Mr English was a guest speaker at the official opening of KingsView School, in Frankton, yesterday.
The Southern Lakes' first non-denominational Christian state-integrated school welcomed 17 pupils, plus new principal Rebekah Key and teacher Marlene van Tonder, after a $150,000 to $200,000 modernisation over the holidays.
Mr English said a small proportion of parents were looking for Christian "special character" schools "which reflected their beliefs, philosophies and sense of what make a full person".
The MP said he was pleased to support the former private Southern Lakes Christian School's application for integration with the Ministry of Education. It was important for integrated schools to focus on differences, not similarities, and he was pleased to see schools with special characters work together, he said.
The success of KingsView School depended on the parents' commitment as much as the teachers, even though he understood some Queenstown parents found it "a bit trying" working hard to pay the bills.
"Even though the Government pays a fair bit of the bill, we're relying on the parents to make the school special."
New Zealand Christian Proprietors Trust chairman Mark Larson gave each pupil and both teachers a bone carved koru necklace as a memento of the school's "milestone and new chapter".
Pupils were the stars of the celebration and everyone gathered was there to support them.
KingsView was part of a network of schools but was unique and the trust "wanted it to flourish and prosper with the community's vision", he said.
Establishment board oftrustees chairman Andy van Ameyde thanked all who had renovated the school building in only two months.
Ms Key said she was working with "the most committed educationalists in the country" and board and staff wanted to cultivate excellence in learning.
"It's the development of heart and character that is so important to us and this culminates in something much bigger than us, the service of others," the principal said.
Mr English and pupil Tobin Roebeck, of Kelvin Heights, cut the ribbon, as about 100 establishment board trustees, proprietors' trustees, builders, architects, clergy, former pupils, families of present pupils and friends of KingsView School, all cheered.
