Wide support shown for Forbury School

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By John Gibb on Mon, 23 May 2011
News: Dunedin | Anne Tolley | Forbury School
About 1000 people protest against the closure of Forbury School during a march on George St, Dunedin, on Saturday. Photo by Jane Dawber.
About 1000 people protest against the closure of Forbury School during a march on George St, Dunedin, on Saturday. Photo by Jane Dawber.

There was a unified and impassioned cry of "fight the decision - save our school", from an estimated 1000 people who marched in protest up George St on Saturday, supporting Forbury School in South Dunedin.

Earlier this month, Education Minister Anne Tolley announced it was likely Macandrew Intermediate and Forbury Schools would be merged as a years 1-8 primary school on the Macandrew site.

She also announced it was likely Caversham, College Street and Calton Hill Schools would be merged as a years 1-8 school on the Caversham site, with a campus on the Calton Hill site.

The large group of vocal protesters carried placards with various messages aimed at Mrs Tolley - all pleading for her to see the value in the Oxford St school and keep it open.

At the end of each block on George St, the group stopped, allowing pupils of Forbury School to give a short haka, before moving into the next block on their way to the Octagon.

Hundreds of signatures were also collected on a petition to keep the school open.

Principal Janice Tofia was amazed by the turnout and the level of support for the school, which has a roll of about 145.

"There's community support from right across the city. There's people here from Brighton to Northeast Valley and up the hills. Teachers, parents and children from lots of other schools are here as well.

"It's humbling to see we've gathered so much support for the school," Mrs Tofia said.

The protest march is just one of many initiatives planned by the school, aimed at giving the community the ability to voice its concerns about the probable closure, Mrs Tofia said.

The school and its parents have until the end of the month to persuade Mrs Tolley to keep the school open.

- john.lewis@odt.co.nz

 

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To close or not to close?

Submitted by digger on Tue, 24/05/2011 - 9:12am.

I guess the Ministry of Education looked at Macandrew Intermediate and Forbury School because they are the two which are closest to each other. One of them had to go, in their view. (Caversham School survived. College St did not)

Forbury School has indeed picked up in recent years after their troubles of some years back when the roll was dangerously low for survival. Presumably the local kids went to other schools in the area during that time. What would the distance be between Forbury and Macandrew schools? One or two kms? Do you think Macandrew should have been closed instead?

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Forbury School

Submitted by Ally on Mon, 23/05/2011 - 1:44pm.

That is right but Forbury's school roll has doubled in the last 10 years. No small roll, the class rooms are not empty, they are all used for various reasons.  These rooms can also be used as extra classrooms for more pupils that would come if Macandrew or any other school closed.

Forbury has new special needs areas which are needed and used, fences all round the school, which are needed to fillful the needs of the school community.  It would be extremely uneconomic to shift this community to Macandrew as so much money would have to be spent to accommodate the needs of the young children who would attend.

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Forbury School

Submitted by Ally on Mon, 23/05/2011 - 1:30pm.

One could understand that with some schools the rolls are dropping and therefore it is commonsense that it is not economically viable to keep the school open. 

In Forbury school's case, the school roll has more than doubled in the last 10 years. 

There are no other schools in close proximity - how are the children supposed to get to Macandrew intermediate? A large number of the families don't have cars.

 

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sad, but unavoidable

Submitted by digger on Mon, 23/05/2011 - 8:20am.

It's always sad to see a school being closed, but when there is a long term demographic decrease in a school(s) catchment area it is inevitable that schools have to close. You can argue the formula as to which school(s) are to close, but that's all. If not Forbury-College St? Small rolls with classrooms empty, and buildings to be maintained in the meantime, is simply uneconomic-especially in these cash straightened times.

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