King's High School board of trustees chairman David Booth said the board, at its July 6 meeting, resolved to decline the ministry's request to implement an enrolment scheme, because it was of ''the firm view'' it was not required.
Nor did the ministry's reasoning for the decision meet the purpose of an enrolment scheme as set out in the Education Act, he said.
The board had consulted the school community, parents/caregivers, pupils and staff and the feedback was ''overwhelmingly opposed'' to the implementation of an enrolment scheme.
The board confirmed its position to the ministry in writing, and board representatives met ministry officials on July 21 to discuss the letter, he said.
''The ministry indicated that they intend to force King's to implement an enrolment scheme,'' Mr Booth said.
The board was considering its options, which included seeking legal advice.
The ministry's head of sector enablement and support, Katrina Casey, said yesterday the ministry understood the school was unhappy with the decision but the ministry's hands were tied.
Ministry figures showed King's had enough permanent space for 944 students and had a roll of 1030.
The ministry had helped accommodate the surplus by providing four ''temporary'' classrooms, but that left room for only five more pupils above the school's March roll.
''The problem is the school is now full. We're concerned that the school doesn't appear to have any plan to deal with this,'' Ms Casey said.
''Future students and their parents need to know where they stand as they make plans for their future schooling.
''We don't think it's wise for King's to head into another year with room for just five more students. That just isn't sustainable.''
Ms Casey said the ministry would prefer to work with the board to implement an enrolment scheme by providing support, information or an independent facilitator to help with consultation.
Mr Booth said the school was not overcrowded, and neither was there a likelihood of overcrowding.
''While we have experienced roll growth, we have sufficient capacity to accommodate current and anticipated enrolments, and the population and enrolment projections support this view.''
An enrolment scheme would negate parental choice as outlined in the Education Act, as it limited choice for those who wished to send their son to King's, he said.
Mr Booth challenged the ministry's figures, saying the 1030 was a projected roll figure in March and the actual roll was 1017.
The school had an intake of 220 year 9 pupils this year and could accommodate more than 200 year nine pupils next year.
He said the ministry was being ''disingenuous''.
''This isn't an episode of Happy Days where Potsie repeats the fifth form seven times - students leave at the end of the year.
''We have enough room for 200-plus students to enrol next year.''
Mr Booth also criticised the ministry's use of the term ''temporary classroom'' when referring to the additional rooms provided.
''There is no term `temporary classroom' in the Education Act - they do not exist,'' he said.
''A high percentage of schools in Dunedin have prefabricated buildings on piles, in both primary and secondary schools.
''That's a typical construction for ministry state school classrooms.
''I can tell you for a fact we have more than four of them.''
Mr Booth said ministry figures were based on March projections, and did not reflect the actual number of pupils at the school.
Mr Booth did not anticipate any extra classrooms would need to be provided in the near future.
If more were needed, the school would write to the ministry to request assistance, as was the procedure, he said.
Mr Booth said the board would continue to resist an enrolment scheme because it strongly disagreed with the ministry's interpretation of the requirements for a scheme.
''The board is disappointed and confused by the ministry's decision-making being property driven rather than people driven, especially given that the supposed property issue they are referencing doesn't exist,'' Mr Booth said.
''Parents are best placed to make the decisions about their young men's futures, not templates and Ministry of Education personnel.
''The ministry market themselves by claiming `great results are our bottom line'. It seems that this applies as long as a school is not too successful.
''The outcome of our great results and culture is that the Ministry of Education desire to prevent students from coming to be part of a great school.''
Principal Dan Reddiex confirmed the school would be accepting all enrolments in 2016.
