Hon Trevor Mallard
03 February 2004

Proposed new school network for Invercargill

Education Minister Trevor Mallard announced today a proposed new network for Invercargill schools that could unlock $33 million for local education.

“This review is about making sure Invercargill students receive a quality education that is sustainable into the future. It is about ensuring local education stays strong and of a high quality to withstand the pressures of declining rolls. Invercargill schools currently have surplus capacity of around 3527 student places, as at July 2003.

"I want education resources to be spent on teaching children, and not on maintaining under-used or empty buildings," Trevor Mallard said.

“It will also result in approximately $11 million extra in education development resources within individual schools, $3.1 million extra for joint education initiatives across schools, and an extra $19 million for property work in schools for the benefit of local students. This is in addition to the funds that schools in the area will be entitled to under their five-year property plans.

“The review has been a chance for everyone to share ideas and work together to ensure Invercargill schools provide a quality education that is sustainable well into the future,” Trevor Mallard said.

Proposals under the review are:
For primary provision
retain Invercargill Middle, Myross Bush School, Makarewa School and Otatara School;
merge Clarendon, Tisbury and Clifton Schools on the Clarendon site, as a year 1 to 6 school, with Clifton as the continuing school;
merge Kew and Invercargill South Schools on the Kew site with Invercargill South as the continuing school;
merge St George and Elston Lea Schools on the St George site with Elston Lea as the continuing school;
merge Newfield and Rockdale Park Schools, as a year 1 to 6, on the Newfield site with Rockdale Park as the continuing school;
retain Waihopai School;
merge Waverley Park and Ascot Community on the Ascot Community site, as a year 1 to 6 school, with Waverley Park as the continuing school;
merge Salford and Invercargill North Schools on the Salford site with Invercargill North as the continuing school;
merge Waikiwi, Grasmere and West Plains Schools on the Grasmere site with Waikiwi as the continuing school;
merge Bluff and Konini Schools on the Bluff site, as a year 1 to 6 school, with Konini as the continuing school;

For intermediate and secondary provision
Southland Boys’ High School becomes a Year 7 -15 school;
Southland Girls’ High School becomes a Year 7 -15 school on their current site and the Tweedsmuir site;
merge James Hargest High School with Rosedale and Collingwood Intermediate Schools to become a Year 7 -15 school on the James Hargest and Rosedale sites, with James Hargest as the continuing school;
merge Tweedsmuir Junior High School and Mt Anglem College to become a Year 7 -15 school on the Wharekura site, with Tweedsmuir as the continuing school;
Te Wharekura O Arowhenua to be relocated to a vacated school site for a better match to its roll size;

Special education provision
Ministry to consult further with schools and their communities onoptions for special education provision for all children and young peoplewith special education needs in Invercargill;
There will be consultation on the proposal that Ruru Special School could bedisestablished, with the possibility of students going to Waihopai'sspecialist facility or new units;
Through consultation, a range of options including a SpecialEducation Learning Support and Resource Centre will be considered.

"I have asked the Ministry to report back to me by mid May on special education provision. Under the Education Act, as Minister I must be convinced that alternative provision is in place before any special school can be closed," Trevor Mallard said.

Trevor Mallard expects to make his final decisions on his other proposals in April after further consultation with the schools involved. Any further submissions are to be made through their boards of trustees. The Ministry of Education will then work closely with schools to ensure a smooth transition so changes are in place for the 2005 school year.

The board of each continuing school will manage the transition period and govern the proposed new school until elections can be held. One person will be seconded to that board from each of the other merging schools.

The Ministry’s submission to the Minister, will be available on the network review section of the Ministry’s website: from 10am tomorrow.

Under the proposal, schools will get the following estimated extra funding, as a result of average savings made through the review process. The extra funding follows the student and the estimates are based on assumptions about which schools children will attend.

Estimated extra funding:

Clarendon/Clifton/Tisbury
$882,000 for Education Development Initiatives (EDI) within the school
$271,100 for joint education projects across the school network
$616,500 in extra property funding over and above the usual five-year entitlement.

Kew/Invercargill South
$588,000 for EDI
$168,000 for joint projects across schools
$483,300 in extra property funding

St George/Elston Lea
$723,000 in EDI
$206,660 for joint projects
$1.5 million in extra property funding

Newfield/Rockdale Park
$470,500 in EDI
$177,400 for joint projects
$1 million in extra property funding

Waverley Park/Ascot Community
$578,700 in EDI
$245,800 for joint projects
$234,400 in extra property funding

Salford/Invercargill North
$862,500 in EDI
$246,500 for joint projects
$2.4 million in extra property funding

Waikiwi/Grasmere/West Plains
$924,000 in EDI
$263,900 for joint projects
$1.1 million in extra property funding

Bluff/Konini
$445,800 in EDI
$160,200 for joint projects
$100,000 in extra property funding

Southland Boys’
$510,600 in EDI
$985,108 in extra property funding

Southland Girls’
$769,300 in EDI
$2.3 million in extra property funding

James Hargest/Rosedale/Collingwood
$1.5 million in EDI
$803,400 for joint projects
$2.8 million in extra property funding

Tweedsmuir/Mt Anglem
$2.2 million in EDI
$450,500 for joint projects
$5.38 million in extra property funding.

ENDS

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