Investment Announced for Christchurch’s First ‘Brilliant Curriculum’ School

The founder of one of New Zealand’s most globally successful outdoors companies, Macpac, today announced the Holistic Education Trust’s development of a new $2.5 million land site for independent school Seven Oaks.

Seven Oaks, co-founded by Bruce McIntyre, is currently teaching 61 students from Year 1 to 8 at temporary premises in Opawa.

The recently purchased four hectare site on the corner of Quaifes and Murphys Roads in Halswell will eventually grow the current roll to 480 students, with provision for both pre-school and secondary facilities.

Bruce McIntyre said the Seven Oaks Board saw the available site as a key opportunity to develop further the school’s Ministry of Education-approved “Brilliant Curriculum” and have already purchased eight relocatable classrooms built in 2012 for St Margaret’s College for Stage I of the development.

Stage I plans cover approximately one third of the site and will include a “drop and drive” carpark, art and music rooms, paved courts, landscaped play areas and a playing field. The school is currently negotiating for a further two buildings from Ara Institute of Canterbury (formerly CPIT) to complete the first stage of the development.

“Our extended holistic curriculum fosters experimental learning, social cohesiveness and environmental understanding. Our focus is developing children into creative, capable, well rounded and resilient adults able to handle situations in the real and rapidly changing world,” Bruce McIntyre said.

In the seven years it had been operating in Opawa, it also attracted top teaching talent, including Principal Owen Arnst, formerly Headmaster at Christchurch’s prestigious Cathedral Grammar School.

“The small 1:15 teacher:pupil ratio and focus on empowering children through not only intellectual, but emotional and social skills, have seen the school gain traction as an alternative to both State and traditional private schools”, McIntyre said.

“We’re not a charter or related to the Discovery school, nor are we aligned with Montessori or Rudolph Steiner who, while having their merits, were the product of a different time and a different culture.”

“Fees are also 40-50% less than traditional independent schools,” said McIntyre.

Resource consent for the site is expected in June, with Stage 1 planned to open early 2017.

Seven Oaks invites interested parents to the open day on Tuesday, 10 May. More details available at www.sevenoaks.school.nz

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