Roll counts are soaring as its schools feel the impact of the town’s growth.
Cromwell's high school is working with the Ministry of Education on expansion plans.
This week it was confirmed Cromwell’s population had exceeded that of Alexandra’s for the first time.
Statistics New Zealand’s Census analysis confirmed Cromwell was home to 5610 residents and Alexandra to 5472.
Cromwell College principal Mason Stretch said the school of about 500 pupils had grown about 20% over the past five years. It would likely increase to about 600 over the next few years.
It had 400 pupils in 2014.
A business case related to a redevelopment of the school was being worked through with the Ministry of Education in response to growth, he said.
‘‘We’re working on an education brief, seeking opinions on what education should look like within our school in the next 30-50 years.’’
‘‘It’s a real challenge with our school filling up.
‘‘We’re increasing about a class a year — we’re heading towards 600 students in the next five to six years.’’
Cromwell Primary School principal Wendy Brooks said pupil numbers had climbed by two classrooms in about a year.
The school was awaiting the build of three additional classrooms as part of the Government’s $27million injection for five Central Otago and Southland schools.
‘‘We’re full,’’ she said.
‘‘The classes are certainly bigger than what we would want them to be.’’
School zoning changes in the Cromwell area had also occurred in recent times.
Children from the Bannockburn and Pisa Moorings areas are now zoned for Cromwell Primary School, having previously being zoned to attend Goldfields Primary School.
Goldfields principal Anna Harrison said school zoning, which came into effect in 2018, was a significant factor.
‘‘We had 57 year 6s leave last year,’’ Ms Harrison said.
‘‘We’re just starting to see that growth again now.’’
The school has had six new classrooms built over the past five years.
Dunstan High School principal Reece Goldsmith said the Alexandra school experienced ‘‘steady’’ growth.
It had about 520 pupils in 2014. Mr Goldsmith anticipated about 580 pupils would begin the year in 2020.
‘‘I wouldn’t call that astronomical growth. The good thing about that is that it is quite manageable.’’
The roll was set to slowly creep towards 600 pupils over the next three years.
‘‘It’s looking quite promising for us — we’re not expecting it to explode.’’
