would start next year. The proposed boundary would run from the coast near Manukau Memorial Gardens and roughly up SH20, excluding an area at the top that includes Mangere Bridge School and Waterlea Primary School.
● Avondale Intermediate home zone would extend slightly east in the southeastern boundary of the zone.
● Enrolment schemes are being developed for Chaucer and Glenavon schools, also starting in 2022. There is some cross-over between the two proposed home zone areas.