The Ministry of Education’s (MoE) consultation about the proposed changes to Ormiston Primary School’s enrolment zone has sparked a flood of feedback and a petition opposing the amendment from the local community.
Hautū (leader) Te Tai Raro (North) Isabel Evans told the Times that, due to the rapid growth in the Ormiston Heights catchment, the MoE has been working closely with schools in the area to develop a plan regarding the forecast growth and demand and proposed amendments to enrolment schemes.
The MoE is working with the board of Ormiston Primary School (OPS) and Chapel Downs Primary School to amend their enrolment schemes.
“OPS have been identified as at-risk of overcrowding,” Evans says. “The school and Ministry agree that we need to amend the school’s amendment scheme so its zone is appropriate for the capacity of the school and to provide extra classrooms so the school can accommodate 1200 student places.”
In the maps of the school’s proposed enrolment zones, Chapel Downs’ existing enrolment scheme is cut in half, removing much of the roads to the right of Barry Curtis Park and above Repehina Road.
About a quarter of OPS’s existing enrolment scheme has been removed from the proposed version.
The MoE held a six-week (July 25- September 2) community consultation process and public meetings at both schools to give the public an opportunity to learn about the proposed changes, raise questions and provide feedback.
Evans says that the MoE received more than 140 submissions and a petition opposing the amendment, with 277 signatures.
The petition states the consequences as: “Kids currently living in the already existing OPS in-zone area and enrolling in OPS after January 1, 2013 will need to be enrolled in Chapel Downs School.”
“Our Ormiston-Flat Bush community comprises young families who purchased the houses, shedding out millions of dollars here in this newly-created suburb thinking their kids’ education will be sorted for primary + junior + senior colleges, will now be pushed to corner to send their kids to a decile two school.”
One of the signatories described the proposed rezoning as “discriminatory” and “unfair” and “defeats our purpose of purchasing the property here”.
Other comments expressed similar sentiments.
Additionally, the petition said that the proposal “has not been communicated well to the impacted residents” with one signatory stating they’d only been informed of the situation through a social media community group.
Evans says the proposed changes will only “impact new families to the area or existing families with children yet to start school”.
“Any student currently enrolled at OPS or Chapel Downs will not be impacted by a change to the enrolment schemes. All students enrolled (and have started attending) will be entitled to continue attending their respective school, irrespective of where they currently live.”
The MoE is exploring the need for a new junior college and primary school in the school network, Evans says. “This will likely lead to a review of enrolment scheme boundaries and zones to accommodate these changes.”
The ministry is considering all feedback provided before any decisions are made.
OPS have been approached for comment.
